Gary’s Q&A

Listener question & Gary’s response · Transcript passage

Jeremy Sparks asks, “How did you fund your decade of travel? I don’t mean to delve into your personal finances, but it’s so expensive to go to the places that are so distant and non-touristy.”

It is certainly not a problem, as I’ve gotten this question many times. The initial answer is that I sold a business and my house before I started traveling, so I had savings I could use for the first many years I was traveling.

Later, my travel blog became popular, my social media accounts gained large followings, and I was able to make money from doing brand ambassadorships and photography projects for travel brands.

However, one of the big things that most people don’t realize is that if you travel full-time, it is far cheaper than most people think.

When most people think of the cost of traveling, they are doing so as an expense added on top of all the other expenses they already have.

However, if you travel full-time, you forgo many of the expenses you have from daily life. No rent or mortgage. No utility bills. No property taxes. No miscellaneous repair expenses.

Moreover, you almost never stay at expensive hotels, and depending on what part of the world you travel to, it can be extremely affordable. I’ve met people who were able to get by on just a few hundred dollars a month, although I admit that level of spending isn’t for everyone.