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How I Went From Down And Out Graduate To Debt-Free Nomad In Less Than A Year
Recalling the path I was on 3.5 years ago, I shudder a little bit inside, I was embarking on...
How I Went From Down And Out Graduate To Debt-Free Nomad In Less Than A Year
Recalling how my life was 3.5 years ago, I was embarking on a new business venture, creating a self-employed life as a dog-walker and pet-sitter. This was the result of leaving my previous job, and bumming around unsure of what to do with myself for 3 months.
It didn't feel like it at the time, but the spring of 2013 was about to be major turning point, after 2011 and 2012 had been pretty painful.
At the end of 2012, I was in debt and pretending I wasn’t, continuing to spend mindlessly, buying new trendy stuff I didn't need, trying to make myself feel better. I was also kinda lonely, having been single for a good few months. I didn't have the best social life and my whole week was being swallowed up by my crappy job in a bank.
It was a bundle of laughs guys, truly.
My debt wasn't disgustingly huge and ridiculous, but I believe it was around the £3000 mark by the end of 2012. It was mostly credit card debt but also an overdraft from University.
It doesn't sound a lot, but it was for someone who was on a low income, whilst avidly pursuing everything... Literally, trying to consume every single thing.
I gave in to my sadness and disappointment at where I was in life, and continued to build my mini mountain of debt, partaking in window-shopping that turned into a shopping spree. Always having had a weakness for pretty things, I was going beyond that, consuming too much, too often. I would put things on my credit card willy-nilly and worry about it later.
The funny thing is, for the longest time as I entered my early 20's, I never had a credit card, nor even considered it. I spent what I had, and didn't spend what I didn't have.
A (very smart) part of me knew that credit was a bad idea for someone with my mentality. I loved buying clothes and other random things, and I had grown up accustomed to having what I wanted when I wanted it.
God, spoilt much?
Fortunate and well-cared for, definitely. Spoilt? maybe a tiny bit...
Anyway, I knew that as soon as a credit card came into my possession, my eyes would roll into pound signs and I would see it as a free money despite my better knowledge.
Why the hell did I get a credit card then?
I can’t remember the precise reason, but it was mid 2011, and I was going through some big life changes; moving in with a boyfriend and going into my final year of study. I do remember the cherry-popping card had an 18-month-interest-free period, the ultimate clever incentive of essentially free credit for almost 2 years!
That is a dangerously long grace period of being able to let debt mount up without accruing interest on top.
I think that's a key part of consumer debt psychology; people ask themselves, how long can I use credit and not really feel pain from it? How long can I pretend that I'm not living beyond my means whilst not trying to change them? Well, the credit card companies will always have a solution for you.
So the credit companies are the enemy?
Many credit cards are built on solidly decent perks, beneficial to those who know how to use them; people with self-control and probably a decent income, able to make each monthly payment whilst gaining air-miles or whatever. But that wasn’t me, and yet, because my income was of a certain level, it was as simple as filling in an online-form and BAM, a credit card with a £2000 credit limit now had my name on it.
That’s a lot of money to someone who was earning under £1000 a month and was new to this idea of adult financial freedom. For a while after my card arrived, I used it cautiously, paying for small amounts with it near the end of the month before pay-day. I promptly re-paid the full amount when it was due.
It wasn’t until a few months later, when I experienced a fairly traumatic and unexpected relationship break-up (from the boyfriend I had moved in with), that I suddenly looked at my credit card, and it looked at me, and we gave into a full-on passionate affair.
Takeaway meals when I was too depressed to cook, online shopping when I was too sad to leave my house, my credit card was my crutch.
I fell into debt not out of necessity, nor because I had bills to pay or some big holiday planned, I simply used credit for random daily spending, with the full intent to pay it back as and when. Underpinning this spending was a story I was telling myself, that I deserved this 'free' money. This credit card bought me the things I thought I wanted, or needed, in order to overcome my sadness.
In my hazy state I perceived junk-food and new clothing that I wouldn’t even remember in 3 years time, as my treats. I didn't buy self-help books, or invest money in trying new experiences, which sounds like a healthier approach, one I was simply incapable of in my down and out state. Maybe that's a stage you reach a little while after the initial impulse spending blow-outs following a break-up. But I didn't reach that point for months to come...
You’d have thought that the spending would have stopped a few weeks later, when I emerged from my sad girl cave and re-joined the functioning humans, but it was too late, I had already formed bad habits.
A few months later, life was mostly back on track. I graduated Uni with top marks, and I was on the cusp of entering real adult professional life. The first financial decision I made in my new grown-up life, truly was a nightmare dressed as a daydream (I just quoted a Taylor Swift song and it works); I got a brand new expensive car on finance.
I didn’t know anything about car finance until right before I took it on. I truly believe it was a win-win situation and I failed to account for how much of a commitment it was to take on.
I remember the precise moment, when walking through the supermarket car-park, when I fell in love with this little cream car. Sat there, all alluring and feminine, I knew, as soon as I laid my eyes on it, it had to be mine. It was a nippy little cream Fiat 500. So petite! So cute! So out of my price range.
Until someone said, ‘Did you know you can get the same car on finance?’
Interest piqued.
"What is this finance you speak of?"
Okay, so lemme get this straight, I hand over a little bit of money as a deposit, and I get a brand new shiny car. All I then have to do is pay £129 a month for the next 3 years, and then it's entirely mine? I can afford that so it must be a good idea!
Plus, I deserve it, I DESERVE a brand new car. I was still peddling that woe-is-me story to myself...
I thought this was an awesome turn of events. Car finance was helping me live out a dream of luxury. Little did I know it would be a short-lived buzz that would take me further away from the dreams faltering at my core.
I still feel guilt at the way I fell in love with that car far deeper than I ever did for my starter car, a little blue Vauxhall Corsa. I feel actual sadness that I gave that silly tin can away. But at the time, it was a fun change and it was just another part of my effort to feel better about myself.
The steering wheel on my pristine new baby felt so smooth and agile, and the car was so clean, and just, beautiful. I felt accomplished, like I had stepped up a rung on some invisible ladder of life success. I had a nice, smart card, nd I believed it helped me appear, to the outside, that I was winning at life.
But the reality was more like this:
I was working full-time in the same job I’d had since I was 16, a small supermarket where I jangled my keys as a supervisor and general checkout operator. This little weekend job had stayed with me throughout 3 years of university, and then turned into my main gig.
It wasn’t inspiring or fulfilling, at all, it was convenient, and familiar. I was trying to move into something better, namely, something that earned me more money. Whether the job truly suited me and my core values, was a secondary thought, a bonus in fact.
I wrongly sought out something that would bring me more money to buy more stuff to be more happy. But had my consumption made me happy up to that point?
I ask myself this question a lot...
Was I unhappy because I spent my money impulsively to fill a lonely void, and thus wasn’t planning for a fulfilling future based on real experiences. Or, was I just suffering from a mental illness and using the incorrect tools to fix it.
I'm certain that I was unhappy in myself and perceived buying things to add to my image as a way to attract the right kind of people who could fill the space in my sad ickle heart.
I sound as if I'm making light of my situation, but I was, in fact, headed for clinical depression. I got there eventually and I fell into a dark pit that I tried to escape every time I went to a clothes shop. I was desperately hating my job in a bank, where I had to partake in awful sales stuff as well as be responsible for people's real actual money. To this day I hate sales-y people or anyone who targets me with bull-shit for their own monetary gain.
So that job didn’t work with me, at all. Yes, I had money, I was able to shop more, and show off my nice car to my colleagues, but I wasn't actually a happy or sane individual.
I had some traditional markers of success and yet, I was also deeply disappointed. In the pit of my being, I was asking, is this it? Is this my life, from now on and forever?
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How Did I Change Things For The Better?
Well, I overcame that difficult time through a variety of avenues. Prescribed pills were involved (for a short while), falling in love played a large part, and of course, time was a big healer. I moved through my issues gradually, grew my little business as a dog-walker, and I was finally engaging with the world in a healthy manner. I eventually began making exciting plans.
My exciting plans had no room for debt or financial over-stretching; they were geared to financial freedom.
I got rid of my car out of necessity. My expensive gift to myself was now a chain around my neck on my new low income, and it didn’t suit my business as a dog-walker. So I went through the rigmarole of advertising it, temporarily clearing the finance with a family loan, then repaying that back when my car sold. Yep, a total effort.
I rid myself of that 129 a month and then focused all my energy on debt repayment. I kept a diary of all the amounts I owed and to whom. I decided to clear the smallest debt first, because it would be a surmountable goal that would boost my morale. There was no doubt in my mind that I would clear all the debts, because I had a goal for doing so, it just made sense to me to start small.
My exciting plans were that I wanted to travel Australia with Taran. I did the research and got sucked in by the absolute beauty of this very far-away land, and I just knew I had to get there.
I didn’t want to just go away for a year, I wanted to travel for a long time. I decided that being out there in the world, exploring it almost without purpose, would be the optimal way to reconnect with all the best parts of living.
Driven by this goal, I threw literally as much as I possibly could at my debts each week.
I got paid sporadically due to being self-employed so if my money came in drib's and drab's, I threw it at my debt in drib's and drab's. If I had an unexpected booking that led to a lot of extra money, I didn’t hold onto that money for a second, I sent it on a one way debt-clearing journey.
That is certainly one of the difficult parts of paying off debt and an obvious reason for why people delay repayments. We see our pay-check as having a better or more exciting purpose in the present, instead of going into a black-hole that brings nothing. But it does bring something eventually. It brings back financial clarity, control and an ability to plan for the future.
I think even if I hadn’t wanted to save up for travelling, I would have put my new positive financial situation to a good purpose, and I would have developed smaller, every-day goals, centred around family, relationships, and experiences.
When my life lacked greatly in these areas, when my time, money and energy was going purely to consumerism, I was miserable.
Then again, it goes back to my question around shopping addiction as the cause or effect of my depression. It was mental health versus financial health, and neither side was fighting strong.
That's why the true approach to tackling debt goes beyond the common tropes of spending less, working more and going without. Those things help clear the debt, but they don't deal with what lies underneath. They don't prevent debt occurring later on, or alter your mentality away from consumption as self-prescribed therapy.
It’s a truth, not merely a pleasant idea, that we should build our finances around sustainable, long-term and deep fulfilment.
My motivation wasn’t to explore in order to ‘get it out my system’ or escape the trappings of real life, it was about creating a whole new path, based on experiencing far-flung places, doing crazy things beyond what I believed I could and ultimately, discovering myself. I believed that my long-term fulfilment could be built on solid foundations formed from these experiences.
The Key Is To Not Go It Alone
Many of my peers and fellow graduate millennials often say that they wish they had the money to travel. In truth, some definitely do have the money, they just choose to allocate it to other things, and that's their business.
Many people however are bound by extortionate outgoings and financial commitments, as I was, and are navigating the same personal battle I did. I came through it thanks to the support of friends, family, and of course, Taran. That's why I recommend surrounding yourself with people or positive influences that will encourage you on your journey to being debt-free.
If those around you bolster the behaviours that are the most detrimental to you, then it's time to get real, have some honest conversations, and be clear in your motivations for changing things.
If you lack a supportive circle of like-minded individuals, I get that it makes debt repayment hard. But plenty of people out there are super into these lifestyle ideas, of thrift, frugality, and minimalism. In fact I wrote a whole book on that last topic. And the idea of being 100% debt-free, as in owing zero to anyone and clearing a mortgage earlier, is a major movement.
There is a tribe out there with open arms awaiting you, without a doubt.
Some of my favourite finance-oriented and majorly inspiring people:
My journey from down and out, to who I am now, has been a relatively long one, but I've finally got to where I want to be.
A year into travelling, and 2 since I became debt-free, I’ve worked as a farmer, a cook/receptionist/housekeeper and a cleaner. These are definitely not dream jobs, but they are short-term ventures targeted at a specific goal. But that's just the boring necessary stuff.
I've also camped on a completely deserted paradise island, with ocean so clear my eyes couldn't believe it. I've jumped out of a plane, held a snake, stroked a kangaroo and rescued a koala (not all at the same time).
I opened myself up to the unpredictable nature of life, embracing what scares me.
The result is that I have lived, and it's been an awfully big adventure.
What did my debt experience teach me?
I learned in my early 20's, that debt, whilst sometimes unavoidable, can often be prevented if we are open and honest with ourselves and those around us. I lost control of my life because I was suffering alone, smothering my inner truth, and favouring my unhealthy spending habits over the challenge of building new ones.
But I don't do that any-more, and I'd like to think that others can escape that spiral too. We can spend our money mindfully today, in the pursuit of something amazing, someday.
And that someday needn’t be so far away that we can't picture it and keep focus.
We can take stepping stones, steadily moving to the other side, to a place where we can start over again, begin listening to our core values, and live by them, forming new habits that will fulfil our truthful needs.
What motivates you to become unencumbered by debt?
Thanks for reading!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper fish and chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
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37 Ways You Can Save Money Every Day
How can you save money when you don't lead an extravagant life, or you have mounds of debt to clear. Well, it simply boils down to these simple ideas, based around mindful spending...
37 Ways You Can Save Money Every Day
How do I save money, if I already lead a frugal life and have no debt; surely I am doing enough?
Well, find out below if you're doing all that you can!
Whether you are saving for travelling like we did, or trying to reach another life goal, or simply wish to make your pennies go further, this advice will hopefully help you.
GENERAL MONEY MANAGEMENT
1. BUDGET, and do it wisely:. Look at a months expenses, fixed and changeable. Split your budget into a week-by-week basis. You might get paid once a month or paid every week (this is less common in the UK where I am from) but if you live week by week, its sometimes easier to break down where you will need to allocate funds on things such as food shopping. It could mean that by the time you reach your next payday you aren't dipping into savings to make the short-fall.
2. BUDGET FOR REAL LIFE: Creating a budget doesn't have to mean you designate every penny of your earnings to particular things with zero room for movement. If you are trying to clear debt or make savings then cutting back or limiting yourself is a good idea, and yet giving yourself no budget breathing space might make you more likely to impulse spend as a rebellious act. Try to budget for your reality, one where you will still want occasional treats, and so including this in your budget will make you more mindful of where you could make savings elsewhere, if you desire a balance of controlled spending, enjoyment, and saving.
3. USE MULTIPLE SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNTS: I name different accounts after the bills which go into them. It means I can easily put aside my expenses and know exactly what my situation is for the next week or month. I currently have two savings accounts, one for rent and one for actual long-term savings. I tend to withdraw the rest of my money for food and transport, as cash, on payday. If I use my bank accounts as piggy-banks, instead of using my debit card for impulse and convenience spending, I feel much more mindful in my consumer choices.
4. KEEP RECEIPTS: I judge how good I am being with budgeting by keeping all my receipts, all the time. It holds me accountable and means I can't ignore what I am spending. I am acutely aware of every dollar that I give away and it has helped me achieve no-spend days, or weeks, because I like to have as few receipts as possible:
PRO-TIP: Instead of thinking 'I won't spend money this week', think, 'I don't want a wallet full of receipts to read through each week'. Obviously, the two go hand-in-hand.
5. USE A DAY-PLANNER: I love my day-planner for many reasons, but one of the main ones is how it helps me track spending beyond just having a pile of folded up receipts. I write every single thing I spend each day or week, and I also plan ahead for up-coming bills. This helps me spot the times where I spend more, and I can link it to how I am feeling that day, or what else I was doing. If I know why I spend more, I can better give attention to those areas of my life that clearly need some re-thinking.
FOOD
6. BUY CHEAPER VERSIONS: I think sometimes this is a challenge when you are trying to buy organic or healthier food products. But even when you are buying healthy food, you can still get cheaper versions of your favourites. I buy lots of fruit each week, which can be expensive, but to save some pennies, I will buy which ever apple type is the cheapest per kg that given day. It doesn't save as much as if I forewent the fresh fruit altogether, and bought a pack of 6 fruit-filled and sugar-laden breakfast bars, but the cost to my health isn't worth it in my opinion.
7. SWITCH SUPERMARKETS: We often shop at the stores that are the most local or convenient to us. We know the lay of the land, which aisle has what, and we develop a real sense of familiarity with a shop. Sometimes this blinds us to whether that is the cheapest or best value place to buy our weekly food shop. I like Aldi and Lidl (in the UK) with Aldi growing its reach in Australia right now.
8. GO IN KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED: Make a shopping list, based on a meal plan, and buy only ingredients for this. I buy foods to feed me for a week of breakfast, lunch and dinner with a few snacks. I don't get into buying stuff to fill up the freezer or the store cupboard, as I believe this just leads to waste.
PRO-TIP: Write on your shopping list a brief run-down of what's in your fridge or pantry, so that you aren't forced to make random extra spending decisions because you can't remember what you have at home.
9. DON'T BUY ONLY FRESH: Dairy and bread are often an unavoidable exception, but just be wary of filling up the refrigerator with foods that go out of date within a week; these foods are often the most wasted. When you create a meal plan you can make sure to designate your fresh foods to particular meals to prevent this waste. I buy frozen fruit and vegetables (berries for smoothies and veg for curry's) as it can be cheaper as well as waste-reducing. I just make sure the fruit says 'No added sugar' on the pack.
10. RESIST TEMPTATION TO BUY EXTRA FOOD: You might live near a little corner shop and get tempted of an evening to go looking for yummy snacks. Try to anticipate this by including some nice food in your weekly shop so that you don't end up spending over-budget on food.
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FUN AND SOCIAL LIFE
11. HAVE AMAZING NIGHTS IN: A social life is the foundation of a fulfilling life based more on experiences and relationships, not material spending. But do consider cutting back on eating-out, cinema visits and day-trips. These experiences can actually become habitual, meaning you continue to regularly spend on these activities without much consideration for doing something else new. Suggest cheaper alternatives to friends or family, like a dinner party where everyone has to bring their own home-made speciality dish. Or introduce a weekly movie night where you each bring a movie from your own collection, or go in together on renting something.
12. GO OUT ONCE A FORTNIGHT: Resolve to have one evening/day out every 2 weeks. This might sound hard but you can actually get quite used to a routine of not going out. If you reduce your expensive outings you will save more money but you will also come to view them as more rewarding and enjoyable if you don't do them so often.
13. GET CREATIVE: I nurtured my creative side by beginning this blog, a place to come and guide others as I too cleared debt and refined my spending habits. It helped me stay on my path to a debt-free future as a nomad, and it opened me up to a world of writing I had been too afraid to pursue before, too consumed by my consumption and other distractions. I'm not saying blogging is for everyone, but you may have other inner creative abilities that might come out in other forms and interests which you might have previously ignored in favour of your habitual entertainment escapes.
14. EMBRACE WHAT YOU LOVE EVERY DAY: What do you do most when you go on holidays or when you have a relaxing Sunday? Do you read a book, take a walk or try a new recipe? Our hobbies do not have to be confined to just one part of our week. We can try to build on our true loves and engage in them more often, or see what other hobbies we might like that derive from them.
PRO-TIP: Get ideas from Pinterest or YouTube, awesome online spaces where you can find like-minded thrifty people ready to introduce you everything you can imagine.
SHOPPING
15. GET RID OF STUFF: If you are craving the buzz of buying a treat for yourself, sell something on Ebay, or donate a few items. Whatever you make you can spend on something new. But be careful, try to only acquire quality things out of need. The process of saving is also one of de-cluttering and simplifying, you don't want to get excited and accumulate too much.
16. BE CERTAIN BEFORE YOU BUY: When shopping online, add the item you have your eye on to the basket, and then leave it. Go back the next day and if you still want the item, question if you need it and what value it will bring. The more you think about it, the more likely it is you will talk yourself out of it and not give into that impulse-buy feeling.
PRO-TIP: Calculate the cost of the item versus what that amount of money could otherwise get you. Could it go to your debt repayments, your saving goals or your holiday plans?
17. HIT THE CHARITY SHOPS: I honestly love the challenge of finding a new outfit in a charity shop. Not only does this encourage recycling and lengthening the life of trendy items, but it is going to be a fun money-saving challenge. Consider that not all the stuff in these shops is junk, think of all the unworn clothing sitting in your wardrobe and how nice that is, you are bound to find something which meets your tastes.
18. RE-STYLE YOUR EXISTING CLOTHING: When I go through all my clothing to donate some to charity and make space, I always find things I had forgotten about. I then try to come up with new outfit combinations and it's a fun little task to re-imagine and re-appreciate the things I already have.
LIVING EXPENSES
19. CONSIDER FINDING A CHEAPER HOME: Are you paying exorbitant rental fees? If you aren't bound by a contract, look around for cheaper rental rates, either by focusing on a cheaper area, or just a smaller property. If you are trying to save for a forever home consider that a small and unsightly home that costs less will get you to your goal sooner.
20. MONITOR WATER AND ELECTRIC USAGE: Don't just pay your bills, study and compare them. Be aware of what you are using and try where possible to lower consumption in the home to lower your bills. Set a timer on your showers and flush the toilet less (ew but true). Never leave appliances or computers plugged in and turned on when you aren't using them.
21. RENT OUT A ROOM: My brother and his partner rent out a small room in their home to a lodger who essentially pays their mortgage (or some of it). If you don't like the idea of sharing your home, look at temporary lodgers, people who only need a room during certain periods of the month or year. This is quite a common thing; I know of a family who have a lodger who pays a fixed monthly rate but is only there 2 or 3 day's a week.
22. CANCEL ANY T.V. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Sky TV in England is incredibly popular for its numerous channels, so lots of choice for programmes, but in reality you can only watch one thing a time, so why pay a premium for reams of channels you will never use. So much TV and entertainment is available online these days too, and for much cheaper.
23. LOOK FOR WHERE YOU CAN SAVE MONEY: Is your home insurance set to automatic renewal? If so, could you get a better deal? How about your energy supplier, are they giving you the best prices? Don't just accept your current outgoings as fixed, savings can always be made if you try.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
24. BIRTHDAYS: Dread when it comes to spending on presents when it feels like you only just went bankrupt from Christmas? Consider second-hand gifts. Yet again charity shops are great for finding unopened items perfect for giving. Or alternatively make your own gift considering how special it is to receive something that has taken time and effort.
25. CHRISTMAS: When I was living in England with family, I would make a list of all the things that reminded me of each family member or person I intended to buy a present for. This brainstorming helped me decide on the perfect gift instead of leaving it to last-minute overspending.
26. ANNIVERSARIES: Luckily Taran and I more or less forget important dates/valentines day and they go by without us noticing, ha! But if you are more into celebrating them, try to go for home-made gifts. Pinterest is perfect for ideas which cost between 5 and 10 £\$. Or make vouchers with promises of things, little gestures and treats you will give to your significant other, like a coupon for a 30 minute massage.
27. DON'T WORRY ABOUT APPEARING TIGHT: If your family and friends know you well, they will most likely know about your saving plans and thus won't expect you to spend a lot of money on them on special occasions. Be clear with them why you are choosing to do so, so as not to build confusion or resentment. In return be clear to people you also do not expect much either and that you would rather they saved their own money!
RANDOM
28. DRINK WATER: Its free, really good for you, and as I said, it's free!!
29. DON'T BUY NEW BOOKS: A shelf full of unread books which drew you in with their synopsis and pretty cover? Well, it's time to actually read them! Try to trade in old books if you are seeking new ones to read!
30. WATCH YOUR CAR MILEAGE: Do you get a lot of miles for your fuel money? I noticed my fuel economy decreased and so I did simple things, like checked tyre pressures and paid for an interim service to check her out. If you drive more than you need to, swap the car for some walking shoes, and get out there!
31. MAKE YOUR OWN TAKEAWAY FOOD: Do you crave a curry or a pizza but bulk at the bill? Well experiment each week with making a dish which closely resembles your favourites, and save lots of money. Taran makes a delicious feta and mozzarella pizza with cheap ingredients, meaning he not only knows exactly what's in his food but it saves money each week for the rest of the food budget.
32. CANCEL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Do you use your Spotify, Netflix etc? I mean, are these key things in your life? Do you use them every day or week? If not, cancel, and save the money. If you don't use them much now, you won't miss them.
33. ALWAYS MAKE A PACKED LUNCH: The days on which I neglect to pack food and drink, I inevitably spend money because a girl's gotta eat!
34. USE UP ALL YOUR COSMETIC PRODUCTS: Resist the temptation for a whole new beauty regime before you have finished your current one. Use up all that shampoo, lipstick and face cream. Save waste and money.
35. AVOID THE SHOPS: Plenty of people while away the weekend meandering around the local high street or shopping centre. And when they might intend to only window shop/people watch, they are bound to be tempted to spend which over a month can add up to a lot of mindless spending.
36. QUESTION EACH AND EVERY PURCHASE YOU MAKE: I will compare prices endlessly when buying something, if it is something I need. But if I get distracted and look at other things, whether it be on e-bay or in the supermarket, I pick it up, and think, why am I wanting this? Will it get utilized, used, or wasted? Will it add value to my life? If the answer is not clearly a yes, I put it back.
37. BE POSITIVE AND CELEBRATE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS: Each time you resist spending money or save yourself a cost, let that feeling wash over you. When in the future all the money you save comes into use on your travels, you will be even more proud of your thrifty and restrictive choices. Your whole approach to living will change; value will be placed more on experiences, friends, family and suddenly spending will seem like an annoyance, not a short-cut to happiness.
MORE MONEY-SAVING GOODNESS:
Thanks for reading!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper fish and chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
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Healthy Eating On A Backpacker Budget in Australia
Healthy eating on a backpacking budget isn't impossible, and if you want to travel long-term, start as you mean to go on...
Healthy Eating On A Backpacker Budget in Australia
When you travel, you sometimes scrimp on the quality of the food that you buy, in that you can't always afford the freshest most healthiest options. But you still fork out for random takeaways now and again, because, let's face it, cooking is time-consuming and when your hungry, you don't fancy walking round the supermarket trying to formulate a mouth-watering recipe. You just wanna eat.
We lived like this for the most part of our first 6 months travelling, regularly making the most of the $5 domino's... which co-incidentally was when we were staying mostly in hostels and campsites, some of which were difficult to cook in: always competing for burners, using pots and pans that have had the most basic of backpacker washes, and having not much space to store all the food you would like to be cooking. This can end up being not only inconvenient, but also kinda expensive and lead to you to multiple visits to the shops/local pizza place, more than once a week.
A shopping trip that costs $30 doesn't seem like a lot at the time but if you do this 3 times a week, then add on alcohol spending plus impulse purchases, it is a hefty chunk of your savings down the toilet. Literally.
Since settling in Noosa for an extended period, moving into a house with a fully-equipped kitchen, and being generally busy working/blogging/flailing about in the sea, we have embarked on a healthier eating challenge. We spend a fair bit of money, in one go, on a weekly shop. But we think this works out not only economically but it means we are prepared better and don't end up making bad choices.
- We always make a meal plan, and then a shopping list.
- We rarely deviate from the list or buy into deals on things we wouldn't normally buy.
- We have a rough budget in mind and avoiding those tempting offers help us stick to it.
We currently shop at Coles, even though Aldi is nearby too, but it is definitely too much of a trek for a weekly shop (seeing as we carry it all back in our rucksacks). The delivery for food from the supermarkets is super expensive so we prefer the 30 minute round-trip rather than an extra $40 a month.
A Typical Week Of Food Shopping
This shop came to $90.83. There's a range of things, including salad vegetables, fruit, beans, sugar-free hot coco, red hot sauce, bread, eggs, and some spices. I also did a mini shop the day before (as we had no food at all and I needed din din's) costing $18.57 for some Kale, milk, a massive block of cheese for Taran the cheese fiend, plus some potatoes and tempeh.
What You Can Make From All That Food...
Taran is on a strict pasta and cheese diet, with occasional fruit smoothies. I am trying to get him to consider eating less of the beige carb's and more greens but it's a slow process. When I think Taran, I think pasta. The guy single-handedly keeps spaghetti in business. I am however eating a bit differently to how I have in the past. I now eat with more consideration for what's in my food and I have finally fought my unhealthy cravings into submission over the last few weeks.
A typical lunch or dinner now consists of mostly vegetables and legumes, and maybe some dairy.
A favourite is some brown rice with kidney beans plus roasted sweet potato and salad. It's filling but most importantly, not processed. It also isn't a restrictive diet meal, as it has a generous helping of carbohydrates. I generally snack on fruit only between meals, or in the afternoon if I don't have lunch I might have some rice crackers with capsicum (red pepper) dip on top. I'd like to make my own in the future though, to avoid even more hidden nasties.
For breakfast I have my old faithful, peanut butter (organic) on whole-wheat bread (I check the label to ensure the primary ingredient is 100% wholegrain or whole-wheat flour) with a banana.
Taran might have cereal or nutella on toast, which I can't argue, remains a deliciously terrible craving of mine. I am not currently having any 'treats' per se, but I do genuinely enjoy my bowls of fresh watermelon and berries, providing more than enough sugar in my diet.
One of our favourite meals we have together is falafel.
We put it with pitta, wraps, home-made salsa and salad, plus cheese for Taran. The salsa is just tomato, garlic (wow did we have garlic), onions, coriander and some jalapeno pepper. We mixed it all up and blended it briefly to combine the mixture.
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Why I Decided to Change Things.
I was sat on the bed one night recently, having overeaten again. I had stuffed myself to beyond fullness during my evening meal and some more snacking afterwards. I think I have always had a problem with over-eating, often happening when I was bored or down. Maybe there's something wrong with the message delivery between my stumach and my brain, always being a bit late to tell it that I can stop eating. Or maybe I just always eat too fast and don't allow that message to get through (nutritional advice for weight-loss often centers on slow eating and savouring your meals more).
Either way, I felt really gross that night. I was 6 months pregnant with a fatty-food baby.
What I wanted to achieve from a change in my eating habits, was firstly, to just know that I was putting better things into my body. I have been educating myself on food and nutrition lately, and have been able to see just how what you eat is so tied up to your mood, and the quality of your life, that it would be crazy to not make some changes.
It's easy to stick to the same eating habits we have always known, especially if we don't experience any overwhelming negative symptoms, but years of certain habits create the perfect situation for illness in later life.
Years of high sugar consumption lead to pre-diabetes early on in life which then leads to type 2 diabetes (this super interesting book I'm reading shed's light on the relationship between lowering blood sugar and totally reversing diabetes).
Of course bad eating habits also lead to a number of other illnesses, from fatty liver disease, to heart disease, to cancer. But knowing that reducing your intake of sugar could mean you can almost totally prevent some illnesses (including diabetes which leads to limb loss and blindness).
In the present though, bad habits strip you of energy and impact the way your brain works in the short-term.
When you have only ever engaged in bad eating habits, you don't actually know what it feels like to be firing on all cylinders.
I wanted more energy, a better attention span, and to lose weight. So far, I have felt clearer-minded, I can get through my day without sugar crashes, and I go to bed feeling satiated. I also feel slimmer, which whilst a major incentive has become a fringe benefit.
I know some people will pick apart my eating habits, saying that carb's are starchy and bad for you, dairy is bad for you, basically not being on an entirely plant-based vegan diet means I am just failing at a true healthy diet.
One of Taran's awesome smoothies!!
But these dietary changes have been the most easy to stick to compared to any I have done in the past. I make solidly healthy choices 95% of the time and when I do buckle and 'cheat', I don't actually enjoy it. The things I once craved simply don't enter my mind. I didn't really believe it when people said that the cleaner you eat, the cleaner you want to eat, but it appears to be true so far.
It also helps that I don't count calories. I believe in portion-control but also don't limit myself during meal-time too much, seeing as it makes up the bulk of what I eat in a day now that I forego snacking.
Most importantly, I am not consuming processed products, I am making everything from scratch, I am eating more vegetables and fruit, I am not adding salt or sugar to my foods or drinks, and dairy is only a small part of my plate each meal.
I feel like I have adapted really well to my new habits, and my motivation to be healthier is having a great impact on me physically. No longer do I practically fall asleep after each meal, or do I spend my entire evening feeling disgustingly bloated knowing I have consumed way more than my body needed. I enjoy my meals but food is no longer the be-all and end-all of my day. It is fuel for my body and my mind, and is no longer consumed just for the sake of it.
The result of these changes means I basically desire less of the crap by filling myself up with the good. Plus we spend a bit less overall on food, and no longer make impulse purchases. We don't waste money on filling up our tanks with shitty fuel.
I won't never eat the bad again, but the cheats don't really feel so tempting anymore. If I can make healthier and cheaper versions of my favourite bad foods I will endeavour to, and share them here when I do!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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5 Tempting Money Traps to Avoid: Simplifying Your Finances.
How many of us want to admit, out loud or to ourselves, that we are in debt? How many of us want to admit why and how we got there?
5 Tempting Money Traps To Avoid: Simplifying Your Finances.
I might only be 25 but I am no stranger to consumer debt.
I am no stranger to the feeling of being weighed down by financial burdens, and the accompanying guilt of knowing I more or less created them on my own.
But how many of us want to admit, out loud, or to ourselves, that we are in debt?
How many of us want to admit why and how we got there?
Some of us can't blame our debts on having too many bills to pay. Some of us just let things get a bit out of control in the pursuit of entertainment, escapism and the thrill of acquiring new things. I was doing the latter and that's how I got into debt.
You can read my full debt story, but here's a brief breakdown of my situation:
- 3 1/2 years ago I had credit cards nearly maxed out.
- I was 900 pound into an overdraft.
- I had a brand new car on finance.
- I was in a job I wasn't enjoying.
- I was headed for financial disaster.
I was stressed and miserable. I had left one job for another, hoping it would be a fresh start of some kind. It turned into a fresh nightmare.
I worked quite hard but didn't earn a lot of money for what I did. I didn't feel like I could repay my debts from the previous year and maintain a good standard of life on that income.
And eventually I just gave up on the job, and that made my situation even worse.
I had created my own stress and problems. I was the maker of my own misery.
To this day I blame no-one, not even my manager at that shitty job, for the fact I ended up unemployed, direction-less and with my savings going depleting by the day. I didn't feel poor however. I still believed in the 'free money' of credit cards and continued to add to my established debts.
I went out and spent money buying things I neither needed nor truly wanted.
But at some point I questioned, why should I have a wardrobe full of pretty things if I was actually being buried alive by them.
Having an abundance of stuff served as evidence of what my debts had funded, the happiness those things hadn't brought me, whilst I had very little in the bank to show for my months of enduring a crappy job or to even make ends meet.
It really seemed like an impossible situation with no way out.
It's time I don't remember fondly, but I do remember and share, because it taught me a lot about financial sense.
Travelling was a goal that drove me to pay off debts and save, but you don't need a big life change to motivate you.
You might be embarking on a new career path, or trying to save for a big holiday, but first you want to start afresh and be financially solvent.
You can seek freedom from the stress and weight of debt by avoiding these 5 tempting money traps.
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CREDIT CARDS
I think people often use these to cover shortfalls during times of difficulty, but I also think people get these when they actually have a good income.
They feel safe in the belief that credit spending is a debt they can repay easily each month.
What we often forget is that rent, food and bills is often enough of a financial commitment, and can already create a lot of stress each month. Bringing a credit card into the mix may lead to unnecessary hardship at some point down the line.
Then again having a credit card that you aren't using may be an essential at some point in your life...
It's a game of 'What If's':
What if you lose your job?
What if you decide to change your career?
What if a major financial drain occurs, like a car repair or health issue?
If you already have high credit card debts, then you can't use that credit card to help you in the above scenarios.
If your income suddenly drops, your existing debts will still continue to rise. If you happened to get one of those credit cards with a deal of no interest for a certain period, eventually that period will end, and your debt could get out of control.
I only advise this cautious approach to credit because I myself was stung by improper credit card use. I lost my job, I had a health issue and I had bills to pay, so I really could have done without a large lingering debt.
OVERDRAFTS
Much like credit but more often used to cover everyday spending, I really believe these can be 100% avoided with a little forethought.
Do you manage to make your general expenses every month on your current income?
If not, is your overdraft your only option, or could you make some minor cutbacks here and there to avoid it?
Do you need subscriptions to all those film/music streaming sites?
Do you buy food off-brand and avoiding eating out?
Could you temporarily use a small part of your savings to cover an unexpected short-fall, replacing that money as and when you can?
I think people see an overdraft as a much lesser evil than a credit card. In which case they can be extremely helpful, especially the nearer to payday it gets. But they aren't a long-term solution because in continuously using one you are allowing yourself to live beyond your means and taking yourself further away from your main financial goals.
My overdraft was the pre-cursor to my credit-card so it really can be a gateway to more financial over-stretching.
CAR FINANCE
A few years ago, I wanted a brand new shiny car.
I decided that being a graduate, in a job, in my mid-20's, I deserved one.
I knew nothing about car finance and when I did find out about it I wasted no time in ordering a little fiat 500.
I loved that car, but I didn't love the fact I had to get rid of it a year later, since I was unemployed, starting a new business and no longer able to afford it.
I had to find someone who would buy it, but first I had to find money to pay off the finance and then wait out a car buyer.
I have learnt from this, and in the future, I will only ever purchase a car out-right with savings.
I know that my approach as a minimalist means I no longer value having the latest and most expensive thing, over just having something solid that works, but with car finance, you need to weigh up the value a brand new car brings versus the cost and commitment long-term.
Could you purchase a perfectly attractive and safe car with your cash savings, instead of paying a large amount of money each month in repayments to a car company?
Might it be more important to have something reliable and cheap, if it means you can live your life how you want to, without exorbitant financial stresses added to the equation?
If you haven't got the savings and see finance as the only way to overcome that, could you look at buying a cheaper car and borrowing money from a close family member?
Could you temporarily seek alternative means of transport, until you do have the savings to buy a car outright?
In my experience, car finance can work out, but only in ideal circumstances, where your lifestyle or priorities don't suddenly change.
I couldn't have foreseen that I'd go from gainfully employed, to unemployed, and then self-employed. If I hadn't taken out car finance, my sudden life changes wouldn't have mattered so much.
I would have had more freedom to quit the crappy job that paid the bills and chase my self-employment goals.
PAYDAY LOANS
We all believe we have a valid reason for taking out a loan, be it for a new car or holiday.
In recent years there's been the more worrying rise in the use of payday loans specifically, which often come with unbelievable APR rates. People can end up repaying 3 times what they originally borrowed.
Traditional loans come from our culture of wanting something we can't afford, immediately, without much time or effort to acquire it.
Payday loans are very much routed in that desperation people feel toward the end of the month, nearing payday, when they have a bill to pay that they either didn't budget for or didn't expect.
A loan might give you something quickly, but the debt it leaves you will not be so quick to deal with. It will take time to clear and whilst you are clearing it you will be financially limited and restricted.
A payday loan will be a slippery slope, not merely because of the steep APR rates but also because you might end up not repaying it as soon as your salary comes in. It very much feels like a credit card, e.g., free money.
You might delay repaying it because when your salary does arrive, you will feel a lot richer than you normally do, but its not reality; the reality is that you can't escape the payday loan, because it's just that, only designed to get you to payday and then be returned.
Fundamentally both types of loan will add to the stress you experience on a monthly basis, especially around more expensive times of the year, or if your income is unpredictable.
BUY NOW, PAY LATER
There are deals these days that allow you to put off paying for something, creating this kind of illusionary purgatory, where you get to enjoy something without financial repercussions.
But quite often these deals involve a fair bit of interest and high charges if you miss a payment.
You could end up even forgetting about these financial commitments due to the delayed repayments and that could lead to unplanned short-falls.
There are sometimes fee's attached to making full repayments early.
It seems like a really great option, but you need to look at the fine print, the figures and the negatives.
Can you source the thing you need 2nd hand, cheaper, or even for free?
Is the item you want worth the long repayment commitment?
If you are looking for a household item, look online first to try and find affordable options that don't require this kind of financial commitment.
The common thread that runs through all these financial traps is our culture of wanting things that are beyond affordability, but are made so thanks to credit deals etc.
Once upon a time people lived within their means, and would save for months on end to buy luxury items.
One argument against this is that life is short and we should try to enjoy it, whatever way we wish to, right away. Then again a life built around instant gratification and material obsession is a never-ending (and stressful) endeavour.
Our society is built around creating new wants and desires constantly, so you won't just get into debt once, for that one special object or life goal; it will probably happen again and again as new things and options appear in front of you regularly.
You could end up spending most of your life owing money. Thus you'd spend most of your life committed to creating the income to serve those debtors, not to serve your personal dreams and goals.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper English chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
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5 Essential Steps to Travel
So many days have gone by that have been actually, pretty life-changing. From being super relaxed in the tranquil heaven of Whitehaven Beach to having an adrenaline overdose jumping out of a plane recently, its been exciting and challenging.
5 Essential Steps to Travel
When I think about how much really fulfilling living I have done in the past 1.5 years of travelling, its overwhelming.
So many days have gone by that have been actually pretty life-changing. From being super relaxed in the tranquil heaven of Whitehaven Beach to having an adrenaline overdose jumping out of a plane recently, its been exciting and challenging.
That's not to say its been months of constant awesomeness.
There's been some real moments of difficulty. We have had to deal with a horrible boss in a stressful job, and there was 3 months where we worked outdoors on a farm, and that was definitely a major leaning curve.
Either way, I wouldn't swap a moment of it for having been at home, where the days always passed too quickly and too routinely in a way that left us both lacking vitality and passion for life.
Travel has reignited something within us both, and we want people to have the chance to experience the same.
Here are 5 essential steps on how to bring the magic of travel into your life:
Fix Your Finances
Before you embark on an adventure, be it 6 months or be it forever, you want to have your finances neatly tied up.
I don't mean writing a will, I mean paying off all your debts. In the year before Taran and I left England, I cleared around 1500 pounds in credit card debts. I did this through sheer determination. I made it so that my income was directed at my debts straight away, throwing as much as I could at them each week.
Unexpected income meant unexpected extra debt clearing!
I used the snowball method whereby I cleared the smaller debts first, which spurred me on. It helped that I was living at home, and was thus able to keep expenses low.
If you really want to get out of debt, then you do need to consider cutting back wherever possible. Sometimes it means 2-3 months of absolute suffering and then maybe 2-3 months of mild discomfort, but it is worth it for the sense of freedom and relief when you can finally say that you no longer owe any companies any money.
Building A Savings Account
Once you have paid your debts, this is when you can focus all your energy on building a healthy savings account to allow you to begin your travels.
Taran and I set up premium bonds, which meant our savings were kept entirely separate from our bank accounts. It also meant we got entries to the draw that means you can win anything from 25 to 25000 pounds.
It goes without saying that of course you need money to go travelling but you don't need as much as you might think.
We took around $10000 dollars between us, which when broken down was about 7000 from me and 4000 from Taran. That 7000 when back into pounds is around 3500. It really isn't an unreasonable figure to save. And the reason I say this is because I was running my own business, earning between 700-1300 a month (and one month only 400). My job was very changeable and so my income was unstable. And yet I was able to clear my debts and save up a good portion of that money within around 6 months.
I could have saved more, had I taken on new clients or got an extra job, or even just spent less. Where there's income, there's a way. It certainly is possible to save up a decent fund for any trip length, if you are willing to adjust your spending habits and make small sacrifices.
De-cluttering Your Home
My favourite part of the run-up to travelling was getting rid of my possessions and organizing my bedroom.
This was a really logical step for me, in getting prepared for my future, one that would be far more minimalist and frugal. I loved rifling through old photos and mementos, and found it super satisfying ridding myself of clothes and random things that I never used. I even did a car boot sale which gave me a little bit of pocket money, but was mostly just a fun way to give my stuff a new home.
I found that this step was integral to helping me see why I was making this big life change; why I was throwing hundred of pounds at debts I had previously avoided and why I was going without things in favour of saving.
I was steering my mind away from a path previously marked by materialism and a focus on acquiring things that I believed would make me happier. Thus this step was therapeutic and calming. I couldn't wait to actually pack my bag and walk away from the lifestyle of excess that had entrapped me in the past.
Making Peace With People
So this is a rather unconventional step not revolving around money. In the lead-up to our travels I made a conscious effort to leave my friends and family on solidly good terms.
I wanted to mend rifts and reconnect with those who mattered most to me. I wanted to feel like I was leaving behind people and relationships that were healthy. I wanted to go out into the world feeling that I could be free but also have people that I could talk to and share this life-phase with.
I was conscious of people understanding that I wasn't abandoning them or unable to relate to their life choices any more, I was simply following my heart.
Your life can't always revolve around the routines of family and friendships because if you, at the centre of it, are not content with your lifestyle, then you are foregoing the chance the fix that by staying with them.
Travel doesn't have to be permanent and home will always exist, but instead of a weighty anchor it can be a place you think of fondly and return to when you have experienced what you need to in order to feel fulfilled.
Plan Where To Go
You don't need a 5 year travel plan, but maybe a 6 month one is a good place to start.
Deciding on the first destination is important for many reasons, not simply for getting excited about all that there is to see.
You do need to plan for medical and insurance, as well as maybe topping up your vaccinations. I had to organize for some mandatory medical tests that I get for free on the NHS in England, so I made sure I was in tip-top condition before we left.
We knew that we wanted to see all of Australia, and so we found out what was the best way to get the maximum time out there. It worked out that us being aged 25, we were able to do a working visa which gave us 1 year, and if we did specified work, we could get a 2nd year. So we planned for maybe 2 years in Australia, and that is what we told all our families and friends much to their initial horror.
We worked out where was cheapest to fly into and when was cheapest to fly via kayak (and nowadays we'd use google-flights). We got a vague idea of hostel prices and food, to predict how far our savings might stretch. But in reality you can't be sure how well you will go financially until you are there. If your a hotel kind of person, checking rates is an essential part of travel planning, HotelsCombined provides awesome accommodation deals to help manage your travel finances.
Australia has obvious appeal but also the ability to work as we travelled, and in short-term positions, was a key part of why began there.
The most important thing is to figure out what you want out of the places you plan to visit, and launch from there when deciding where to visit and for how long.
Travelling isn't ever a perfect journey of endless smiles, although there are many days where I have felt so deeply happy I just wish I could bottle the feeling and sell it. Instead I just come here and blog about it.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper fish and chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
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How We Travel Cheaply but Happily in Australia!
If you know Taran and I, and have read about our thrifty ways here, here and here, then you would expect nothing less than the tightest of spending behaviours from us. But we don't equate our budget successes and failures with how much money has left our accounts, but on how we find creative and interesting ways of travelling cheaply.
How We Travel Cheaply but Happily in Australia!
Many amazing countries and tourist destinations can be expensive. Anywhere can appear to be too costly to enjoy properly. But it's all down to choices, and making the right ones by your bank account.
If you know Taran and I, and have read about our thrifty ways here, here and here, then you would expect nothing less than the tightest of spending behaviours from us. But we don't equate our budget successes and failures with how much money has left our accounts, but on how we find creative and interesting ways of travelling cheaply.
HOW TO TRAVEL CHEAPLY, CREATIVELY AND HAPPILY in Australia:
PAY WITH CASH.
First and foremost always use cash for spending. Record each time you withdraw money, and try to withdraw the same amount each time. This helps you quickly and easily keep track of your spending. It also makes you spend it more responsibly, after all, you aren't always near a cash-point and using one other than your own bank's results in charges!
RESEARCH YOUR DESTINATION.
Don't book hostels or camp-sites at the last minute, you always end up over-paying. Read reviews and book a few days before arriving if possible. Sometimes the online price is cheaper (sites such as Hostelworld help you find out how hostels are rated in comparison to one another) but we often just call up. Before going to your next destination locate the nearest cheapest supermarkets using your maps app, and save them, so that you don't end up over-spending in local smaller grocery shops.
TAKE THE TRAIN.
Sometimes the rail links between major places, such as Sydney to Newcastle, work out the most cost effective when you make use of some of Australia's relatively cheap public transport. Using the app Fetch My Way, you can find out the cheapest transport methods and rail usually comes out on top. If you don't fancy the train or coach (which we have only used once) then you have plenty of other options...
USE CO-SEATS!
If you are too scared to hitch-hike and like to be a bit more prepared prior to setting off on the road, Coseats, and other ride-share sites are sort of organized hitching. Advertise your journey or seek out people travelling the direction you are, text or phone them, chat, arrange pick-up and pay hardly anything towards the travel cost. We have done this and loved it. It was more comfortable, interesting and more importantly, a huge money-saving option.
OR OUR PERSONAL FAVOURITE... HITCH-HIKE
We now hitch-hike pretty much to the exclusion of everything else (apart from inter-city travel, which we do by train). We don't hold out a sign, we just find a safe pull-over spot for cars near the city/town exit, and look happy/a bit tired! It helps when you have huge backpacks, amps up the driver's sympathy! So far we have travelled about 700 miles (1160 kilometres) just by hitch hiking!!!
CAMP
Where possible, camping, often available at coastal hostels up the East Coast, saves a heap of cash. For example, our recent camping at Melaleuca cost $16 each per night, that's $112 a week each versus $504 a week for a dorm cabin!! We had all the benefits of the hostel, such as the great kitchen, lounge and showers, but with the added bonus of knowing our tent was clean, tidy and bug-free, not something always guaranteed in a dorm. You also kind of get your own private room, much better than sharing with 14 other people in a shared dorm!
OR COUCH-SURF
A perfect way to meet people from the place you are visiting whilst also saving on sleeping costs. This is not some easy or free option entirely however, you will be expected to be sociable, friendly, tidy and willing to contribute to some task or activity that goes some way to make your host happy.
You can visit the website or download the app on your phone, fully fill out the profile, make sure you get across your personality, use plenty of photos, and make the sofa world your oyster. Expect to sometimes sleep on floors, old mattresses, maybe your own tent, sometimes an actual bed if your lucky!
READ THE NEXT THRIFTY POST...
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Recommended Reads:
Eating Well on a Backpacker's Budget
Arriving in Australia, we had been told that food was expensive out here, but it still doesn't prepare you for when you see the price tags on the shelf edges..
Eating Well on a Backpacker's Budget
Arriving in Australia, we had been told that food was expensive out here, but it still doesn't prepare you for when you see the price tags on the shelf edges, at first forgetting to account for the currency differences, then still, thinking, 'bloody hell that's dear!'.
We always intended to self-cater wherever possible, we aren't fancy eaters, and we rarely ate out in England, because money wasn't abundant and we always enjoyed cheaper options and eating in. So we knew we would cautiously buy our food here, and that's what we did, fairly successfully.
The first day here we made the mistake of buying food from a local shop (vegemite, weetbix, bread, milk, spaghetti, other basics, totalling $28), then realizing days later after a trip to Woolworth's (an inexpensive supermarket in Australia), that we had been a tad ripped off, through our own fault of not researching where was cheapest to shop locally.
In Woolworth's we managed to get cheap noodles, pasta sauce concentrate mixes, Nutino (a nutella dupe), parmesan for not much over $10, and we shopped around for alcohol, getting a 6-pack of cider for $12 as opposed to $20. Then on another day we located an even cheaper and more local supermarket, Coles. We spent about $20 in Coles on pasta, broccoli, onions, apples, a pasta sauce, orange juice, bread, milk, cheese, and cookies (not having snacks was getting us down!). We definitely bought the cheapest versions of what we needed and it resulted in a decent saving.
Our top tips from our first grocery shopping experience in Melbourne...
1> Go further (walk/bus/train) to larger chain stores to avoid paying inflated local small food-store prices.
2> Research the cheapest priced supermarkets in the region/area, instead of marching around all the different stores comparing.
3> Buy enough food for all your meals for however long you intend to stay in your location. We made our breakfast foods last the week and only topped up on perishables once.
4> If you want to eat out, plan ahead. We found a small place called 'Lentil As Anything' in St. Kilda where you pay what you feel your meal is worth, but realistically you will spend around $12 at most. We could of meandered for ages and ended up so hungry we spent more than we wanted to, but we found out about this place before we left the house that day, so it was a goal to visit it as opposed to turn up starving to somewhere overpriced.
5> Buy key meal ingredients in bulk sizes. We like toast for breakfast, and pasta for dinner, which we eat a lot but both can be bland meals, so we bought larger versions of chocolate spread and parmesan, which will last us a good while.
6> Make food you will enjoy. If you think you are saving money by making basic and non-nutritious meals you may find yourself so bored and unsatisfied that you raid the local fish and chip shop. Make variety part of your cooking, it isn't luxurious, its preventing extra food spending!
7> In Melbourne there are water fountains and filtered water taps in lots of places, a great way to keep your water bottle full, and yourself hydrated, staving off cravings for a quick duck into a cafe or coffee-shop.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Saving On A Low Income
I have now managed to reduce my outgoing bills to.... ZERO!
Saving On A Low Income
Hey Taran here, I wanted to share some info on my savings and how they have been coming along over the past half a year. Maybe this page could also help you reduce your outgoings and put a little more towards your next adventure!
So for almost exactly a year now me and Hannah have been saving all we can towards our big adventure, both of us have had a hard time,
Hannah had a debt she needed to clear before she could start saving so this a was very uninspiring way to start saving as it was almost like throwing money into a black hole..
I on the other had had no debts, but I have been on quite a low income for years now. I have been earning around £400 a month which at the start of my saving venture was very annoying; I had my car, my phone, rent and then food to cover! Which left me with very little to put into savings.. I was maybe saving £100 a month at best :(
But as time went by my savings slowly grew, and I made some pretty big changes to help them out!
Firstly my phone had just come to the end of its contract and so I ended that, saving me £40 a month! I found it quite easy to do that as I had never really been a big texter/caller I tend to use 'watsapp' to contact my friends anyway, and now I just rely on Wi-Fi to use my phone.
Then my car insurance/tax/MOT ran out about 4 months ago, I decided I didn't need my car anymore as I was able to cycle to work. So I sold my car for a small sum of £150 (not many space art fanatics out there I guess) and I have found that I feel quite free with out the car surprisingly! Avoiding traffic and getting exercise at the same time is great, and public transport really ain't that bad :P
I ran out of canvas's to paint one day..
A piece I did for my brother!
On the subject of Space art, selling my paintings also helped put a little extra dollar into my pocket which really helped me out, even if I was only selling the majority of my work to family/friends :P
I also tried my hardest to make presents for my family for Xmas and birthdays; I've made custom mp3 players out of old car speakers and metal boxes, a memory box for when I am away, awesome tie dye clothing And special one off paintings!
And so with only 2 months left to save, I have now managed to reduce my outgoing bills to.... ZERO! Which I am really proud of, no contract phone, no car and my dad has refused to take any rent for these last few months before we leave. Couple that with having great friends who know that we are saving every penny and are more than happy to buy us a drink down the pub, meaning very nearly every penny that comes in, goes towards our adventure!
Here's to an awesome 2015 in Oz!
Check out Hannah's '40 ways to Save Money Every Day' for more tips!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Recommended reads:
Things To Do For Free When You Are Poor (and Bored)
The hardest part about saving up your travel funds, isn't necessarily having a job that pays enough, or stopping yourself indulging in retail therapy every month, but its actually coping with a life suddenly less full of fun.
Things To Do For Free When You Are Poor (and Bored)
The hardest part about saving up your travel funds, isn't necessarily having a job that pays enough, or stopping yourself indulging in retail therapy every month, but its actually coping with a life suddenly less full of fun.
I suppose it depends on how you have fun, but quite often, it involves money somewhere.
Going for a walk into your local town can turn into lunch and those tempting 2-for-1 deal's at the cinema, can easily turn into a movie AND dinner; when you go out looking to entertain yourself, spending is tempting and inevitable.
Here are some tips for things to do, which don't cost much at all, if anything!
For the Internet-Lover:
1. I personally find I spent a hell of a lot of time at my laptop, and it's almost always doing fun stuff, not work!
My favourite sites are of course, Youtube (I get 20 videos deep to the point that I forget what my original search was), Buzzfeed (lots of puppies and 90's trivia) Jezebel (a gossipy but still mildly intelligent site), and Taran likes The Oatmeal (funny illustrations and stories), and Wait But Why (informative and interesting stuff).
All these internet destinations can be educational and engaging, as well as yep, fun! You can while away many an hour on these babies.
2. Pick a topic you want to learn more about and delve deep!
I like to learn more about dogs (being a dog-walker) and Taran is super into space, so we both find it interesting to rifle through the various inter-webs getting to know about these topics in-depth.
Make it a goal to learn new stuff about the things which interest you in life. Get more engaged politically, emotionally, and of course, immerse yourself in travel blogs in the pursuit of knowledge for your trip!
3. Get spiritual and do some self-improvement.
I love watching Ted talks on Youtube or reading the posts of TinyBuddha, all stuff which can broaden your mind and teach you a few things about how to be happier, something we talk about often here at Nomad'erHowFar (here, here and here).
For the Outdoorsy-types:
1. Go explore!
I have lived in the same city suburb my whole 24 years and I still discover new walks and places I never knew existed (helps that I walk dogs).
Get on your walking boots and tire your bones!
2. Find your nearest National Park or sight of natural beauty.
We live near the New Forest in Southern England, a stunning and huge landscape of woods, hills and heathland.
A couple hours here of a Sunday afternoon sets us right up for our Sunday dinner!
3. Take up running/jogging/fast-walking.
Running is easy, because you can pace yourself and really just enjoy a nice walk around the local area, even if your goals aren't fitness-inspired.
We spend so much time in life going from A to B never taking in the minute details of our surroundings.
Going for a jog, sticking on your headphones, or just a gentle walk, is a great way to reinvigorate and see your world in a different way.
For the homely-type:
1. Tidy and organize the shit out of your house.
If you read this post, you'll know we are in the process of de-cluttering in prep for our nomadic lifestyle change.
I have always liked to tidy and find it satisfying and relaxing, and due to the sweat involved in intense vacuuming, its a legitimate exercise too!
2. Read a good book.
Do you have a pile of books you've impulse bought and then never got round to reading, and now, looking at the synopsis, you think "Hmm not sure...", well, read them!
I neglected my books for a while then when I finally read one that I had been putting off, I was glued to it!
3. Meditate.
Yes really. If you find yourself at the end of your tether with your boredom, create a relaxing and calm environment, and set about clearing your head.
Light some scented candles or incense sticks. Put on some soothing music.
The result may be that you feel much less stressed and annoyed.
The other result is you might fall asleep, and I personally always enjoy a good nap :).
If none of the above work, well, you can always per-ooze through our posts :).
Hey!
Hannah here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I love reading, the beach, proper fish and chips, and a good cup of tea. But I mostly like to chat about minimalism, simplifying your life, the beauty of travel and sometimes I get a bit deep. Get to know us here!
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The D Word: Hannah and DEBT are DONE!
I feel like all the big 'D' words are always bad things that people don't like talking about i.e. Divorce, Death, Dentists. I suppose not everyone likes to air their financial laundry in public but I am an open book...
The D Word: Hannah and DEBT are DONE!
UPDATED POST: This post is from 2014, when Hannah finally cleared her debts and was able to begin saving up for our travels in Australia. In 2016 we remain debt-free nomads!
YAY!! No other word so majestically describes the feeling of finally being debt-free.
I did mention in a previous post that June would be a big month for me as I would finally clear my debts; debts in the form of a student overdraft and a credit card.
So here it is, June 2014, and I have paid everything off. I am now debt-free!
I feel like all the big 'D' words are always bad things that people don't like talking about i.e. Divorce, Death, Dentists.
I suppose not everyone likes to air their financial laundry in public but I am an open book; and I write a travel blog about minimalism and living a fulfilling life on a small budget. I have to be a good example to all our readers of course. Which is why I wanted to share this milestone, to inspire and enthuse everyone else, who is trying to eradicate their debts.
Clearing debts is not so easy for the likes of us who are self-employed or part-time employed, as it might be for people earning the big bucks.
But it's probably just as difficult for those on a hundred grand a year as it is for those on ten grand!
Why? Because we generally adjust our lifestyle to our income, and plenty of people become quite accustomed to a life of luxury when it becomes affordable; sometimes wealthier people who feel more financially secure and actually accrue a lot of debt (despite a high income) in order to go for the bigger, better, more expensive; the house, the car, the holiday, the new kitchen extension.
But I doubt these people are the same whom might be wanting to ditch material possessions, escape the trappings of 9-5 society and go all nomadic.
Maybe they are! Who am I to generalize, we can all become tired and disenchanted by our lives and want to enact big change.
- Choosing to leave behind the 9to5.
- Embracing minimalism to let go of my material obsession.
- How travel turned out to be the best thing I have ever done.
- Where my dreams have brought me today.
Either way, I am proof, that despite living on a low and unpredictable income (my tax return for that period showed that one month I earned £1000, the next only £500, all whilst paying out £100's on fuel) I still got myself out of debt in the space of 7 months.
7 months, it really has gone by so fast.
I so clearly remember envisioning this time; it seemed so far away but so exhilarating, because I was determined, and I knew I was going to get here, with time and pressure. Not to say I haven't slipped up, because I certainly have.
On one occasion I went to my local town to buy 'a couple of new tops' and spent way more than I had intended. I am not perfect but I have still come along way.
My top three realistic suggestions for debt clearing:
1. Always Question.
When you are in a shop, holding something, weighing up buying it, is it a NEED or a WANT; is it something that will be useful and that will last?
Is it worth the expenditure when that money could be elsewhere clearing debts quicker?
If the answer is YES, then to maintain balance you'd need to spend less in the coming days/weeks after making the purchase.
Is this sacrifice now, worth further sacrifices later?
Is the item going to bring instant gratification or long-term satisfaction?
People waste their cash and then don't repay their debts as fast as they'd like, when they consistently spend money on random and useless stuff.
Buying a good-quality pair of trainers is not a spending sin, but buying a new pair each week? Buying duplicates of things simply because you enjoy the new and trendy?
There is no room for excess and luxury when it comes to debt clearing!
2. Don't let disposable funds sit in your current account or wallet.
A sure-fire way to accidentally (on purpose) spend your cash is if you leave it sitting there in your wallet or debt account, tempting you with it's come-hither papery pull.
I always move my funds away, either straight toward my debts, bills, or into a savings account which isn't linked to my debit card, so that I can't waste that money on day-to-day life.
If I am using a cash method (leaving debit cards at home) that week to pay for my groceries, I will resolve that I can't then touch my debit card to pay for food.
If I frivolously blow this cash, I also then can't eat for a week...the way I organize my money has actual painful consequences, so I manage it more strictly.
I move funds for each bill into a specific bank account and I do the same with spare cash, but I usually just send it into the black hole of debt straight away and then I can't feel the loss of that money too acutely.
When I would get a large influx of cash, say, when a customer pays an invoice, if I can spare that money and if it isn't required for bills, I don't then view that as play money, instead I send it straight to the debt!
I believe extra cash influxes aren't truly yours to enjoy whilst debts linger over your shoulders.
3. Always look for the best deals.
When I do my weekly food-shop I always buy the cheaper version of what I need.
I do try to buy healthily and organic where possible, but I will help my bill with buying the cheapest meal staples plus buying frozen fruits and veg.
I always take a list to the shop with me, which is based on a meal-plan I would have designed the previous night.
I account for snacks and a few treats also within my meal plan. If you have nothing in the house to eat, the temptation to head and out spend outside your budget will be your undoing!
I also always write on my list what I already have at home to prevent extra wasteful spending.
Other ways to maximize debt repayments:
So here I am.
I have reached this pivotal moment when I can enjoy the relief and bask in the fruits of my labours. Now, I get to watch my savings mount up, knowing each earned penny is all going toward an awesome, life-affirming travel adventure. My money is now going to work for my goals and my dreams, as opposed to making me feel enslaved by its pull and the push to consume mindlessly.
Of course I'm not yet rich, I am merely unburdened by debt, and I won't get too far travelling on a couple grand, but I will get to Australia with my gorgeous partner within a few months, and that makes all the sacrifices feel so justified.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
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