How Can I Afford To Go On Trips?

People ask me all the time... how can I afford to go on all the overseas trips I do every year.  I try to explain in short that I budget my money well but it's not just about that.  In truth it's the lifestyle I choose to live and not something you can actually teach to somebody else... especially if they are not willing to learn.  But I will try.

In a nutshell... I am not rich by any means.  I didn't come into a fortune, no rich relative is supporting me, and I am not dealing drugs.  I just found a way to prioritize the income that comes in to make sure that my expenses don't exceed it.  Aaaaaaaand, boring!  I know it's not sexy and probably not what you wanted to hear but it's really what I do.

For instance... I see time and time again people I know boasting about going to this movie or this restaurant.  Now once here and there is okay but every week I see this.  I start adding it up and figure they must be spending upwards to $150 a month on this alone.  Which comes out to $1800 a year.  There's your 2 plane tickets to Europe.  Then I see other people buying new clothes all the time and hitting the clubs like they're rockstars and enjoying "happy hour" every payday.  There's another $150 a month (your hotels and transportation taken care of).  And don't get me started on how much a smartphone plan cost which many people do not need.  Honestly, if you are living paycheck to paycheck and have a smartphone then I think your phone is smarter than you... but that's another blog.

There are many ways to save up money to do what you want in life.  Spending money like it's water is not one of them.  And I get it... you have friends that you want to hang out with, or family that you don't want to disappoint.  But when it is all said and done you have to ask yourself one thing- Will these people be there for me when I need them?  You might find out that the very people you are trying to please are the same people that could give two shits about you when you have nothing more to offer.

So while others are boasting about trying out that new Italian restaurant that just opened up down the road, I am actually going to Rome for authentic Italian food.  But hey... if going through life not knowing what's in your bank account makes you happy then by all means have fun.  Just know that I am not only having fun now... but I am saving so I can continue to have fun thirty years from now.