Tips

As bartenders, we deal in cash, and cash disappears fast. You’ve probably developed some habits to handle your necessities, but I’ve disciplined myself to follow some guidelines to turn my tip money, into the adventures of traveling the world.

Here are a few of the ways I have saved tip money to help fund my trips.

Never spend a five.

My buddy Mark introduced me to this method over a whiskey and a pint of Smithwicks.

Don’t ever spend a $5 bill.

If you get 3 in your tips save them. You bought something with that $10 bill and you get $6 back? If there is a $5 bill in the change, save it. The main power of this savings plan is that it forces you to honestly question where that $5 is worth most.

This makes you more conscious of where small frequent spending adds up.

$20+ a week plan

My initial savings plan was to make a weekly payment of $20 into my travel fund.

It is an easy savings tip for beginners and I found that after the first few weeks, I had adjusted my spending habits to where it was practically unnoticeable.

After a few months I began trying to cut an extra $20 in miscellaneous expenses just to save $100 per month.

These days, I use most of these methods simultaneously and use this particular strategy of saving for extra spending cash when on the road or a safety net for return bills.

$20s pay the bills, $10s and $1s are for fun

After developing more discipline with my weekly savings I was able to create a monthly savings plan in addition to saving $20 a week.

I did this by budgeting with a coupon book with tabs labeled for my bills.

(Rent, electric, insurance, credit card, travel, etc.)

I filled up the slots according to due date and tried to race myself to do it faster each month.

This fund became self sustaining by making me unwilling to spend a $20 note that I received in tip money until I paid my expenses.

If you feel the need to cheat from time to time, its best to make a savings slot for fun so you can budget your expenses better.

I then like to use $10 and $1 notes as spending money, and the rest of my $20 bills I began paying off my credit card debt, or I moved it into my bank account to save for the next months bills

$50s and $100s

I began to become more successful with my savings habits and I found that at times I had several months worth of my bills saved for a nice safety net and finally got my credit cards payed off.

This opened up a new option for me in which I utilized $50 and $100 bills.

If one is in your tip share, it goes direct to saving for travel or paying debt, nothing else.

These denominations quickly become a very powerful and pleasant surprises if you have your finances together.

Save that change

Change can feel like a nuisance and sometimes demeaning to those in a tipped based industry, but get a jar and save it at all times.

Once I put together that $100 in saved change could become a few days if not weeks of lodging in a hostel. I began realizing the power a few coins had when saved over time.

So save your change kids, the world awaits!

My name is Sean and I’m a travel junkie.

In between trips, I can feel unhinged. I crave ridiculous foods, get stir crazy and drive my coworkers insane talking about travel. They tease me incessantly, saying the best way to distract me is to ask where I’ve been or where I’m going next.

There is some truth in jokes, but I don’t worry about the judgement of hypocrites. I’ve heard their stories just as many times and I stay in the building.

At any and all given times, I think about where to go, what to see and how to get a more authentic experience at a cheaper cost. I love everything about traveling and enjoy swapping stories with others about what we have seen and what we have done.

Imagine the amount of information passing through the bar on any given night.

With the right questions, you can get some phenomenal results. It’s a great way to hear about hidden gems around the world. It’s also a valuable distraction for bar guests if done right.

Everyone is looking for an escape and people love to tell you about that time they (insert random event here).

We all love to share our stories when the timing and topic are right. Behind the bar, you have to have a niche. Some talk sports, I talk about travel. I offer advice, ask it in return and piss off my coworkers while sharing the way.

That’s how I pay my bills and keep the adventure going.

Research random flights at least once a week. Just to see what’s available. I prefer to look around Tuesday or Wednesday night, but the more random, the better. That’s when I have found my best deals in the past.

Have fun with it in your time off and try to keep the spirit of travel with you. When you are stuck in your routine and feel a bit crazy, just ask yourself something of the sort.

“When is the cheapest time to go to New Zealand?”

Look it up and start planning a vacation you don’t plan on taking…

At least, not yet.

Some of you are probably scratching your heads at the idea of travel depression. I assure you, it’s a thing.

How can you get depressed when on the road?

Well, here are some times when it has set in on me or fellow travelers I have met as well as some tips to help keep on keepin’ on.

-Traveling alone for extended periods

It’s great to get out there and see the world, but sometimes you miss having others to share the experience with. Other times you may just get home sick. Either way, try to make some friends to prevent loneliness when abroad. Especially if you intend to travel for several months.

-Separating from travel companions after some time together

Travel helps you to meet many amazing people. After a week with new found friends, the road may lead in different directions and you must part ways. This has led me to feel down and out in the past since great company can enhance any event.

If your friends have left and you feel down and out, remember you will also be on your way soon to meet new people and face new adventures. Stick with it and keep moving.

-When the creativity you desire isn’t quite clicking

The road has always been a muse for artistically minded people. It doesn’t always provide the inspiration we are looking for immediately, but relax, it will come.

Sometimes we need to live the whole experience before inspiration strikes. Be patient, stay distracted and enjoy the ride. Creativity can’t be forced, so use times of writers block to see as many new things as possible. Get out of your head and immerse yourself in new sights, sounds, flavors, and smells.

Inspiration can come from some very unlikely places. Think less and experience more.

-There is nobody around to communicate with

A lack of quality conversation can drive a person mad. If you travel alone long enough, you will find times where there isn’t a single person in sight who understands you. This is an easy way to find yourself in a slump, but resist the urge to be that “poor lil’ fella”.

Times like these are when I prefer to practice learning a new language and chatting with locals. Sometimes a smile from a friendly face is all you need to boost your spirits.

Meeting new people and trying new things is the reason you are traveling anyways!

-Missing pets or comforts of home

It seems silly but these two get me every time.

My dog and my guitar.

Blue is my best friend and I like him more than most people. I try to keep a picture of my pup with me to lift my spirits, just in case. If you miss a pet, you will be home soon and your pup will be happy to see you whether you have been gone 5 minutes or 5 weeks.

As for the love of playing music, I have booked hostels where I see a guitar in the picture, all in hopes I can get my music fix. This has led to great jam sessions and stringless disappointments.

The wrong company can destroy a trip.

If you have reliable, easy going friends that make enjoyable travel companions, consider yourself blessed. Choosing the right group of people makes a great experience unforgettable.

We all have those friends who want the champagne lifestyle while they earn the beer budget. The friend who can’t do anything alone, or the buddy who gets aggressive when he’s had too many.

You know, our high maintenance friends.

It’s not that we don’t love them, just some people require more attention than others and this needs to be taken into account.

I find traveling with potentially high maintenance people is best on shorter trips.

If you are traveling for a long period of time, it is best to travel with friends who are mild mannered and independent so you can spend a day or two apart if you don’t have matching interests along the way so you don’t feel the need to babysit.

One perk of having other travelers with you is that you can often negotiate group rates on tours or travel expenses. When it comes to making a bulk purchases, sometimes you can haggle for a better rate when purchasing from some local vendors.

Ultimately, the most awe inspiring sunrises, full moons, waterfalls, temples, and thrills are all better when you have someone to share the experience.

Just be mindful of the company you keep and choose the right people to bring with you and you can make the most of your travels.

Many countries around the world have a wide variety of hostels that you can stay in.

Their budget friendly pricing structure is great for solo travelers looking to stay cheap and meet other like minded people or for those who are traveling in a group, who can rent a dorm for themselves to save money.

Now remember, you usually get what you pay for, but the point here is to save money.  Shop wisely.

The dorm rooms offered typically range from 4-20 people, but it depends according to each location. These dorms can be co-ed, same sex, or female only, depending on the request of the guest and on the availability of the establishment.

Some hostels also offer the option of private rooms. They tend to be a bit more costly, but if you are traveling with your partner or just tired of snoring roommates, they can be well worth every penny for some privacy and a good nights rest.

I have heard of certain locations having age restrictions and forcing older travelers to order a private room, but have never witnessed it personally.

Just a heads up if you are in the 30+ crowd.

The bathrooms are typically shared per floor. However, some 4 bedroom accommodations and privates have bathrooms located in them. Depends on the place.

On that note, I personally don’t travel with anything worth stealing, but maybe you plan on bringing valuables. Research the security measures available in each location if you plan to do so.

Security lockers are also available in many hostels allowing you to store your valuables safely while you are asleep or touring around. Some are electronic and use your room key, most you will need to provide your own padlock.

Bring one along for good measure.

A great place for finding hostels around the world is the website Hostelworld. They provide pictures, prices, services, facilities, reviews, maps, as well as the rules and restrictions of the available locations.

This makes the search for a cheap nights rest much easier in my opinion.

Some of the descriptions and pictures are not always up to date or reminiscent of the current state of each establishment, but I have found it to be my favorite source of information when booking a hostel. Outside of word of mouth.

I usually opt to book a 4 person mixed dorm. It’s a few dollars more than a larger dorm room, but I prefer only having a few roommates and the possibility of a bathroom in the dorm room is always a pleasant surprise when you happen upon it.

You can learn dorm etiquette as you go, but here is the short version, be mindful of others and pick up after yourself.

Moving on.

Laundry service is something that I have deemed a must have in a potential hostel.

I made the mistake of overlooking this once while traveling through Europe and spent the next 3 days wearing smoke saturated, musty clothes until my next stop.

Not fun.

Unless you want to feel like Pigpen, remember to look for laundry facilities.

Another tip is to make sure wifi service is available in the hostel. Though many cafes around the world offer it with a purchase, having free wifi helps. Do I really need to explain why it’s cool?

When traveling on a tight budget, free is always better.

While there are pros and cons to hosteling, just as anything else in life. They are great for solo and budget travelers who just want a place to lay their head for the night.

I don’t see how I could have traveled like I have without them. Or a lot more money.

Budget travel has allowed me to see many beautiful sights in the world and in some cases for less than the average bar tab back home.

I typically allow myself $80-$100 a day when I travel to western countries, which is generous compared to many travelers I have met while on the road.

This can be a meager allowance in some countries, while in others, it is an obscene amount of money. In some places $20-$30 dollars a day is more than enough to get by, so a little research into the average cost of each city you are visiting never hurts.

Knowing what weight the conversion rate carries also helps in understanding the cost of lodging, food, drinks, and other recreational/sightseeing activities while traveling.

As an example, a hostel in Europe has cost me around $25-$40 a night, while somewhere like Luang Prabang cost me $5 a night, Ho Chi Minh cost around $8-$10 for a nice hostel.

Location, Location, Location.

To continue on a cost comparison, a beer cost me about 5,000-8,000 kip. The conversion at the time of my visit was 8,000 kip per US dollar.

You can only imagine what sort of damage you can do to your liver on a budget like that.

A beer in Europe can cost from €2-€10. It all depends on the city. Is it Prague or Paris?

This is why I jokingly measure in beer.

It’s a good gauge for spending.

So if you can’t bring more money and are wise enough to avoid going into debt, learn the value of the local currency and where you can cut costs in each city you plan to visit.

This will make your budgeting more fluid and make you less likely to over spend.

Fortunately I have only experienced bed bugs once.

These chinches cabrones, I hate them.

Lift the sheets from the corner of the bed, check your pillows and don’t leave your bags on your bed. If you wish to take extra precautions there are also bed bug sprays available.

If you feel itchy in bed I recommend you dress in long sleeves and pants and sleep on top of the sheets.

That is unless you don’t mind spending the next day scratching like a flea ridden dog or a crackhead going through withdrawals.

After that, either check out the next morning, or rough it out.

The choice is yours.