1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and I am 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: Matt's and today we're talking how to travel lots on 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: a little with Nomadic Matt. If you are already to 4 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: do some traveling after being cooped up for over a year, 5 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: then this episode is for you. Today we're talking with 6 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Matthew Keptniss, who is better known as Nomadic Matts. Before 7 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: he turned twenty three, Matt hadn't taken a single trip overseas, 8 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: but since then he's visited over one countries and territories. 9 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: He's tried some crazy foods, and he has made lifelong 10 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: friends along the way. He's the New York Times bestselling 11 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: author of How to Travel the World on fifty Dollars 12 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: a Day, and his mission now is to help would 13 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: be travelers realize that they actually can travel and that 14 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: they can do it all for less money than they 15 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: think that it will take. Matt teaches folks all about 16 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: affordable travel, ranging from topics like how they can save 17 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: money by finding affordable flights all the way to like 18 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: advice too, and like picking out a good backpack. And 19 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: so we're excited to talk with him today, and uh, 20 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna convince you that it is possible to travel 21 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: on a budget. Matt, thank you for joining us today 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: on the podcast. Hey, guys, thanks for having me Matt. 23 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: We're glad to have you. Man. And you know, my 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: co host Matt and I we drink a craft beer 25 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: on every episode. It's gonna get confusing here there's two 26 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: Mats on this on today's show. Um. But yeah, the 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: reason we do that is because we like to splurge 28 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: on something that we care about in the here and 29 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: now while we're trying to save and invest for the 30 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: long haul. So, yeah, what's your craft beer equivalent? And 31 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: you can't say travel? Uh? Sushi? Sushi? Alright, I like it. 32 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: I like it. I'm assuming you've had some of the 33 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: best sushi in the world. Have you spent a fair 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: amount of time in Japan? Uh? Yeah, I've been to 35 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: Japan about three times and I did eat a lot 36 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: of sushi while I was there. Very nice. So all right, 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: first we want to kick off the interview where you So, 38 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: where in the world are you currently right now? Uh? 39 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: And what are some of your most recent spots that 40 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: you've been to you Matt, Well, I'm comrently doing a 41 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: road trip around the US. Uh. You know, because of COVID, 42 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: it's kind of hard to go internationally still. Um, and 43 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: so I am doing a six week road trip around 44 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: the US, hitting on the National Parks island seen before. 45 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: And I'm currently in Boise, Idaho, And I just came 46 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: from Utah, which is I hadn't really explored before this, 47 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: and it was gorgeous. I especially like Bryce National Park. Yeah, 48 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: Bryce Canyan is beautiful, man, I got I was there 49 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: one time right after it snowed, so like the peaks 50 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: of the CanYa. I figured out the jutes whatever they're called. 51 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: We're like snow capped. It was just gorgeous. So that 52 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: sounds like a good spot to be in right now. Matt. 53 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: I want to ask you to just kind of a 54 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: random question. I saw you tweeting the other day about 55 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: waffle House. Do you have like a favorite like food 56 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 1: chain or like national chain that like feels like home, 57 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: maybe that you go to sometimes when, like I don't know, 58 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: maybe you're miss seeing friends, friends and family. There's waffle House. 59 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: Kind of do that for you? Waffle House? I'm with you, man, Um, 60 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:13,359 Speaker 1: what's your there you go. I'm a big fan of 61 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: the All Star Breakfast. I mean, you can't can't go 62 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: wrong there, Yeah, dude, especially to having gone to waffle House. 63 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: So we've got a local spot here, homegrown, uh, and 64 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: it's you know, not unlike waffle House. It's just it's 65 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: just local. It's our local, better version of baffle So 66 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: next time you're in Atlanta, but you can't come, come, 67 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: come hit that. You can't be the price of waffle 68 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: House though. I mean, that's one of the amazing things. 69 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: Like we went there with our whole family one time 70 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: and it was like, you know, in the twenties. I'm like, 71 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, I can and it's got a big family. Yeah, 72 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: there's six of us now. So Matt's do Let's talk 73 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: about the pandemic, right, COVID like you mentioned it, of course, 74 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: seriously messed up travel. How much have you been able 75 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: to travel during the pandemic? Has that basically been on 76 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: holds since last March? Last summer, I went on a 77 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: road trip again up to see my parents in Boston, 78 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: and I was in Mexico for six weeks near the 79 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: end of twenty But that's been the extent of my travels. 80 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: Given the situation, I just don't think it's right to 81 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: move around a lot so road trip, camper vans that stuff. 82 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: I mean, you're pretty safe, right, You're by yourself, you're 83 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: cooking your own meals. You know, you're not interacting with 84 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: a lot of people, especially as we do this vaccination. 85 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: It's or just through the roof, so you know, it's 86 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: much safer than it was, you know, in the summer. 87 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: But even then, you know, if you're going hiking and 88 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: all that, I think that's fine. Beyond that, I was 89 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:38,679 Speaker 1: just a little hesitant to be encouraging travel to destinations 90 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: that didn't have a handle on COVID, and I was 91 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: just I know, I'm fine because of the precautions I take, 92 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: but I don't know, you know, what you two do, 93 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: like YouTube might not be as safe as I am 94 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: or whatever, and so just fatoring in that. It's when 95 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: you got a mass audience and you don't know, you know, 96 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: they're all going to take different tacks towards yeah safety, 97 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: and so to give like blanket advice, right, right, I mean, 98 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: I don't think travel is inherently bad, right, you know, 99 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 1: or even was last year. You know, there are ways 100 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: to travel safe, but I think that should be sort 101 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: of kept domestically in your own country rather than going 102 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: to another country and maybe being an a systematic spreader 103 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: or getting stuck. I mean there, French Polynesia was open 104 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: for a while and then France calls their borders and 105 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: since French Polynesia is part of France, they had to 106 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: shut their boarders to within like a day. So if 107 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: you were there, you had scrambled to get out, or 108 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: you were you weren't going anywhere. And so with the 109 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: frequency of border closures and just the situation changing so 110 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: quickly all the time, I think which is better if 111 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: you were going to do any travel just to do 112 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: it domestically. Yeah, totally so. But like, as you know, 113 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: you mentioned vaccination's way up, what do you think how 114 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: much has COVID changed the way we're going to travel 115 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: in the near term future, as maybe you know, the 116 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: European Union does say all right, we're gonna reopen for 117 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: for visitors. Like what are you starting to tell your readers? 118 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: Um as travel restrictions do start to lift in other 119 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: parts of the world, you know, many parts of the 120 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: world are open, and many parts of the world will 121 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: open up if you're vaccinated, Europe being an example of that. 122 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: If you're Vaccinatete you'll leave it a go there. So 123 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: I startingly encourage people to get vaccinated if they want 124 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: to travel, especially to Europe. However you don't. There will 125 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: be countries that, you know, Mexico for example, doesn't care 126 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: one way or a the other, it seems, and so 127 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: UM pro vaccines. But I also grew, you know, working 128 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: in healthcare, so I trust them these things generally. But 129 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 1: for those who are you know, adamant that I refuse 130 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: to get a vaccine, well, they're just gonna be locked 131 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: out of many countries in the world. It's just that simple. 132 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: You know, they're not going to Asia, they're not going 133 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: to Australia, they're not going to New Zealand, they're not 134 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: going to most of Europe. Um, they won't go to 135 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: a lot of Caribbean or Pacific island countries. And that's 136 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: that's just one thing I have to go with. Yeah, yeah, Matt. 137 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: You so you mentioned working in a hospital. That's what 138 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: you were doing back in two thousand and six, right, 139 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: and you were going back to get your m b A. 140 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: But then you decided to take a gap year. And 141 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: so let's talk about just how you got into travel, 142 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: what led you to quit your job and to essentially 143 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: dedicate your life to travel. Back as you mentioned, I was, 144 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: I was working in healthcare. I was in hospital administration. 145 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: It was a really pooring job, and I had decided 146 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: to to leave do an NBA and go work in 147 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: the corporate world. And so prior to that, back in 148 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: two five, I took my vacation. I went a friend 149 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: to Thailand and I met backpackers. I never met, you know, 150 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: such a creature before. You know, people who were just 151 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: traveled and could do so on a budget. And so 152 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: I was just fascinated by these people. You know, in 153 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: America growing up, it's you know, hotels and expensive tours 154 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 1: and resorts and Disney and cruises, um, and here were 155 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: all these people in my age just traveling every day. 156 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: It was like the weekend. They had no plans. They 157 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: seem to be able to do it on very little money. 158 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: That was just fascinated by. I was like, this is 159 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: what I want. So I decided that I go home, 160 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: I quit my job. I would finish the NBA and 161 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: then before I follow the American game of career, you know, marriage, house, kids, 162 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: that whole jam. I'd go to a year around the 163 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: world and you know, get it out of my system. 164 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: While a year turned into the eighteen months. Came back 165 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eight, broke um doing a temp job, 166 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: and I realized, actually, I want to go back and travel. 167 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: So I started the blog as maybe a online resume 168 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: where maybe I could like, you know, do some freelance writing. 169 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,720 Speaker 1: But then I called up I was working in Thailand 170 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 1: before I came home as an indust teacher. I called 171 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: up that office and they're like, yeah, come on back. 172 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: So I went back in the fall with really one 173 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: goal was just to keep traveling. There were no grand 174 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: plans or anything like that. I just I wanted to 175 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: keep going. That was it. One more day, right, and 176 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: one thing lent to another. In a bout two thousand 177 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: and ten, the website was my job. I just got 178 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: stumbled into it. And here we are eleven years later. 179 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: There you go, Yeah, you so you truly are a 180 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: nomad at this point, right, eleven years of travel, but 181 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: eleven years you know, professionally writing. Okay, all right, But 182 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: but to in order to to leave your job, you 183 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: had to save up money to feel good about being 184 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: able to do that, right, to be able to actually 185 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: like afford the plane tickets UM and and get on 186 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: the road. So how much money did you save before 187 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: quitting your job and then like what were some of 188 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: the biggest cuts that you made in order to like 189 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: accelerate that timeline of being able to get on the road. 190 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,839 Speaker 1: I say three thousand dollars twenty grand. Much from the 191 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: trip ten was for when I came home, but since 192 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: I spent another six months overseas, that eight into a 193 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: lot of that home fund. So you know, I worked 194 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: a lot of overtime being in the hospital. There were 195 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: a lot of shifts UM I could take beyond UM, 196 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: so that was one thing I did so really jump 197 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 1: start my my bank account. But you know, I saved 198 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: for three years doing this because I had started working 199 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: when I graduated college in two thousand three and I 200 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: left in two thousand and six, So that was three 201 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: years of savings and overtime and didn't eat out, didn't 202 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: go drinking as much. Once I made the decision to leave, 203 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 1: I basically had eighteen months to get to where I 204 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: needed to be, So you know, I was more than 205 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: halfway there already just from saving money, but to get 206 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: the rest of the way, I moved in for the 207 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: last few months with my parents, so cut saved on rent. 208 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: I lived very monastic life, spartan existence. Yeah, because the 209 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: goal was, you know, I can go out to see 210 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: a movie and the popcorn and all that, and that's 211 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: twenty thirty bucks. Well that's a day in one more 212 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: day in Thailand. And so by always framing it in 213 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 1: that like do I want to give up one day 214 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: of travel to do this? Most of time the answer 215 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: is no. And I made those decisions a little bit 216 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: easier to make it felt less like depriving yourself and 217 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: more like actually funding your future exploration. Right, Yeah, And 218 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: then you know I made a couple of grand by 219 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: selling all my possessions before I left, and there we 220 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: go very cool. If someone is thinking through this and 221 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: they're like, man, that sounds like something you know, I'd 222 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: be I'd be interested in doing what like, what advice 223 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: do you have for any any new or or just 224 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: maybe any aspiring travelers out there. I think it's important 225 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: come up for us with your own budget. Where do 226 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: you spend your money on? Most people have no idea 227 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: where they spend their money, and so if you can 228 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: track your expenses for a month, you'll probably find a 229 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: lot of low hanging fruit you can cut to save. 230 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: And so I think once people get a better handle 231 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: on their finances, it allows them to see, oh, maybe 232 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: I can do this, because I mean, think of all 233 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: the money you spend in a in a month that 234 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: you don't even think about your Starbucks, that that water 235 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: you bought, that snack you bought even you know, the 236 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: money you give to a homeless person, the glass of 237 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: wine you you got during happy hour. As you read 238 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: like just little things like that, suddenly you're like, wow, 239 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of money. You're a lift. The scooter, 240 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: the East scooter you get because you're too lazy to walk, right, 241 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: I'm amazed at how much money I spend a year 242 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: on lift. Last year I was like, I bought a 243 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: car and I still managed to spend hundreds of dollars. 244 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: It was a point to get in the car, you know. 245 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: So when you're like confronted with those numbers, you're like, oh, 246 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: now I need to make a change, because especially when 247 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: everything's easy on an app right, and you don't really 248 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: think about the money you're spending, You just tappen and go. 249 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: That's interesting that your your first ice to an aspiring 250 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: traveler is to look at your budget. Like obviously you 251 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: know this is a money show, so we're with you. 252 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: But that's uh that I find that fascinating that that's 253 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: your your initial advice that you give somebody. Yeah, I 254 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: mean it just points out I mean what I hear 255 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: you saying, Matt, is that you can travel. It's just 256 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: you've got to make other changes in your life if 257 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: that's something you actually want to do, Like it's it's 258 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: more possible than you realize. But instead you're kind of 259 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: just moving along doing the normal things that we as 260 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: Americans do, spending money, you know, on a glass of 261 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,719 Speaker 1: wine while we're reading a book, catching a lift, uh, 262 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: in order to meet with some friends, things like that, 263 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: and all that. Yeah, all that costs money, uh, and 264 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: putting in the perspective of how much time is this 265 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: going to cost me if I am traveling abroad, Like, 266 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: that's just a perfect way to think about it. That's 267 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: just the proper context. And so we're actually gonna talk 268 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 1: more about some of the practical steps that we can 269 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: take when it comes to reducing the amount of money 270 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: that it takes two to live on when you are abroad, 271 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: so that when you do go to the movies and 272 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 1: get popcorn and you spend thirty bucks that you truly 273 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: do equate that with the cost of living of an 274 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: entire day in a different country. So we're gonna get 275 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: to all those practical nuts and bolts right after the break. 276 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: All right, we're back from the break. We're talking with 277 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: Nomadic Matt. This dude knows how to travel, and let's 278 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: dive into some of the practical nuts and bolts of 279 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: how to travel so that it doesn't break the bank. 280 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: And Matt, the title of one of your books says 281 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: that you can travel for just fifty bucks a day. 282 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 1: That's really not that much money when you think about it, 283 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: because I think most people are like, my hotel is 284 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 1: gonna cost a whole lot more than that, right, So, yeah, 285 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: does that fifty include transportation like airfare, lodging, food, everything. 286 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: It includes everything, you know, works out to eighteen thousands, 287 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty bucks in a year. And you'll get 288 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: people to speak like that sounds like so much money. 289 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: But when you include as everything and you compare to like, 290 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: how much is your life in the state's costs probably 291 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 1: a long So it's not a lot of money when 292 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: you think of it. As like, the total number you'll 293 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: spend in a year can ever take a few grand 294 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: and either end depending on where you go. Obviously, if 295 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: you spend that year in Europe or Australia, it's gonna 296 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: cost more money than if you were to spend that 297 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: year just you know, around Southeast Asia. Yeah. Yeah, and 298 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: so Joel you kind of mentioned uh airfare, Matt, You've 299 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: got some great resources on your site that helps folks 300 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: find a great deal in flights. What are some of 301 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: the best ways to score a better deal on airfare? 302 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: Because I mean, I'm assuming that's the most expensive part 303 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: of say, getting to Southeast Asia is the plane ticket, 304 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: So yeah, how do you spend less money on that 305 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: aspect of travel? You want to be flexible. I think 306 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: the there's a couple of tips. First off, be flexible, 307 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 1: whether it's when you can go, where you can go. 308 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: There's always deals around. I mean last week, either two 309 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: round your flights of Japan. I saw those pop up. Yeah, 310 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: from the end of the year into So if you're 311 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: flexible with where you go and when you go, there's 312 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: always a deal around. Um. But if you have to 313 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: go to Paris and you have to go July twelve. 314 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 1: That's it. Well, then there's no magic vodo that you 315 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: can do to make the price of that flight on 316 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: the twelfth of July drop. It is what it is. 317 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: But maybe if you're in the thirteenth or the fourteenth 318 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: or the week later, it's less. Or maybe you don't 319 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: go to Paris in July twelve, you go to Barcelona 320 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: because that's where the deal is. And so one definitely 321 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: be flexible. Two, sign up for deal newsletters like Scott's 322 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: Chief Flights or the Flight Deal Secret. Flying those websites, 323 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: they find the deals for you and they take away 324 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: a lot of that work. And then you know, the 325 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: biggest thing we can do, especially as Americans, is travel hack. 326 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 1: You know, collect those points of miles for flights. You know, 327 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: a a credit card signed up bonus alone, you know, 328 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: which can be fifty to a hundred thousand points these days, 329 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: that alone will get you an economy trip to Asia, 330 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: were really anywhere in the world an economy and so 331 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: using those points and accumulating them is the best way 332 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: to get that flight. You know a lot of people 333 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 1: didn't travel hacking scale. You know, you have to spend 334 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,400 Speaker 1: that money, but most cards come with like point multipliers. 335 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: You know, you get four points for gas and you know, 336 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: three points at restaurants and all that jazz. And so 337 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: if it takes you a year to get a free flight, 338 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: you know, I take to a year. I mean, that's 339 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: one of the things that I did when I did 340 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: my first trip overseas. I have like a city card 341 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: and thank you points, and I used it for cash, 342 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: and so that covered my leg from the US to 343 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: Europe and then Europe to Southeast Asia. So there's two 344 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: flights just taken care of. One of the other aways, Matt. 345 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: I think what you're like most known for is like 346 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 1: slow travel being one of the best ways to save money, 347 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: and that slow travel is different than travel the way 348 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:10,919 Speaker 1: we currently think about it. You allude to that a 349 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: little bit earlier. But one thing it does mean is 350 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: purchasing fewer flights in all likelihood. But how else does 351 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: like slow travel actually benefit you and allow you to 352 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: travel more cheaply than people typically think they're they're going 353 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:26,239 Speaker 1: to be able to. Well, you're just you're, you know, 354 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 1: amortizing your costs over a longer period of time, right, 355 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: So you know, if you're going from Bangkok to Chang 356 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: Mai and then to Pouquet and then you continue south. 357 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: If you're doing this every day or every few days, 358 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: the trains are playing some buses, they really add up. 359 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,719 Speaker 1: Whereas if you just go a week here and then 360 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: a week there, you're not spending as much on transportation 361 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: because you not visiting as many places quicker. You know, 362 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: the faster you travel, and the more it's going to 363 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: cost money because the more transportation you're gonna take. Okay, 364 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 1: So aside from transportation, like that's obviously a major cost 365 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,160 Speaker 1: when it comes to traveling abroad, I gotta think affordable 366 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: accommodations are probably next on the list when it comes 367 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 1: to traveling for less. I'm assuming matth that you're not 368 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: staying at fantacy fur star hotels, right are are really 369 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: nice airbnbs And most of the time, how are you 370 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: able to get your accommodation costs low? I do say 371 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: lots of four star hotels because okay, that's the combination 372 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: is free accommodation. So again, points can really go a 373 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: long way to lowering your costs. You can couch surf, 374 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: which is you know, you can stay with a local 375 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: for free. It's a great website. Yeah, that's one thing 376 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: I used a lot when I was traveling and can 377 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: still you see a UM and there's a couple of 378 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 1: other sites that are similar, like be Welcome Global Freeloaders 379 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: UH and serve us Hustles. I mean hustles are not 380 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: what you imagine them to be, like, you know, they're 381 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: not like dirty places that you see in the euro 382 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: trip and all that. They've actually improved a lot over 383 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: the last you know, fifteen years, as your millennial starts 384 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 1: to traveling and have demanded more services. You know, now 385 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 1: they have tours, bars, restaurants, you know, WiFi, especially as 386 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,159 Speaker 1: remote work has sort of the digital nomad thing became 387 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: big in the two thousand tents. You know, they sort 388 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: of improved themselves. And you know, if you don't want 389 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: to stay in the dorm room, hostels have private rooms, 390 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: so there are options. I mean obviously you know if 391 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: you don't want to stay in the dorm uh, you 392 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: don't want to couch surf um and you're like, I 393 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: only want airbnbs. Well there's only so much you can do, right, 394 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, for me and Airbnb, I don't get my 395 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 1: own place. I always stay in someone's guests room because 396 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: to me, the point of airbnb is to get to 397 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: know the people you're staying with. But a room in 398 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 1: soone's house is markedly cheaper than getting the whole apartment 399 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: to yourself. And so I mean, if you're traveling with 400 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: the group, it makes way more sense to get an 401 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: airbnb and then untils for each of you to get 402 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: a dorm room, right, because if you add up all 403 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: the costs individually, you're better off just getting your own place. 404 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: But if you're a solo traveler, you know, hostiles and 405 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: culture were going to be the most cost effective ways 406 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: to lower your combination costs besides points. So, yeah, what 407 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 1: about that food budget, because that's another one of those things. 408 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: I think when people travel they assume that they need 409 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: to eat out twice or maybe even three times during 410 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 1: that day. Especially four times or four times a day, 411 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 1: you're like a hobbit. You eat meals at the pace 412 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: of a hobbit. Second breakfast for matt um. Yeah, Like, like, 413 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: what are you doing to save on food costs? Because 414 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: it does get really expensive if you're continually going out 415 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:42,360 Speaker 1: to eat as opposed to cooking on your own. Right. Well, 416 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:43,959 Speaker 1: I think that's when you hit the nail on the head. 417 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: You know, people assume you always have to eat out, 418 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: but you don't have to eat out. I mean, you 419 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: cook a lot when you travel. There's nothing wrong with cooking. 420 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: People in the destination you're at, they don't eat out 421 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: every meal. So why do you feel need eat out 422 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 1: every meal? You go in the market, go to the supermarket, 423 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: the farmers market. If you really want to get a 424 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: sense of what people are eating day today, they're gonna 425 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 1: see that in all these you know, in the grocery store, 426 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: because that's gonna be prime for the local appetite. They're 427 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: gonna sell things people by. And so if you really 428 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 1: want to get a cross section of like what do 429 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: people eat in this country, go to the market. But 430 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: people don't need out all the time, and so don't 431 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: feel I don't get why people feel the pressure to 432 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: eat out every meal. All right, Practically on that, so 433 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: when you are staying in a hotel, like how are 434 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: you cooking the food? Well, what are you doing? Because 435 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: there's not there's not like I guess I'm sure like 436 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 1: when you're staying in the airbnb, you have access to 437 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 1: a stove, but if you're in a hotel, practically, how 438 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: are you doing that. Well, hostiles have kitchens, so there 439 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 1: you go. Um, But if I'm at a hotel, then 440 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 1: it becomes a little more problematic. If I'm staying at 441 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: a hotel, I'm probably eating out because if I'm staying 442 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: at a hotel, I've used points, So my daily budget 443 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: has more room in it for food because a combination 444 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: that day is zero. But you know, why does every 445 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: meal have to be a hot meal? You can make 446 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: a sandwich. So a lot of times I don't eat breakfast, 447 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: and so my day is sort of like I will 448 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,560 Speaker 1: eat out one meal and I'll cook one meal depending 449 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 1: on where I am. And you know, again, if do 450 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 1: I have a kitchen or not, it could be lunch 451 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: or dinner. From eating out for lunch, you know, it's 452 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,120 Speaker 1: because I'm staying out a place where I can cook 453 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: a hot dinner like pasta or or you know, stir 454 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,120 Speaker 1: fry or something like that. If that is not the case, 455 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 1: I'll eat out dinner and I'll just make myself a 456 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: sandwich for lunch. But you know, you're in Europe, right, 457 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: Let's let's use Europe asient example. And you're in Paris 458 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: or you're in Italy, there's all these fresh markets out there. 459 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 1: It's that's what they people do. They go get some 460 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: fresh bread, cheese and meats and cats so much it 461 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 1: should be your lunch too. If you're in a country 462 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: like a region like Southeast Asia, well the street fruit 463 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: is so cheap you never cook it off because it's 464 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 1: like a dollar a meal, right. I know. I had 465 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 1: like one of the best meals in my life and Thailand. 466 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: It was like literally like ninety cents or something like that, 467 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: and it was this stir fry with with shrimp, and 468 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: I was like, Uh, you could look like a king 469 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: in Thailand. You truly could. So I think, yeah, that 470 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: eighteen thousand dollars a year number. If you're living in Thailand, 471 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: it might be more like or something like that. It's 472 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: so dirt cheap to be in Thailand. Yeah, and Matt 473 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: here and you talk about Paris. I mean, that's like 474 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 1: some of the best memories I have when my wife 475 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 1: and I when we went to Paris. You know, we 476 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: had some really nice restaurants, but some of the best 477 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: memories we have some of the best experiences where when 478 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: we went to a bakery, grab a fresh baggett, grabbed 479 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: some cheese at a local market, and some fruit, and 480 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: we just went and had a picnic like that, plus 481 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: some for shoto or something like that, for some meat. 482 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: I mean that held us over. You know, that was 483 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: plenty for us to get through the rest of the 484 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: day until it was time for dinner. So yeah, I'm 485 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 1: totally with you there, Matt. We've got a few more 486 00:24:57,119 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: questions for you regarding you know, just planning full or vacation, 487 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 1: planning for travel, as well as just some of the 488 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: different benefits that you've found that you've gained from from 489 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: traveling the world, and we'll get to all of that 490 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: right after this break. All right, we're back from break. 491 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: We're talking with Nomadic Matt and Matt I sually. You know, 492 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: we just kind of covered slow travel and how you're 493 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: able to kind of amortiz I think it's the word 494 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: you said, your expenses when you're traveling over a longer, 495 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: slower period of time. A lot of our listeners might 496 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: be saying, that sounds nice, Nomadic Matt, But I only 497 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: get three weeks of vacation a year, So yeah, what 498 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: are your tips for folks that have a normal job 499 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 1: for maybe being able to to fit in an extended 500 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: trip like the kind of travel you're all about. No, 501 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: I still think you can travel slow regardless of how 502 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: long ago you can't see has made destinations if you 503 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 1: only have three weeks, But that doesn't mean you can't 504 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: see one or two destinations. Deeply, I think the travel 505 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: side here in the States is you know more and 506 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:07,880 Speaker 1: more and more, right, But when you're traveling, less is more, 507 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 1: and so I always encourage people that, you know, I 508 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: understand why people want to travel fast. You have three 509 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: weeks a year, There's lots of places in the world 510 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: to see, and you're just trying to maximize the application time. 511 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: But you know, again, if you're seeing ten destinations in Europe, well, 512 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: your transportation costs are going to go through the roof 513 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: because you have to. You're holways on the move. It's 514 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: exhausting being on the move. And by the time you 515 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:35,679 Speaker 1: get back from your three week trip, you're really just 516 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: gonna remember being on the move. It's all gonna seem 517 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: like a blur. You're gonna need a vacation. Yeah, And 518 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 1: so regardless of the amount of time you have, it's important, 519 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: you know, to understand that in travel less is more, 520 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: And I struggly encourage people you know, to deep dive 521 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,360 Speaker 1: into places. You know, if you have three weeks, rather 522 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 1: than go everywhere, pick like three or four places and 523 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: just see them deeply. You'll have a much more memorable 524 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 1: experience because you'll be able to spend time in those 525 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 1: places making memories, rather than just shuttling from the major 526 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: tourist attractions and getting back on the training. It will 527 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: be cheaper and it'll be less exhausting because you can 528 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: just you know, you're not in a rush, and when 529 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 1: you're not in a rush, you can allow for you know, 530 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: the serendipity of travel to happen where you can just 531 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: walk out the door, you know, and you get a 532 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: couple of things you want to see and you let 533 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: the rest of the day fill in. And that's when 534 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: you you do that, the things that fill in, they're 535 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: usually the things you're going to remember more. That's so true. Yeah, 536 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I know I found that in my travels, 537 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: the things that we didn't necessarily plan for, the things 538 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,919 Speaker 1: I remember, like the things that happened by like happenstance 539 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: by chance. Yeah, because you had time to like specifically 540 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: when when you and I, like when we we traveled 541 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: to Ireland. I remember positioning you over some cow poop 542 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: and into I did not. I held you there and 543 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,679 Speaker 1: then you just stepped at it, and I was like, 544 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: why did you say? That's not how it went. It 545 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: was messed up. But we wouldn't have done that if 546 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: we didn't just have like thirty minutes just on, you know, 547 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,439 Speaker 1: just to mess around on this hike, on these cool 548 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,400 Speaker 1: rocks next to this field, and like that still stands 549 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: out in my mind, is like one of the funniest 550 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: things of all time. You remember these things more than 551 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: you do, you know, the museum War, Yes, anything else 552 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:31,120 Speaker 1: that's true. Yeah, I mean some of my greatest memories. 553 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: Or when I let the day phil itself in and 554 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: I ended up very far from where I wanted to 555 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: be in the sense like I thought this is what 556 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: I was going to do, and I ended up doing 557 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: something else that was kind next better. Yeah. I love that. 558 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 1: That's that's for sure, Matt. You know, I've seen stories 559 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 1: of some of like like Instagram influencer couples that like 560 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: break up after a year of being on the road together. 561 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: Like traveling, it can be a lot of fun, but 562 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: it can be pretty stressful as well. And so I 563 00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: guess this just makes me wonder, like, do you ever 564 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 1: get tired of traveling yourself? You've been doing it now 565 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 1: for you know, over you know, fifteen years, eleven years professionally. 566 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: Is this something that that you still look forward to 567 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 1: just with with just as much energy as you used to, 568 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: or is it something Mabe you're getting tired of. I 569 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: wouldn't say I'm ever tired of travel. I love it 570 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 1: as much as I did fifteen years ago, but I 571 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: definitely don't go away as long as I did fifteen 572 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: years ago. I mean that first it was the eighteen months. 573 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 1: Now after like a month, I'm like, I want to 574 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: go back to my bed. I am just tired think 575 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: of unpacking. I just want to be in one place. 576 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: I also like my job. I love what I do. 577 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: In the longer year on the road, you know, it's 578 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: really hard to balance work and travel, and so since 579 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: I really primarily want to focus on travel, there's only 580 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: so long I can push work to the side. And so, 581 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: you know, four or five weeks, I'm like, all right, 582 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go home. I'm ready to start working again. 583 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: I'm ready to go back and just face plants into 584 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:02,040 Speaker 1: my bed. You know, travel burnout is real. Even if 585 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 1: you are new to this. It's the first time you're 586 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: going away, you've never traveled before. A few months into this, 587 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: you're gonna go I'm really tired. I need to slow 588 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: down because travel is work. Right. Every day you wake up, 589 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 1: you gotta figure out your way around a new country. 590 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: You gotta make friends, you gotta figure out where to eat, 591 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: and then you gotta do pack up tomorrow, find the 592 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: bus station, get to your next destination, make friends all 593 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: over again, find place to find you way around the city. 594 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: That's tiring because there's a lot of mental energy that 595 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: goes into it. So travel burnout is real. And I 596 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,400 Speaker 1: always encourage people if you're getting to that stage where 597 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: you're sick of just moving and travel, stop for me, 598 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: I just go home, because you know I don't I'm 599 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: not on the road. But if you're on this round 600 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:56,920 Speaker 1: the world trip, just wherever you are, stop and just 601 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: chill out in one destination for a week, two weeks, 602 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: however long it takes until you decide okay, I'm ready 603 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: to go. And you know, travel is not on a 604 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: limited well spring. It's a battery that needs to be recharged. 605 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 1: So and you've been traveling solo on most of these trips. Like, uh, 606 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: do you have any tips for like combating loneliness or 607 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: developing meaningful relationships because it canna be tough, Like when 608 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: you're like new city, new day, gotta meet a new friend. Um, yeah, 609 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: what about developing community? That's something that's important to Matt 610 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: and I were very embedded where we live. I think 611 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,719 Speaker 1: that to me would be like the hardest part of 612 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: kind of this travel lifestyle. Again, this is why a 613 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: lot of people stay in hostles, because you're surrounded by 614 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: other travelers, right, so you can meet a lot of people. 615 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: Going back to couch surfing, Not only can you stay 616 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: with people through their havel, there's always events going on, right, 617 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: So there's always sort of community meet ups, whether locals 618 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: are running or just other travelers posting, Hey, I'm gonna 619 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: go to this site tomorrow. Who wants to join? People join? 620 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:02,320 Speaker 1: I love meet dot com. Um, you have hobbies, Chances 621 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: are somebody in the destination going to it's a big 622 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: enough city enjoin that hobby too. So reach out to 623 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 1: those groups and like see what's going on. Facebook groups. 624 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: You know, those didn't exist when I started traveling around 625 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: the world, but they do. Now, you know, so you 626 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: can go in and type in you know, expats in 627 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, Wahaka, and you can join the group and 628 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: posts like saying, hey, I'm visiting Wahaka, like I love 629 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: to like meet some people. There are ways to always 630 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: meet people nowadays, because the Internet has really helped facilitate that. Before, 631 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: you know, you backpacked around the world. You you met 632 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 1: people through a hostel or just happenstance. Nowadays, there's all 633 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:50,479 Speaker 1: these apps and Facebook groups and websites, uh that allow 634 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: people to meet strangers. I remember going to meet up 635 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 1: groups way back in the day, like two thousand, two 636 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: thousand four, when I moved to Boston after college and 637 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: hole and was like I need to meet people. That 638 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: was weird. You met people online, you hungover strangers Like 639 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: that was weird back then, right, like you know what, 640 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: you know, it would be like I met my girlfriend 641 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: and online people like that's so weird. Nowadays it's like 642 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: you met somebody in real life. That's so weird. Yeah, 643 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: that's so yeah, that's that's the anomalat right. Yeah, And 644 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: so the same thing online. There's all these things and 645 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: it's you know, couch are from meet up tomorrow Okay, 646 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 1: I'll just go to that and you meet a bunch 647 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: of strangers. I like it. Well, Matt, like, obviously, you 648 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: know you're you're such a huge fan of travel. It's 649 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,840 Speaker 1: it's a massively important part of your life. But traveling 650 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: around the world it may not be for everyone. And 651 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: so how does someone know if it's just not for them, 652 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: if they're just not necessarily cut out for travel, or 653 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 1: if maybe they've just done a poor job at it. 654 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: You know, you've kind of lifted out some of the 655 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 1: different ways that you could do travel incorrectly. How you 656 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 1: can do it wrong. How does someone know whether or 657 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:02,200 Speaker 1: not they've just had a bad experience or if maybe 658 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: travels just not for them. Well, I don't know if 659 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: they've had a bad experience and had to know that, 660 00:34:07,120 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 1: because that's that's so personal. I guess i'd have to 661 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 1: like gread their paper, so to speak, right, tell me, oh, 662 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:16,879 Speaker 1: you really messed that out, But you really messed that out. 663 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: But how do you know if whether it's for you 664 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 1: or not? You go and you can always come home. 665 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: And I think in our culture it's like you have 666 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 1: to finish what you start right, clean your plate, read 667 00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: the whole book, watch the movie that you don't enjoy. 668 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: You said you were going a year away. You have 669 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 1: to go a year away. I have to do any 670 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: of those things. If you're three months, four months into 671 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: your trip and you're like, oh, well, Matt said, if 672 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:43,760 Speaker 1: I'm feeling burned out, to stop, and then you stop 673 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: and you spend you know, a couple of weeks in 674 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 1: the destination, you're still burnt out, and you're like, one 675 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 1: more week, you're still just really missing home home. I 676 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 1: met a lot of people who were just like, Oh, 677 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 1: I miss my friends, I missed my family. I gave 678 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: it a go, I slowed down, I started again, and 679 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 1: just I couldn't shake this feeling that I don't need 680 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,839 Speaker 1: to go longer. You have nothing to prove. Travel is 681 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:10,359 Speaker 1: really just self development. And so if you're going after 682 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 1: you did three months and you're like, that's it, go home, 683 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with 684 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:18,319 Speaker 1: throwing in the towel. If it's something that you don't like, 685 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:21,399 Speaker 1: there's it's just like, it's uh, what the sunk cost 686 00:35:21,480 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 1: fallacy essentially right, just to say I'm gonna keep going 687 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,960 Speaker 1: because I've already committed to this and I feel like 688 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 1: we we do that all the time with our finances, 689 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:30,399 Speaker 1: but then also with our time, like with the things 690 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,080 Speaker 1: that we commit to in life, when it's just as 691 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:36,400 Speaker 1: good of an idea, sometimes to bow out and just 692 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: to stop travel is about having the ultimate flexibility, right, Oh, 693 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 1: you know I don't really like this destination I'm leaving. 694 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,439 Speaker 1: Oh I love this destination. I'm gonna stay Wenger. Why 695 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: not apply that ultimate flexibility to the trip as a 696 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,720 Speaker 1: whole if you want to. If you're like I'm done, 697 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:57,040 Speaker 1: I mean there are many times where you know, I 698 00:35:57,080 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: was supposed to stay in a place longer and I'm 699 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: like just gonna go home. I've never once thought I've 700 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: only had a state LANDA I was ready to go 701 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 1: and that was at And so if you're same thing, 702 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 1: don't fall into that sun cost fallacy with your time 703 00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:16,480 Speaker 1: for money, especially money. Well, yeah, we agree with you 704 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:18,319 Speaker 1: on that one, that's for sure. Matt. Thank you so 705 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,839 Speaker 1: much for taking the time to join us on on 706 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: this episode. Man Um Yeah, working our listeners find out 707 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:27,839 Speaker 1: more about you and your advice on traveling cheaply well 708 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 1: my website nomadic mac dot com. I know I'm a 709 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,919 Speaker 1: D I C M A T. T has all my 710 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: resources there, but I am branded on all social media 711 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 1: channels Nomadic Matt. So whenever social media platform you love 712 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:46,520 Speaker 1: backslash Nomadic Matt, you will find me awesome Nomadic Matt. 713 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 1: Thank you for coming on the show Man. We appreciate it, 714 00:36:48,719 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: no problem, Thanks for having me. All right, Matt, that 715 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 1: was a good combo with Nomadic Matt. I know what 716 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,719 Speaker 1: he's brought to the space of slow Travel over the years. 717 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 1: I feel like he's one of those guys who just 718 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,680 Speaker 1: really influenced the space, and his influenced how people travel, 719 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,280 Speaker 1: how people um and how people can do it cheaply, 720 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 1: because obviously that's what you and I are all about. 721 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: So so what was your big takeaway from that conversation? Yeah, 722 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,080 Speaker 1: so specifically what he mentioned A figure he mentioned I 723 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 1: forget the exact figure, but he said eighteen thousand a year, 724 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: eighteen thousand something. Because I was like, that's very specific. 725 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: I wrote down the eighteen k but I was listening 726 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: to I'm not very good at listening and taking notes. 727 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,319 Speaker 1: I'll just say that, but when he said that figure, dude, 728 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: that made me realize there's individuals who take vacations week 729 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: week long vacations, two week long vacations, and they'll spend 730 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 1: that much money in just those two weeks. Who are 731 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,920 Speaker 1: those people and just those ten days, And for him 732 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 1: to mention that is what you can live on. You 733 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: can survive and travel the world on that amount of money, 734 00:37:46,600 --> 00:37:49,239 Speaker 1: and potentially even less if you're in Southeastern Asia because 735 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,040 Speaker 1: it's more affordable there. So that just really stood out 736 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:53,880 Speaker 1: to me because it highlighted the fact that it doesn't 737 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: cost a ton of money to travel if it's a 738 00:37:56,880 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: priority and if you're willing to travel in ways that 739 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,400 Speaker 1: aren't consumptive, right, Like like the kind of travel that 740 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:06,160 Speaker 1: we see in the kind of travel that we're fed with, 741 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 1: you know, via marketing, advertising, social media. It's like super 742 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,279 Speaker 1: high end fancy travel. Like you're at a spa. You're 743 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 1: sitting there in the uh infinity pool that looks out, 744 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: you know, onto the Pacific, like that kind of thing, 745 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:23,279 Speaker 1: hot Stone Massage, yes, or you're in like the little 746 00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:25,320 Speaker 1: into those you're in one of the little huts, like 747 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:27,239 Speaker 1: you're Tahiti and you know, and it's like you're out 748 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,080 Speaker 1: in the middle of nowhere. It's it's like riding a 749 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:31,359 Speaker 1: horse on the beach that's what a lot of times 750 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,920 Speaker 1: people imagine. But you can be there and you can 751 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:38,399 Speaker 1: experience the culture and the food and oftentimes in the weather, right, 752 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:40,400 Speaker 1: and those are the things that truly matter. And you 753 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:42,640 Speaker 1: can pay very little money, or you can pay a 754 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,720 Speaker 1: ton of money and be at you know, a resort 755 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 1: where everything is basically spoon fed to you and you 756 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,800 Speaker 1: don't have to do anything. And it's like, like you said, 757 00:38:51,200 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: that's not what my life looks like here at home. 758 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:55,000 Speaker 1: Why do I take the life that I live here 759 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: in the States and apply that methodology the way I 760 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,319 Speaker 1: go about living my days here and do that just 761 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:02,759 Speaker 1: in a different country. And it's like it's so true, 762 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: Like as he was talking through, just like going out 763 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,359 Speaker 1: to eat. I mean, Kate and I we go out 764 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 1: to eat once every two weeks, you know, and it's 765 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 1: our date night, it's and it's a big deal. It's 766 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 1: a special occasion. Uh. And so I'm totally you know, 767 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 1: we've done this before. But I think thinking through different ways. 768 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: So I guess this is my second big takeaway, But 769 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:23,680 Speaker 1: thinking through ways to eat affordably when you're traveling, it 770 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:26,160 Speaker 1: doesn't you don't have to constantly be going out to 771 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:28,560 Speaker 1: eat eating at nice restaurants. I don't eat at nice 772 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 1: restaurants here in Atlanta, I mean rarely we do. Often times, 773 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:33,719 Speaker 1: I'm keeping things pretty simple, and so I don't know 774 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 1: that that really stood out to me as well, that 775 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 1: you don't have to spend a lot of money on 776 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:39,440 Speaker 1: food while you're traveling as well. I think that number 777 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 1: two stood out to me because I was like, you 778 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 1: could just set sell your Honda Chord and fun travel 779 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:46,880 Speaker 1: for a year. Like it's that. It's honestly, it's almost 780 00:39:46,920 --> 00:39:48,720 Speaker 1: that simple. There are a lot of people who have 781 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:50,839 Speaker 1: that much value they in a car, and if they 782 00:39:50,880 --> 00:39:53,160 Speaker 1: say that they prioritize travel, sell your car and go 783 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:55,279 Speaker 1: do it like you can't say that they have. And 784 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:56,840 Speaker 1: like Matt said as well, he's like, why did I 785 00:39:56,840 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 1: even buy a car? Once the pandemic hit and I 786 00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:00,399 Speaker 1: came back to the States, I'm still catch a lift 787 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:02,759 Speaker 1: to a lot of places. I mean, everyone knows we 788 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: don't like cars all that much. Anyway, you probably have 789 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 1: one too many sell it and go travel fits. I 790 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 1: think my big takeaway was that even you know, with 791 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,600 Speaker 1: the kind of American style vacation time we have where 792 00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:16,640 Speaker 1: we don't necessarily have as large of chunks to to 793 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: go travel. There's still ways to do slow travel. And 794 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:24,080 Speaker 1: he said, like visit one or two destinations and explore 795 00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:26,440 Speaker 1: them deeply. I thought that was a good concept, right 796 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:30,000 Speaker 1: deep instead of why yeah, yeah, I appreciate that. And 797 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:32,840 Speaker 1: I think to one tact that you can take is 798 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:36,120 Speaker 1: to take all of your vacation maybe in one lump time. 799 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: So if you have three weeks a vacation, attempt to 800 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:40,560 Speaker 1: take most of it in one time, like at one 801 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: at one time, so you can literally get twenty one 802 00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:45,759 Speaker 1: days in a row somewhere. Um that that's a way 803 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:47,880 Speaker 1: to then be able to explore deeply. You're buying one 804 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,959 Speaker 1: plane ticket and sometimes to vacations like you can take 805 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:54,120 Speaker 1: a little while before you feel disconnected from your work 806 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: and all the responsibilities of everyday life. So I think 807 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: when you take two or three weeks off, it's actually 808 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:01,359 Speaker 1: better for you men tilly, Whereas if you take three 809 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:03,839 Speaker 1: one week vacations, it's a little bit harder to get away. 810 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: You feel like you come back so quickly. And so yeah, 811 00:41:06,680 --> 00:41:09,920 Speaker 1: maybe attempt to take a larger chunk of time office 812 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:12,799 Speaker 1: you can explore more deeply and disconnect, you know, a 813 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:14,480 Speaker 1: little bit more. Yeah, I like that. Dude. That's a 814 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:17,680 Speaker 1: good strategy that you gleaned. Let's shift gears. Let's get 815 00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: back to the beer that you and I enjoyed on 816 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:24,000 Speaker 1: this episode. You and I shared a canela oscueo. I 817 00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:25,800 Speaker 1: don't I think that's how you say that this is 818 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: as your no's Is that an R and A? Oh? 819 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:32,120 Speaker 1: Maybe it's an R? Is it escuro? I bet you're right. 820 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:35,840 Speaker 1: The font uh and so that it looks just like 821 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:37,799 Speaker 1: the A. The look at it, it looks exactly like 822 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: the A. It does. But this is a bear by 823 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 1: Southern Grist Brewing Company, And dude, this was a really 824 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 1: good beer. This is a milk stout that was brewed 825 00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:49,080 Speaker 1: with obviously lactose, that's what makes it of the milk stout, 826 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 1: but it also had cinnamon, vanilla, cocoonibs and chili peppers. Dude, 827 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:56,879 Speaker 1: anytime I've got a good stout that has some that's 828 00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: bringing the heat, that's got some peppers in it, it 829 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 1: automatically gets upgraded by like point five on my tap rating. 830 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 1: But this one was really good. You can immediately feel 831 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:08,880 Speaker 1: the tingle of the heat on your tongue um. But 832 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,320 Speaker 1: this is one I really enjoyed it and blessed it 833 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:13,960 Speaker 1: had a nice little sweetness going on without vanilla. This 834 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:18,200 Speaker 1: is just a well rounded, good example of a Mexican 835 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:21,120 Speaker 1: style stout. Yeah. This was by Southern Grist. They make 836 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:23,239 Speaker 1: great beers and this one they said they modeled it 837 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:27,040 Speaker 1: after Mexican hot chocolate, and it definitely had that vibe, right. 838 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:30,000 Speaker 1: It had that like sweetness from from the milk. It 839 00:42:30,120 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 1: had that like cinnamon going on, and it had the 840 00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:34,120 Speaker 1: peppers bring in a little bit that heat. This was 841 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 1: a delightful example of that style. So yeah, I really 842 00:42:37,239 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: enjoyed it. There are certain beers that you and I 843 00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:40,080 Speaker 1: have on the show and we're kind of like, yeah, 844 00:42:40,080 --> 00:42:41,799 Speaker 1: I'm glad, glad we shared that one. This is one 845 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 1: where if we each had our own, I would have 846 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:46,839 Speaker 1: been more than happy to enjoy all sixteen ounces. Yeah 847 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:49,560 Speaker 1: that one. This was really really good, so good. But yeah, yeah, man, 848 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,319 Speaker 1: that's gonna be it for this episode. We'll make sure 849 00:42:51,360 --> 00:42:54,719 Speaker 1: to link to Noeumatic Matts website, but Noeumatic Matts dot 850 00:42:54,760 --> 00:42:56,720 Speaker 1: com it really does have a lot of great resources 851 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 1: up there on his site. But of course you can 852 00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:00,400 Speaker 1: find our show notes up on the website. How to 853 00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:02,239 Speaker 1: money dot Com. That's right. That's gonna do it for 854 00:43:02,280 --> 00:43:05,080 Speaker 1: this episode though, so until next time, best Friends Out, 855 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:06,320 Speaker 1: Best Friends Out,