Traveling the world is an amazing experience, and it will certainly help you find yourself and learn about other cultures. However, there are times when people tell you to not worry about money and just travel. Don’t Fall For The Dangers of Don’t Worry About Money-just-travel, Just Travel (Scam)
This seems like great advice, but it’s actually awful advice that can have serious consequences in the long run. Here’s why the Don’t Worry About Money-just-travel, Just Travel scam shouldn’t be taken seriously.
Travel Money Doesn’t Cost That Much
Most of us assume that saving money while traveling is impossible. That’s why so many of us use credit cards to fund our trips, stay in overpriced hotels or buy expensive meals. But it doesn’t have to be that way! In fact, traveling on a budget can be easy and cheap. And one of my favorite ways to save money while traveling is by using a travel credit card.
These cards allow you to earn cash back every time you use them (usually 2-3% depending on what type of card you get).
If you stick with me until the end of today’s post I will show you how to get free flights with travel rewards cards like these!
Packing Light Saves Money
Planes charge an extra fee for luggage these days. At just $25 or so a bag, you might think it’s worth it to bring that extra pair of shoes.
Think again: You could easily rack up over $100 in fees before even getting to your destination. And what happens if your baggage is lost? There goes another hundred bucks you won’t get back until you buy more clothes once you arrive at your destination—or worse yet, when you return home (think about how much that suit cost…).
This can quickly add up to thousands of dollars over a lifetime! Get smart and start packing light; being comfortable while traveling is far more important than bringing unnecessary stuff with you. Besides, research shows most people only use half of their bags anyway.
Being Responsible Saves You From Worries And Costs
If you’re looking to travel but your bank account says otherwise, then you should probably reconsider. Sure, travelling is one of life’s great experiences and it’s awesome to live in a country for less than a year; but if that sounds appealing to you—if every time you look at your bank account balance all that comes to mind is why don’t I have more money?—then let me assure you that it doesn’t work out like that.
You will get stressed, you will get worried about money, and you won’t enjoy your trip as much as someone who has saved up enough cash beforehand. It’s not worth it!
Travel Insurance is Actually Reasonable
Most people understand that travel insurance is important—but they also believe it’s a huge ripoff. This isn’t true: often times it’s actually worth your while to pay for a policy.
Avoiding spending money on insurance may seem appealing at first, but if you don’t buy protection you could end up spending more in actual expenses than you would have paid for insurance in premium costs.
Prepare For Every Part of Your Trip
I’ve been to numerous countries and lived out of a backpack. That being said, I’ve never been to just one country and stayed there for more than a month. At some point in your trip, you’re going to want to buy something at a store or get somewhere that doesn’t have free Wi-Fi.
If you haven’t prepared for all of these eventualities, you could run into big problems.
Having cash on hand is essential; not having a credit card could really put a damper on your trip. You also need an idea of what type of area you are staying in and what public transportation looks like so you don’t end up stranded without anything other than Google Maps.
Cash Can Solve So Many Problems
It can be tempting to blow all your money on a big trip as soon as you make it. It can also be easy to convince yourself that you’ll work hard now and enjoy yourself later. But let’s not forget—there are other priorities in life (like paying off student loans or saving for retirement) that need attention before you jet off to go drink $15 cocktails in Cambodia.
Make sure you have enough cash saved up so that when things inevitably come up, you don’t have to worry about taking out another loan just to keep traveling.
Debit/Credit Cards Are Safer Than Cash But Still Have Their Risks
Debit/credit cards are obviously safer than cash. But if you’re a victim of credit card fraud and have had money stolen from your account, there are specific laws that protect you as a consumer under Visa, MasterCard and Amex’s zero-liability policies.
In short: If someone steals your credit card information and spends your cash online or in person with it, your financial institution will give you back all those lost funds.