We all consider ourselves to be free. We live in free nations with free health care, free speech and free press. But how often do we really do what we want? Few people wake up in the morning happy to go to work. And work consumes the lives of the average working citizen. Why is this? Why do we continue to do things that we don’t enjoy?
Is it simply to keep up with an extravagant lifestyle? Is it to buy the next new gadget or drive the newest car? Do these things actually make us happy? The simple answer is no. We’ve created this world for ourselves and once we’ve indulged in it, it’s hard to break free and find true happiness.
We’re constantly paralyzed by the promise of promotions, while being mesmerized by a medley of material possessions. For some, this life is fulfilling, but those who escape it often realize that there is a world out there, waiting to be explored. Every minute of your life can be sheer bliss.
You can do whatever you want, when you want!
But how?
Travel is one key to freedom that can release you from monotony and open your eyes to a world of possibility. Travel is ultimate freedom. do what you want, when you want and always go where you want!
But travel is expensive right? WRONG!
There are ways to travel for very cheap or even for free! Your biggest expense will be your flight, but once you land in a country, there are plenty of ways to live on $10/day or less. Imagine that? Save $1000 and travel for more than 3 months!
Of course $10 a day is living on the bare minimum for a solo traveller, but it is possible. Here are a few ways that you can travel for $10/day or less:
1. Couch Surfing: This is a great way to stay for free. It’s a massive community of like-minded travellers who offer or utilize empty couches around the world. Join the community while you’re saving money for your flight, have a couple of surfers stay on your couch to build up your reputation, then when you’re travelling, you’ll have over 5.5 million couches to choose from… for free.
2. Camping: Not only can this be a free night’s stay, but being out in the wild is such a great experience. Pitch your tent or mosquito net and enjoy the night!
3. Volunteering: There are great websites that can introduce you to the rewarding world of volunteer travel. Extend your trip or enjoy free room and board! Try these ones:
- Work Away: A great resource for finding volunteer jobs online
- Woofing: Work on organic farms and get free room and board
- Organic Volunteers: Join the community for $20/year and pick fruit for a living
4. Eating Locally: In many countries, delicious meals can be had for a dollar! Surely 3 dollars a day won’t break your budget. Here’s a little secret, many temples (especially Sikh) serve free meals once a day! Go, mingle with the locals, volunteer rolling chapatti (Indian bread) and make a day out of it.
5. Using Travel Points: If you’re living at home and saving up, consider a rewards credit card. Put ALL of your purchases on the card and after a few months, you could have enough points to pay for your flight! Combine this with steps 1-3 and you’re travelling for very close to free.
So now that you know that you don’t need a lot of money to travel, what’s stopping you? Now you just need to decide that you want a change in your life and go for it! But why travel? Why even bother with all of this?
Here’s why:
1. While most people are working 40-80 hours / week, you could be climbing waterfalls, summiting mountains, relaxing on beaches or snorkelling with whale sharks.
2. You can learn new things, sample new foods, meet new people and indulge in new cultures.
3. You can wake up every morning, not knowing what the day will bring. You can be perpetually ecstatic for the next adventure while enjoying every minute of every day of your life.
4. You can live life to the fullest. No more wasting time doing things you don’t enjoy. Just give it up. Leave it behind and experience the world for what it is… a 510 million square kilometer amusement park just waiting to be explored!
Does this all sound too good to be true? Well it’s not. There are thousands of people who travel the world and only stop to do things that they love, like Teaching English, volunteering at animal sanctuaries or just hanging out on the beach for a while. It’s absolutely possible, you just have to want to do it.
You’ll need to quit your job. Start saving a bit of money for the trip (at least enough for flights and a month’s stay). Say goodbye to friends and family and ignore any negative feedback from people who have never done it. Set out into the world and see what happens. If you’re not 100% happy at home, then it’s time for a change. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing each and every day, then transform your life to suit your needs.
Be the architect of your own destiny and create a blueprint for a better lifestyle.
There are too many people out there who wake up when they’re still tired, rush to jobs that they don’t enjoy only to return home to sleep in a bed of boredom and familiarity. If you’re one of these people and you’ve read this article to this final line, then you are definitely looking for change. Make it happen… I guarantee you’ll never look back.
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