/// A Vagabond’s New Year’s Resolution
Despite my nomadic lifestyle of perpetual world travel, I’m not wealthy and I certainly don’t spend like I am. My frugal skills is good, but it can be far better.
Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.
-Brad Paisley
The biggest reason most people don’t even consider traveling like a vagabond or opt for extensive long-term travel is because of an understandable myth; that it’s expenive and only for the rich.
I previously mentioned my annual cost of living at around $21,000 as a vagabond versus $45,000 living stationary in my hometown of Manhattan.
You have to understand that even at $1,750 a month as a world traveler, that cost is very high, at least compared to many other vagabonds and lifestyle travelers that I’ve met along the way.
Some get by on just $600 a month, although they rough it a bit too much and skip out on a lot of things the world has to offer, so that’s not for me. Others live wonderfully on an average of $1,000 a month.
The important thing to consider is that most of these other nomads have as much a fulfilling journey as I do, if not more, despite spending much less than myself.
So that’s my New Year’s resolution for 2019. To be more frugal. To be more intelligent with my money while retaining the adventure and joy of a life nomadic.
Regardless of how rich or poor you may be, the arts of frugality is one of the most useful skillsets for the game of life to utilize and master, vagabond or not.
[The featured photo was taken at Can Tho, Vietnam.]
Wise words, gonna cut down of spending to this year.
Hey John, that is a very nice and inspiring post (as all your posts are). I’ll use newyear as an excuse to give you some praise. I find you by far the best curator and critic of goods and gear. Also one of the most interesting sources of usable information. Inspiring in many and novel ways. An excellent designer and photographer. Your posts and articles are becoming better and better and are without exception meaningful to me. So John, I wish you a fantastic new year and I hope you can keep this up for as long as you want… Read more »