Jul 21 2008
Money Update After Six Months on the Road
I’ve been on the go for a little over six months now and I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the ol’ finances and see if I’m in good shape or in need of a financial planner.
I can’t remember a single time since I left where I haven’t done something because of the cost. I haven’t been watching my money at all, really. I’m the sort of traveller who tends to throw money around when I have it and can only realy tighten the belt when the funds start to dwindle. It’s not the best of habits but it did lead to me having a hell of a lot of fun in Australia for my first six months there and having to pick a hell of a lot of fruit my last six months. But earning online allows me a lot more freedom with my irresponsible spending ways and it doesn’t look like the belt-tightening phase of my trip will be due to start anytime soon.
So after six months travelling… dum dum dum… I’m in the red US$1265.
So the whole earning more than I spend goal isn’t working for me at the moment but I need to keep in mind that I’ve paid my rent up until the end of October and will be attempting to find someone to fill my room after August so might be able to recoup some of that cost. I’ve also just had to pay about $600 for a new Chinese visa and flights between Shenzhen (near Hong Kong) to Beijing.
Considering I’ve been steadily earning $1500-2000 per month since I left, I think I’ve been spending a lot. I’ve also bee having a lot of fun. August will be an insane month for me with the Olympics and my crazy Australian friends coming. If I can survive August with my liver and bank balance still intact then things will be looking good.
After Beijing I plan to do some slow, low key travels around SE Asia and will spend some time on some farms so I still expect to be able to say that after a year of travelling I will earned more than I’ve spent. Maybe.
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I've been travelling since January 2008 living off earnings from the web. Follow me as I bum around Asia and beyond, getting up to mischief and working online as I go. 
But if you look at it from the point of view that you have managed to travel for 6 months for only a little over $200/month then it looks pretty impressive!
Hi Kirsty, I find it impressive, too. You can easily modify your spending habits if you have to. So the only thing to worry about is, actually, your liver.
Frank
How is sleeping in the dorm? I always book a private room, because I figure I can get more work done that way. Thoughts?
I’m with Frank - watch the liver!!! (grin)
Of course, if you ever make it the the states, we’ll have to go out drinking together… which kills that plan.
Congradulations on being so little in the red! And with getting some more of your sites up you should start seeing some black soon.
Christine I’m going the way of the private room myself but am torn because dorms are a great way to meet people. I guess if I head into a place with the intention of doing work then I’d probabyl aim to get a single room. But then again, I prefer working in cafes and common areas so having my own room probably wouldn’t make me more productive.
I forgot to mention that I spent $1000 on a kick ass camera lens too so maybe I’m better off than I thought. I nearly bought another wicked lens in HK for $900 but fought the urge. Camera stuff seems to be joining art supplies as my weakness.