The Penny Saver.

BACKPACKER’S joURNAL.

a short guide for the eager traveller.

THE PENNY SAVER.

SINCE HAVING BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO SPEND THE LAST TWO YEARS EXPLORING OUR WONDERFUL WORLD, THE MOST COMMON PHRASE I HEAR FROM FRIENDS ON MY RETURN IS; “I WISH I COULD, BUT I JUST CAN’T AFFORD IT”.

SO HERE, I HAVE PUT TOGETHER THIS POST DEDICATED TO GUIDING YOU ALL THROUGH HOW TO SAVE.

I’M GOING TO BE HONEST, THE WORLD IS EXPENSIVE, BUT I’D LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER THAT IT ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE. SO PLEASE DON’T LOSE FAITH AFTER 3 MONTHS OF SAVING WHEN YOU STILL HAVEN’T GATHERED THE FUNDS FOR A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE. JUST BE PATIENT.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE RICH TO TRAVEL, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE JUST LIKE YOURSELVES MAKING THEIR WAY AROUND THE GLOBE ON A BUDGET, BUT THEY’RE MAKING IT HAPPEN!

IF, LIKE ME YOU WORK FOR MINIMUM WAGE OR AROUND THAT FIGURE, HERE’S A BREAKDOWN:

FULL TIME JOB

40 HOURS PER WEEK

£9 AN HOUR = £360 PW. £1440 PM.

MINUS 20% TAX = £1,212 PM.

MINUS RENT = £762

MINUS FOOD BUDGET OF £20PP PER WEEK = £682

USE 82 AS LEEWAY (TOBACCO/COFFEE WITH A FRIEND ETC)

AND HERE YOU ARE WITH £600 (EVEN MORE IF YOU’RE STILL LIVING AT HOME WITH PARENTS).

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE FLIGHTS I HAVE PURCHASED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND SOME OF THE DEALS I’VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON FOR THE FUTURE;

LONDON – BANGKOK (1 MONTH LAYOVER) ONE WAY – AUCKLAND

£520.

LONDON – NEW DEHLI RETURN

£482

LONDON – SINGAPORE RETURN (COOLEST PLACE EVER)

£350

LONDON – BOGOTA, COLOMBIA RETURN

£620

LONDON – HAVANNA, CUBA RETURN

£474

LONDON – TOKYO RETURN

£378

LONDON – SAN FRANCISCO ONE WAY

£125

THIS STRICT MONEY MANAGEMENT BREAKDOWN ONLY CONSISTS OF THE VERY BASICS. ON OCCASION YOU MAY WANT TO GO OUT DRINKING WITH FRIENDS OR BUY THOSE £100 + SHOES BEFORE ANYONE ELSE, ITS DOWN TO YOU TO DECIDE WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU.

YOUR MINDSET IS VITAL, AND IF YOU’RE ALREADY STRICT WITH YOUR MONEY THAT’S GREAT BUT SOME, LIKE MYSELF, WE TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE FRIVOLOUS WITH OUR SPENDING…

WITH A LITTLE BIT OF BRUTAL HONESTY I’D LIKE TO OFFER SOME HOME TRUTHS. THESE MAY NOT APPLY TO EVERYONE HOWEVER THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IN MY SMALL LITTLE HOME TOWN ON THE SOUTH COAST OF ENGLAND, THIS IS FOR YOU.

IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, DOES HANGING OUT AT THE SAME BAR, DRINKING THE SAME BEER WITH THE SAME PEOPLE TO GREET THE MORNING WITH THAT SAME GUT WRENCHING SHAME AFTER CHECKING YOUR BANK BALANCE HAVE ANY COMPARISON TO WAKING UP ON A DIFFERENT BEACH EVERY WEEK? NO, NO IT DOESN’T. NOT ONLY IS EXCESSIVE DRINKING DESTROYING YOUR BODY IT IS ALSO DESTROYING YOUR POSSIBILITIES. BUT HEY, YOU’RE LOOKING GREAT IN YOUR LIMITED EDITION OVERPRICED AND PRETENTIOUS £300 DEPOP STEAL. SHAME YOU’LL MOST LIKELY STAIN IT WITH PIZZA SAUCE NEXT SUNDAY WHEN YOU’RE TOO HIGH TO LOCATE YOUR MOUTH. THAT £20 YOU SPENT ON A LIFT HOME FROM BRIGHTON LAST WEEK, AND THE WEEK BEFORE... AND THE WEEK BEFORE THAT, THAT’S £60. IN INDONESIA YOU COULD’VE HIRED A JEEP AND TOURED A MOUNTAIN RANGE AND CLIMBED UP TO THE CRATER OF AN ACTIVE VOLCANO. TWICE. BUT YOU ENJOY THROWING UP ON THE BACKSEAT OF YOUR MATES NISSAN MICRA.

IF YOU VALUE HAVING THE MOST EXPENSIVE CLOTHES AND DRIVING AROUND IN A SPORT AND PRIDE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS ON HOW OFTEN YOU DRINK TOGETHER THEN SO BE IT, I DO RESPECT THAT AND HAVE FUN BUT KNOW THAT UNLESS YOUR PARENTS ARE DISHING OUT THE CASH OR YOU GET LUCKY ON A SCRATCH CARD YOU WILL LIVE AND DIE IN THIS TOWN.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR SAVING WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING THAT THE MONEY ISNT IN YOUR WALLET. NEXT TIME YOU RUN OT OF JAM, KEEP THE JAR. EVERY EVENING WHEN YOU GET IN PUT YOUR TIPS OR ANY LOOSE CHANGE FLOATING AROUND IN YOUR POCKETS INTO THE JAR. YOU COULD DO THIS AND USE THE FUNDS YOU RAISE TOWARDS YOUR TRAVEL EXPENDATURES OR WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS USE IT AS A REFERENCE TO MY BUDGET. WHATEVER FUNDS I MANAGE TO COLLECT INTO THAT JAR IS WHAT I ALLOW MYSELF TO SPEND AND IF THERE IS NOTHING INSIDE THEN ITS WHATEVER I’VE GOT IN MY FRIDGE FOR DINNER AND A COSY SATURDAY NIGHT AT HOME. THIS ENABLES ME TO AVOID GOING OVERBOARD WITH CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS BY LEAVING MY CARD A HOME.

WALK. OR INVEST IN A CHEAP BIKE? IT’LL DO YOUR BODY GOOD AND YOUR WALLET. THE MONEY YOU SAVE FROM NOT RIDING THE BUS/TRAIN EVERYDAY WILL SOON MAKE UP THE AMOUNT YOU SPENT ON A BIKE. IF YOU DRIVE, DON’T DRIVE AS MUCH. JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CAR DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DRIVE TEN MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD TO THE SHOP. FUEL ADDS UP, IT MAY ONLY BE £50 EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT THAT 50 CAN LAST YOU A WEEK IN SOME PLACES, FOR ACCOMMODATION FOOD AND FUN.

BUDGETING.

THAT’S ANOTHER POINT I’D LIKE TO COVER. WHEN TRAVELLING ALONE IT IS MUCH EASIER TO SET YOURSELF A BUDGET AND STICK TO IT. DO YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT THE COUNTRY YOU’RE VISITING AND HEAR WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE COSTS WHEN TRAVELLING THERE AND SET YOURSELF A WEEKLY BUDGET. YOU COULD EXCHANGE THE CURRENCY AND TAKE THE CASH BUT ONLY RELOAD YOUR WALLET EVERY FRIDAY FOR EXAMPLE, OR HAVE A SET DAY WHERE YOU WITHDRAW YOUR BUDGET AND ONLY THEN DO YOU USE YOUR CARD (BE AWARE OF NASTY BANK CHARGES). MAKE SURE TO CONSIDER ACCOMMODATION, FOOD, EXCURSIONS AND NEVER LEAVE YOURSELF TOTALLY BROKE INCASE OF EMERGENCY.

IF YOU’RE SUPER PICKY WITH WHERE YOU’RE SLEEPING ALLOW YOURSELF MORE FOR YOUR ACCOM. I’VE STAYED IN PLENTY CLEAN AND FRIENDLY HOSTELS FOR AS LITTLE AS £5 A NIGHT, JUST BE AWARE THAT WHAT YOU PAY IS WHAT YOU GET IN MOST CASES. FOR FOOD, EAT THE LOCAL CUISINE IT WILL BE CHEAP AND DELICIOUS AS THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING AND YOU KNOW WHERE ITS COME FROM. FOR FUN, EXCURSIONS AND TOUR PACKAGES ALIKE VISIT NUMEROUS TOUR AGENCIES TO FIND THE BEST DEAL. IF YOU HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE ALL INTERESTED IN DOING SIMILAR ACTIVITIES THEN ASK AT THE FRONT DESK OF YOUR HOSTEL WHERE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE YOU ALL OUT FOR THE DAY AT A FLAT RATE TO SPLIT BETWEEN YOURSELVES. THE LOCALS ARE USUALLY SUPER HELPFUL TOO, EVERYBODY KNOWS A GUY WHO KNOWS A GUY SO BE FRIENDLY AND ASK AROUND. ASK YOUR CAB/TUK TUK DRIVER OF ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAYBE YOU COULD WORK OUT A DEAL THAT’S WORKS FOR THE TWO OF YOU AND ARRAGE FOR THEN TO PICK YOU UP AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. WHICHEVER WORKS BEST FOR YOU, UST KNOW THAT YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO FIND THE BEST DEAL ON GOOGLE. IF WHATEVER YOU’RE PLANNING TO DO DOESN’T QUITE FIT IN WITH THAT WEEKS BUDGET THEN IT’S DOWN TO YOU TO DECIDE IF IT IS WORTH IT OR IF YOU COULD SACRIFICE PART OF NEXT WEEKS BUDGET TO FUND THE ACTIVITY. REMEMBER, NOTHING IS STOPPING YOU FROM COMING BACK SO DON’T STRESS ABOUT MISSING OUT, EACH COUNTRY HAS SO MANY AMAZING SIGHTS AND THERE ARE COUNTLESS NEW EXPERIENCES AHEAD.

REMEMBER DURING EXAMS THAT ONE TEACHER WHO WOULD ALWAYS SAY “FAIL TO PLAN, PLAN TO FAIL” ?

WELL, ITS TRUE.

MONEY IS LIKE WATER AND UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ENDLESS STREAM OF THE STUFF, IT WILL SOON ENOUGH RUN OUT.

IF YOU’RE THINKING THAT THERE IS NO WAY YOU’RE GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE YOUR MONEY STRETCH AS FAR AS YOU WANT TO GO THEN HOW ABOUT LOOKING INTO A WORKING HOLIDAY VISA AND EARN AS YOU GO? OR AN EVEN BETTER OPTION, VOLUNTEER ABROAD? PROVIDE YOUR SKILLS AND AID IN EXCHANGE FOR SHELTER AND FOOD AND WALK AWAY EVERYDAY KNOWING THAT YOU DID SOME GOOD. TRIED WOOFING? WORKAWAY? THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS SO KEEP MONEY WORRIES AT BAY AND KEEP SPENDING TO A MINIMUM FOR EACH TYPE OF TRAVELLER. I’LL BE GOING DEEPER INTO WORKING HOLIDAYS AND OVERSEA’S VOLUNTEERING IN SEPARATE POSTS AT A LATER DATE AS I’D LOVE TO SHARE SOME OF MY MOST AMAZING EXPERIECES WITH YOU AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHOOSE A SIMILAR ROUTE.

I HOPE THIS QUICK INTRO INTO BUDGETING WHILST ON YOUR TRIP AND SAVING FOR YOUR ADVENTURE HAS HELPED. EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN SAVING STYLES AND IM SURE THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT SAVERS THAN ME!