Travel or save money?
I think most of us value ourselves a lot through money, even if we don’t think about it. I know I do. It matters how much I make money, it affects the way I live.
During these 14 weeks of travelling, I haven’t made a penny. It feels weird. I mean, I have never made a ton of money, but my income has always been bigger than my consumption.
What does it cost to travel long-term? Our travel budget in Thailand is 65€ per day for two people. I have no idea how much we spent before we started travelling but it feels crazy to use 65€/day while you’re not making any money! I have started to count every penny, bargain of unreasonably small sums and when something costs over 10€, it feels miserable; that’s 1/6 of the whole day budget!
It has made me think a lot about my relationship to money. I’ve been thinking how much do I need it and how much should I need it. I even googled “how to live without money”, just to see what it had to offer.
I don’t miss working at all. I miss getting paid.
I don’t need a title, authority, purpose or a reason to wake up. I need the freedom and peace of mind it gives to know that the next pay slip is just two weeks away.
I really don’t need anything much to do. I enjoy of a lot of things that are simple and free, like reading and being in nature, and I can easily fill my days with such activities. I like to have routines, but those are easy to build without a job.
I find myself to be a minimalist and I’m aiming to grow more in to it. For me minimalism isn’t only about the things you own, but also about the overall consumption. It’s about being content with what you have, without wanting more things, more money, more experiences, more food, more everything. We all have cravings and long for things that would make us feel more whole. Minimalism is saying no to yourself, finding beauty in small things and satisfaction in what is already around you.
I’m trying to find the golden mean between travel and money. One thing I know for sure: In the end, travelling makes you richer.
xx
Travel Thoughts 
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