How to travel when you are broke

I had a dream as a junior in high school to live in Spain. The urge to fulfill this dream became stronger during my college years. The problem was that I was broke and my parents preferred that I focus on my studies rather than “get distracted” as my Dad would say. I believed that living in Spain would help me accomplish my goal of speaking Spanish fluently and allow me to pursue my passion for traveling. I also wasn’t sure of what I want to do after graduation. I needed a break to clear my head and explore my career options.  The only thing stopping me was the financial means to get there. I had no job, I was ladened with tuition cost and school debt. I didn’t know where to start. I wish someone had shown me a guide on how to travel when you are broke. But no one did. In addition, many people didn’t understand what I was trying to accomplish. So I had to do my extensive research.

Graduation day: College was fun but I knew I had a more exciting adventure ahead of me.

2 years later, I accomplished most of what I wanted. I became fluent in Spanish, I got to travel to many countries on my bucket list, I challenged myself and even discovered what career path I needed to lead. I was supposed to stay in Spain for 1 year but because I had made an intricate, goal driven and realistic plan, I was able to stay in Spain for an additional year.

Seville, Spain

You are probably in a situation similar to what I was going through.  You stalk your friend’s or family’s social media account saying something like: “How I wish I can travel like so and so.”. An envious feeling lingers. Then you tell yourself, “Forget it! If only I had money/rich parents/time/no debts/ or whatever constraints you might have.  I was like you once and I did say all those things to myself. However, I later found out that I had so many options to make my travel dream come true. There has been the hype of “Just go and travel” or “Quit your job and travel the world“.  Although I’m a big fan of optimism and statements like this pump you up with excitement, you have to be realistic at the same time.  Being spontaneous when traveling could be rewarding but you have to have a plan.  Every traveler has at least one moment where things weren’t as expected this is why It’s important to have that backup plan in case something goes wrong. You have to travel smart. 

I will share with you, the exact steps I took during the planning stage of my move to Spain. If you follow them carefully, there is no way; you wouldn’t be able to achieve your dreams in a smart way. This is your guide on How to Travel when you are broke.

You might be wondering, “Why is Kareemah sharing with you all of this valuable information?” As cheesy as this may sound, I like to see others succeed and live their best life. My journey to living a life of purpose and dream fulfillment should be enjoyed by EVERYONE. I wanna to see YOU taking pictures from the Great Wall of China, or live streaming your adventures in the Amazon Basin or Blogging about your time volunteering in India or Vlogging about your teaching experience in Dubai. I wanna see you LIVE!!!

NOW, are you ready to make your dreams come true? Fasten your seatbelt, It’s gonna be a FUN ride

Click on the image below to get your free guide and workbook.

Here are some relevant blog posts that can help you overcome your obstacle:

• How to work in Spain. (Also applicable to other countries)
• How to deal with strict parents.
• The Ultimate guide to traveling when you have no money.

If you are traveler what did you do in a similar situation to fulfil your dreams?