Question Number 1...

How do we afford to take these trips? 

1. We make a very strict budget and stick to it. Also, travel isn't all that expensive if you are willing to put up with a few inconveniences and are prepared to deviate from a perfectly structured vacation. We are shoestring travelers which means we are prepared to lug our 25lb packs around for an extra half hour to find somewhere $3 cheaper a night to stay. It means we bargain down an item that costs $2.50 until we hit that $2 mark. It means we opt for the jeep-boat-jeep option instead of taking in country flights. Some of these things are probably ridiculous (the haggling) but there are also ways to get cheaper (if you can put up with mice on the ground or have the patience to take local buses that are likely to break down for 4 hours en route you can save even more). Our last trip to Costa Rica was actually quite full of splurges: comfortable shared shuttles, tour guides, and private double rooms. Even so, staying cheap is easy when you travel to "cheap" countries. You can easily spend more in Europe in a week than you would spend in Central America for a month. We pick destinations that maximize our dollar.

Our strict budget also means that we do not buy many souvenirs. What we do buy are from local markets, vs. gift shops, and are things we would actually use once we get back home. In addition, we have spent whole days shopping around for that one item we decided we had to have. Our guidebooks become our main souvenirs.

Our next money saving tip: do use budget/ shoestring guidebooks as a starting point. I want to emphasize that these are to be a starting point because most travelers will jump down my throat for insisting on using guidebooks. However, having an idea of what things should cost, what the most efficient way to get around, how a town is laid out, hostel price ranges, etc. will save you a lot of money in the long run. While we do enjoy just showing up and figuring it out as we go, having guidelines and some knowledge of what you are getting in to will help enormously. This also means knowing the exchange rate for the country you are visiting ahead of time, knowing whether you will be charged more if you pay in American dollars or local currency, knowing if taxis use meters or rely on a price decided up front, etc. This research should be enjoyable, so start enough ahead of time that you do not feel stressed or rushed and you peruse guidebooks, the internet, and talk with fellow travelers about your upcoming plans.

(See later budget post for trip-specific budget information)