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The fact that she brought up credit cards is a big red flag. Anyone who considers opening credit cards in order to travel, has no business traveling.
She's going to have to decide what's more important ... moving out of her parents' house and having savings, or travel. I can't imagine that all these things are possible while earning minimum wage.
Yeah she'll have to decide. But again, that's not what she was asking. She was asking if there were ways to travel cheap, and there ARE ways to travel cheap. She can decide if any of the ways to travel cheap will work for her, or not, but just giving her life lessons and saying "don't do it" isn't what she was asking, and IMO, is treating her like a child.
She's 26 years old. She SHOULD have a credit card. She's not 18.
That said OP, if you use a credit card exclusively for travel, you will regret it, as you gotta pay the money back, plus interest, and that can make it REALLY DIFFICULT to do anything else fun.
But the plus side of a credit card is...use it for your everyday purchases like gas and groceries, and pay them off right away. That's the way you build up your credit. But you're 26. Maybe you knew that already. lol
I wouldn't put much stock in the idea that a career in "TV production" would lead too far it the direction of a better life; it sounds like one of those "candy" degrees that doesn't have much power in the real world without experience -- which can be hard to get, especially if not starting out until one's late twenties.
And the OP doesn't show too much evidence of exposure to the dynamics of the post-industrial workplace; learning to manage other people is increasingly important in an economy that produces intangible services, rather than solid goods. The focus on management of time has never been stronger. And the mark of an effective supervisor is usually the ability to get your underlings to do the jobs neither you, nor anyone else wants to do, but which must be done.
So what's left? the military, for one. Few things open more doors, and more easily, than an honorable discharge. The Peace Corps also isn't a bad idea; you'll get to travel, but in a manner far more similar to the real world.
Or as another suggestion, learn to drive as a professional. (I you're female. consider starting as a courier.) At age 26, you're old enough to be trusted -- especially if you have a safe driving record. You'll never have to deal with the petty office politics that turn too many workplaces into overgrown junior high classrooms, And you will get to see a lot of new places, but as a slice of real life, rather than a prettified package aimed at anonymous tourists.
Or consider one of the distribution centers run by mail/internet retailers and the "big box" store chains. There are plenty of opportunities for women in functions like order-picking and inventory control. You will do physical work (and get healthier and stronger in the process; you'll also learn what life is like on the front lines, rather than a phony-sanitary office, and in a truly color-blind, non-discriminatory economy). Pay is good -- usually starts at about $12.00/hr and quickly goes to $15.00, and there are plenty of paths upward if you have a skill or two to sell. But you'll still have to develop a program of self-control for your day.
Last edited by 2nd trick op; 08-03-2017 at 01:03 PM..
Yeah she'll have to decide. But again, that's not what she was asking. She was asking if there were ways to travel cheap, and there ARE ways to travel cheap. She can decide if any of the ways to travel cheap will work for her, or not, but just giving her life lessons and saying "don't do it" isn't what she was asking, and IMO, is treating her like a child.
She's 26 years old. She SHOULD have a credit card. She's not 18.
That said OP, if you use a credit card exclusively for travel, you will regret it, as you gotta pay the money back, plus interest, and that can make it REALLY DIFFICULT to do anything else fun.
But the plus side of a credit card is...use it for your everyday purchases like gas and groceries, and pay them off right away. That's the way you build up your credit. But you're 26. Maybe you knew that already. lol
+1 to all of this.
Please allow me to clarify for the OP though--the credit card travel hacking route is using the POINTS accrued from getting a credit card to fund travel expenses. The points are acquired when you first get the card and meet whatever minimum spend is required. It's a bad (horrible) idea to fund travel using the funds from the card itself IF you don't have the funds to pay off the card already in hand so that you can pay off the card *in full* well in advance of the actual due date.
But then again, OP may already know this. As Sassybluesy said she is 26 after all....
This is how I did it when I was young and broke. My family loaded up the little car that got good gas mileage with camping gear and an ice chest containing food that didn't have to be cooked and some drinks, and off we went.
We went camping in Baja California, camping in Canada, camping in Yosemite and Yellowstone. There was a nice mountain area close to home where we went camping. We did a tour of the Southwest and saw the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Chelly Canyon. We camped on the beach. We camped on Vancouver Island. We did tours of big cities and then outside the city to camp.
We ate fruit and sandwiches, granola, nuts and gorp. It won't hurt you to not eat cooked food for a few days and it saves a lot of money.
We didn't even own sleeping bags when we first started. I made bed rolls for every one. We didn't own a tent, just slept on the ground.
Oh, and adding: I rented a house to a couple that was just moving back to the United States. They had spent two years in Korea, teaching English language courses. I don't know how you get that job, but I bet a little research online would turn up the information.
They were both educated and I bet that is a requirement. You can't really teach English as a second language of you don't know what a subjunctive is.
Actually...I would think that TV production could possibly take her LOTS of places. How many times have I seen in closing credits "filmed on location in Belize, Georgia, New Orleans, etc., etc., etc.
But that's a completely different topic, and she wasn't looking for career advice either. lol
If travelling is important to you, make a budget for it that reflects your priorities. Figure out why you want to travel and where you want to travel and incorporate that into your budget. Then do your homework regarding transportation and lodging availability and cost to you.
It's about priorities, mainly. I know several people who work to travel and when they have enough money they take off. When the money dries up, they return home and start working and saving again for the next adventure. In the process, they have networked a lot with friends they have made all over the world in different countries. They use their networks to find cheap or free lodging and meals and to enjoy learning new things about different cultures. One became a very good photographer doing this and he is paid to give presentations about his travels. This is all started when he was quite young, in his teens. He's now in his mid-60s and is still travelling about 1/2 the year.
They say that the best years of your life is in your 20s. I am in my mid 20s (26) and day by day I am getting older. I want to travel. I want to go to Miami LA NYC again Toronto and London etc. Though I work 2 minimum wage jobs. My parents travel they actually went to NYC today with my niece for a couple of days. My mom told me that I need to travel more and I told her I dont have any money.
I see people on facebook around my age that are going all over the world and country! How are they doing it? I know every person situation is different. Ae they getting a credit card and taking short trips and paying for it later? What the hell are they doing?
I do have enough to travel but I REALLY want to move out of my parents house.
How can you travel the globe and in this country when earning so little. I am in school to I am getting a degree in TV production. Anyways what can I do to travel more when I earn so little and trying to save to move out?
What are ways to go on a vacation or take quick trips around the country and etc?
This is part of a deeper problem not directly related to travel: You work 2 minimum wage jobs and live with your parents. I would focus on bettering yourself and not international travel. Put that money into a 2 year degree from a community college. If you don't have that desire and simply looking to travel stay in hostels, eat street food, and join Fodor's for backpacker tips.
Why does everyone keep missing the fact that she IS in school?
No one is missing that. That needs to be her focus. That and saving money to move out. Not spending it on travel. If she's making minimum wage, she's not making a lot of money. She needs to decide whether it's more important for her to move out or to travel.
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