Are you traveling too much?

Should You Stop Traveling TOO MUCH?

When Boracay still had low seasons (few people), we enjoyed walking up and down stations 1-2 barefoot.  

The next time we came there, it was (still) low season but this time we explored station 3. Very few people there.

Today, Boracay doesn’t have a low and slow season. It’s always full.

When we started traveling, it was after 10 years of working in a financial services company.

We travelled 2-3 times a year.

We never borrowed the money to travel.

We never booked a “too expensive” place to stay.

Fact, we first tried the backpacker places before finally upgrading to better places when we had kids. FAMILY rooms because we needed the space.

SOCIAL MEDIA

If there was a social media platform when I started traveling, you bet - I had an account. 

However, I never posted our travels there.

We did not advertise or inform our extended friends that we were out of the country.

We still practice this today.

In fact, I may be typing this in Mindanao and you wouldn’t know. Right? Or maybe I’m in Macau, or Maldives. Or maybe - more accurately I typed this up during different vacations. You never know.

It doesn’t matter.

What does matter is, ARE YOU TRAVELING TOO MUCH?

With new found freedom of freelancing, and the instagram envy created by single nomad caucasian freelancers, you may have succumbed to the temptation of copying their lifestyles.

That’s too bad.

Why? YOU Jomar - travelled extensively as you just admitted. 

Why can’t I, now that I’m already free from employment?

I’m asking the question that maybe you’re traveling too much because…

“The purpose of your incessant monthly travels maybe more ENVY, “I’ll show you” other than your own happiness.”  

It may be more about keeping up with your “rich” millennial “friends” - more than cultural awareness and foreign friendly fun.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

It matters because maybe your savings are being drained unnecessarily. 

Maybe your future plans for a home, good insurance (really) etc are being delayed and delayed because you “have to” travel again this month.  

You see you didn’t get into freelancing so you can boast about being able to afford to travel.

That’s not #1.

Why? Because there are deeper meanings that’s why you have received that blessing.

Maybe you should dwell more on that for a while.

Instead of packing again and emptying your ATM because your friends do the same thing.

BUT THERE’S SUPER CHEAP TRAVEL TO BE HAD…

You may already know that it can be super cheap to travel extensively nowadays -at least in the Philippines or around Asia.

Just book a Zero fare, don’t eat at fancy restaurants & just carry noodles with you. 

Just selectively eat local fare and you can really bring the cost down.

This is fine. Lots of people do it.

But just don’t over do it.

BECAUSE TIME WILL COME, US and EUROPE fares will also go down as much. You may want to prep for those. 

I remember more than 20 years ago, it was super expensive to travel.

My first trip was out of my own pocket. We went to Hongkong and Macau before the turn over to the Chinese in 1997.

I think I spent a year paying off that trip’s expenses.

Now, you can do it on less than a month’s salary.

SO YES, I KNOW THE TRAVEL BUG CAN BITE YOU.

Let it bite a little bit.

Reserve your money for more later.

You don’t only live ONCE when it comes to visiting certain places.

“Once lang naman ito, kaya buhos mo na expenses!”

Don’t give in. It becomes once in a lifetime because YOU SAID so.

So don’t say so.

Say something along the lines of : “I really love going to ______, even if it’s my 30th time do go here.”

Now replace the _____ with your favorite vacation spot. Like the refrigerator - I mean, Boracay Island in the Philippines. Or Coron island or Bantayan Island.

AGAIN, SHOULD YOU BE TIGHT FISTED FRUGAL?

Of course not.

 Just be smart with your expenses.

Say yes to certain important things (top of the line gaming rig (huh?) ) or mid-level pc for work (hmmm). Your choice.

Don’t kid yourself that the “Rich has everything top of the line.” You know why? Because it’s true. They do. The new MAC PRO comes out, they have 3. The new BMW comes out, they have one - of each color.

But that’s them. And that’s them today. They were NOT like that when they started off.

Maybe their parents or grandparents did a great job ensuring their freedom today. So they can vacation in the US and never have to buy generic pharma drugs.

But those who started them off in their journey to freedom - these people - didn’t have 5 BMWs. They all started out like you, today.

You have what you have. Use them. You don’t need to add luxuries today that you don’t need.

After all, we can mix up a identical tasting “TIGER SUGAR” milk tea at home than those you have to line up for in the mall. Ask me the recipe one day.

MY POINT

There’s more to being mindful about your expenses. There’s really listing it down monthly and evaluating each item.

Do you do this today?

If you don’t, why not?

I know why —because it’s NOT the practice of FREE PEOPLE. 

Movies tell us that “If we’re too stodgy and firm and accountable- we’re boring.”

You believe that lie?

Because that’s the lie that the POOR believe in.

But you said, you want to be better than THIS? “THIS” being the present state of your life?

Well, don’t regress and practice POOR money habits. Start behaving like the wealth builders of the world. 

Monitor that cash.

See you later.

Congratulations if you’ve read up to this part. Now, let me ask you, are YOU monitoring your cashflow or is someone else?

If someone else is doing that for you, why not you?

What are you waiting for, a crisis?

Ask me about the time I did exactly as you did - and regretted it.

Let me know.

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