Success Stories: Why Dave and Vicky Gave well-paid jobs to travel
So I decided to tag more success stories of people to encourage you to hold on to (follow a lofty goal, right?) Your dreams. Today I'm talking to Dave and Vicky about her leap into the unknown
Nomadic Matt :. Thank you for this interview to do! Give us some background information about you two.
We are Dave and Vicky! Vicky and I are in our mid-twenties. We met in high school in a small suburb 40 minutes outside of Boston called Ashland, where I lived all my life and she moved to after a series of previous movements that took her from Russia to Australia to the USA. After we graduated from college, we worked two years and are now on a two-year journey through Asia and Europe issued. We left for Japan in September 2012. We plan in Asia and Europe in nearly 50 countries on the heading. After that, who knows! At home? South America? Africa? Everything is possible.
What was your original inspiration? What has to go, jump and travel led ship?
In September 2011, we went on an eight-day trip to Greece, which took us to Santorini, Athens and the Peloponnese. It was a great trip, but it was only eight days. We thought, "this does not make sense." We just $ 5,000 for an eight-day trip to Greece. There must be a more efficient, cost-effective way to travel. The answer was long-term travel and backpacking for us. We could these budget stretch much further and see other amazing places, if we saved our money and a year took. Then out of nowhere, was one year are two - and here we are
I am always curious: How did you find this website [!?
One of our friends sent us your website. It was really the first of its kind that we had ever seen; I do not think either of us fathomed also that people were doing this kind of thing. We really motivated to set a date and start planning. It was a valuable resource from the outset due to the wealth of information it has. When we our country for country-plan routes, the leaders came really handy - they were really the first of its kind that we had come across. Also, because we were new to the game, we did not know much about what travel sites to use, that is, what to use a hostel booking, air ticket, tour operators etc.
Well, I am glad that the place was so helpful! Were you afraid before you went on your trip? A lot of people are nervous, away for six months, and here you are planning were to be away for two years.
We were very worried about our travel plans a month definitely or so before the trip. All these questions were spinning through our head:
"We will like to travel as much as we think we are?"
"What if it is not the experience is hope for us? What if it does not change?"
"we will get mangled, mutilated, robbed or any other horrible M-word?"
We blogged extensively about our feelings. There is something about all of the input that helps alleviate your fears. People express and share their thoughts and stories, and it provides that little extra insurance that you think will be all work. It works out for everyone else, right? Finally, we were committed, as we all informed we knew, and there was no turning back.
Above all, we were comforted by the fact that it (many, in fact) exposed people at length and quite well who have traveled.
What advice would you can not for other people who think about traveling, but might think?
If you are serious, you have to think long and hard about what it take to travel in style, so would you want. People love to toss the phrase "anyone can go." Personally, I think that is largely overblown. For some people, traveling is really difficult. This is the case for many people with very specific commitments, or not to make a sufficient income, or perhaps those who live with very strict regulations in countries. However, this fear of not being in most cases be able largely to travel in the head. Focus to save on money and cut out the clutter from your life that eats your time and money. Once you have done that, the rest will follow. Do the math, plan it out, and take a chance.
Was money a problem? How did you save for your trip?
absolute money was a problem. We wanted to save $ 50,000 USD for this trip take us for two years (in the hope that they might make on the road a bit). We also had $ 25K in student loans that had to be paid off. So, that's a total of $ 75K, between the two of us in just two years for entry-level jobs, while living in expensive Washington, D.C.
had to be rescued as we do it? Let's start with our salaries. I made $ 70-80K per year, and Vicky made around $ 50K. They are nice salaries for two children who are 24, but you would not alone in two years $ 75K store. There is no magic formula, except for the issue felling. The big things were:
1. Always cooking. We ate barely eat, and if we (once a month) has always used a coupon. In this we have to bring leftovers from dinner our lunch so that we never have to buy lunch at work.
2. Do not buy crap. I drove my same crappy car that I had since high school. No monthly payments, only gas. We have hand-me-down furniture that Vicky had made a previous apartment, so the only new things that we bought a TV, bed and computer in two years. No clothes, sofas, etc.
3. We had modest monthly housing costs, because we could go in together on a 10 $ / month a pair and one-room apartment.
The key was to really understand where your money goes. It's amazing what you discover when you actually track your spending for a month.
How do you stay on budget when you travel?
key here really is to keep track of your costs low. If you do not do the, I find it hard to believe that you really want to stay on budget, other than just hope it all will work in the end (and to be fair, it is sometimes the case) , We keep track of all review our costs and our spending a day in a separate Excel sheet for each country. We can break it down into a few main categories such as food, transport, accommodation, entertainment, and utilities. It's easy to calculate your and thus adjust your budget daily average on the fly. Traveling is very flexible because it is rare that you really have to do something, only if you want. So, if you arrive at high, you can make adjustments on the street, as doing some last minute CouchSurfing.
Do you find it hard as a couple to travel? Any advice on this?
as a couple traveling is not for everyone, but we have done a few times before our big trip knowing that we would be fine. We traveled Italy and Greece together. Our trip took this to the extreme, but we still practicing the same basic principles that made it work the first time. Above all, I think the key really compromise. You must understand that not everyone all the time getting on the same page. A person may not feel well or is tired or has seen its fair share of temples. You must make concessions you to be your partner. Vicky and I make concessions all the time, from food to transport night. It's about communication and compromise.
What is one thing that you thought a challenge would not be (is his that proved out, I thought it would be difficult to meet people, but it is not)?
to be a minimalist! I thought at first only a pair of pants, two pairs of T-shirts with, and a handful of t-shirts would be difficult. In reality, it feels great! I have completely eliminated the decision "what to wear?" From My Life.
My only problem is, I did not how successfully to wash a pair of pants out and see the sites. If anyone knows the secret, please share
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During their work made it very easy for them to save money for their trip, what I like about her story that it reminds me of my so much and is so similar to others, I hear: you're on vacation, you recognize these want to do more, and in spite of the fear and uncertainty about such a big change, you can make it happen anyway. Sometimes it's just comforting to know that you're not alone or crazy and others to do so.
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