Bucket List travel on 30K a year

[kevink]

I thought I was a decent cheapskate traveller until I read this article about a 67 year old woman who's been traveling the world on $65 a day. It really does go to show that when there's a will there's a way. No hostels for me I'm afraid, but in much of Latin America (once you get outside of the big cities) and Asia $20-40 a night for lodging and another $20 for food works fine.

The big issue as I see it for her is whether she can continue to buy repatriation/evacuation insurance as she ages, as most travel insurance won't cover you after age 67 or so. You can pay for doctor visits, dental work and minor emergencies out-of-pocket most anywhere in the developing world for pennies on the dollar vs. U.S. costs, but something major could be a disaster for her. Otherwise, more power to her!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/booming/free-from-work-and-seeing-the-world-on-a-budget.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

 

[heeyy_joe]

Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Oman and South Africa. Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda. I went to Germany and England, and then back to the States and then some trips to Canada and Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.

That's quite a list. She's living her dream and that's great!

 

[sailor]

The big issue as I see it for her is whether she can continue to buy repatriation/evacuation insurance as she ages, as most travel insurance won't cover you after age 67 or so.

DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance used to cover evacuation without age limit. I can't find anything on their website suggesting otherwise: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

 

[warrentalbot]

Hey Kevin,
My wife and I have been traveling full time for the last 31 months and we've spent a total of $25,000/year for the 2 of us. We've published all the expenses on a monthly basis to provide others just 1 example (How much does it cost to travel around the world?).

As you said your choices of location, the style you choose to travel in, and the speed with which you travel (faster is more expensive) will greatly impact your budget. The great thing is there is no right answer, only a right answer for you.

I hope you enjoy the site, if only for informational purposes. We do sleep in hostels, though always with a private room and have only slept in dorms during long treks or 2 nights in Moscow where it was outrageous. Otherwise we've had private rooms with private baths. Though I will also say that we have been able to housesit and stay with friends as well to travel more slowly and help out the budget.

 

[kevink]

Hi Warren - thanks for the post and great link. Both your expense charts and main "Married With Luggage" web site are gold mines of great info for folks interested in this kind of travel.

I, too, draw the line at shared rooms or dorms, but it is good to remember than many hostels have private rooms. Craigslist and Airbnb can be great resources in some areas, but you're quite right that the best deals by far come with renting for a month or more and truly living like a local.

Another resource I've found helpful is Edward Hasbrouck's "The Practical Nomad." He was and perhaps still is an agent at Airtreks, the 'round-the-world travel agency, and gives info on how to access the best air fares and the relative costs of what he calls first, second, third and fourth world travel that I haven't seen anywhere else.

 

[warrentalbot]

Kevin, glad you enjoyed the sites. We love being able to give back by sharing our own experience. The more information out there the more people can overcome their concerns and do what they want (travel, start a business, become a rodeo clown).

Thank you for the great tip on Hasbrouck. I have never heard of him and how have some research to dive into. I appreciate the heads up and idea.

 

[Billy]

This was a great story, Kevin. Thanks for posting.

It's fabulous that people can live their travel dreams in so many styles and levels of expense. And for this woman to travel on her own is something I admire.

Perspective is one of the most profound benefits received from traveling - it's not something one can purchase directly but is a sort of a "side effect" that enriches beyond money.

Love these other links too! Thanks everyone.
Akaisha

 

[Huston55]

This was a great story, Kevin. Thanks for posting.

It's fabulous that people can live their travel dreams in so many styles and levels of expense. And for this woman to travel on her own is something I admire.

Perspective is one of the most profound benefits received from traveling - it's not something one can purchase directly but is a sort of a "side effect" that enriches beyond money.

Love these other links too! Thanks everyone.
Akaisha

Akaisha-

Speaking of travel, where are you two now? I visited your website but, couldn't tell.

 

[Billy]

Hi Huston,

We are finishing up 5 weeks in Naples, Florida visiting family. Then back to Chapala for a gorgeous house sit - then to the bay area in California for more visits with family. Then back to the house sit in Chapala... before returning to Guatemala and on into El Salvador!

What a mouthful! ;-)

Thanks for your interest... Just FYI, we have been traveling for over 2 decades and our yearly average spending is just over $22k a year. This includes health care issues and emergencies, transport, housing, yadda yadda yadda. I'd post a link to our Youtube video on this, but I think I might get spanked.

Best!
Akaisha

 

[JustMeUC]

I could get by on way less than 30K a year if I needed to. I prefer to stay in one place for awhile and mingle with and behave like the locals. I shop where the shop, take the bus and rent simple houses. I have rented perfectly fine homes (for me) from $200 a month on up in Latin America. I am headed to Ajijic in August and will look for something in the $400 range there. Plus I don't have the car expenses overseas as public transportation is so good. Do you know what people average on cars a year? eeeekk!

 

[butterfly]

That is wonderful and i hope that I am still as adventurous and energetic at her age. I went to uni with an amazing lady in her 70s who was an artistand was back at uni studying what interested her (in Australia you don't have to pay back student loans until you earn money from working over a certain amount. When you die, they are wiped out.)
She had been studying Spanish, along with all sorts of great literature/philosophy etc classes, and was heading off to Spain with her 60 yo lover.
I have always remembered her fondly and hope I can emulate her zest for life until I die.

 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance used to cover evacuation without age limit. I can't find anything on their website suggesting otherwise: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

I've had DAN insurance but never needed to use it. When I purchased travel health insurance for my current trip, I gave evac policies a close read after leaning evacuation doesn't always mean what people think it means. Many people seem to think evacuation means, by definition, back to their home country. I'm no lawyer but my read on DAN insurance is it covers evac to the nearest adequate treatment facility.

This is an FYI, not a criticism of DAN. They're an excellent organization, IMHO.