Dear Fumbling Forward,
I’ve always wanted to travel. Not just go on holiday, but really travel. Backpacking, meeting people from around the world, getting lost in new places, and living off cheap food and random conversations. The idea of exploring the world with nothing but a backpack has been stuck in my head for years.
But then I look at my bank account and reality hits. I barely make enough to cover my rent and groceries. The idea of buying a flight ticket feels completely out of reach—let alone hostels, transport, or doing cool things once I’m actually there. I see people doing it online, living that dream life on beaches in Thailand or hiking mountains in Peru, and I keep wondering: How? Am I missing something?
Everyone keeps saying “you don’t need a lot of money to travel,” but no one ever really explains how that works. What do you do if you don’t have savings? If you’re just scraping by already? Is budget travel actually possible—or is it just something people say?
Because I want to go. I really do. I just don’t know if I can afford to.
Our Advice
First of all—thank you for being so honest. You’re not alone in feeling this way. The desire to travel while feeling stuck financially is something so many of us have experienced. But here’s the truth: you absolutely can travel on a budget. You just have to approach it a little differently.
Start with the destination. Not all countries cost the same to travel in. Southeast Asia, parts of Latin America, and Eastern Europe, for example, are all budget traveler’s paradise. You can eat amazing food for under €2, sleep in hostels for €5 a night, and meet people who are also traveling on tight budgets.
Next, travel slow. Moving around quickly burns money fast—buses, trains, planes. Instead, stay in one place longer. It gives you time to settle in, find hidden gems, and often hostels give discounts for longer stays. It also gives you more space to just be rather than constantly doing.
Look into volunteering platforms like Workaway or Worldpackers—where you can exchange a few hours of work a day for free accommodation and sometimes food. This can stretch your trip for weeks or even months.
And don’t underestimate hostels. They’re not just places to sleep—they’re full of people just like you. People figuring it out, people with tips and stories, people who will share meals, bus rides, or even future travel plans with you.
As for flights, be flexible. Use flight comparison tools, try flying mid-week, or look for budget airlines. And once you’re there? Embrace simplicity. Some of the best experiences—watching a sunset, joining a street food tour, swimming under a waterfall—cost little or nothing.
You don’t need to have everything planned or paid for in advance. You just need enough to take the first step. The rest, truly, figures itself out along the way.
If you’re fumbling right now, wondering whether this dream is possible, let this be your sign: it is.
And you’re more ready than you think.
