Traveling Full Time: A Guide for Getting Started
If you're considering traveling full-time, here are some steps to help you get started.
We meet many people who say they’d love to live their adventures and travel the world, but don’t know how to get started. It certainly can be overwhelming to think about, let alone do. I know when we first started, it was very scary!
There were times when we thought we were completely insane.
I mean, who in their right mind sells almost everything they own, with no real backup plan or idea of how things will go, and simply takes the biggest leap of faith in their lives?
But if you want to get out into the world and see all it has to offer, there comes a point when you will not be happy until you listen to the calling and follow it.
So if you’re hankering for the need to satisfy your traveling desires, there comes that moment you must go.
And we want to help you experience the road life.
Our Advice for Traveling Full Time
There are many travel lifestyle blogs and YouTube videos you can learn from, and thousands of opinions on how to do it, but ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and just going for it.
However, there are seven things we’d like to share to help you get started.
1. Make the decision.
This is the most critical aspect of living on the road. Until you decide it’s really what you want to do AND are going to do it, there’s no point in doing all the other work. It’s a waste of time.
We daydreamed about traveling for years. It wasn’t until we made the decision and commitment that it became a reality.
When you make the decision, it becomes more tangible. Plus, if you want to add urgency, set a date to make it happen. This will give you something to work towards.
And if you want to be bold, announce it to the world. Doing so makes you accountable and pushes you to work harder to make it happen.
2. Forget what others tell you.
As noted earlier, thousands of travel experts (including us) can provide excellent advice and recommendations. You could spend weeks or years trying to learn from others.
I recommend you go with your gut and listen to your heart.
While there is value in learning from others, every experience is unique to the person. There is no right or wrong way.
The best advice I ever received was from a friend and a U.S. Marine. He simply told me to “just fucking do it” because all of the intelligence I gathered didn’t matter.
He was right!
When we rolled out of Oklahoma in August of 2020, we had a tentative plan based on what we wanted to see first. That was it. A few weeks later, we learned to throw all our plans out the window.
Having no roadmap makes life easier because there is no certainty except for change. There will be detours, potholes, and breakdowns along the way. You’ll have to constantly adapt and improvise to keep going. So there’s no reason to figure it all out.
Sure, have an idea about how to get started, but don’t stress the rest. Just roll with the flow and learn as you go.
3. Save up some money.
There’s a misconception that you need to be independently wealthy to travel the world, and that’s all BS! Many people have fulfilled their dreams without having a bank account full of money.
If you know how to budget and stick to your means, you don’t need a lot of cash flow to hit the open road. However, I do recommend saving up a little money to reduce your stress and anxiety.
You’ll rest easier knowing you have a bit of a cushion to rely on in case of unexpected costs or emergencies, plus you won’t have to beg people with GoFundMe campaigns because you only had $300 in your pocket.
We were fortunate to have some savings from the sale of our house, which allowed us to breathe easier, but those funds didn’t last forever. This is why we worked hard to build online businesses to help.
If you don’t have an endless supply of cash, remember to be frugal with your funds and do all you can to stretch your budget.
4. Create a budget.
It can be easy to overspend while traveling! All of those craft beers, souvenir t-shirts and stickers, fancy coffees, entrance fees, and restaurant meals quickly add up. You can go broke pretty fast if you’re not careful.
Before you start your journey, we recommend taking a hard look at your finances and determining the realistic minimum you’ll need to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.
The next step is to create a strict budget and adhere to it.
Donetta created a spreadsheet of all our projected expenses, including fixed costs such as truck payments, health insurance, taxes, and other ongoing expenses. Then she developed an estimated expense sheet for items such as hotels, gas, food, entertainment, and other flexible costs. This has allowed us to track every penny for four years and see where our money is going, which is very beneficial.
When you have a budget, it helps keep you accountable, and you can adjust your spending to ensure you can continue traveling long-term.
5. Sell your stuff.
Depending on how you choose to travel, you’ll quickly discover that space is very limited, which requires you to embrace a minimalist lifestyle. This can be one of the hardest challenges for road lifers to deal with.
If you’ve got a household or apartment filled with items, there’s just no way you can bring it all with you, so you'll need to store or sell it.
When we decided to travel, we sold almost everything except for some keepsakes and family heirlooms. Not only did this help pad our bank account, but it also helped us let go of a lot of baggage. Sure, we cried as we burned, trashed, or sold things, but when it was over, we felt amazing. Getting rid of your stuff will lighten your load mentally and physically. If you haven’t seen or used it in years, why keep it?
Therefore, I recommend selling what you can to generate additional revenue and avoid costly storage fees.
6. Build an online business.
Unless you’re one of those lucky few who don’t have to worry about an income, you’ll need to figure out a way to keep cash flow coming in.
While there are great opportunities to work seasonal or temporary jobs in tourist towns, it’s so much better to do remote work or build an online business you can run from anywhere.
Technology and the internet give us the power to make money online fairly easily. You can start an online business for as little as $100 and be making enough to live off of in a very short amount of time. Additionally, you can set your schedule to accommodate your new travel schedule. This freedom is incredible and rewarding.
I will say the earlier you start, the better. It’s nice to have your online venture making money before you hit the road.
7. Enjoy the journey.
This is valuable advice that is often overlooked.
Without a doubt, you’ll encounter challenges, and there will be tough days ahead, but that’s gonna happen whether you travel or not. Embrace the fact that it never goes as planned.
Choose to live in the moment.
Choose to make priceless memories while you can.
Choose to ignore the fears, negatives, or unknowns.
Choose to embrace the uncertainty.
Choose to do what others only dream about.
Road life isn’t perfect, and it never will be. Your focus should be on living the adventure of a lifetime and enjoying every moment of the journey.
Something else to remember.
I know some people will roll their eyes or argue with what I’m about to say, but it’s true.
Traveling full-time isn’t just for the wealthy, retired, or lucky.
No matter what your life experience is or where you come from, you can do this if you want to do it. The only things stopping you are bullshit excuses and not taking the initiative to move forward on pursuing your dream.
So go ahead, get started. Live your adventure.