BootsnAll Travel Community

I got rid of my car, I ride a bicycle about 20 a miles a day to get to and from work. I stopped eating and drinking out. I stopped all clothing shopping. I sold a ton of junk. I moved in with my parents. I got rid of my cell phone. My only expense now is the gym, and getting some decent gear together (a little pricey, I love golite.com)

Good luck! Not only are you not polluting your town's air by riding a bike, but since you are riding that far everyday, you could conceivably save even more money by cutting out the gym. I pretty much did the same thing. Though I never owned a car, I moved in with my parents, stopped buying instruments and stuff, and worked a helluva lot of jobs. All of your hard work & sacrifices will pay off!

Have you seen Bikeforums.net?

They have a pretty decent commuting group...

way to go theoutsider!

That's quite the commitment - I commend you on your will power! :-)

Update:

Ways to rapidly save money and get on the road 5 times faster.

1. Get rid of your car and bicycle. Walk/Run. I like to run the 8 miles to work, then walk the 8 miles back. I was doing the bike thing, but I find running and race walking much more satisfying. If I could swim to work, then that would be kick ass also. I sold my bike to someone and got my 100 dollars that I spent on it back.

2. Live at home. Nothing beats saying "I am cool" like living with mom and dad.

3. Stop going out and drinking. Instead of going to a bar and spending 100 dollars drinking beer/liquor, spend 30 bucks on a fantastic well-researched bottle of red wine. Delicious. Cook a fantastic dinner with it and impress your friends with your culture and sophistication.

4. Buy used gear only, unless it comes to clothing/trail runners

5. Become a vegan. Ok ok, for me it was a lifestyle choice. I only spend 50 bucks a week on food or less. That is eating only fresh, organic natural food that isn't processed. Being a carnivore is unhealthy and costs a lot more! Kidney beans + Brown rice = lots of protein, nutrients, and 1.90 for a lb. of each. Throw in some hot sauce and you are set.

6. Stop buying new clothing!

7. No more coffee, eating out, junk food. It all adds up quickly.

8. Get rid of your cellphone. Use the phone at your parents or at your job. Have people call you there instead. You have an emergency? Bleeding to death on the side of the road. Don't worry, hold your organs in and apply pressure while you wait for a car to hit you, err...stop and call 911.

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TRIP
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1. When you go on your trip, don't dumpster dive. Instead, just buy healthy cheap natural food at farmers markets or even the plain old supermarket. You don't need to eat out of a dumpster! You can easily spend under 5 dollars a day on food.

$50 a week on food! I'm not veggie and manage to eat just fine on $20 a week.

Also, if you hit up Trader Joes you can get a decent bottle of wine for about $8.

If you were 170 lbs of lean muscle walking 20+ miles each day plus gym, yoga, swimming, martial arts, and lots of distance running, 50 a week on groceries is more realistic

I just checked my credit card statement and I spent $48/week on food averaged through february

I don't cook. I don't enjoy it and things tend to catch on fire when I try. In trying to save money I end up with a lot of hot dogs and tv dinners. In fact, I don't even really like tv dinners a whole lot. But I do like raman noodles and chicken noodle soup. I also have a decent deli so I eat cold cuts quite a bit. It's just not really expensive when you don't cook and you don't like anything.

I am passionate about cooking! It is actually quite fun.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathryn M:
It's just not really expensive when you don't cook and you don't like anything.

Haha so true.

When you eat the same things all the time you can buy in bulk. I do this. I stock my freezer with hot pockets and my cabinets with things like instant potatoes, just add water pancakes and soup. Add a case of water to the fridge and some applesauce and I am good to go. Not sure how healthy this is but so far so good. I take my vitimans.

quote:

Originally posted by Miss Logic:
I take my vitimans.

Time to worry - it's knackered your spelling

I love hot pockets. I think I eat those and grilled cheese sandwiches more than anything else.

eating hot pockets is about as healthy as eating my own feces. hmm. (eats feces, chews. swallows. scrumptious).

Well, if you don't cook and you don't eat veggies and you don't like tv dinners, what's left?

While I commend your tenacity to save, I would never be able to do it that way. Call me crazy, but I like to enjoy my life while I am saving. Not going out with friends, saving every second of the day when I don't have to (i.e. am not in debt), looking down on people for eating differently than me...no thanks. I would rather sacrifice a little on both sides, and not completely on my home side.

I also don't like taking advantage of my parents as an adult unless I was in dire straights (sorry, I don't consider saving for a trip dire straights). Not only do I enjoy my freedom, but I feel that parents deserve some time to enjoy the fact that they've raised their children and now they get some time and money to themselves (even if they say they don't mind...).

Moving back in with my parents as an adult who is fully able to support myself (i.e. not sick/handicapped/etc.), to me, would be as appetizing as eating my own feces.

I think that a big part of saving for a trip is what your willing to sacrifice while saving. This is personal, just the way that I feel the trip you want and take is personal. Not personal in the don't-tell way, but in the individual way. I don't think anyones way of going about it is better than another's, it's just different. I think that we should all be proud of how hard we worked (cause it is a lot of work) to save and prepare for our dream trips.

I agree, there is sacrifice. My point was I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice my whole life at home. I save while still enjoying things here at home. I have to sacrifice as well... hell, I just bought a home in a crazy expensive city, saved for that and am saving to travel as well. I know from sacrifices on that front.

I guess I just didn't like the tone of the post, nor do I really accept moving back in with your parents as a total acceptable strategy. That is my personal opinion. I feel like, at a certain point as an adult, if you want to save to travel, you need to do that while supporting yourself.

I agree paritially. I would never dream of moving back in with my parents while I save. Its not really an option I have as they live in a different state. Sometimes I think it would be a great idea. Free rent, good food, someone to do my laundry. When that happens I go to visit them. Then I remember why I live where I do. I love my parents, but I love my apartment where no one cares if I don't want to clean my room a certain day, or if I sit up all night reading, or even if I want cookies for dinner. Perhaps if I never left after college I would feel differently.

However, when I return I will most likely end up staying with them for a bit. I am going to have a decent amount of coming home money, a little over 5K. I really think that is enough to get back on my feet. What I will want is some time to relax. Also, my part time job is with a country wide company that my dad also works at (but he's at a full time level). So I will prob. spend a couple of weeks working for dad and figuring out where I would like to move to.

I am a parents-liver, as of recently, and will only be for 6 months. I don't have a problem with that. Tons of people my age HAVE moved back in with their parents after college.


But I do wonder why, if you bike 20 miles a day, do you need a gym membership? Spend that money on going out now and again--it's good for you.