I’ve been running this Cheapest Destinations blog since 2003 and the 4th edition of my international travel book will come out soon, so I’ve heard more than my share of excuses on why people can’t or don’t travel.

In all fairness, some of the reasons are really legit. “I’m a convicted felon” is one that may give you some visa trouble. “I can’t leave the country until the custody case is settled” is reasonable. “I don’t really enjoy packing up and leaving home” was a response from a friend that I really didn’t have an answer to. Fair enough. We can’t assume everyone likes to travel.  And some people really can’t. There are not many travel agencies in Cuba or North Korea.

If you live in a free country and want to travel but don’t, however, the excuses you give are probably the same ones I’ve heard 100 times. Apparently these 71 other travel bloggers have heard the same ones too as their sample excuses and responses are amazingly consistent.

The b.s. travel excuses

1) I can’t afford it.

2) I don’t have the time.

3) I’m (scared about) not good at foreign languages

4) My family wouldn’t approve (I’m scared to leave my family).

Why these travel excuses are usually b.s.

1) Unless you’re in such poverty that you can barely afford groceries, you can afford to travel. Because if you choose the right places, it’s cheaper than being home. Try shopping less, buying fewer gadgets, brewing your own coffee—in other words, prioritizing. Do some basic research and you’ll find ways to couchsurf, get free flights, work abroad, and in general get by for far less than you’re getting by now. If you have a job you can do from anywhere, you’re just plain nuts to live out all your years in an expensive country anyway.

2) If you’ve been in your job a year at least and don’t have a couple weeks to travel, something is seriously wrong. If you’re self-employed, even worse. That’s called not taking the time; it’s not a lack of time. Nobody is so important in their position that they can’t take a couple weeks to travel unless they have “president” or “prime minister” next to their name. If you’re worried nobody will miss you if you leave and you’ll be easily replaced with another warm body, then you’re not making much of an impact when you’re there are you?

3) Based on my 20-odd years of travel, you can get by with English alone in about 90% of the places you’ll go on this planet as a tourist, with Spanish taking care of another 5 or 6%. So unless you’re going to visit rural China or some undiscovered tribal region, I think you’ll survive. If you’ll be somewhere more than a couple weeks, you can pick up some basics with minimal effort and a phrase book. Heck, these days you can even take a real-time translator on a smart phone, Star Trek style.

4) I’ve heard so many iterations of this sequence now it’s become a short story I could write in my sleep. Daughter (it’s usually a woman) announces to her family that’s she’s going backpacking for a month, for the summer, maybe even for a year. A family member (usually the mother) responds that it’s a horrible idea, that she’ll be raped or killed, that she’s abandoning the family. She forges on and goes anyway, sending them photos along the way about her fantastic time and telling them all the things she’s seen and learned. She returns home looking fit and radiant, she’s worldly-wise, and she’s exhibiting a new self-reliant streak that’s going to help her create success on her own terms in the future. Her parents can’t stop telling their friends about her wonderful adventure and they share her photos with everyone they know.

Of all the 71 responses on that long blog post, which admittedly get a bit redundant, I like this one from Benny at Fluentin3Months the best:

Usually people will latch on to what seems like a totally logical reason to not travel, such as lack of money, no time, unable to get off work, family responsibilities and so on. At times these are legitimate, but many times the true reason they are not following this passion is fear, and the reason they give you when you ask is founded in nothing but this fear.

They can repeat the mantra of “I have no money” all they like, ignoring stark evidence about how they should embrace minimalism and stop buying so much crap, or perhaps they think that learning a language is a rare genetic gift even though over half the population of the planet is multilingual. It’s time they stepped outside of their self-fulfilling prophecies.

Like most things in life, finding the time or money to travel is just like finding the time or money to do anything else worthwhile: buy a house, reach a sales goal, raise a child, get good at a sport, get in shape, learn a language, write a book, finish a painting, dance the tango, or build a fence. Make it a priority and it’ll probably happen. Put it no higher on your list than the latest slightly better gadget Apple is feeding you, then it probably won’t.

Do you want to travel this year or are you just saying it would be nice? Like winning the lottery would be nice?

If you’re not just fantasizing, stop dreaming and start finding ways to make it work. See all the excuses and answers here.

 

Bali has long been a fixture on the Southeast Asia backpacker tour, but it has gotten exponentially more popular since I first landed on the island in the mid-1990s—and prices have risen with the crowds. To give us the scoop on what current prices are like for travelers, I turned to a guy who actually lives there and is is tapped into the scene: Stuart McDonald of the top Southeast Asia travel resource site, Travelfish.org. Take it away Stuart!

It’s a common lament that a holiday to Bali costs far more than it used to. Hell, with luxurious digs going for thousands of dollars a night, it can be downright expensive. But unless you’re set on a private pool villa with clifftop views, Bali needn’t be a complete budget bust. Here’s a rundown on what things cost and how to save. At current rates, one U.S. dollar equals around 9,000 rupiah.

Bali Transport

Unlike other popular destinations in Southeast Asia, Bali doesn’t have an overly tourist-friendly public transport system. Sure, there are bemos and local buses, but while their pricing is often rock bottom, the routes, timings, and connections are dictated by local needs rather than those of tourists. Want to travel from the airport to Ubud by non-chartered bemo? That will be around four connections and at least as many hours. You may have to suck it up and find someone to share a taxi with.

Yes, Perama run a pretty good (and affordable) bus and boat service to some of the more popular spots but if you want to get off the beaten track, the best method is either hired motorbike (20,000 to 40,000 rupiah per day) or car (200,000 to 450,000 rupiah per day) — both prices vary somewhat on type of bike/car and period of hire.

Note you will need an international license to drive or ride legally in Indonesia. If you’re picked up without one, 50,000 rupiah on the spot is a pretty standard, umm, gratuity.

For onwards transport to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida, Lombok, or the Gili Islands, remember ALL boat fares quoted by travel agents are negotiable.

Accommodation

Outside of the main tourist areas, a simple room in a homestay should be able to be found for around 50,000 to 70,000 per night (under US/Canadian/Australian $10). For that expect a very basic room with a fan and a (perhaps shared) cold water bathroom.

For a more comfortable standard, say air-con, hot water and a larger room, add about 100,000 rupiah to the above. Want a swimming pool? Add another 100,000.

In popular areas like Ubud, Kuta and Seminyak, expect to pay roughly double each of the above for something commensurite in standard and location.

Bear in mind that guesthouses in Bali often have a tremendous range of options available, often not clearly tied to a change in standard. For example the place we normally stay at in central Ubud which has a lovely swimming pool with paddy views has fan-cooled rooms for 300,000 and air-con for 600,000 rupiah — but the fan rooms are actually better appointed than (and almost the same size as) the air-con ones.

Food in Bali

Local restaurants and streetside cafes in Indonesia are called warungs and the food is both good and cheap. A simple noodle soup can go for as little as 5,000 rupiah, a simple rice and meat dish say 12,000 to 20,000 rupiah and a more solid, multi-dish meal 20,000 to 30,000 rupiah. This is even the case in tourist hotspots, while you can expect to pay five to ten times these costs in the tourist-orientated restaurant 50 metres down the road.

Where we currently live in Seminyak, I can get a simple noodle soup in the local warung for 5,000 rupiah. In the “tourist warung” 100 metres away it is 15,000 and in the tourist restaurant, 30,000 rupiah. Yes, six times the price for essentially the same meal (though the tourist restaurant dish will come with a carved tomato on the side).

Indonesian (and Balinese) food is very accessible and easy to order and it is often displayed in display cases so even without a word of the local language it is simple to point and pick — you may even discover something new.

Drink

If you’re on a budget, don’t drink alcohol! A small Bintang will cost anything from 12,000 to 30,000 rupiah, a large one 24,000 to 40,000. While these costs may still seem affordable compared to grabbing a swift beer in your home country, they’re disproportionally expensive compared to the cost of food and accommodation. Have a large Bintang with that rendang and you’ll more than double the cost of dinner.

Wine and imported spirits are extremely heavily taxed and, for those on a budget, best avoided. Expect a mixed drink or cocktail to cost 50,000 to 120,000 rupiah and a glass of imported wine slightly more. Local wine isn’t all that good (the Hatten rose if you must is alright) and the local spirit (arak) can be of very, very variable quality.

Western-style cafes are common and popular, offering everything from a latte to a decaf, double shot, vanilla soy milk flat white with a twist on ice. Prices vary tremendously, but our local in Seminyak kicks off at around 25,000 rupiah for a standard latte. Local coffee (Bali kopi) while admittedly an acquired taste, is a fraction of the cost: in a local warung, perhaps 3,000 to 5,000 rupiah. When you’re drinking three coffees a day, the savings accummulate quickly.

Bali Activities

A wealth of activities can be tackled on Bali. Climb a volcano, go white-water rafting, bungy jump, learn to surf, go bird-watching or ricefield bike riding, snorkel or dive the waters, and visit cultural villages and temples. All of these are expensive compared to the day to day cost of travelling in Bali, so those on a tight budget should research to find the sometimes cheaper alternatives.

Learning to surf for example can be done through a proper school (costing up to $100 for three hours of one-on-one tuition) or approach one of the life savers lounging around (they’re almost all also surfers) and they’ll probably give you just as good a lesson for a few hours for 100,000 rupiah or so.

While some of the ricefield bike tours are an excellent experience, it’s often just as easy to hire a bicycle through your guesthouse or homestay and go exploring — and save yourself $40 in the process.

Some options, such as climbing a volcano, rafting or diving, are more set in their fees due to the need for guides and equipment, but there is a wide range of operators who can charge different prices for more or less the same trip: a day of rafting for example ranges from around $40 to $100+ for the same trip, on the same river, in the same type of boat. Most importantly, when you’re going from streetside travel agent to agent, bear in mind that ALL fees are negotiable and the agent will have a commission that they can discount off.

Destinations

This is the easiest way to save money.

Surfers should skip Kuta and Legian and instead head to Balangan, Padang Padang, Bingin or Uluwatu (all on the Bukit) or Balian or Medewi in West Bali. Accommodation and food are cheaper — and the surf is far better for those who already know how to surf.

Those looking for mountain scenery and rice paddy views should leave Ubud to the traffic and yoga-mat wielding Eat Pray Lovers and instead head to Sidemen in East Bali or Munduk to the west.

Divers and snorkellers should pack their bags and head out to Candi Dasa, Amed or Pemuteran rather than basing themselves in Sanur or Nusa Dua.

Even by practicing all of the above, you’ll still be spending more than you would on neighbouring Java or Lombok, but you needn’t be spending so much that you’ll be cutting your time short. 

Bali is a very special place and the more effort you put into it — without getting your wallet out — the better.

Further reading
Travelfish on Bali
Bali Discovery

Guest post written by Stuart McDonald, who is a resident of Bali. For more information, see their Bali blog or download their Bali app for iPhone.

[Top Flickr photo by YXO, second by CaptainCinema.]

For the frugal person, Craigslist is a godsend, potentially saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars on stuff you need—but don’t need new. It can even help you find an apartment or items to get your new home set up when you’re moving abroad to, say, Prague or Panama City.

The other way it can really come in handy is for unloading things to help fund your travels. I sold two cars in a heartbeat through Craigslist before moving down to Mexico. If you want your items to sell quickly though, here’s what NOT to put in your ads. All these came from actual advertisements I read in the Tampa area the past week while looking at cars, cruiser bikes, and kayaks.

8) “Please take this piece of crap off my hands.” (FYI, it was a Chrysler Sebring car.)

7) “If you want more info, just come by the house.”

6) “I need to show these while my wife isn’t home.”

5) “Paid $200 new, selling for $160.”

4) “Must pick up tonight or before 9 am tomorrow.” (Ad was posted at 5:30 pm—for a 12-foot kayak.)

3) “Perfect except needs some new parts.”

2) “Will trade for _________” (Usually some item that less than 1% of the people reading are going to own.)

And the #1 most idiotic thing to put in a Craigslist ad:

1) E-mail me and I’ll send photos.

Want some improvement ideas? I like this blog post someone did with a Craigslist ad makeover for a beater car. Happy selling!

For most things in life worth having or doing, it takes work to get there. As I settle down back in the U.S., plowing through a ton of money to get the tools of living in this culture again (cars, cell phones, insurance, security deposit, etc.) and a place to live we’re actually happy with, I’m reminded of this fact.

We have money in the bank, so we’re certainly fortunate, but how did we get here? For the moment, let’s put aside the current political arguments about tax bracket levels, incentives, and stimulus packages. In the end we have money in the bank partly because we saved a bit, partly because we’ve been living in cheap Mexico for a year (and relatively frugally before that), but primarily because we sold a house last year and socked away all the profit in the bank. We had that house for 10 years and put a fair amount of money and sweat into it, so the sale was really just a matter of unlocking the value built up over a decade.

Going back further, the down payment on that house came from the profit of another one I had owned for more than a decade, alternately living in it and renting it out. I’ve got lots of money in a retirement account, but I started working on that when I was 22. I have a fair amount saved in my kid’s college fund, but she couldn’t even talk when I started that.

Long-term Travel Takes Financial Work to Pull Off

What’s this have to do with long-term travel? Well, it takes more than a whim and a plane ticket to travel the world unless you’ve got some very generous relatives. When my now-wife and I went on our first round-the-world trip, we scrimped and saved and sacrificed and sold off a bunch of possessions. That still wasn’t enough, so we worked for a while teaching English to cover a few months of expenses. Back home, we scrimped and saved again for 12 months to leave again, traveled for four, then taught English in Korea for a tad more than a year.

That teaching gig wasn’t always easy. Sometimes it was a real pain in the ass actually. Besides dealing with inept bosses who tried to weasel out of every promise (a common trait in Korea), we worked 40-50 actual teaching hours a week. That included half days on Saturdays and a smattering of private lessons at night. Wow did that pay off though: we saved over $30,000 by the end of it. That meant we could backpack around the world for another year and still have more than half of it in the bank when we returned. Nice.

Getting the payoff without the up-front sacrifices is tough. Unless you sort of win the lottery and get a free trip around the world, like we just gave away to Lea Leonard of Chicago, you’re probably going to have to work for it. She was ready to keep working toward her goal, but got a gift that’s going to make it a whole lot easier and faster. Thanks to BootsnAll for making her dreams come true with round-the-world tickets and all of the other travel industry sponsors for kicking in lots of awesome stuff, like travel gear, luggage, and a Southeast Asia tour from All Points East.

What are the odds of that? Well, we had more than 40,000 entries for that contest. One person came out on top, two won airfare valued up to $2,000 from Southwest Airlines and 1800FlyEurope. So 40,000 to 3 is better odds than the lottery perhaps, but you might want to rely on your own initiative instead…