Making Travel a Reality - Personal Profitability

In November, I spent 2 weeks in London, Paris, and Amsterdam. In January, I was in Costa Rica. In March, I made it to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a weekend. On Monday, I came home from New Orleans for three days before I drive to Omaha for a long weekend. Next weekend I am back in Arkansas, and by the end of the summer I will have been to Minneapolis and hopefully Spain.

This might be incredibly overwhelming, but you can really do it too. I promise.

Baby Steps to Big Travel

My travel schedule might overwhelm they typical non-traveler, but I am a lightweight compared to some of my travel heroes. I look to Chris Guillebeau, Nomadic Matt, and Jodi Ettenberg for my inspiration. They are on the road nearly full time.

I didn’t start traveling by jumping on a jet to Europe. I started smaller. I have taken road trips and flights all over the world. You don’t have to start that way either, pick a smaller trip. My trip to Omaha is going to be cheap. It is an eight hour car ride and two nights in a hotel.

Places like North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Maine might not sound exciting, but those states, and others off the beaten path are often full of hidden gems and are easy to get to and cheap to visit depending on where you live.

Steps to Bigger Trips

You do have to spend more than the $200 I am spending to get to Omaha for a trip to Europe, but you can replicate my trip to London, Paris, and Amsterdam on a budget. I used miles from my British Airways credit card to cover most of the flight. The flight took me everywhere other than a two hour train ride between Paris and Amsterdam.

We didn’t splurge for fancy hotels either. I did research and got in touch with people like Matt and Jodi on Twitter for ideas of places to stay in each city. I found hostels with great locations in each city. Just do your research first, and you will be fine with budget accommodations. You can also check out sites like airbnb and Couchsurfing for more budget options.

The Mental Block

People often say, “I wish I could travel like you.” I always ask what is stopping them. Just like making changes to your financial life, they are always BS answers. People can come up with time if they want to make it a priority. People can come up with money if they save and budget the right way. They just don’t really want to do it.

In order to do something different, you have to overcome the mental blocks. What is holding you back? What are you afraid of? Or do you just not want to put in the effort?

For me, travel is a life experience. Seeing the world is one of my biggest priorities. I am not letting a silly thing like time or money get in the way of that.

How Do You Travel?

What motivates you to explore the world? How have you traveled on a budget in the past? Please share your thoughts, experiences, and strategies in the comments.

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