THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION
I put a penny in my pocket, and in a little time.
That penny in my pocket had grown into a dime! – Horace Vandergelder.
It starts with a penny.
Almost daily, I hear people say they do not have the money to travel. In contrast, I believe your soul cannot afford to be “left” at home.
To be clear, I am not saying everyone can afford a 60 day Grande Tour. But to never see anything beyond your backyard is a tragedy.
At the same time, I do NOT condone maxing out every credit card you have. I want you to avoid that at all costs. That adds stress after a vacation. Moreover, with each new bill, you will start to dislike the trip. Neither of these is the results we desire.
So how can I travel on a penny a day?
Imagine!
Come with me,
And you’ll be,
In a world of pure imagination. – Willie Wonka.
At first, travel must include some imagination. That’s why we travel. To see things we could not imagine before. When you believe it, you can see it.
It Starts with a Penny
So, take a penny and put it into your pocket (or better yet a jar or box.)
In a year, you will have $3.65. With that, you can buy a slice of pizza, or possibly some egg rolls from the freezer section. Go home, Youtube – Italian Music, and while you eat your pizza, listen to the sound of Italy. Or Youtube Italian travel video and look at Italy while you eat.
At the same time, sprinkle the occasion with you imagining yourself eating this in Naples, Italy. When the moon hits your eye…
Take a nickel …
In a year, you will have $18.25. With that, you should be able to go to a restaurant. (Maybe only for lunch.) Try one that specializes in Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, French, or German food.
Hopefully, they have appropriate music.
Put a dime in your piggy bank.
At the end of a year, you will have $36.50 saved up. With that, you could have dinner with appetizers at a “foreign” (to you) restaurant.
Or if there is one in your town, go shopping in a traditional Asian or Italian market. Not only do you get the market experience, but you also get a meal that is not on your weekly menu.
Do not forget to Youtube _______ music to play during your dinner.
What would a quarter do?
With a quarter in your pocket, you will amass $91.25.
Near my town, there is a lovely Japanese Museum and garden. Admission is around $15. A bento box and tea for lunch is about $20. You could share this with a friend for $70 in total. This price leaves you approximately $20 for a souvenir from the gift shop to remember this “trip.”
Are you starting to see the possibilities? The penny (and your imagination) has led you to this.
More Pennies
A 50 cent piece (do they still make those?) you are at $182.50. Go to a nearby city overnight that has a traditional neighborhood.
Montreal, St. Louis, Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, (to name a few) have great Italian neighborhoods. Find a nearby Hampton Inn (or another hotel that includes breakfast) for less than $100 a night. You may not find that in peak season or during festival periods, so look in the off-season.
Arrive late afternoon. Park the car and forget about it. WALK the main streets of the neighborhood and soak up the surroundings. Look for a restaurant where the locals are eating and treat yourself. (breakfast is part of the room.)
Is there enough left over for a dessert or after-dinner local digestif? A leisurely breakfast in the morning and then drive home. If you genuinely “let loose” and absorb it, the dividends are enormous.
Simple math says $1 a day will get you $365. That should be more than enough for 2-nights (3 days) somewhere in the USA. Especially if you can drive or get there without the cost of a plane.
Staycations in your town are a possibility. During the two years, I was living in LA; I never saw the Chinatown area.
Crazy Talk
$5 a day. WHO HAS THAT KIND OF MONEY??? Take a look at your bank statement and circle every debit charge for a mocha-loco, chi-espresso with nutmeg. All of a sudden, that $1825 is NOT as far off as you thought now, is it?
Eating out for lunch five days a week and you say you can’t afford to travel… REALLY?
In March (not peak season) I can find flights from my town to Paris, France, for less than $700. A 3-star hotel within 2 miles of the city center costs $150 a night, including taxes. (Thur – Sat) So three nights in Paris for $450. That leaves almost $700 for meals, sightseeing, and transfers. Granted, it may not be Paris in the springtime.
On the positive side, it will be less crowded. Who says you cannot afford Paris? See more about “when to go” in the Planning section.
It also puts shoulder season cruises in Europe or Alaska in range.
Check out airfare from LAX to Sydney, Australia, and seven nights hotel in May (off-season)
Ever dream of spending five nights on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii? In September, including airfare from the midwest, you could be wiggling your toes in the sand.
Double The Fun
Now here is the kicker. The amounts above are ONE person saving that much. If two people both collect that much, then you double the money available. Not to mention, the hotel now has two people paying for it. (That means 1/2 price for you.)
In other words, this year, you drink the coffee the office provides. Next year you spend a WEEK in Paris with a good friend.
Who says they can’t afford to travel?
$6 a day. = $2190. From here, we extend the trip a few days. Maybe upgrade the hotel. It also may open the possibility of adding a second destination?
Do you have an extra $100 per paycheck? If you get paid every two weeks, that’s $2600. Buongiorno Italia!
.
$8 a day. = $2920. 9-10 days in Europe or Asia. Likewise, seven days in Australia or Peru, including Manchu Picchu, is now do-able.
$10 a day. = $3650. This amount allows for most middle-priced organized tour groups, river cruises, extended time in Australia, Asia, and S America…
There are so many places you could go with this much money.
Penny Action Plan.
Grab whatever change is in your pocket right now. Put it in a jar.
Clean out “that” drawer. Add that change.
Pull up the sofa cushions. Put that change in the jar.
Put that jar where you will see it several times a day. Tape a picture of the destination to it or pin a note that says, “Believe in Yourself!”
You are on your way to Exploring Worlds.
“See Chania” Continued on Page T3 “Greek Spirits” Continued on T11
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“Where is that one place you want to visit? How much will it cost?”
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