How to Save Money to Travel the World

Mark's been round the world more times than the sun😂

I quit alcohol, that did 2 things. I was able to fill my travel savings much faster and when I got to where I was going no alcohol on vacation really saves. No bars no wine with dinner no happy hours. Just great savings. Ty.

I’m an avid traveler and have been introduced to “sinking funds” and “envelope stuffing” to ensure I can go overseas long term at least twice a year. Thank you Walter. PS I used all your tips my first time backpacking in Europe and avoided 3 pick pocketers! 😅

One thing I try to do for more expensive trips is spreading the big expenses. I've been planning an NYC trip (from Europe) more than a year in advance. Paid for the tickets 12 months prior. I've paid half of our Airbnb stay 2 months later and I'll pay the other half in a few months. Making the total cost of the trip much more bearable. I also have a spare bank account and every time a friend has to pay me back, or I earn money outside of my day job, I put it there. It's money I can spend without worrying it'll interfere with my monthly expenses. BTW I don't know if you know this, but in Belgium (and maybe other European countries) 'Wolters' is a name of a series of atlas books often used in schools 🙂

Excellent advice, not just for traveling! These tips are great if you need to buy a new car, new furniture, or whatever! I used to do many of these when I was in college, years ago, and wanted to save for a spring break trip and pay in cash. Priorities count!

I was an alcoholic last year (three hundred and fourteen days sober and counting). I smartened up my act and decided to save all of my hard working residuals. I was tight throughout the spring, summer and fall. On November 18, 2023 - December 9, 2023 I ended up going on a solo backpacking adventure to a two continent, two country, twelve city exploration of Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Tarifa & Sevilla) and Morocco (Tanger, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga/ Sahara Desert, Marrakech, Casablanca and Rabat). Logistically it went smooth (prebooking is a must), Hotels and hostels were pleasant but it was grueling and lonely at times. It was an educational experience of people, culture, gastronomy and I learned alot about myself. Trip of a lifetime. I have yet to remove my smile from my dumb ass. Much respect for your travel expertise. I took some of your advice for research (always) and you are exactly correct, I had that mentality of not spending on the un-necessities and just focus on yourself, health, and enjoy God's greatest gift... Life!

Thanks for reminding us of these commonsense tips :-D We can't have it all. When you sacrifice a few indulgences, you'll appreciate your next holiday all the more. Never go into debt for a holiday. You'll always be chasing your tail trying to catch up.

My main saving tip is : Cook your own food. Yes its costs time and effort, but its much healthier and cheaper, especially when you cook in larger batches. Also make sandwiches at home and bring them along, with some easy fruits like banana's. Maybe even bring a thermos with coffee or tea. The amount youll save when you do this is actually quite crazy. I call those " micro expenses" , you know, a sandwich here, a coffee there, but you are massively overpaying for things and because its just a couple of dollar each time, you might not be fully aware about what this actually adds up to over the course of the month or year. Cutting these $5 a day or so, and thats for things you dont even especially enjoy but are just doing purely of convenience, can easily pay for a full holiday when you look at the yearly amount.

Great tips. Credit card bonuses and miles and points help as well. Took a train to New York and credit card bonuses paid for the train and hotel for 3 nights. Also, flexible days and off season can make a big price difference.

I grew up very lower middle class, obsessed with Carmen Sandiego and never left the country until I was in my 20s because my parents couldn't afford it. My experience is for those who don't have to support a family or are just starting out their post-college life. I've pretty much arranged my life so I can travel even though I don't make much money in my field. I rent an apartment instead of owning a house, I only try to date others where travel is their priority, and I work jobs that are flexible enough to take time off. Plus an added bonus for return travel to places I've been, I've made lots of friends overseas who said next time I visit, that I can stay with them. Besides getting an authentic experience, it helps cut back on lodging costs dramatically. Best of luck to everyone out there who wants to travel! In the words of Marty McFly, "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything."

I really wanted a $25,000 BMW motorcycle but I settled for a $15,000 bike that was not nearly as fancy. Now, I have enough for a $8,000 three-week trip to ride a motorcycle through the French Alps. It's booked!

Years ago, I would spend 256 dollars a month on Starbucks. These days, I make my coffee at home. I am thankful that I am able to travel to the UK or Europe once a year.

Great video! Takeaway coffees are easy to cut out over time because they all taste the same after a while, making your own coffee at home tastes better and is far cheaper, same goes for food in a lot of cases

I agree with everything you said. These are things I do. I saved for a year in the past and now to go to Paris.

Yeah we do a lot of these tips for sure. One we do is whenever I work OT at work, I take 10% and buy a stable stock like KO (Coca-Cola) that pays monthly dividends. After a while, we will sell the stock and use it to travel, etc. I saved all my OT from 2022 and in 2023 we bought Disney World Annual Passes and it cost us nothing extra. It wasn't free, but it sort of felt that way!

Another way to save money that adds up over time is to switch your cellphone plan to Google voice. You will still need to buy a data plan for the times when wifi is not available, but this really doesn’t cost much. Google voice works all over the world.

One of the best videos you have ever made! Not just true with travel, but life as well. Thank you for putting my thoughts into words!!!

I'm a person who's been retired due to medical issues for between 15 - 20 years. I live on less than $2,000 from SSDI. In the last 8 years I've been to Europe 4 times. I budget my travels, though having visited London each time hasn't helped. I have family there, so that helps, too. I'm planning for a trip in 2026 to see Hungary, Romania, Czechia, Poland. I'm trying to save for a months trip. Being in my mid-60s, this is something I never thought I could accomplish. Also, growing up in the 1960s, all of these countries were part of the Russian federation. I took a 3 month, 9000 mile road trip around the USA last year. If you watch your spending, you can go to the most places if you keep your budget in mind and realize that you may not stay as long as you'd like. I also cut out cable 7 years ago and only have a Roku for my entertainment system. Have a great year, Wolters family.

When I was in my 20s, I taught English in Japan for a few years. Working in another country gave me a chance to travel a lot in Asia and see new places. I know not a lot of people can't do that, though. I have read a lot that many countries are giving "remote work" visas for those that may be able to use this as a way to live and work somewhere else.

Great tips! I appreciate this video!! I would also like to add to anyone who wants to travel and doesnt mind working a part time (or full time) is to work at a Hilton Hotel. Hilton has one of the best employee discounts. They offer $40 rooms all around the world. For me I work part time weekends. Its savings and travel money for me. I even booked $40 rooms in Hawaii. Maybe not at a mega resort but at a decent Hilton. Just something to think about even if u want to book a big family trip… work at the Hilton long enough to save and book discounted rooms.