So amidst all my planning, my friend Gloria emailed me, "Just a question that probably other people asked you many times ... 'HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ALL THIS LONG STAYING ABROAD?' How can a " normal person" plan all the freights, fees, costs, extras, trains, flights, etc for one year of travels and living in another country?" Gloria suggested that my ideas might help others thinking about going away for a long stay.
Well, I have been planning this trip, since I last returned in 2011. At that time, I said I that I would be home for two years to "refill the coffers". So PLANNING and saving for these expenses have been a been a big part of my preparation. My biggest expense will be my housing, as I will not be doing too much couch surfing!
And there are always ways to "cut corners"! You can choose to fly Ryan Air or EasyJet in Europe. You can choose to cook rather than eat out. Remember, I am going there to live! I do not plan on eating out all that often; if I do, I will pass on the ***** restaurants!! Tom Myers writes a helpful newletter/blog called http://www.eurocheapo.com I've found that once on-line one blog takes me to another with more good ideas of things to do and place to see and ways to save. LOTS of people want to travel without spending their last penny!
For example, I was trying to figure out what to do about my telephone service. So I googled a request, which took me to one blog. Realtor Brenda Prowse of Poulsboro, WA, had commented on this blog that she was going to France for a year. I googled her and found her blog http://muchadoaboutparis.com I asked what they had decided to do about their phone service and got a long and most informative email from her husband Hugh about this, which pointed me in the right direction. (I will decide exactly which service I will use when I get there; the key is to have an unlocked phone and then buy time.)
Certainly phone usage will be an expense that I need to have but I really cannot determine the exact cost, until I am there. It does not make sense to use my standard ATT plan for such a long trip! (And there is always SKYPE!) I'll let you know how I make out on the phone piece of my junket once I know!! Those are just a few ideas about costs for my trip....I am sure that I will be sharing more ideas along the way.
And for those of you who want to post a comment, hit the No Comment, and the Post a Comment box pops up for you to make a comment....Hope to hear from you along the way!
Well, I have been planning this trip, since I last returned in 2011. At that time, I said I that I would be home for two years to "refill the coffers". So PLANNING and saving for these expenses have been a been a big part of my preparation. My biggest expense will be my housing, as I will not be doing too much couch surfing!
And there are always ways to "cut corners"! You can choose to fly Ryan Air or EasyJet in Europe. You can choose to cook rather than eat out. Remember, I am going there to live! I do not plan on eating out all that often; if I do, I will pass on the ***** restaurants!! Tom Myers writes a helpful newletter/blog called http://www.eurocheapo.com I've found that once on-line one blog takes me to another with more good ideas of things to do and place to see and ways to save. LOTS of people want to travel without spending their last penny!
For example, I was trying to figure out what to do about my telephone service. So I googled a request, which took me to one blog. Realtor Brenda Prowse of Poulsboro, WA, had commented on this blog that she was going to France for a year. I googled her and found her blog http://muchadoaboutparis.com I asked what they had decided to do about their phone service and got a long and most informative email from her husband Hugh about this, which pointed me in the right direction. (I will decide exactly which service I will use when I get there; the key is to have an unlocked phone and then buy time.)
Certainly phone usage will be an expense that I need to have but I really cannot determine the exact cost, until I am there. It does not make sense to use my standard ATT plan for such a long trip! (And there is always SKYPE!) I'll let you know how I make out on the phone piece of my junket once I know!! Those are just a few ideas about costs for my trip....I am sure that I will be sharing more ideas along the way.
And for those of you who want to post a comment, hit the No Comment, and the Post a Comment box pops up for you to make a comment....Hope to hear from you along the way!
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