Living Like a Backpacker

Let’s face it. Backpackers don’t have the best reputation. They’re known for not showering enough, drinking too much and trying to get the absolute lowest price for everything. We’ve all been penny-pinching backpackers at some point and it gives us a lot of life lessons.

You may pass up a night at a hotel for the college dorm feel of a hostel. You may buy groceries instead of eating out. You might take the bus or train, despite the long trip, over a quick flight. It’s starting to sound like how I’m living right now in an effort to save up enough money to live the same way elsewhere. Isn’t it ironic? (Don’tcha think? It’s like rainnnnn on your wedding dayyy…)

Accommodations: Finding a hotel or hostel can often be the most expensive part of backpacking, so some people opt to work in hostels in exchange for free stays. I’m sort of doing this at home. I’m living with my parents for free in exchange for helping out around the house. It saves me a lot of money in rent each month, which has allowed me to put 90% of my earnings towards my trip. It’s not always fun (I guess neither is living and working in a hostel), but it gets the job done.

Food: When you’re living your everyday life and not traveling, it’s hard to focus on saving money. If your friends want to go out, you want to go with them. At home, I’ve learned to suck it up. I eat most of my meals at home or at my job at the restaurant.

When I do eat out, it’s usually downtown at my newspaper internship. I’ve learned to use a lot of coupons. That’s right. I’m that girl. But I’ve managed to spend under $5 for lunch every day. Every dollar counts when you’re saving for a trip.

Drinks: The most expensive activity of travel or of life is going to bars and clubs. The drinks are usually $5 per and if you have even two, that’s setting you back the price of a meal. When I’m traveling, I find that it’s easier to buy beer or wine at the grocery store, drink with people at your hostel and then spend less at bars.

The rule applies at home too. Instead of paying $10 to get into a club, with another $20 on drinks, why not invite over some friends and split a couple of bottles of Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe’s (or an equally cheap beverage. Andre or Franzia perhaps)?

Activities: I know that when I’m on the road, I’m not going to skimp on the activities because that’s what makes the trip so great. I was super low on cash by the time I got to Galway on my Ireland trip, but thank God Sammi lent me 20 euro because our day tour of the Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher was the highlight of the trip.

You don’t want to only work when you’re at home because it makes for a pretty depressing existence. I should know, since 3 jobs equals 0 social life. If you have time to spare, you really should give yourself a day or so a week to do something just for you. Go to happy hour with your friends. Be a tourist in your own town. It breaks up the monotony of saving up.

So the lesson of the day is that being a backpacker can come in handy in real life.