How I Traveled the World as a Law Student

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Many people ask me how I traveled the world as a law student.  The truth is, I live quite frugally.  I have come to think of living frugal as an art.  Many people think that living frugal is about going without.  However, that is not what it is about at all.  Being frugal is about saving money for the things that you are passionate about.  Why spend extra money on the things that you don't care much about?  That is the question I find myself asking when I see people spending a lot of money on things that they buy in order to look elite or things that make them feel they need to fit in. 

First, if you want to be frugal you have to get rid of this idea of being elite.  As a law student, I have seen many students who are obsessed with the idea of prestige.  An obsession with prestige is the ugliest part of law school.  I have seen people who expected to graduate and have jobs that paid $100,000 or more literally break because they could not find that kind of job.  Many of these people wanted the prestige that such a job somehow gives them and many now lament in misery that they can not have it.  That's really a shame, because life is not about being elite.

3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 NKJV

Bangkok, Thailand

Those who are obsessed with the idea of being somehow better than others or who are obsessed over the idea of begin elite are going to spend themselves into oblivion.  Every day I see people spend obscene amounts of money on items that make them feel like they are somehow better.  Advertisements proclaim that a certain product will somehow make you better than those around you.  People carry purses that costs hundreds of dollars just because it carries a name.  Some wear clothing due to the brand names that are written on them.  Others shop at certain stores for food because they feel that shopping there gives them a status that

Glacier National Park, Montana

others can not share in.  Yet, when many of these people look at their financial lives they see that they are too far over their heads.  In the end, credit card bills pile up and people do not have anything left over for their retirement, for an emergency, or to put towards their passions.  Get rid of this idea of being elite.  You are no better than the man to the left of you, and you are no better than the man to the right of you.   No matter how educated you are, you are a human being just the same.  No matter whose son or daughter you are, you are the same.  Get over this idea of being elite, of having to have a prestigious station in life.  There is so much more to life than that, and no matter what, one day you will die like everyone else.  It's about enjoying the time you have and being as good of a person that you can be.  Being absorbed in yourself will do you no good when it comes your salvation.

Instead of focusing on things that make you feel better about yourself compared to your neighbor, focus your spending on the following five things.

1.  Things that you absolutely need.
2.  Things that make you a better person.
3.  Things that appreciate over time.
4.  Helping others.
5.  That which you are passionate about.

Kylemore Abbey, Ireland

I am very passionate about traveling and writing.  Therefore, I spend most of the money I get on these things.  You will not see me wear name brand clothing in order to somehow impress those around me.  I know that almost everyone in society tries that, and I know for a fact that nobody is impressed by it.  When everyone is wearing name brand shoes, and where every girl on the subway is carrying a Gucci or Louis Vuitton Purse, I know that nobody cares.  In fact, those brands are in no way impressive.  However, what is impressive is living your life according to your dreams.  Why is that?  Because very few people actually do that.  Many people are so obsessed with looking good and being seen as better than others.  But doesn't that kind of life get old after a while?  Doesn't that start to wear on a person?  And how do you feel when the person next to you thinks that they are better than you?  Not very good, does it?

Dublin, Ireland

I want to use traveling as an example as fulfilling the five spending habits that you should work to obtain.  First, traveling, if done right, makes one a better person.  Learning about different cultures of the world and understanding different ways of life and different types of thinking helps a person develop.  A person can work with and understand others in a far better way by traveling and seeing the homelands of others.

Traveling helps others indirectly by putting money into their economy.  Another way in which one can help others when traveling is to volunteer while traveling.  Be careful to not get ripped off when volunteering.  For example, there are many organizations that want you to pay to volunteer.  If you look for ways to give back, you will be able to find them when you travel.

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Since I am passionate about traveling, going places allows me to feel at my best.  As I am about to travel to some amazing places this summer, I can't even begin to express how excited I am.  It gives me something to plan for, to look forward to, and to remind myself that I live a blessed life.  A life of abundance, like many of my readers have.

On my previous post, I mentioned some ways in which a person can save money during their college years.  I strongly believe in those methods.  They may not be for everyone, but they have allowed me to live in San Francisco and New York, and travel with my wife to countries and cities all over the world while making under $28,000 a year.  That tells me that you don't have to be rich to travel.  Instead, you have to know how to save money and spend money wisely.  Many people have trouble saving up enough money to do that which they dream of, and they make two or three times what I make.

How do I manage to live cheaply?

Cancun, Mexico

First, I do not drink alcohol.  Drinking is expensive.  I learned this when my sister-in-law came to visit and her boyfriend bought some Kahlua.  I could not believe how expensive a bottle of that cost.  When he left I threw the remainder of it down the sink.  I quickly realized that the sickness one feels after a night of drinking is not worth whatever 'fun' people see in consuming alcohol.

Second, I try to eat cheaply.  That doesn't mean going without.  That means shopping smart.  I do shop at Trader Joe's, but I do not buy the things that I can make on my own.  Instead of purchasing items like Hummus and pre-made soups, I buy chickpeas and tomatoes and other items and make them myself.  I have a high powered blender (Vitamix) which cost me a lot.  But it allows me to save a lot of money in making my own foods.  I like smoothies, but learned that purchasing these at Jamba Juice and other similar places is a waste of money and not very healthy in the long run.  Instead, I make them at home with fruits that I purchase at the famers market.  I freeze bananas and use them to make the smoothies smooth and delicious.  I do not use milk or cream.  I make all of my own soy milk and almond milk.  It is actually quite easy, and far less expensive than buying it from the store.

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Home Made Almond Milk Recipe

1/2 cup of Almonds
1/2 cup hot water
Pinch of Salt
Spoonful of Sugar (optional)

Mix the above into a high powered blender.  Blend.  Add 2 and 1/2 cups of cold water and/or ice once blended and blend further.  Put the milk into jars and refrigerate.    Almonds can be purchased in bulk from many stores, such as Costco or at a local health food coop.  You can substitute cashews for almonds for a more creamy milk.

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Ko Samui, Thailand

Another item that I like to make is home made falafel.  I use chickpeas for making falafel as well, and the result is delicious.  Another thing that one can make for cheap are curries.  Indian spices last a very long time and taste amazing mixed in with egg plant, chickpeas, tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and any thing else that you want to add.  Indian bread can be made with a few ingredients and is a lot cheaper than going out to purchase pre-made bread.   Traveling is one way in which I have learned to cook some of these items, and in the end, it has allowed me to save money and learn about new foods that I love.  Keep in mind that in many countries, people do cook for far less than people in the United States are used to spending on meals.

Singapore

Eating cheaply and abstaining from alcohol are not the only ways in which I save money.  Third, I do not give into the idea of going to coffee shops.  Good quality coffee can be purchased in bulk and made at home.  I don't drink coffee myself, so this point is irrelevant to me.   However, ask yourself how much you spend going for coffee.  Instead, what would you have if you put all that money into a savings account?    That is something to think about.

I also rarely drink juices since I drink many smoothies.  Store bought juice is vastly overpriced and juice does not include the fiber that whole fruit has.  The smoothies that I make use the entire fruit and I keep the all important fiber.

Panama City, Panama

When I travel, I use the site Kayak.com to find airplane tickets.  I check it often, even if I am not planning on traveling.  In fact, I found the trip that I am going on this summer just by exploring prices.  Get to know the places that are inexpensive.  For example, some places that I have found that are sometimes inexpensive to travel to are:

Cancun, Cozumel -- San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta
Dublin/Shannon -- San Francisco
Puerto Rico -- New York
Lima -- San Francisco
Panama City, Panama -- New York, Boston
Hawaii -- Los Angeles, San Francisco

Also, when traveling, rely on local transportation.  Busses are a great way to travel in some countries.  For example, bus travel in the Yucatan is inexpensive and quite comfortable.  A bus from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen is only a few dollars.  A taxi is much, much more.  You can save a lot in other countries by traveling by bus.

Avoid using taxis whenever possible.  No matter how inexpensive they are, there's always something less expensive.  That does not mean to never take a taxi, but if you can get somewhere by bus or subway, take that option.  Bus rides are often a great way to see some of the lesser seen parts of countries that many tourists miss.

Chichen Itza, Mexico

Stay away from big tourist places like Senor Frogs.  These places are often no different than the places you probably can find in your nearest major city at home.  They are vastly overpriced.  If you are looking for cheap food, go a block or two out of the tourist zone.  There are tons of places that provide good food for the locals who work in the tourist zones.  Oftentimes this food is far better than you can get in the tourist areas and it's always a lot cheaper.  These places are often used to tourists stopping by, as many budget travelers know that is the best way to find food.

Tulum, Mexico

Also, don't be afraid to check out the supermarkets and grocery stores in the countries you visit.  It's often a lot of fun to see what kinds of products local supermarkets carry.  Oftentimes they carry the same products as you are used to, but many times they have excellent bakery areas and aisles full of varieties of food you have never seen before made by the same companies you are familiar with back home.

Venice, Italy

Do not buy into the idea of staying in fancy resorts.  Many fancy resorts and all inclusives expect you to spend all of your time on their grounds.  What's the point of traveling if you never get to see how the locals live?  Hostels are a great way to stay while you are traveling.  Also, renting a house is a very cheap option in some places.  In Chiang Mai, Thailand, you can often rent an apartment that is furnished, in the central city, for well under $400 a month.  If you want to spend a couple of months somewhere, you can find a house for much cheaper that is a little further out.

Boquete, Panama

There are some other great ways to save money while traveling.  Most of it is just common sense.  One thing that I have learned is to write everything down that I spend.  By keeping a budget and knowing what I want to budget for each day I am generally able to not overspend.  You can do the same.  It's not hard.  Begin to create new habits and keep track of the things that you buy.

I will be posting a lot more on this subject in the future, so stay tuned!