Traveling costs too much? It doesn't have to / Malta

Traveling costs too much? It doesn't have to

There seems to be a balance in the world, kind of weird and annoying one, but still - there are two types on people in the world, the ones who have the money to travel but don't have time to do it, and the ones who have the time but not enough money to do it. Yes, yes, I know, there are many exceptions as well. But very often when I talk to my friends, that's what it usually comes down to. You have either time, or money, very seldom both.

And of course, then there are people who sort of have the money, sort of have the time, but who think they don't have enough of either of them. I can't help you time-wise, unless you're really-really busy, it's usually all in your head, and I can't help you. But if it's money that troubles you, there are ways around it (and even though that's always an option as well, I'm not currently talking about winning a jackpot with powerball).

First of all, you are living right now, right? I mean, considering you are reading this. So you have some money. You have the money to rent an apartment, you have the money to eat, you have the money to own a computer. So, if we set that as a starting point, you're not doing too bad at all.

The thing is that when you're traveling, you don't need much more. Yes, one could say that when you go traveling you want to live like a king or something, but why should you? Yes, when you decide to go traveling once every 10 years, it's an occasion. But you should do it way more often, multiple times a year, and you won't have any ridiculous expectations anymore.

When choosing a place, choose wisely. The world is a big place, and you have enough options. Some destinations to you can be far away, and the initial flight costs might be rather high. Yet, once you're there, your costs might be way smaller than anywhere else. And some destinations are a short flight away, but the local living costs can be enourmous. Which do you choose? Obviously it depends on many factors, but I usually base my decision on some very simple factors.

1. Weather - where can I find the weather what I'm looking for right now?
2. Flights - can I find a fairly cheap flight there within the next two weeks?
3. Prices - is the cost of living similar to my home country?

The third one obviously being the most important bit. If the living costs are the same as in your own country, and the flights are cheap, the fact that you don't have much money doesn't matter. You managed to live at home, so you will also manage to live abroad for the same money. If the flights there cost a lot of money, then for this idea to work, the local prices need to be way cheaper than in your own country. So do your math, it's not that difficult to find a way, if you really wanted to travel.

And I didn't even mention hitch-hiking, or any truly cheap travel options.