It's All About the Benjamins, Baby: Take Three

Part Three: In which you suddenly have $12,000 in your bank account and are about to set off on a life-changing adventure

This is the part where I channel my inner Jillian Michaels and tell you that “I know this isn’t easy, but if I’m going to make big promises to you, I’ve got to give you a [financial formula] that’s going to deliver the results that you want and deserve” (pretty good, hey? I swear I’ve got that whole work-out memorized). Basically, saving money is just like working toward any other goal. You want to get fit? You jump around with Jillian Michaels for half an hour every day. You want to get good grades? You spend your weeknights holed up in the library. You want to save money and travel the world? You follow this guide and I promise, you will.

Money is not some big, scary thing that is by nature out of your control. In fact, money is one of the few things in life over which you have almost complete control. I don’t understand people who are so afraid of seeing their account balance, that they crumple up their ATM receipts and lament the day their statement comes in the mail. Sure, we all succumb to impulsive, frivolous spending every now and then, and there’s definitely a sort of sting that comes with dealing with the aftermath in the form of a Visa bill, but to actually be afraid of a number? It’s absurd. Get to know those numbers - the more conscious of them you are of them, the more they seem to grow.

The message is simple: anyone can do this. Yes, Scott and I were fortunate in that we had supportive families and decent(ish) jobs, but it is my belief that long term travel is well within anyone’s reach. All it takes is determination and a willingness to make a few short-term sacrifices. Before you know it, you too will have $12,000 in the bank and be jetting off to an exotic locale, whilst your unenlightened co-workers continue to toil at their desk jobs, bemoaning their dismal finances, feeding their addictions to caffeine and shoes.

Plus, saving for travel is just so much more fun than saving for the standard stuff like a new computer or car or a down payment on a townhouse. Life should be about the experiences, not the stuff, that you have. Learn to put that philosophy into practice, and just about everything becomes a whole lot more enjoyable.

That’s about all the motivational Jillian Michaels speak I can conjure up at the moment, but rest assured that I’ll keep you posted on how we handle our funds on the road (something I’m more than a little anxious about) and whether or not all this scrimping and saving turns out to actually be worth it (anyone care to speculate?) Thanks for tuning in, I’ve had an unusually good time writing this, and may have just discovered my true calling as a financial advisor.

Ha. Ha.