Travelling isn’t all that easy.  The planning and effort that goes into a trip such as mine takes a lot of commitment.  I spent three years slogging away for this trip.  Here, my friend Ben shares a bit of wisdom on how you can make a trip like mine a reality.

With increasing cost of living and rising rental, mortgage & fuel prices all part of the real world today, travelling can sometimes feel like a step away from reality.  These pressures can almost make travelling seem completely out of reach, especially if a you’re already on a tight budget for day-to-day expenses.  However, with careful advance planning and organization I have found that there are ways in which you can still enjoy the excitement of travel while keeping your head above water financially.  If you’re willing to sacrifice staying in an expensive hotel, the options for world travel are as good as ever.

Advance planning is the key to saving money ahead of travelling and while you’re out there on the road.  The farther ahead you can plan – and sometimes buy – the more likely you are to find bargains.   For example, cheap flights can be found up to 330 days (11 months) in advance of your departure, and this is often the best time to find reward tickets, especially for popular destinations.South East Asia and Europe.  Once the bargain and reward bookings are snapped up, the airlines have discretion as to whether or not they offer more; these days the odds are against that scenario.

Once you have decided upon your destination think about how much you’ll need to spend altogether and then begin saving.  Doing something as simple as setting up a savings account, solely for travel, will be the best thing you can ever do.  Once you have begun to save, start scouring the Web for early-booking bargains so that you’ll use less of that money.

Look beyond hotels for significant savings on your lodging costs.  Backpacking is the way forward and will bring you in touch with your surroundings, allow you to meet many people, and provide savings and lifelong experiences at the same time.  When you backpack, hostels always cost much less than a hotel, they’re a great way to meet people too.  Check websites that provide information and traveller ratings on hostels to see what’s available at your destination.

By planning ahead you’ll have a fabulous time without worrying about money, and return home with some fabulous experiences and great photographs to share.  That long dreamed for trip will become a reality.

Thanks Ben!