The honest truth – I never have the money I need to travel, but I buy the ticket anyway. I’ve realized that money comes and goes, but the more I make, the harder it is to part with it and weirdly, the less I have, the easier it becomes to budget.
I don’t do that saving account, checking account, travel account thing either. I am not rational. I am extreme. I want to travel and so I do. There is no in between. While I was working my first career job in public relations, I realized early on that it was going to take me forever to save all the money I would need to see the world. I come from a middle class family, I’m the middle child of five and I live in one of the most expensive places in America – Long Island, New York. I don’t have rich family members or know people that know people and I certainly can’t rely on inheritance to someday boost my dreams. So I focused on what I did have – a roof over my head, and the attitude that I can and will do anything I want.
… And I want to live around the world.
REWIND TO THAT PLACE IN TIME
I’m working seven days a week and I can’t even afford my own place yet. Five days at the PR firm and Saturdays and Sundays bar tending. For what? So I can slave away my 20s. Work 7 days a week to buy clothes for work and a $400 monthly train pass to get to work. I was literally working to afford working. And don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved my job. I loved my clients, I loved my boss and I loved my interns. I was proud of where I was and where I was going, yet I still had something inside of me telling me that if I wanted to go all out for my career, I needed to give up that living around the world dream… and if I wanted to live somewhere else, I was going to need to give up my career.
And so the google search began. I have no money. But I want to travel for long periods of time. How do I do that?!
I’m going to need to work abroad.
Working while you travel is literally the smartest thing a person can do.
But you can’t do it forever. It’s only for the young. Sorry people. Not my rule. There are countries who will give you a year working visa but you have to be under 30. (Australia and New Zealand)
So with this information. It was now or never.
I mean, lets face it – If I moved into New York City when I was 24 years old, I’d be working to pay for my apartment. Once you leave the nest – rent till you die. Travel for me would not be likely for a very long time.
And even if I stayed home and kept working like I was – I wasn’t saving what I needed to get ahead. I was getting ahead in my career but financially, I was just getting by and some.
It was only when I thought about the life I was setting myself up for that I realized I was just fitting the mold, and the scariest part was that I liked it because I was used to it – it was the only life I had ever known.
If you tell people you work 7 days a week, they don’t see anything wrong with it. I didn’t. I was a champion. I was going places. If you tell them you work two jobs in one day, well then, you are a hard worker, a hustler, a person who is determined to succeed.
I hate that mindset now. Unless you know exactly what it is you are working for.
What’s up with our society that people are so proud to work so much just to get by? No. You are an adult. Working 40 hours should be enough to provide for your family and your home and everything you need. Especially if you are not working for your dreams. Working more should be an option. (You know for that iPad or pocketbook.) Not a must-do or you cant afford the rent. Or at least that’s how it should be. Kate for President, just saying.
Okay, but really – I understand that there are instances where you work a lot because you have a goal. Mine (at the time) was to afford an apartment in New York City so I could be closer to my job and break out of the nest. It was really exciting to think about – until I starting becoming excited thinking about where I would work on the weekends to afford this new life. Fall back. YOUR GOALS SHOULD NOT BE MATERIALISTIC. They should be focused on personal growth and just because your bank account is growing, it doesn’t mean you are. My mindset was all about money. Money for this, money for that. Bills, bills, bills, throw some money in the savings every month, go for drinks with friends, look for a husband – hey, everyone’s doing it – It’s called being responsible and having your head on straight. I can almost hear my parents sigh of relief when they thought I had lined myself up a successful future… but then I quit my career and crushed their dreams and I didn’t care because where was the room for my dreams? I had to break that mold.
Someone really tell me WHAT THE FUCK life is about? My generations economy sucks. Yet for some reason, everyone has nice things. A lot of us have two jobs, or are working overtime at our one job or even have three gigs going on – And if you don’t fill those categories – get off my page. (Just kidding, but really.)
SO I looked into it. PEOPLE DON’T HAVE MONEY FOR THE LIVES THEY ARE LIVING.
We finance almost everything. Your car, your house, your new big screen TV. OMG I am going to be poor for the rest of my life. But I won’t look poor. Because I’ll have credit cards.
LIGHT BULB.
Have you heard of 0% APR? Of course you have. Well it’s literally the only reason I can travel.
No I don’t have a rich family who funds my travels. Sorry to ruin your day.
When I moved to Australia on a Work and Holiday Visa I had $800 in my bank account. Crazy I know. I literally told my parents, ‘Okay I’m going to Australia. I only have $800 so if I don’t get a job in the first week, I’ll see you next Sunday.”
BLANK STARES
I was taking a risk I know. But what did I have to lose? Money? My whopping $800. Which is why having less money makes it easier to take chances. I was prepared and willing to fail for a dream I wasn’t sure would work. But lets be honest, I was NOT going to lose. I was on a goddamn mission and I don’t understand the word “no”.
SO
UNITED MILEAGE PLUS EXPLORER CARD – They gave me 50,000 miles for signing up and 5000 for adding someone to the account (which I did) and miles after spending $1000 in the first month (which I did because I put my plane flight on the card.)
This means, I basically racked up enough points (and by basically I mean, I had enough points) for a free flight home. I’m A GENIUS — And yes, I planned that out.
[NOTE: They have slightly changed the card. Look for deals and offers.]
THEN
CITI THANK YOU PREFERRED CARD – Boom! 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 12 months and a fee of 3% of my transfer. (Which sucks but I needed to.)
ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?
I transferred all of my credit card balances to the THANK YOU CARD and set up the minimum monthly payment to automatically come out of my checking account every month.
I also set up my student loan to automatically be deducted every month as well.
NO WORRIES MATE – remember, it’s just money. (And it’s for my dream – Not a sweater and shoes.)
FROM THERE… I put a weeks stay at World Square Hostel, in an 18 bed dorm room (the cheapest bed they had) on my credit card.
WHAT ABOUT FOOD?
PB and J my friends. Not even J, just PB and the cheapest loaf of bread I could find in Sydney (which was $1, SCORE).
AND REALLY THE REST IS HISTORY
I found a job within the first three days. Applied for a tax file number. Set up an Australian bank account and after my first Australian paycheck I never had to touch my American credit card ever again. I was making about $1000 a week in Australia and working 35 hours a week. My rent was $150 a week. Eventually I transferred some money over to my American account just to keep paying the minimum payment on my THANK YOU card. But that was the last I had to worry about my American bills. I ended up SAVING $10,000 in six months working in Australia. And I used that money to travel Australia with. Never having to touch an American dollar.
I used this same strategy when I moved to Thailand. Except I started with $2000 as my backup if I didn’t get a job. (But I did.)
I may just be a master budgeter but I’m pretty positive this tactic can work for anyone who is as ambitious and money savvy as me. Don’t just go get a credit card and put everything on there. And don’t spend more than you can make. The most I ever put on the card was $3000. The point is to use it as a little loan to help you pursue a dream you may not have the money for right now, while keeping some money in your bank account for emergencies.
Good luck and be smart. (but not too smart – leave some space for risks!)
OH! AND AS FOR MY DREAM – In case it’s unclear… I want to live and work around the world. I want to experience culture. I want to be a local. See what it’s like to be someone from somewhere else. It’s not just about money anymore. It’s about life and challenges and doing things I never thought were possible for me.
I don’t know why I was so lucky to have been born in America – to have all these opportunities – to not even be close to being the richest person in my town but to still have so frikken much. I don’t know why I got to be born here and not somewhere else, but I know I won’t take it for granted.
If you are in a country where you can read this – Please don’t take it for granted. xx
Next read: Australian Work and Holiday Visa: Do It Yourself Guide
Related: How to Make Over $18/hr Backpacking Australia
Kate from the States 
You’re Awesome!!! keep living for you. stuff is just stuff. to many people desire to much stuff. earn enough to get the essentials and live the rest of the time.
Be brave. Risk is for the young. Rewards are the payoff
TLDR
You need to have more than $800 in your bank to even be accepted for an Australian Working holiday Visa, you need at least $3500, as proof you can support yourself and enough for a return flight home if necessary. Would love to know how you were accepted with only $800 available!
Very cool, I believe everyone should travel abroad and either live there or work there just to experience other cultures. I always wanted to travel like this but got married and had kids early so I did it by finding a local job that allowed me to travel all over the world every month for 20 years and expense it all. I have now been to 28 countries and 49 states and most of these states and countries many times over. Not going as a tourist really lets you understand that everyone around the world has the same goals… a happy life and family just with different beliefs.
We only live once, someone said:)
Loved this blog! So inspiring! I definitely wanna do the same thing! Question though, what exactly do you do for work in Australia?
But aren’t we suppose to invest in our relationships with people where ever you go? God wants us to share his love to everyone around us, and not to just those who are close to us, but to step out of our comfort zones, out of our daily routine that is only beneficially to ourselves, to love our neighbors like Jesus once did. We only get to live this life once, aren’t we aloud to take risks if it’s God will or whatever his plan is for each individual? And isn’t worry a sin? Arn’t we suppose to have utter faith that he will provide if we plan responsibly, pray everyday? You can pour out love no matter where you go, it’s not like you have to travel forever, just until its time to settle down. I agree, we should help out the new generation of course, but how else are we to do so if we don’t reach out of our safe, sheltered lives, but into the unknown with Jesus walking by our side, to tell others about our own testimonies? Just a food for thought.
Wow, America is such a strange place. I work 24 hours a week at a little over minimum wages, and earn enough to pay for all my expenses (including my own apartment) and save maybe 100 euros every month (I live fairly economical). But I live in the Netherlands. I get extra money from the government to help pay for my apartment and my health insurance. Still, my best friend works 36 hours per week (full time) and he actually saves 1000 euros every month. Which he now spent as a down payment on a house. I guess I’m very lucky to live here, even if I will be paying off my student loan for the next 18-22 years.
Incidentally, I have no desire to travel. Which is good, because having a job in the economy is a miracle all by itself.
*in this economy
Very inspiring story! I just want to say that people who come from English speaking countries have a huge advantage over the rest of the world: they can always teach English abroad. It’s not fair! :)
How did you manage to get employment so quickly? I have a degree in writing and I work a job that really doesn’t allow for me to move out due to the expense. And that job has nothing to do with my degree; can’t get one with my degree. My fiancé is Australian and moving here since we are more financially set than without the other and the job market in his home state is awful.
I travel when I can but I also have a border collie whose heart would be broken without me.
I guess different strokes for all. Sorry if this is uneven. It’s late lol
Guess I’m more curious on how you got employment so quickly when the situation is hardly the same here. My dream right now is to move to LA and make some magic happen.
I wish i would have thought of and committed to a plan like this years ago. Unfortunatley im 36 years old now and still just wrkin to get buy and have the necessarys in life. Ive yet to this day even went on vacation. Its very depressing and unfortunately still seems a vacation will b out of reach for a while do to financial situations. As u said our economy sucks and unfortunately i got sucked in to a pit of debt. Hopfully i can overcome this financial ball and chain that is holding me back and someday soon acutually live my life to live not just to survive. Anyway good job on figuring out a way to b a kive abd not just be another slave to the american economic system.
True, theres quite a few clauses in the visa system which, when read in black and white, appear strict. Although, I was not checked when I went to Australia on $500. Very frustrating when you don’t know and your going by what you can find online.
Great read!! I have passed on to friends who don’t believe how easy it is to break from the ‘nest’ and live a fantastic lifestyle. Especially when you are in your 20s. I went to Aust with surprisingly little money and worked great jobs whilst travelling. Like Kate I picked up work in days and benefited greatly from the skills shortage they have over there. I earned enough to travel through various countries, months at a time, before finally returning to the UK and be able to afford to study a degree. All this whilst working another great job I wouldn’t have been able to get without the experience I gained in Australia. The whole experience has completely changed me for the better. I am a whole lot more positive and much smarter when it comes to money.
Leaving everything behind at the age of 23 to go to Australia alone was difficult at first. But that brief moment of anxiety lasts only until your flight out. From then on its an exciting adventure and a feeling like no other. All I can say looking back on it, other that how Kate has put it, is that your frame of mind, the way you view the world, where you are going career wise, what your ambitions are along with weighing up personal and financial circumstances and opportunity is all a vast expanse of complicated decision making and self acceptance. I believe that most people dream of travelling but the few that do it are in a particular state of mind, at peace with their doubts and have really nothing to lose.
You might be lucky to come to terms early in life, bite the bullet and just think fuck it!
Reblogged this on Reactionism.
Best and realest thing I have read in a long time. I’m very jelous as this is what I would love to do, my job has just let me go and I almost feel like just getting a ticket out of here. Saw your video on teaching and it made me so happy ! Your such an inspiration. Keep doing what your doing ! X
I’ve been traveling and working overseas for the last 8 years… Now I never did it well enough to save 10,000 and I usually found a way to either defer or get lower payments on my student loans. I never had money to travel, I bought a ticket and figured it out. I had about $500 when I went to Hong Kong and I found a place that would put me up while I worked! All I have ever done it try to save enough to buy the ticket and everything else just works out, you just need to do it!
Lucky to be born American? Well we can all where rose-tinted glasses sometimes, all is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose…..
Congrats! I am glad to see the passion and desire to travel. Although on student loans through college and law school, I bartended and saved to backpack summers throughout Europe and Northern Africa (mid 90’s) even working a little in Greece. Best move of my life. It broadens you as a person and makes the working part easier later once you “lived” a little. I have been fortunate in my career after school which I belief was because of the travel. It is good to be a free spirit but develop ideas of how you will use your experiences to position yourself for future. A future that will enable you to prosper financially and continue traveling…hostels are a bit less appealing when you hit 40.
I absolutely loved reading this! Great way to take chances n accomplish your goals! I’ll be 30 next month! Wish I couldn’t read this a few years back.
Reblogged this on theoriginalmentor and commented:
I love this story. She had a dream and she found a way. You may not agree with her methods, but she did not allow traditional, culture, and social norms to trap her in this rat race. I am so inspired by your story #KateFromTheStates!!! Your bravery is remarkable. I pray that God covers you as you explore the world. I hope that your experiences help others discover how to live their dreams, instead of someone else’s.
Wow, reading your posts has made me wake up and realise i want more out of my life! Thank you!
What kind of jobs were you able to find? Were they jobs in your field of study? $1000 a week does not sound like you were waitressing or bartending…I’m really interested in your story!! Congrats on living your dream!!
Coming from basically the same background as you (girl who grew up in New York who also completed a working holiday visa in Australia, living in Sydney) I think you’re being unrealistic for the expectations of your modern day backpacker. No disrespect but WHAT job exactly were you working where you earned $1,000 for working 35 hours a week in Sydney? And where exactly did you live where you paid $150 rent a week? I know multiple people who’ve done the working holiday scheme; people working at minimum 40 hours a week, including myself, for the entire duration of my stay in Australia, and NOBODY I know has earned anywhere NEAR that much. Not even before taxes were taken out. Maybe you were just a very fortunate individual, finding a job after three days, but most people I know had to endlessly search for jobs for at LEAST a few weeks, if not a month or more, while living in Sydney, which as you know is a very expensive place to live. They easily have gone through more than $800 just desperately running around, searching for a job. And not everybody can automatically qualify or even be accepted whatsoever for a credit card, let alone more than one. I think you are giving people false hope. I think you should be more realistic when it comes to your claims about how simple it is to successfully find a job in Australia. It’s not all about fulfilling your dreams and living in paradise. Your article is inspiring but I know people who unfortunately have lost thousands upon thousands of dollars attempting to follow their dreams and have it just not work out. They’ve had to return to their home countries in extreme debt, hating themselves after believing false pretenses they’ve come to believe as true. As I have similarly gone through the same path as you, (lived in Australia, now living in Southeast Asia, heading to New Zealand) the reason why I’m saying this, is the way you are telling it like it is, is not realistic at all.
You are young, don’t be too impatient and definitely, make that DEFINATELY finish your degree. Your jr. or sr. year you might be able to do a study abroad too and check out future opportunities. Hope you’ve learned a usable language in university? If not, get going and learn to speak Spanish if latino nations are your calling and so on and so forth. But do graduate first then you’ve got that union card and hopefully experience traveling can augment your education for when, or if, you want to return and get a “real” job and apartment and so forth. A friend with an art degree was floundering around the world. I got her an “internship job” at our local art museum with my friend who’s the director to put something on her resume. We also came up with some verbiage about studying ancient artifices and art influences on contemporary Asian art so when she goes back to Ireland she’ll have done something beyond backpacking and partying around. Also encouraged her to be sure to visit all the big museums and buy their catalogs. In theory she should have found it interesting anyway, no? So, get the idea? Travel sure, but get it together with a sub-plot of a plan for your future THERE or wherever your’e from. Ciao and good luck.
Racked up my credit cards to go to Moscow and Beijing for a summer. Both trips I had to borrow money from friends to get to the airports when it was time to go. Came home broke and felt better than ever. Haven’t paid off those cards since I don’t need good credit. Having a house and nice car will only limit your travel. Plus Ive got trips to save for! :)
Nick, happiness means different things to different people.
great post Kate! Good for for breaking the mold. So many people don’t understand the whole “follow your dreams.” My husband and I embarked on our travels this Oct.1st (similar story..living in Silicon Valley/SF) to travel the world. I never thought about working in a another country :-) and the United Explorer Card – it’s the way to go! Also, US Air has a card that gives you a free companion ticket annually.
This is a very inspiring article. Thank you for sharing your experience! I wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavours. Keep chasing your dreams!
Some of my best friends are people I met while traveling. They were the first on my wedding invitation list when my husband (who I also met while traveling) and I decided to get married. You can have deep relationships and live your travel dreams, and travel and touch the world and be touched by it. In fact, one could make the argument that traveling the world makes you even more in touch with the human race and gives you deeper relationships with people that you meet and remain friends with because of shared experiences that do not just include being miserable on the train together every morning on your way to another 60-hour work week. Happiness makes the world a better place; So, whatever you do, if it makes you happy, I say: “keep doing it.” If you’re not happy, change it; that’s the way to make this world a better one to live in for all of us!
Kate,
I can’t thank you enough for writing this. I have been searching for an answer for the past few years of how I can change my life to live the way I want to. I partially knew the answer, but I didn’t see it so clearly until I read this. I refuse to continue working my life away and feeling like I need to move somewhere to find a better way of life. You have showed me that it is possible to do what you may THINK is impossible. Do you mind me asking how old you were when you moved to Australia? Also, do you find it difficult to live in countries where the prominent language is not English?
Save travels, and best of luck!
Erin from Boston
I think I love you…. Your consciousness of the human element over the humdrum of modern society is borderline poetically beautiful. I bet you are a beautiful person with an even more stunning soul. Me and my buddy are planning on doing this. Would love to be able to get some personal tips from you. My name is Tyler miller from charlotte. Come find me…
Sir you seem a little preconditioned to the radically ridiculous theme of religion. Is it not the greater sense of religion to serve others, especially less fortunate? Those can be found abroad. And a relationship is not deemed pertinent if you do not see it through to the end? The minute interactions of humans on a daily basis is what makes this world beautiful. When a simple door hold or hello can change a persons day, that is the beauty of life. This life is not to simply serve, but to grow as a human being. Others are there to mentor and provide support when needed, but life cannot be spent in the solitary confinement of “doing what’s right” that’s defined by your society.
My friend’s kid had to show a bank stub. His grandmother deposited $5,000 in his bank account. They did check and then he transferred the money back to grandma. They wanted a minimum of $5000.
I think this is amazing and is also something I am planning to do out of college.
I am however, curious about the job you got so quickly in Australia making $1000 a week. If you don’t mind me asking~
Oh wow! They did check! That’s good to know for my next post on working there! Thanks for this!
Boy I’m so excited to go to Spain on my PAID vacation for two weeks. Sure, I can’t go all out and live in different countries and expand my horizons that way. Yes, I work 40 hours a week. But am I doing it just to get by? Hell no. I worked to get a BS in biochemistry, continued on to my PAID degree in chemistry, and got plucked right out of school to join an amazing biotechnology company where I get to make selective anticancer drugs. With all of this, I get amazing benefits and a month of paid vacation. While this is MY dream, not yours, I strongly dislike the way you generalized our entire generation into being materialistic and not following their dreams. It is total bullshit to think that way. I love my career in chemistry, I am helping to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate, and I am surrounded by other young people in their 20s who feel the same.
You also mentioned that working more than 40 hours a week should be a choice. Well, I hope you have come to see what poverty is like during your travels because I can tell you that the same poverty exists in the US. People are working tooth and nail to give THEIR children opportunities like the one you have been so lucky to have. But really. You’re right, I did not like your post. You have a flawed view of how the world works. But hey, as long as you’re having fun, right?
What did you do for work in Australia to earn 1,000/week?
I can 100% attest to this! I did the exact same thing when I was 28. I moved to Australia with 1200 dollars and worked on the working holiday visa. They don’t check your documents, but my documents said I had the money just in case they asked. I had professional jobs at corporations and saved around the same amount. (I was never able to save that much in the states). when my year was over I flew back to the states for about 6 months and then did the entire experience in New Zealand for a year. I traveled to Tahiti, Bali, and all over New Zealand and Australia.
I am back in the states now and wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything. They become your identity. Much harder to save now and get time off work to do a trip like that overseas!
one other thing…you meet so many like minded amazing people from all over the world that are doing the exact same thing. Those bonds become instant. Also, I came to realize that all of the most amazing experiences traveling, I did alone. It just worked out that way. I rather be experiencing things with people and friends, but it empowers me to think about that sometimes. If I had waited on friends or relationships to fulfill these dreams..they never would have happened.
I love reading stuff like this! My husband and I just got married and I have the craziest itch to travel. Luckily, even though I have a job where I can’t travel with it, it affords us a lot of time and cash to travel. Reading your post and this blog is an inspiration and reminder of how to get there. Enjoy your travels
Kate , any words of advice to an almost 29 year old? I regretfully didn’t get to travel a lot when I was in my early twenties due to circumstances. Ready to just go now, however certain things may probably hinder it ( money, poor credit etc) would appreciate any kind of advice. I’ve looked into hostel work but it seems to be a fight amongst the people!
Do you have an email address I could contact you ? I have many questions !! Or Facebook ?
Reblogged this on becauselifeisforliving and commented:
Not sure there is a better way to sum up how I feel about traveling. Also great tips of working abroad! Check out her site!
great article! Was wondering what kind of jobs you have landed when travelling?
Loved your post… Totally with you 100%! Really good read, thank you!
Do you have any advice for someone who can’t get a credit card to save their life? Just the worst credit ever? And suggestions on working abroad with no college degree?
Typically depends on what country they come from. When you apply for the visa, they may ask for additional information such as bank statements, police/medical report, etc. However, typically they will not ask for that information. Once you arrive in the country at the airport they might ask to see documented proof of how you will be able to support yourself in Australia. However, that is quite uncommon if you were not asked when you applied for a visa.
Great story. I learned that once you decide what you want to do, borders don’t stop you. The hardest part is taking the first step. Once you are completely honest with your intentions, everything gets easier.