AFRICA 2023-2024

Spain / Morocco / Egypt / Rwanda / Tanzania / South Africa – total 10 weeks

WEEK 1 $800 Spain
WEEK 2 $780 Spain
WEEK 3 $722 Morocco
WEEK 4 $570 Egypt
WEEK 5 $660 Rwanda
WEEK 6 $1305 Tanzania
WEEK 7 $850 Tanzania
WEEK 8 $1550 Tanzania
WEEK 9 $930 South Africa
WEEK 10 $470 South Africa

Transportation
$3370

Hostels
$566

ATM cash out / Food
$3170

Activities
$1318

Foreign Transaction Fees
$212

TOTAL: $8637

SOUTH AMERICA 2017

Booked some plane tickets in advance so there are small checkpoints. Surprised at the deals found using Google flights, specifically going from Mexico City to my friends wedding in Hawaii roundtrip. Giving myself a budget for this 9 week trip across South America, mini stop in Hawaii, and through Central America.

FLIGHTS + WEEKLY SPENDING *in USD 

$600 one way to Buenos Aires + $1400 transport

WEEK 1 $200 ATM Buenos Aires 
WEEK 2 $350 ATM Brazil
WEEK 3 $400 ATM Bolivia
WEEK 4 $250 ATM Peru
WEEK 5 $300 ATM Ecuador
WEEK 6 $250 ATM Colombia
WEEK 7 $300 ATM Hawaii/Mexico
WEEK 8 $350 ATM Costa Rica
WEEK 9 $300 ATM Cuba

GRAND TOTAL:  $5000

NEW YORK 2013-2017

It is 2am. Packing the rest of my boxes for what appears to be my finally move in this city.

Carefully curated belongings are quickly disappearing from the apartment; craigslist strangers haggle my personalized items faster than I acquired them. My room is becoming lifeless, white walls.

The unknown ebb of change may be scary, yet I cannot suppress the excitement I feel for moving forward. This city has be a a roller coaster of pain and thrills the past years; I have lost two of the most important people in my life while living here, yet I conquered what I set out to do – change my career path in one of the most aggressive cities in the world.

2013
Inwood, Manhattan (3 nights)
*couchsurfing host who kindly gave me his recliner and forgot to let me in twice
Murry Hill, Manhattan (3 weeks)
*couchsurfing host who also went to school in Texas – SAINT!
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn (3 months)
*craigslist tenant who took 3 months + security toward his bar (instead of rent) and got everyone evicted
Harlem, Manhattan (9 months)
*craigslist roommates who inevitably conned each other to leaving a “bed-bug infested” apartment

850rent | 115subway | 100bills | 250fun | 150student loan | 400 savings

2014-2016
Chinatown, Manhattan
*craigslist roommate who held a grudge by pulling my hair upon her exit
*Texan friend of a friend who turned out to be a huge influence on me

1050rent | 100bills | 350fun | 200student loan | 250 savings

2016-2017
Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn 
*sticking with my Texan friend because she was/is the best roommate I’ll ever have. *our roommate is a wealthy older woman who owns a 4 story brownstone

0rent | 100-800bills | 0fun | paid off student loan | 1000 savings

ASIA 2013

It’s been less than a week away from your humid, sticky climates and I already miss your 20 BAHT ($0.70) pai thai and happy, yet aggressive sales people… you spread your sunshine upon me, allowing me to meet life-long friends in a time in which I felt so alone. Even surprised me by having these new friends send me off at the end.

You taught me that the world is small enough to meet a Dutch guy, say farewell to him, then later realize I’ve been traveling with his Dutch sister for two weeks.

You showed me that souls can experience something incredibly tragic, and somehow move forward and make the most of their life with the things surrounding them. You helped me close doors of my past, and graciously held the next door open. Hopefully this breakdown inspires you to bug plan your next personal trip.

WEEK 1 $500 ATM singapore [200MYR, 7000BAHT, 1,600,000DONG] *Singapore has great rates so I purchased a small amount of everything ahead of time
WEEK 1 $250 ATM Malaysia [700MYR]
WEEK 2 $350 ATM Thailand [10,000BAHT]
WEEK 3 $150 flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai
WEEK 3 $450 ATM Chiang Mai [12,000BAHT]
WEEK 4 $100 ATM Laos [300,000KIP]
WEEK 4 $150 ATM Laos [520,000KIP]
WEEK 5 $200 ATM Cambodia [200USD/800RIEL]
WEEK 6 $2500 Thailand Hospital [115,000BAHT] OPTIONAL…
*********$91 not included costs***********
GRAND TOTAL: $2241 USD *not including optional laser eye surgery

EUROPE 2013

I was skeptical about my small budget when I used 1200€ off my Euro card to pay for the rest of my eye surgery, however EVERYTHING fit perfectly and I managed to end my trip without struggling on canned beans.  Below are the rough figures recorded while in Europe for nine weeks. With the help of couchsurfing, I was able to meet quality people.

WEEK 1 335€ ATM Germany
WEEK 2 135€ ATM Prague
WEEK 3 205€ ATM Prague
WEEK 4 300€ ATM Vienna & 200€ ATM Budapest
WEEK 5 110€ Flight to Greece & 300€ ATM Greece
WEEK 6 150€ Flight to Rome & 300€ ATM Rome
WEEK 7  200€ ATM Florence
WEEK 8 75€ Flight to London & 100€ Munich
WEEK 9 50€ Train in London

*********40€ unincluded costs***********
GRAND TOTAL: 2500€

NEW ZEALAND 2011-2013

I’ve been living DIRT CHEAP out on this island. I have it down to a science, or really, down to two recipes. These two recipes have sustained for less than $4 on each meal.

CURRENT WEEKLY BUDGET 90rent | 15phone | 50food | 50fun | 150loan | 300savings

Now keep in mind these are recipes created from Wellington, New Zealand, which means they are the WHITEST burritos. One batch should give two people five meals.

Chicken Burritos

• 2 boneless chicken breasts (boiled and shredded with a fork)
• 3 packets of El Paso fajita seasoning
• 3 cans of kidney beans
• 3 cans of chopped/diced tomato
• 1 capsicum (diced)
• 1 red onion (diced)
• 1 package (500 g) cremini mushrooms (diced)
• wheat or spinach wraps
• sliced avocado on top
• scoop sour cream (optional)
• chipotle sauce

Malaysian Curry

• Call our favorite curry restaurant and order 3-4 containers of JUST SAUCE **this is super cheating but we love this place and will continue to use this authentic stuff until we have to leave NZ**
• 1 broccoli
• 1 cauliflower
• 4 potatoes
• 2 carrots
• 1 package of green beans
• 1 package of spinach
• 2-8 chicken breast depending on how much you love chicken (matt)

1. super easy recipe where you throw sauce in a big pot and boiled chicken breast in another pot.
2. cut all veg while chicken is cooking and keep curry sauce on a low heat
3. chuck veg into curry pot and remove chicken once cooked
4. shred chicken with two forks (or whatever cool tool you have that shreds chicken)
5. stick chicken in pot for another 15ish min on low heat
6. once all cooked scoop this yummy thick curry back into the containers in which you bought it in! *also used for chicken burrito containers.

TEXAS 2011

This is more for my reference to remember how freaking cheap college and Texas in general was to live in. Rent was affordable, Austin was right up the road for wild weekends, and there was always something for free.
While the cost of College has gradually increased, I was very fortunate to balance 2-3 jobs to help cut costs while I was in school. Time management was difficult the first year or two, however once I found that campus job I was able to focus more on my studies and even made deans list.

2008:
San Marcos Dorms (10 months)
*shared room in all female dorm
6500dorm fee | 60bills | 50gas | 100fun | 50 savings
2009:
San Marcos Apartments (11 months)
*OWN bedroom! 3 cool roommates
550rent | 60bills | 50gas | 100fun | 50 savings
2010:
San Marcos House (12 months)
*OWN bedroom! 2 fun roommates 700rent | 60bills | 50gas | 150fun | 100 savings
2011:
San Marcos Town home (10 months)
*shared 2 bedrooms with 5 girl 250rent | 60bills | 50gas | 150fun | 500 savings