quote:

Originally posted by Jessica Leza:
, it only comes out if there's a hole in somebody's lung.

yikes!
how often does that happen!

I've been fortunate enough to limit my expenses by learning from the mistakes of other family members before I hit the real world. The biggest mistake I made was taking a loan out for a car but that didn't kill me and I will never do it again unless i'm living much more well off and it is practical.

I take a pretty large chunk of my paycheck and it goes directly to savings. Right now i'm in good shape to have a pretty decent RTW trip in 2 years. I'm shooting for 18 months but the longer I wait the more I can do so i'm in no hurry. (atleast I keep telling myself that)

I've decided for the time being not to take a small trip or 2 week vacation in 2006 which will be difficult to handle but again all the more worth it when i'm ready to go on the "big one".

My biggest problem right now is eating out for dinner and lunch as well as going out drinking. I haven't mastered bringing my own lunch to work. Especially when there is a delicious cafeteria downstairs. So expensive though.

Do as we all say though and not as some of us like myself, do... DON'T EAT OUT!!!!

...Or get a second job, if you can.

Nic

just a thought. i was reading the paper and there are a ton of people looking for egg donors and they pay 3000-10000. So if you dont mind donating some eggs there would be your travel money

Hey since your in Maine I'll share how I saved my money. I worked on a small island off the coast called Monhegan. They provided my room and board for the five month season and, since there are no cars allowed on the island, I cut out virtually all of my expenses. So that was a good thing.

Then you have to go someplace that fits your budget. You can travel for a while on very little in SE Asia or S America. If you want the lifestyle bad enough, you make the sacrifices and everything comes together. You'll see. Then you'll wonder why you ever spent your money on anything else.

I like the ideas on this thread.

I have become so incredibly "economical", in part so that I can save and in part so that I can just live on the money I make in a job that is conducive to my travel-centered lifestyle.

Eating out is a huge expense. I have learned to shope wisely and buy more or less exactly what I need...and then eat it as leftovers! Seriously, getting used to using those leftovers (not just saving them) took time.

I don't take cabs, I don't buy 4$ salad dressing, I save handy little plastic containers so I don't buy ziplock ones 100x a year, and unfortunately new clothes are pretty rare. All that said, I do find a cell phone and laptop necessary for my life so I do have those things.

Not having a car has also helped - obviously no payments or insurance or parking, but then I'm also "forced" to use public transport.It also makes me think twice about buying extra stuff I will have to carry home and then move with me when I move.

I'm pretty lucky that I have a good job that allows me to put away quite a bit of money. Of course I can only do this because I choose to live with a roommate, and I don't have a car. I take public transport when I have to, but if I can I walk. The subway is only $2, but every little bit helps. Plus, all the long walks home will get me in shape for crazy days of sight seeing.

I also have a second job, I work for a place called RGIS. They will really work around your schedule and have offices all over the country, so you might want to look into them.

For day to day savings I give myself an allowance each week. If I don't spend it the leftovers go in my splurge pile, if that pile goes over $100 it goes right in the bank. It's impossible to not buy yourself something on occation. This way it comes out of money already allocated for fun. I also catch sales on food, or try to stick to the dollar store. Bringing lunch is a must. When I do go out I try to only meet for drinks and eat at home.

There are a few webpages that help me to earn more money as well. Pandaresearch.com is one of them. Some of the offers cost money but many do not. The money may add up slowly, but it adds up. I also belong to memolink.com (please let them know that I refered you if you go there, e-mail and I will give you my handle for it.) When you buy things or complete offers thru that site you get points, the points equal cash. For example, I used drugstore.com for a lot of things, if you buy bulk there is no shipping and its a bit cheaper than the stores, when I do this thru memolink I get cashback. A few people have also sold things on e-bay. I don't plan on leaveing for a few years but I cleaned out my closet and have made well over $200 on clothes that I haven't worn for years.

Saving is hard, but everytime I want something expensive all I think is what could this buy me in (insert place you want to go). Then the choice is always easy.

The hormones injected to harvest eggs are horrible for you! I hope no one would jeapordize their health for some money. Plus, I wouldn't feel comfortable with a little half-me running around I didn't know about.

The egg donation procedure is a lot more complicated than just inserting a needle and plucking out a few stray eggs. Daily hormone injections of several different hormones to make you produce 15 times as many eggs as normal...daily blood tests and frequent doctor visits... Then, when it comes time to do the egg collection, it's under general anesthesia- it's a major deal and a major (detrimental) change to your body. Not a good way to make a quick buck or 10,000.

When you feel like shopping (or when you just plain need clothes), go to second hand stores.

You can find all kinds of good stuff. It'll eat up your time so you're not spending money elsewhere, and it's dirt cheap.

The best part: when its time to pack up and leave, you won't feel bad about taking your entire wardrobe, throwing it in a garbage bag, and dumping it outside the salvation army.

I was always a sucker for spending everything I had in my bank account every month. Now I transfer some money from my 'spending' account to my 'saving' account as soon as I get paid. Even just a little - it's amazing how quickly it adds up, and you can't spend it if it's not in your spending account.

Not sure about accounts in the US, but make sure you have a good interest, easy access account.

I also review my account a couple of times a month and, if I'm doing okay, add another £10 or so to the pot. It's only £10 that I would have taken out of the cash machine and spent on junk during a lunchtime (if I hadn't brought my own lunch and gone for a walk instead) anyway.

£10 might not sound much, but it will go a lot further for me in SE Asia than in Glasgow.

Oh, and - quit your social life and just spend all your spare time on these boards...

KG

quote:

quit your social life

That helped me no end! I moved away from my friends (and slightly crazed ex) six months ago and back to my parents in Cornwall, where I know about two people outside my family. Was lucky enough to get a reasonably paid job, didn't spend much money - hey presto, travel fund. It's actually been a pretty fun six months as well - I've been really lucky.

mewcat - what the hell kinda well paid job do you have that allows you to be on the boards all day and night like me??

KG

Well, I'm leaving in a week so I'm, uh, winding down a little... I'm working as a paralegal - it's not THAT well paid but living at home means I get to save most of it.

Wait tables. Or bartend part-time. That's what I've always done.

You can get a second job in the evening in a tipping service industry job and save up (mostly tax free- wait I didn't say that) tips pretty fast. They are usually fun, fast paced jobs in a fun atmosphere. Plus you usually get free meals. Waiting tables can be stressful, but it isn't brain surgery. Even if you don't have experience I think anyone who is outgoing with good interpersonal skills (hello fellow travelers!) can get jobs like these pretty easily.

You work your day job, go to a restaurant or bar from 5 pm to 10 pm, don't spend any money, eat for free, have a good time, and walk home with a pocketful of cash. A no lose scenario for saving travelers.