3 travel hacks for beginner solo travelers that will save you a ton of stress and money

Before I even start, I want to emphasize again for whom I wrote this piece and a few assumptions I made in order to get it right.

You are probably male, born and raised in a Western country, and you enjoy consuming alternative news sources because you don’t trust the legacy media anymore. This is why you’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t want to spend more time within a system that you feel hates you, and you are sick and tired of all of it.

So, since people vote with their feet, why not walk away and make a living elsewhere or abroad? That’s showing the ultimate middle finger, but you do need a plan so you don’t run out of money.

While I don’t know what your skills are that you can monetize and sell online, I do know a few things about how to minimize spending because I have been there, and luckily, it isn’t that hard to find a way if you control your expenses while at the same time building an income stream online. Let’s be honest, everyone wants a passive income stream, but that is not the topic of today’s piece, and it is also not about why you should leave whatever country you are from.

This post is about the right mindset for you to adopt and how to make the most of your money so it will last longer, which is very useful when you are just starting out with no real plan on how to move forward.

Today, I will show you how to live an actual good life with beaches, pools, and air-conditioned rooms abroad for under $1,000 USD per month.

1) Location does, of course, matter

Not all countries are equally suitable to start a budget-friendly journey.

I have traveled to almost every continent, including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. There are really only a handful of countries where life is genuinely cheap and the quality of life is high at the same time.

It is important to point that out because being cheap is not enough. You also need to consider logistics and infrastructure, as, for example, insufficient digital access or just crappy internet can absolutely ruin your plans. Also, it is important to consider the visa regulations so you don’t run into trouble on that end.

My recommendation is to start your journey either in Indonesia (Bali) or Thailand.

In both countries, you can get great accommodation for $10 USD per day plus $10 USD for food. That’s $600 USD per month, and you have your basic needs covered. Both countries allow you to stay up to 2 months on extended tourist visas, and when your visa expires, you can just take a flight for less than $150 USD to the other country because they are both not far apart.

Both Thailand and Indonesia offer amazing quality of life, super cheap places to stay, and a plethora of options to live a tranquil and relaxed life in the lush tropical forests and beaches.

2) Let Go Of Material Stuff And Think Of Experiences Instead (at least at the beginning)

Going on solo travel and leaving your home behind is also a spiritual journey, which is the continuous process of letting go and surrendering to what actually is. (more here)

When you seek out another country to leave behind all that is known to you, that’s in fact a big deal. Ideally, you can sell your belongings or just have some money saved on the side. This, of course, will make it a lot easier for you since you cannot meditate your financial pressures away (Believe me, I have tried)

What is most important is that you welcome uncertainty into your life and also have the willingness to give up on possessions. Again, this doesn’t have to be permanent, and you can, of course, change your mind at any point. I know that for some people, this is a terrifying prospect. To those of you who struggle with this, I would argue that you could benefit from it the most. To me, this is like the modern-day “Monk Mode,” but supercharged. Remove all the clutter, dive into the unknown, and let life take care of the rest.

When I doubt important decisions in life, it is always a good idea to imagine yourself at your deathbed, 80 years old, and looking back, and ask yourself if this would be something you would regret when your life is over.

The truth is, I have never ever met someone who had regrets about seeking out the world as a traveler, probably because leaving your bubble is a transformational thing to do.

3) Provide Value Beyond The “Making Money Online Schemes.”

While making money online as a freelancer, solopreneur, influencer, or any other business that works for you can and should be your backbone for long-term success, it is far from the only option.

Of course, being able to make money in a first-world country and spending it abroad is the smartest move, but I want to provide you with some additional ideas to cut your costs even more or make money on the side.

When I first started out on my digital nomad journey after I went bankrupt with my company in Mexico in 2021 (a 7-figure business with 60 employees I had started in 2008), I was left with nothing other than the dream to get back on track and make a living by selling my photography prints. But to be honest, I was the prime example of the starving artist, and so I thought:

How can I provide value with my camera to the people around me? What am I not seeing? And it turned out to be right in front of my eyes, but I wasn’t paying attention. 90% of the Airbnbs and hotels I was staying at had a need for better listing photography, but you know when I realized this? When a hotelier in Sapa, Vietnam, asked me to help him renew his photos, don’t take my word for a fact. I want you to see for yourself. Go on Airbnb right now and check the first page of any location. 80% of those photos are below average. Like this, there are many opportunities

When I saw this, I started to change my routine, and when booking a place, before I even sat down in my room, the first thing I did was set up my tripod and shoot it, portraying the place in the best possible way. And you know what happened? 8 out of 10 times, I got free stays.

The point I am trying to make is that there are ways to benefit and help people wherever you are, regardless of whether you are a photographer, accountant, or teacher. When people see that you are willing to do so, they often do too.

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