Traveling Cheap: Working in Japan at a restaurant while Traveling
Is Cheap Travel Possible?
Yes, you can travel for cheap, truly down to almost free. Every nay-sayer will tell you it’s impossible, but those with a desire will find a way to travel affordably.
Perhaps you’ve been captivated by stunning travel videos, scrolling through images of breathtaking places, unique foods, and even trees that seem to whisper stories. You start calculating the cost of a flight ticket, a hotel, the endless stream of activities, and suddenly you see thousands of dollars just blowing away.
“There’s no way that’s possible budget travel,” you might think. “They must all be trust fund kids, right?”
Well, let me tell you, there are countless budget travel hacks you might not know about.
Did you know you can sign up for a travel credit card with a sign-up bonus that could net you $1,000 USD just by using it?
Seriously, no big gimmick! If you have a good credit score (which, if you don’t, I can guide you on building in the “Saving Money” section), you can apply for a card that rewards you with credits for flights and hotels after spending a certain amount. It’s a genuine cheap travel strategy.
Even working holiday visas are a game-changer, allowing you to move to countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and even Japan for a year to work.
Just save for the flight, get a job, and you can work during weekdays, travel on weekends, or hustle for a few months and then embark on extended journeys. I didn’t even know these affordable travel tips were possible until my first backpacking trip.
I met so many people who’d do a working holiday in Australia, save a bunch (at their crazy $30/hour minimum wage!), then backpack Southeast Asia for months and still break even by the time they flew home.
I’m sharing this now because if you truly want to do it, you will find a way. And I’m here on this blog to help you discover your way. That’s the easy part. The real challenge is getting your mind right: do you really want to do this, and what are you willing to sacrifice for meaningful travel experiences?
Can You Find Your Purpose on the Road?
Before you embark on a life-changing journey, you absolutely have to go in with the right mindset. Sure, in your current state, you might be yearning to run away from a life you don’t want. But if you don’t mentally prepare for travel properly, you’ll find yourself in an endless cycle, running away from who you truly are.
Take some time to make a list of why you’re wanting to travel – beyond just a vacation. What do you hope to gain, and what will you do after you travel? Plans often shift, but one of my favorite quotes sums it up perfectly:
“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
Is This Trip Right for You? How to Mentally Prepare for Travel
If you go into travel thinking it’s going to “save you,” you’re wrong. No matter how many times you move physically, you will always be a prisoner of your mind. This is where mental preparation for solo travel becomes crucial.
But in this “escape” from your current position, you hold the power to completely reshape who you are. It’s incredibly potent to be around people who have no clue about your past. With a simple change in your actions, you can become a different version of yourself, fostering self-discovery through travel.
I see travel in a similar way to how some people behave when they drink… blaming the alcohol. Some become happier and more joyful, while others use it as an excuse to unleash suppressed bad decisions.
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t go out, have a good time, party a bit, or do things you normally wouldn’t. But you can also “get lost in the sauce.”
I’d strongly recommend using this precious time to decide how you want to improve yourself and then align your travel plans with this goal.
For example, if you want to become more social and you’re an introvert, maybe you do want to push yourself to meet new people. At breakfast in the hostel, don’t just sit on your phone; make the conscious decision to get up and talk to someone.
Everyone in that common area wants to chat, even if they’re sitting alone – they’re in that lobby for a reason! Go out there, share your travel itinerary with people, and if you don’t have plans, ask around and do some stuff together. That’s how you truly make memories and cultivate a travel mindset.
Freedom vs. Escape: Defining Your Motivation to Go
Travel offers one of the ultimate freedoms. You get to see the world from a completely new perspective, leading to personal growth through travel.
But you might just be wanting to go to escape from your worries. “Maybe this country will have XYZ. Maybe it won’t have this.” Let me warn you: you can’t outrun your fears; you have to face them head-on. This is a key part of emotional readiness for travel.
If you have the right mindset, you go simply to see the world, to experience it, not trying to change anything, but just to observe and understand, always asking “why?” Why is it done this way?
Perhaps in some ways, it’s seen as the “wrong” way to do things, but that’s from your perspective, based on the values you grew up with. No matter where you go, know that humans are intelligent and have adapted in specific ways due to a multitude of variables we can’t just ascribe to one thing.
Shifting Your Mindset from “Someday” to “Now”
Know that your most valuable asset in life is time. Sure, you could focus on making more money now so you can “enjoy travel more later,” but that’s the wrong mindset.
The best part of travel is the new ways of thinking you’ll acquire from experiences you’re not used to. Even the steps you take to set up the basic funds you need will teach you invaluable life lessons you’ll use long after your travels.
You’ll have an adventure of a lifetime and return with new knowledge and a new mindset, knowing that you can be at rock bottom and still make it to the top.
But the more you wait, the more time slips away. Your health may decline, new responsibilities might arise—the excuses will grow. If you want to do it, don’t dream it; make it a goal. Your time is now for this transformative journey.
Letting Go of the 9–5 Mentality
Whether you’re a student just starting out or a skilled professional feeling burnt out, one of the biggest lessons you’ll learn from travel is that life isn’t just work. You’ll meet many, many people who’ve figured this out, using a different mentality to make a living while not being stuck in the 9-to-5. This insight is crucial for developing resilience for travel.
Now, if you’re a university student enjoying your time, sure, have fun! But to save up for your trip, you’re going to have to make sacrifices. You’ll likely go through a period of intense study while working extremely hard in all your free time.
This takes discipline. But anything worth fighting for in life is difficult to acquire. This first step in your travel journey will teach you invaluable discipline. And once you finally relax and enjoy the travels, you’ll gain the experiences and knowledge, and find the spirit, that will keep you out of a “prisoner’s mindset” once you’re back home.
Why Planning Too Much Can Kill the Magic (Embracing Uncertainty)
No, when I say “travel,” I don’t mean a one-week flight to a resort where you stay at the hotel for the whole time. I’m talking about going on an adventure. Sure, you want to have a direction, know where you’re generally going, and be mentally prepared with a clear “why” for your journey. But having a full, rigid itinerary with every single thing planned kills the magic. Part of the fun of meaningful travel is understanding that nothing is 100% certain, and
the only thing you can truly control is your mind.
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