Traveling the world on budget without quitting your job

TRAVEL
WORLDWIDE
Within budget, without quitting job
Shrinidhi Hande
www.enidhi.net

SHRINIDHI
HANDE
www.enidhi.net
Quick intro…
Full time job with leading MNC
Travel & Blogging by passion, since May 2006
Best Urban Chennai blogger award 2015
24 countries so far and counting
Focus on adventure, budget travel, unique
experiences and critical reviews
@enidhi
/enidhi
@enidhi

AGENDA
 Introduction
 Is it necessary to quit your job to travel the world?
 Barriers to travel
 I don’t have time
 I don’t have enough money
 I can’t plan my trip well
 Traveling on budget and without quitting your job
 Part A: Travel for less
 Saving on travel: Flights
 Saving on stay & exploration
 Part B: Optimize to get more value for same time/cost
 FAQs
Shrinidhi Hande, www.enidhi.net 4

QUIT YOUR JOB TO TRAVEL THE WORLD?
Pros
Lots of time at your disposal
High flexibility in planning
Ability to explore a destination in detail
Can travel in weekdays
Absolute Freedom
Cons
Lot complex than it sounds
Visa process gets complicated
Income concerns, payment delays
Sustaining long term needs lots of talent and
luck
Risky/tough to manage if you have dependents
on you
A traveler without a plan, source of funds and a motive to return home is likely to be
caught by immigrations and sent back home on net available flight!Shrinidhi Hande, www.enidhi.net 5

MANAGING TIME TO TRAVEL
 Make full use of long weekends
 Travel on work
 Travel in between jobs
 Job that lets you work on the go
 Take leave n travel
 Sabbaticals/long term unpaid leaves
Barrier 1: I don’t have time to Travel!

 Long weekends
 Do 2-3 short trips instead of 1 long trip
 Many countries can be reasonably explored in 3-4 days ex-Chennai:
 Srilanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Macau, Hong Kong etc
 Weekend + 1 or 2 days leave is usually easier
 Look for flights on Friday night, returning on working day morning
 Plan well ahead for sure-shot holidays n long weekends (Aug 15, Jan 2
etc)

 Travel on work
 Explore during weekend/early morning/late evening
 Check if return flight is cheaper on Saturday/Sunday
 Transit holidays
 Singapore city tour, Qatar Transit visa etc

 Travel in between jobs
 Bargain for late joining/early exit to get a month or two between jobs
 Job that lets you work on the go
 Take leave n travel
 Support your team even while on vacation
 Plan well in advance n take team into confidence
 Be ready to cancel travel if you are badly needed in office.
 Sabbaticals/long term unpaid leaves

SAVING MONEY TO TRAVEL
 Spend on experiences than things
 Set Goals
 Prioritize travel over other luxuries
 Save everyday- tiny drops add up
 Travel whenever, wherever it is cheap
 Try to earn from your travel
Barrier 2: I don’t have money to travel

Spend on experiences than thingsBarrier 2: I don’t have money to travel
Experience
 Cost of a skydiving: INR
30000
Money spent on Things over 6 months
 Party every week for 6 months: Rs
1000* 4 * 6 = 24000
 Eating out twice a month: Rs 3000*6 =
18000
 Some Puja/Function at home: Rs 40000
 Shopping stuff hardly needed: ?
It is possible to tour 4-5
countries for the cost of
an expensive phone!

Prioritize Travel & Set Travel GoalsBarrier 2: I don’t have money to travel
Goal
 Need to save 1 lakh for Japan Trip
Prioritize travel
 May be upgrade from hatch to sedan
can wait?
 Can we reduce shopping and eating out
expense by 50%?
 Jog in the park instead of expensive
gym membership?

Save Everyday- My approachBarrier 2: I don’t have money to travel
Mission:
Live simple, save and travel
How I save for my travel?
 No car purchase. Managing with bike
 Travel in public transport, sleeper class train
 Reach airport in 13 Rs!
 Cut spending on everyday luxuries: No partying,
unnecessary shopping, eating out

Travel when it is cheapBarrier 2: I don’t have money to travel
Reality!
Holiday in Malaysia may be cheaper
than holiday in North India
Travel when it is cheap vs when it is convenient
 Look for airline sales, grab cheapest tickets
 Travel during off-peak season
 Identify newer, less popular destinations
 Plan on your own instead of 3rd
party packages

Earn from your travel!Barrier 2: I don’t have money to travel
Let one trip fund your next one!
 Write articles for reputed publications
 Sell photos online (500px etc)
 Association with brands
 Income from blogs (ads, sponsored posts etc)
 Travel consultancy/ Organize trips

TRAVELING ON BUDGET & TIME
CONSTRAINT: HOW?
Barrier 3: I don’t know how to plan my trip well
Part A: Saving on flights, hotels,
siteseeing etc
Part B: Optimizing your plan to get
more value for same money/time

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- FLIGHTS
 Look for airline sales
 Use low cost airlines
 Avoid add-ons where
possible
 Risk of booking very
early
# Destination (ex Chennai) Normal Airfare Low cost fare Remarks
1 Japan (Osaka Kansai) 45000-50000 20497 Hand bag only
2 Australia 55000-60000 32000 With 20kg bag
3 Bali, Indonesia 35000-40000 17000 With bag
4 Manila, Philippines 35000-40000 15500 Hand bag only
5 Macao 35000-40000 17000 With bag
6 Cambodia 12000
7 Phuket 15000-20000 9900

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- FLIGHTS- AIRASIA
BIG SALE
 Before the sale
 Sign up and keep passenger profiles ready
 Shortlist few destinations
 Check Visa Requirements
 Note min # days required
 Note flight timings, airport to city commute
 Note normal/average fares
 Shortlist potential travel dates
 Ensure adequate cash in net-banking A/C

BIG SALE
 During the sale
 Use incognito mode
 Search for only 1 Passenger
 Try multiple date ranges to identify cheapest fare within sale period
 Book only if fares are 40-60% cheaper than avg
 Avoid buying add-ons
 Pay using net banking
 Avoid booking for your friends- let them book on their own
More details :
http://www.enidhi.net/2016/03/airasia-big-sale-tips-to-get-best-deals.html

BIG SALE
 After the sale
 Plan day-wise itinerary, hotel bookings
 Plan leave
 Schedule change entitles you to credit refund
 Book add-on services such as bag, meals etc closer to
travel date
 Web check-in opens 14 days prior

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- FLIGHTS- MORE
TIPS
 More flight tips
 Try to fly without check in bag-quicker, cheaper
 Look for airline schedule change and use it to your
advantage
 While ticket rates change w.r.t time, add-on service rates
don’t. Book them later
 Book direct on airline website, avoid 3rd
party sites
 Pay attention to what’s auto-selected (bag, meals,
insurance etc)- de-select if not needed
 Look for cheaper cities nearby- flights out of
Chennai/Kochi are cheaper than ex-Blr
 Watch out for new route launches

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- FLIGHTS- MORE
OPTIONS
 Other popular low cost airlines to track (ex-Chennai)
 Spicejet & Indigo
 Scoot/Tiger Air
 Srilankan
 Malaysian
 FlyDubai
 Websites
 Momondo
 Skyscanner

RISK OF BOOKING TOO EARLY
# Risk Probability How to deal?
1 Flight schedule change Very High Work with airline to select an alternate flight that may be more convenient
Worst case, take refund claiming rescheduled time is not convenient to you
2 Not getting leave Moderate Inform your team about upcoming trips
Try to finish your responsibilities before leave starts
Delegate
Offer to work/support from destination if needed
Worst case- be mentally prepared to sacrifice the trip!
3 Health problems/ emergencies Low NA
4 One or more of the co-
passenger not able to join
High Be prepared to travel solo- it is also an experience
Keep them regularly in loop about trip planning and keep them interested and prepared
5 Destination weather
conditions not favorable
Medium Never possible to predict exact weather well in advance- take chance and travel. You
may have to spend a day or two indoor and might be able to explore on rest of the days
6 Visa rejection Low Follow all requirements and documentation diligently to ensure full compliance
Apply well in advance so that if rejection is due to technical reasons there’s time to apply
again

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- STAY
 Try Hostels and Capsule Hotels
 Use websites like booking.com that allow free cancellation
 Try couch-surfing
 Avoid pre-booking extra nights
 User locker/baggage drop facilities
 Book stay closer to metro/train station
 Overnight train/bus options
 Stay with friends/relatives
 Tent/Camping
 Try your luck getting free stays in exchange for reviews

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- EXPLORE MORE
 Research better
 Opening and closing hours, weekly offs etc
 Entry fee, best season etc
 Relative worth of the attraction
 Optimize your itinerary
 Avoid loop travel, sequence the attractions better
 Start very early, explore 24x7 attractions early morning or late evening
 Pre-book to avoid queue where possible, skip if waiting time is not worth
 Walk/use trains where possible

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP-STARTING
VERY EARLY
Standard Itinerary Optimized itinerary Tips
•Get up at 6.30 AM
•Fresh up, breakfast by 8 AM
•Start by 9 AM
•Reach Nikko by 11.30 AM
•Explore Nikko till 5 PM
•Return to Tokyo by 8 PM
•Dinner and rest by 9 PM
•Wake up at 3.30 AM
•Check out by 4 AM, walk to train station
•Train to Nikko, reach by 7.30 AM
•Explore town, have breakfast till 9 AM
•Explore attractions from 9 AM till 1 PM
•Back to Tokyo by 3.30PM
•Explore places in Tokyo till 9 PM
•Dinner and rest by 10.30 PM
Get up early
Check opening hours and sequence your
visit
Check photos n details online to decide if
an attraction is really worth
Sample itinerary: Nikko World Heritage town, Japan- Save half a day by starting early

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP-STARTING
VERY EARLY
Early morning Day time Late evening
1. Gardens by the Bay
2. Labrador nature reserve
3. Fort Canning centre & park
4. Botanical Gardens
5. Sentosa common areas
6. The Merlion
1. Gardens by the bay cloud forest and
flower domes
2. Various museums, zoos
3. Sentosa attractions
- Madam Tussauds
- Underwater world
- Universal Studios
1. Night Safari
2. Marina Bay Laser Show
3. Gardens by the bay sound n light
show
4. Reverse Bungee in Clarke Quay
5. Singapore Flyer
6. Marina Bay Observation Deck
7. Shopping in Mustafa
Singapore:

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- LOCAL TRANSPORT
Standard Options
Rent a cab- Very expensive
Take travel package that includes hotel
transportation- Time consuming
Ride on two wheeler taxi- not always
available
(No local bus/train in Bali)
Sample itinerary: Bali local site seeing
Smart option
Rent a scooter- 8 USD per day, fuel extra
My 4 day, 823 kms Bali exploration
ground transportation cost:
Rs 5000 all inclusive airport to airport
(rent+ insurance + fuel + parking)
Full details here
http://www.enidhi.net/2016/10/bali-bike-rental-experience-and-feedback.html

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- LOCAL TRANSPORT
Standard Options
Rent a cab between destinations
Macau local transportation: Walk!
Smart option
Just walk

TRAVELING WITH TIME CONSTRAINT!
Trip 1
Leave from Chennai Friday night
Day 01
Arrive Saturday 3 AM
Leave for Galle, reach Galle by 12 Noon explore attractions on
the way, Explore Galle on Saturday afternoon
Day 02
Sunday morning leave for nearby reservoir, tea factory, Matara,
Weligama
Back to Galle & Rest
Day 03
Galle to Colombo, Colombo local
Reach airport by night
Tuesday early moring flight back to Chennai
Srilanka exploration using multiple short trips
Trip 2
Leave from Chennai Friday night
Day 01
Arrive Saturday 3 AM
Leave for Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Stay in Nuwara Eliya
Day 02
Explore Nuwara Eliya area and back to
Negombo/Bentota etc, stay
Day 03
Explore more nearby places, back to airport
Tuesday early moring flight back to Chennai

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- STARTING VERY
EARLY
Standard Sequence Time (cumulative)
1. Arrive at restaurant
2. Go to restroom (5 min)
3. Check menu & order (5
mins)
4. Order arrives in 10 mins
5. Take photo & upload (3
mins)
6. Eat (15 mins)
7. Ask for check
8. Check arrives (3 mins)
9. Pay & leave (3 mins)
0 min
5 min
10 mins
20 mins
23 mins
38 mins
41 mins
44 mins
Sample time management- At a restaurant
Standard Sequence Time (cumulative)
1. Arrive at restaurant
2. Check menu & order (5 mins)
3. Go to restroom (5 min)
4. Order arrives in 10 mins
5. Take photo (1 min)
6. Eat (15 mins), ask for check
while still eating, about to
finish
7. Check arrives while you finish
eating
8. Pay & leave (3 mins)
9. Pic upload later when free
0 min
5 min
15 mins
16 mins
31 mins
31 mins
34 mins

TRAVELING ON BUDGET- PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION
# Mode Pros and Cons
1 Hop On/Hop Off Convenient but waste of time as you wait for next bus to arrive
2 SIC (Seat in Coach) City
tour Packages
Need to wait for everyone else to arrive- waste of previous time
Not flexible to deviate/spend more time
3 Taxi Expensive proposition
More time spent in traffic
Mandatory Designated spots could mean extra time and money
4 Bus/Train Most efficient way. Buy daily pass where possible
Helps understand a city better
5 walk Best for short distances
6 Cycle/Segway/bike rentals Usually no cons, but need to find parking spot
Best option when in groups
Can be an experience in itself
7 Hitchhike! Cheaper/free transport
Not always possible + safety concerns
8 Free Guided Walking
tours
Popular in many European countries,
usually on weekends at specific timings 32

PROBLEM WITH STANDARD
ITINERARIES/PACKAGES
# Standard Itineraries Smarter way to explore
1 First and Last day is for arrival, departure, no other activities Start exploring right after landing, make full use of first and last day as well
2 Pre book hotel if arriving early If arriving at 6 AM and check in is at 1 PM, explore city half a day n reach
hotel by 1 PM. Use locker facility in stations OR go to hotel at 6 AM, drop
bag. Save one night hotel expense
3 No overnight travel Where possible, overnight travel can save you one night hotel expense (Ex:
Melbourne to Sydney)
4 Assume exploration starts after breakfast Lot of places can be explored very early in the morning or late evening. Use
day time for attractions which have specific timings
5 Too much creative wordings
(Day at leisure = we won’t take you anywhere, spend extra on
your own)
sumptuous breakfast (just standard hotel breakfast
exaggerated)
If hotel breakfast opens only at 8 AM, either skip it or use 6 to 8 AM to
explore some more places nearby.
6 Forceful inclusion of unwanted items like souvenir shopping
& not recommending public transport

PROBLEM WITH CITY CARDS/PASSES
# Pros Cons
1 Give free access to multiple attractions, always be
cheaper than buying tickets individually
Usually claim to cover 50-60 attractions, but most of them are
museums with fixed timing like 10 AM to 5 PM. Not possible to
cover all in 2 days, nor everything is worth
2 Includes public transport use in some cases No refund if your plans change
3 Saves time in queue while visiting an attraction Timings- Calendar days or 24/48 hours from first use
4 Usually some of the most important attractions in city are not
included or need additional payment

TIPS FOR DESTINATION RESEARCH
To know how much a website/blog is bluffing about
a destination, read what they’ve written about your
city!
 Pay attention to
 Opening/closure hours, season
 Entry cost, possible/need for prior
reservation
 what’s allowed inside
(photography etc)
 Possible combo tickets/passes
 Additional needs/demands such as
mandatory guide/dress code
 Availability of public
transportation
 Impact of weather
 Nearby attractions
 There will always be some negative reviews- don’t
get discouraged
 The photos on official websites are often taken by
professionals, at best time of the year in exclusive
conditions (like no crowd etc)- keep your
expectations right
 Be careful about extreme superlatives used
 Check for blogs, amateur photos

MY RECENT TRIP EXPENSES
# Country Duration All inclusive expenses
(INR per person)
Key expenses
1 Japan 6 nights 75k Flight 20.5, JR Pass 17.7k, Stay: 8k [Full details]
2 Philippines 5 nights 46.6 k Flight 15.2, Local flights 13k [Full details]
3 Andaman 3 nights 20k Flight 5k, hotel 5k, scuba 4k [Full details]
4 Srilanka 3 nights 20k Flight 8.4k, taxi 5.4k [Full details]
5 Australia 6 nights 60k Flight 32k, visa 7k [Full Details]
Travel when it is cheap, than when it is convenient

SUMMARY
 It is possible to travel a fair bit with regular day job
 It is possible to fly cheap by making smart use of airline sales
 Lot depends on how you prioritize your time and expenses
 There is no magic formula for budget travel, but constant research will help
 Risk involved in planning early is usually offset by cost savings
 Sacrifice comfort, convenience to explore more in less time and money
 Research well for optimal benefits

THANK YOU!
 Blog: www.enidhi.net
 Twitter.com/enidhi
 Instagram.com/enidhi
 https://www.facebook.com/eni
dhiblog/

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