Budgeting

  • Budgeting

    Road Tripping Europe: The Costs

    September 12, 2016 - By 

    How much did our road trip around Europe cost? $24,330 for 6 months for 2 people! First, logistical costs (8%). $2024 Before embarking on our epic road trip around Europe, we acquired 6-month long stay visitor visas from the French consulate.  In addition to the visas, our logistical purchases included international drivers licenses, international health insurance, plane tickets (which were heavily subsidized with airline points), transportation to and from the airport, and porting our phone numbers to Google Voice in order to keep our numbers. First class San Francisco to Berlin via airberlin. Buying an RV and stocking it (22%–our biggest cost). $5,195 We…

  • Budgeting

    How Much Did That 11.5-Week Road Trip Cost?

    December 21, 2015 - By 

    I’ve said many times that traveling is much cheaper than living in San Francisco. Southeast Asia and most of South America are obviously easier to budget for, but I’ve discovered that even road-tripping around the U.S. is significantly cheaper than living in San Francisco too. Last year when we spent 3.5 months on the road driving from San Francisco to New York and down to New Orleans and back, I compared domestic travel with international travel and laid out tips for RV-living.  This year, I decided to keep track of all my spending over the course of 11.5 weeks because I was…

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    How To Make Long-Term Travel Possible

    September 17, 2015 - By 

    I don’t mind when people curiously ask me, “So what did you have to do in order to live this lifestyle?” I do however mind when people make the ignorant claim, “You’re so lucky you get to travel.” I’ve been asked by my own family members, friends, and people I’ve met while traveling the same question, so I figure it’s time I dive into an honest, detailed response. First of all, it’s not luck. I’m not living off a trust fund that Daddy gave me. The job fairy didn’t magically appear and give Chris his own company, skills, and customers.…

  • Budgeting

    Budgeting 5 Months in Latin America

    September 10, 2015 - By 

    Although the cost of living and traveling in Latin America is far cheaper than the cost of living in San Francisco, I knew that the total cost of 5+ months in Latin America would be exponentially higher than my total cost for 5 months in Southeast Asia.  It is still the Americas after all. Parts of South America such as Chile and Argentina are modern, and the costs of living and travel in those countries are comparable to small towns in the United States. Remote and/or isolated areas such as Easter Island, the Galapagos, and Cuba are labeled with hefty price tags due…

  • Budgeting

    Travel Costs of SE Asia, HK, and Japan

    August 15, 2014 - By 

    Although I fortunately did not have to scrape by on the true, minuscule budget of a young backpacker fresh out of college, I still forced myself to travel frugally and I kept a scrutinous eye on the money I withdrew from ATMs, air fare deals, and my credit card charges. Being primarily cash-only, Southeast Asia makes it quite easy to lose track of where money can go. My goal in this post is to prove how incredibly cheap it is to get by in Southeast Asia. As long as you’re not drowning in debt or attached to excess baggage/obligations, spending a month or two in one Southeast Asian…