Is 'travel first, worry about money later' good advice?

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Is travel first, worry about money later good advice?

Published: Fri 28 Apr 2017, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Sat 6 May 2017, 10:12 AM

Mitch Hyde
(...is one half of the blog adventurefaktory.com. You can keep up with his travels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube)

What a loaded question this is! As a travel writer, I must admit that I am in the unique position of being on both sides of the fence. As someone who travels for a living, I am able to combine earning money with fulfilling my passion for international travel. However, I know this is the exception and not the rule.
Travelling builds character. It allows you to experience cultures from around the world and assists you in developing empathy for others. When you travel, you are forced into situations that are outside your comfort zone. Suddenly, you have to figure out what to do if you're stranded in a remote Sri Lankan airport with no flight, money or accommodation! By the way, it happened to me just a few weeks ago. In that sense, travel keeps testing your limit of courage and resilience, which is why I love it.
The concept of not worrying about money goes against the system that most of us are raised in. From our earliest years, there has been a pressure to do well in school so that you are successful and usually this refers to being secure with money. So, the notion of not having a financial safety net is difficult for most to comprehend. Letting go of all the certainties that we have - friends, family, a house to go back to - is the hardest thing one can do. Even then, if I could go back to my 18-year-old self, I would tell him, "Mitch, get out of your comfort zone, travel and make friends around the world. Make mistakes, but explore what the world has to offer. That is the key to happiness. The money will always be there to be made."

Ed
(Blogs at www.dubaitravelblog.com. You can find out more about his journeys on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube)
Money is a big factor when you're travelling and if you don't have it, you will encounter challenges along the way. Some of them include figuring out how you're going to eat, where you're going to stay, how you're going to get from Point A to Point B and so on. All of these points involve spending currencies and if you don't have them, it will be more challenging.
I'm not saying that you cannot travel without money. Sometimes random people (even strangers) will help you along the way. However, you cannot just rely on others to support you and your trips. To me, it is irresponsible if you are not able to afford your travels and simply depend on others to help you out when you could have actually done something about the situation beforehand.
I think the better advice is - "If you want to travel, work and save for it." I would suggest that you should always be prepared. If you are working, set aside a portion of your income in order to have money to spend on your travels. Also, there are many opportunities, especially in this day and age, to get an income through your travels. Some of them include doing freelance work online or selling stuff, depending on your current skill set.
To sum up, I would not advise people to worry about money later. Does it not feel much better if the money you spent on your travels is something you worked hard for?  I believe that it feels like more of an accomplishment if you are able to travel because you've earned it.

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