can i travel one day?

Volunteer Vacations might be another way to go, to get to do some travelling and experience other cultures relatively cheaply. Some volunteer vacations are NOT cheap, like Earthwatch, since you are helping out, but are also partially subsidizing the research project. But there are some organizations offering programs that are truly an exchange of labor or skills for room and board. These programs may not allow you a lot of free time to do lots of touristy things, but you also wouldn't have the expense of all the "touristy things", BUT you may get a much more in-depth experience of the local culture and have time to explore the area during your free time. Here's an extensive article on lots of Volunteer Vacation organizations: http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/volunteer-vacations,6114/ Also here's an organization that coordinates volunteer stays on organic farms http://www.wwoof.org/europe.asp
http://wwoofgreece.org/ http://www.frommers.com/community/blogs/blog.cfm/arthur-frommer-online/sing-supper-work-bed-volunteer-vacations-working-farms

And there's Peace Corps...they are doing work in Eastern Europe (Albania, Romania, former USSR, etc.). It's a serious commitment for a couple of years, but you're close to the rest of Europe, can travel when you have time off, and are doing some good while you're there. Otherwise, a job (or more than one job) is better than hope. I'm pretty sure most everyone here is not rich, and, yes, they pay all of their bills, save for the future, and travel, too. It's possible, but nobody is just hoping for it...they make it happen.

You do not have to be "rich" to travel, but it does take some money. Right now, plane tickets to Europe start at around $500-600, even in winter (double to triple that in summer). Once in Europe, there are ways to economize without lowering the quality of the trip. You can rent an apartment instead of a hotel (so you can buy food in grocery stores and cook it yourself, instead of going to restaurants. Or you can stay in hostels. You can see fewer places per trip (moving around costs money), or make sure you get advance train and plane tickets to get the best discounts. You can go in low or shoulder season, when airfares are lower (again, not as low as they used to be). But, whenever this question is asked in travel forums (I've seen it repeatedly), the answer is always the same. It's about priorities. People who travel regularly use their money for travel, and save on other items. Their car is the oldest one on the block. Their furniture hasn't been replaced recently. Their TV's and other gadgets are not the newest models. They don't have as many outfits as their friends. Etc. I didn't have cable TV until 2 years ago. At my socioeconomic level, cable TV is simply expected. "It's only $80 a month," people would tell me. I replied that the $960 I saved per year paid for a plane ticket (of course, back then the plane tickets in shoulder season, when I traveled, were even less). "But you can afford both." Yes, I can - but then I don't have as much for savings, which are also important to me. I may now have cable TV, but I still don't have a smartphone. It's not that I wouldn't use and enjoy it - it's that I don't want to pay the monthly bill. But even though my trips are getting more expensive due to rising costs of airfare and decent hotels, I'll use my money for that instead of other things.

What Harold said! :-) A wonderful option is hosteling. You don't say how old you are - but that doesn't matter for hosteling! Anyone can stay in a hostel, and the prices are right. Also - great place to meet people, even if you are shy (as I am). You can also look for "alternate" lodgings - Rick Steves mentions sleeping in barns, for instance (not with animals in them - cleaned and filled with fresh straw and bedding for people) in Switzerland. Or try a nunnery (is that what they still call them?) in Italy. Or do an apartment swap - there are excellent agencies for that. Set a budget for a trip, then back out how much you will need to save over the next 6 - 10 months (or whatever) and figure out what you need to set aside every paycheck. It's a fun exercise - and as your kitty builds and you get closer to your goal, it is a wonderful feeling! I am DECIDEDLY not rich, and my husband and I manage at least one, and usually two, trips to Europe a year. We don't have much new stuff - we don't see movies until they're cheap rentals - we don't eat out - etc. - but we get to go to Europe! Good luck - and have fun when you get there!

Lou - I am obsessive about frequent flier miles. Delta's hub is in Atlanta - my suggestion is look for a Delta credit card and or AmEx and sign up for AmEx Rewards (which transfer to Delta miles). EVERYTHING you spend money on should go on a credit card. Take advantage of mileage bonus when you sign up. Google "the points guy" and read his blog. Sign on to Flyertalk. Don't sign up for a card until you research what the best mileage bonus is. I never get my heart set on a vacation spot until I figure out where I can go with super saver mileage deals. Seriously - I am obsessed by this. You do not have to be rich to travel. Tell you sisters to F off. I fly United - not sure if United is an option but if so, I have done well with the Chase Sapphire Card - 40,000 miles for signing up. read this dude's blog: http://thepointsguy.com/ also: flyertalk.com

No, you don't need to be rich to travel. As explained by Harold and Kira, it comes down to carefully deciding what are needs versus wants. It's truly amazing how many folks of modest or less income "need" a specialty coffee each day and then wonder where the money went as rent becomes due. That one daily indulgence could well pay for an off-season ticket to Europe. Cable. TV, Internet, smartphones, meals out, booze, etc. are likely expenses ripe for examination. You can do it.

I really do understand. Because I was once there myself. In my case, I was almost obsessively dreaming of travel. Trips were few and far between, but heavenly when they happened. Professionally, I literally spent a couple of decades prepping myself for an overseas job. About 200 job applications later one came through. Now I get to travel all over because most destinations are just a couple of hours away. Hang in there. Keep trying to find the approach that will work for you. Don't lose heart!

If you have good credit AND the discipline to charge only what you can pay off each month, using credit card offers to get frequent flyer miles is a great idea. If you go this route, be aware that various airlines require a widely varying number of miles in order to get a ticket. American Airlines currently has off-season round trips to Europe for 40,000 miles. United is 60,000. It's hard to find a European ticket on Delta for under 90,000 miles. On all airlines, you'll also have to pay a small fee (tax?), generally well under $100 per ticket. To view the current credit card offers, go to the airline's home page. Right now, American Airlines has an offer for a card with 30,000 miles if you spend $1000 within 3 months of getting the card. The annual fee is waived for the first year. I generally cancel a card after 11 months, in order to not have to pay this fee, but they do offer incentives (i.e. sometimes a free companion ticket) for you to keep it. Also, be aware that since frequent flyer seats are limited by the airlines, it's often necessary to book these tickets far in advance (the earliest you can book is 330 days in advance of your trip). So if you want to use this method of flying free to Europe, it takes some planning and research. But it's worth it!

As others have mentioned, look to see what areas in your life you can cut back on. Starbucks adds up. So do many other little things. We rarely go out to eat, to movies, etc. in order to save money. We don't have car payments. You see where I am going with this. Another strategy is to travel to less expensive places or look for the deals. We went to Ireland one year because we were able to get a Spring airfare deal for $427. That was from California! Sign up for the different airlines frequent flyer programs and you will get emails telling you about their current deals. Also, different airlines and websites like Expedia, Priceline, etc. have vacation packages you can buy for sometimes less than airfare would be. Those packages include your hotel. It would confine you to one location (Paris, London, and so on), but it could be a way to get there. You can always do day trips too. You can do this. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't!

Hi Lou - I find that having a travel goal makes it easier to avoid spending money on things that aren't as important to you. Fifteen years ago, I had massive student loans and credit card debt, but I was determined to 1) get myself out of debt, 2) buy a house, and 3) travel. Having those goals made it easy to cancel my cable at home, not eat out as much, work a second job to pay off my student loans, etc. It's all about priorities - you can do anything you want, you just can't do everything you want. At forty years old, I am finally making my first trip to Europe this summer (Italy), but it took several years of saving becuase I didn't want to come home with travel debt. You can do it!

Don"t wait for "one day," as a nurse I have seen too many people that waited and the time never came. There is no "good" time, something will always come up, but do it now while you can. Where there is a will there is a way. I too am not rich, but my husband and I find a way to leave the US twice a year. I too am a firm believer in miles from CC, I charge everything but do pay it off each month. I too didn't get cable until the govt basically forced me with their HD stuff. I love my coffee and Starbucks but only treated myself to Starbucks a couple times a year. I finally did give in to a smartphone 4 months ago but it still bugs me that i pay that dam_ fee each month. As for trips, I don't live a life of the "Rich & Famous" so I don't travel that way either. i am signed up for every notice of "specials" that there is and frequently travel to whereever there is a good deal. We picnic or get meals from convenience stores at times and always try to get a hotel with comp airport shuttles and breakfast. We use city buses and before we travel I RESEARCH, RESEARCH RESEARCH the area for recommendations from other travelers. Just don't wait...just "Do it!"

Don"t wait for "one day," as a nurse I have seen too many people that waited and the time never came. There is no "good" time, something will always come up, but do it now while you can. Where there is a will there is a way. I too am not rich, but my husband and I find a way to leave the US twice a year. I too am a firm believer in miles from CC, I charge everything but do pay it off each month. I too didn't get cable until the govt basically forced me with their HD stuff. I love my coffee and Starbucks but only treated myself to Starbucks a couple times a year. I finally did give in to a smartphone 4 months ago but it still bugs me that i pay that dam_ fee each month. As for trips, I don't live a life of the "Rich & Famous" so I don't travel that way either. i am signed up for every notice of "specials" that there is and frequently travel to whereever there is a good deal. We picnic or get meals from convenience stores at times and always try to get a hotel with comp airport shuttles and breakfast. We use city buses and before we travel I RESEARCH, RESEARCH RESEARCH the area for recommendations from other travelers. Just don't wait...just "Do it!"

I wish I could have started travelling in my 20's instead of mid-30's, but building a house has a way of taking your money. My husband and I have had 2 trips to Europe since 08, and are going back this year, and hope to every 2 yrs. We have no children, don't do crazy things with our money, get lots of airmiles, I do major hotel hunting to find good (but not crappy) hotel prices, I am a member of couchsurfing, so not only do we host travellers, but have stayed with people on our trips (thus meeting locals and saving hotel $, and sometimes seeing things we wouldn't normally - a couple we stayed with in Bern, Switz rented a car, took us out of the city to a beautiful lake for a hike - we never would have done that on our own). We are comfortable right now with money, carry no credit card debt, every pay we put $ aside towards our trip. I even put money aside so I can pay my bills that come due when we are away, so my vacation pay is all for vacation. Travel is also my passion...we aren't 'rich' by any means, but we never carry a debt from our trips either. It is either paid ahead, or wihin the month when we get back. I only work minimum wage retail (but my hubby has a good job). There are so many alternate ways to see the world without spending a bundle, you just have to plan and research...and I had an older lady tell me a few years ago she always wanted to travel, her husband said...when I retire...well, he passed away shortly after retiring, so she never got to realize her travel dreams. She told us to travel while we could...save, plan, find creative ways to do what you want...

If travel is a bucket list item, you must find a way. It's better to do it while you're young enough to pay the bill off (or have time to save) if possible, and to do it while you're still healthy. My mom dreamed of a trip to Italy. Then she got cancer and chemo and radiation and died. Never made it to Italy. That can happen. I have saved for a year (like others, cutting down on things to make it happen - especially buying extravagant gifts for others, eliminating weekend getaways, helping everyone in the family financially) and finally booked a trip to Europe. I feel the financial fear with the trip coming up this Sept, sort of like going over the top of a roller coaster with my hands in the air. I'm NOT rich. If the Mayans are right, I'll be glad come December that I got to see 4 countries in Europe. I don't even have anyone to go with. But I'm going. Make it happen Lou. Don't give up hope.

I don't know how poor, poor means. But as most of the people above have noted, saving for travel by eliminating other expenses and traveling cheap once there makes European travel within the reach of people with modest incomes. If you do not own a home and rent month to month, travel may be even cheaper. As a student I put my belongings (a rather small item) into storage and spent a month and a half in Europe before beginning my first real job. The trip was affordable in part because my home expenses were $30.00 a month in storage fees. Using hostels and campgrounds, my abroad living expenses weren't much more than the apartment I'd had at home. I did have an apartment reserved and waiting, so I didn't get clobbered with motel bills at home. I just got to sleep on the floor the first night until I could move my stuff in the next morning. Alternatively, a friend of mine put her things is storage and rented her house for the fall. That gave covered her at home expenses while she was gone. She spent the fall in three apartments and really got to know three cities. I only get to Europe about once or twice every ten years, but I don't live as cheaply as I could. Still, five to ten years savings (above and beyond retirement and the kids college fund) is enough to get us there for a month or so. But, we don't have cable, or a smart phone, and we only eat out rarely. Our vacations at home are camping trips and off season trips to the coast (about 2 hours away) and relative visiting.

I thought it would be a lot more expensive than it turned out to be. The most expensive part of my trip was the plane ticket, and I found one for $700 round-trip. I booked a room in a private home and that cost $60 a night, and included breakfast. I ate dinner from the grocery store, and ate enough at breakfast that I didn't need lunch. I visited a lot of free places, but I also didn't scrimp on paying to see other places. I work and I have a mortgage and student loans, but I save what I can and commit to traveling. I don't want to look back in 15 years and say 'I wish I had done X.'

Lou, Many of the replies that you've received so far are along the same lines as mentioned in Rick's travel philosophy: "Affording travel is a matter of priorities (make do with the old car). You can travel - simply safely and comfortably - anywhere in Europe for $120 a day plus transportation costs (allow more for bigger cities). In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you came to see. Europe is a cultural carnival, and time after time, you'll find that its best acts are free and the best seats are the cheap ones." I'm only guessing here, but I think it's safe to say that the majority of the group here are NOT "rich", but manage to find ways to get to Europe at least every few years. It took me over five years to make my first big trip to Europe a reality. With hope, good planning and a bit of luck, it is possible. If you plan on staying primarily in Hostels (some have suggested Couchsurfing, but that doesn't fit my style) and put together the majority of meals from local Deli's or grocery stores rather than "sit down meals" at restaurants, it may be possible to keep your daily costs below the figure that Rick used. Most Hostels will provide breakfasts, so you'll only have to worry about lunch and supper. Given the current "issues" in Greece, it may be one of the cheaper countries to travel in at the moment (although I haven't checked costs recently). Italy tends to be more expensive, but there are ways to minimize costs there as well. I've got the same question as Paul - do you currently have a job? A bit more information on your circumstances would help. Keep working on your plans and don't lose hope! Good luck!

Have you thought about joining the military? Join the Navy, see the world, kind of thing? Give some service to your country and you get to travel too.

THANK YOU ALL, you made my day! I never though about frequent flier millage and all the other great things y'all mentioned here... i'll keep dreaming and to follow my heart, i guess. I'm currently full time student in grad school (ahh i don't have smart phone or drink fancy coffee everyday :) anyways, i shouldn't let anyone tell me what i can and cannot do. Good to know there are caring people like you guys here :)
hugs!!

Lou, As I recall, there used to be an Atlanta RS group, which met at a local Panera Bread outlet. I'm not sure if they're still active, but hopefully someone from that area can provide current information. You might enjoy meeting with the group and starting to plan your next great adventure. Cheers!

Not so sure the navy has ever invaded any place - - maybe make it a stretch for the Yangtze gunboats in the last batch of teens. Also maybe Manila Bay, but they didn't get their feet dry there, either. :)

Google "summer work in Greece." A friend of mine went there for the summer and worked as a bartender at a restaurant. They paid for her room and partial board and she got a small weekly stipend. There are opportunities like this for students in many of the the big touristy European cities. I too am paying back students loans and credit card debt. I work two jobs and half of everything I earn from one goes into my travel fund while the other job pays the bills. If I go out for drinks or to a movie I force myself to match that expense with a deposit in my travel fund. This makes me think twice about what I really want to spend my money on here vs. on a European vacation.

Lou, hold on to your dreams. And come back to the helpline often. Here you will get good advice. Work hard, finish graduate school and plan for your first trip to Europe. Start planning now. You won't regret it. As others have posted, you don't have to be rich to travel. There are things you do without. My car is 11 years old and has 200K plus miles. My priorty is travel - new car versus travel to Italy. Travel to Italy wins hands down.

What are you majoring in at grad school? While it's great that you will find so many supportive strangers on an internet travel board, your sisters (who know your situation better than anyone here) may just be trying to give you a kick in the pants to remind you that the harsher reality is the current economy still sucks the big one and the outlook on jobs isn't exactly glowing. So unless you are a Wharton MBA, you may want to focus a little more on what kind of job you will be able to secure after grad school is over instead of which credit card has the better program to earn mileage points. I also was told for years what a talented and gifted artist I was, and then I realized how much the majority of artists get paid. In this job market, artists and art history majors usually end up behind the counter at Starbucks making other people $5 iced grande carmel macchiatos just so they can make the rent. Not saying that someone who works full time at Starbucks can't afford to travel - they can, but they have to scrimp and save a lot harder than other people who make a middle class living wage. Heed the previous poster's advice about being extremely disciplined when using credit cards to fund a trip through mileage programs. If you aren't realistic about how you handle credit, you could end up with some major debt on a Visa or Amex card on top of the student loans. Only charge what you can actually afford to pay off each month.

thanks again for all your help! BTW, Ceidleh I'm studding in the medical field...for some people (like my sister) i'm not worthy if i don't have millions in my bank account (hahahaha)...thank God i'm standing up for myself and not let anyone shape or define my life for me! i may not have much for some but i'm rich in life and i think there are people who are just not happy about that... oh well i'll just laugh and follow my heart! :)

First off, ignore anyone who's negative to you about your passions and dreams. If it's important to you, and if it makes you happy - no matter WHAT it is - that's what matters. Second, for any advice I can offer, one thing that has helped me a lot with saving money is - every time I think of spending money on an extra I think "what would this get me in Europe and do I want this more right now?" For example, once in a while i'm out and about and really want a coffee so it's worth it, but most of the time I can say to myself "Well I would much rather spend this on a cappuccino in Italy" - that's just a small example. But as a result, I try to spend very little on things like clothes, makeup, shoes, and other "Extras." I also eat out very little and make most of my own food and find I spend way less than my friends who eat out a lot. The $$ savings I put towards travel can really add up with limiting food spending. Then, when I am away, I can spend on souvenirs without having to worry too much about my spending because I know each and every item is special and a memento of my travels, rather than a random impulse purchase. I can also eat where and when I want (I don't have expensive taste) and I don't even have to do hostels (i absolutely love B&Bs) With work, I have to save up vacation time. I only get 2 weeks a year, so if I want to go to Europe, that means extended periods with no time off. But I want to travel, and I want to take extended trips to make it worthwhile, so it is what it is. If you hope you can do it one day and make it a serious goal, and by that I mean, keep your goal to travel in mind every day, every time you spend money on something that's not a necessity, etc. then I think that absolutely you can travel! Maybe not every year, but often enough to really enjoy it :) Keep the dream alive!

Your family' sound like twits. Pretentious and materialistic too .. sorry to be judgemental and harsh, but aren't they being the same? I do not have the benefit of a grad school education, and yet I have a home, car, and can travel to Europe. Its all about priorities, patience, and hard work, not about having a fancy title or job. Do you think everyone who travels to Europe is some rich doctor or lawyer, ha , many of us are bus drivers, postal workers, nurses, teachers, secretaries and hairdressers. Open your mind, you can do what you choose to do,, listening to your family is dangerous, they want you in a box. You can continue to be a quiet person, but keeping your thoughts to yourself is not the same as choosing to listen but do things your own way. Choose your own way and ignore negative people. Even those negative people who you love.

Another idea for an almost free vacation is the Vaughan Town program in Spain. You buy your own plane ticket to get there (and home), and they put you up at a 4-star resort, all expenses paid, for a week. All you have to do is talk. It's a program designed to help Spanish execs and professionals improve their English fluency. I did my first Vaughan Town week last month and I can't wait to go back! There are several different locations, and they run all year long. It was like grown up summer camp. I spent two days on my own in Madrid, a week at the program, then traveled with friends for another 9 days. Aside from my airfare, I spent less than $1000 on my 17 day trip.

People who travel make it a priority. You can travel, even if you have a budget, but it means being smart and making it a priority for yourself. The first thing that I would do is cut your family off from travel advice: If they don't think you're "worthy" to travel, then you don't need lend them your expertise on the topic (because that is what you are cultivating: A body of knowledge on what is out there and where you could go). Now, how to get from dreaming about it to getting there? First off, you're in college. Look at study abroad programs that your college offers and do one, regardless of the cost. Student loans can help pay for study abroad and look at scholarships. If you are taking a foreign language right now, visit that department and see if there are scholarships available that can help get you there. Second, look at your finances and start saving. You don't need much, but you do need to fund your trip. I funded a lot of my travel by giving up my car for awhile. Every tank of gas that I didn't buy or insurance I didn't pay for or dollar in parking I didn't pay went to traveling not miles to the store, but thousands of miles to Europe (and beyond). You need to find where you can start saving for your trip.
Third, keep an eye out for cheap fares and start getting ready. Do you have a passport? If not, go get one now. Once you have one, check http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals-372/ for super cheap fares and search for yourself. Be as flexible as you can. Talk to professors about rescheduling exams if need be (or extra credit for doing thing abroad). Have a list of places you would consider going and watch. When there is a good fare, jump on it.

Fourth, look into frequent flyer programs, but beware of them as well. Miles are only worth about $0.01 to $0.02 per mile in real value. If you spend more money than that to get miles, you would have been better off saving that money. On the other hand, if you are gaining miles for what you do already, then you are coming ahead. Don't do credit cards with high interest unless you plan to pay it off every month and watch out for annual fees. You CAN come out ahead, but you also have to be careful as someone new to the mileage game. Personally, I have about 300,000 miles saved up.
Fifth, inexpensive travel means having to be open to a wider range of things. If you are only willing to stay at nice hotels, you will run out of money quickly (hotels, not airfare is the biggest expense when traveling). Hostels are a way of life for the cheap traveler, and usually they are perfectly fine. Once in awhile, they are not that great. Just be ready for curve balls and be willing to take on what comes. In the end, you'll be the one out traveling while your family is sitting there wondering how you do it because they can only imagine spending $150 a night for a hotel, instead of $25 a night for a hostel. You can do it. You're still in school and you're going in to medicine. There's plenty of money and jobs to be had there (although not as much free time! Watch out!). If you decide to go somewhere, don't let anything stand in your way. The entire world is open to you, if you want it.

Thank you all again for your wisdom! It is good for me to ask myself and sometimes talk to people outside my family to live my life the way i like it, that is --simple and honest.

Yes you can travel. Set your priorities. You may have to cut out or down on some of you other activities. Bust a gut saving as much as you can- in the meantime read all you can and get ideas on how to do it cheaply (eg hostels, hitchhiking or whatever suits your style), decide on realistic places to travel to (eg Switzerland and London are expensive, so plan accordingly). Resaerch if you have a skill that will enable you to work or lecture or whatever in Europe (not as easy as it once was). And just keep your goal in sight

Wait, you're in grad school? Well, of course travel seems expensive if you don't have a steady income! Don't worry about travel now, finish your degree, get a job, then balance your funds to make your dream come true. I don't think any of the regular posters on this website are rolling in excess cash. However, the one thing that almost everyone here seems to have in common is this- a salaried job.

Lou-keep checking these boards for the next Atlanta group meeting. We all travel in a variety of styles with the main thing being our commitment to travel as a top priority. I too traveled when I was "young and poor". Though I was living on my own at 19, I didn't buy furniture till I was 27 (had only hand me downs...) and lived in the cheapest, usually studio apt. that I could find! I only had the two weeks vacation each year but what a wonderful two weeks it was. As others have said there are all kinds of cheap ways to travel but I understand if you are surrounded by others who don't see the value in travel then these alternatives are harder to find. My daughter is in grad school too but receives a stipend so has, in effect, a regular but low paying job. She and her boyfriend wanted to go to Europe but couldn't find a good deal. Using kayak they found round trip tickets from Chicago to Peru for $300 each! This wasn't their original plan (part of traveling cheap is being flexible), but it was something they could afford and seeing machu pichu was amazing. Come join us some Saturday. I think we are skipping June because of many trips, but it will be posted here and I hope you'll come out and talk travel with us!

thank you all again!
@ Karen-i'll be checking for the next Atlanta group meeting, thanks!

As I said earlier sometimes it is the price that determines the destination. Once paid $399 ($452) with tax for a trip to Barbados. At the gate they asked for "bumps", offered $500 for flight 6 hrs later. Duh...I used it to finance next trip. Don't give up your passion, my family thinks I am nuts because I travel but drive a 13 yr old van, they just don't understand. Life the Life you Love, it is your Life!

Lou, as others have said...Make travel a priority. I make one big trip a year but the planning takes a long time and is a lot of fun. My father died at 92 and he said "if there's anyplace you want to go...go soon while you're still able" That's good advice. None of us know what tomorrow will bring so make the most of your days .

can i travel one day? without a lot of money the only way is to have an undying passion to travel...and somehow, you will find a way..

Love each and every advise that I have received from you all! Thank You.

Lou - No, you don't have to be rich to travel. As I read through the posts, the first thing that comes to mind is, "what they said!" You -can- do it. I'm not telling you it will be easy, but if you make if a priority, you'll get there. As others have mentioned, if you are disciplined enough to pay a credit card off every month, a great way to work towards the mileage you need for a flight is with an airline credit card. Particularly with sign-up bonuses, you will be surprised at how quick you can get there. Don't wait for "one day", as that day may never come. Sit yourself down, figure out where you want to go, then figure out how to put the money away to get there.

A lot of good replies here; once I hit Harold's, I started skimming a few others, since Harold expressed exactly my feelings. It's a matter of priorities in most (not all) cases. My wife and I have been traveling to Europe for about 25 years, and we're far from rich. A little anecdote from 20+ years ago. An attorney I knew needed an immediate favor of me, but I said we were leaving for France the next day for 4 weeks and I wouldn't be available. He said: "Boy, it's nice to be rich." The truth was, his income was probably many multiples of mine, and he lived in a wealthy suburban community.
We have no children (a significant factor), no mortgage (it's been paid off), no cable, no IPhone, a pay-as-you go cellphone we never use, etc.

Hi Lou! As Ken and Karen mentioned, we have a Rick Steves' travel group in Atlanta that meets on a regular basis- lately we've been meeting in the Brookhaven area as Panera Bread has has become too busy on Saturdays. We're a diverse group and have become great friends because of our common passion for European travel (and beyond!). We will meet again in July- watch this site for more details! We'd love to have you join us!

Thank you! @ Sharon- good to know about the Atlanta group :) thanks again.

We are NOT rich. My husband is a teacher and I am a stay at home mother (having given up my career to raise my children). My husband and I love travel and we want our children to have a broader world view; so we forsake a lot of other things: electronic gadgets, cable TV, new cars, fine dining (exactly as others have mentioned) to save for wonderful travels with our children. We are fortunate to have a nice (not extravagant) home within one hour from NYC, so I have gone the home exchange route. We swap our home AND our cars with families abroad. Not only is the home (and car free) it makes for an enormously cultural experience. I also look for credit card deals for airfare (last summer we got four international roundtrip tickets for the price of two for signing up for a British Airways Visa Account and putting a couple thousand dollars on it over the first three months. We save about $3,000 on airfare. I also look for any other deals I can find! It is absolutely true that you DO NOT have to be rich to travel; you just need to work harder to MAKE IT HAPPEN than say someone who has loads of money to burn. PS. I think I appreciate my trips way more than people who can easily afford to go!

You can always work for the military, as a civilian. I've been in Europe for ten years working for the Army as a nurse. You need one year's experience ( minimum) and lots of persistence in applying for a job, but it's a great way to go!

I just wanted to add to the mileage comments that someone else made, just to emphasize that being smart, making travel a priority, and "playing the game" can pay off. My friends and I all have some time off this September (10 days) and we decided that we want to do a trip together somewhere interesting. That was about two weeks ago and the other night we booked $22,000 worth of tickets (that's how much it would cost if you bought the same flights in the same class) for, grand total out of pocket, $282 for all four of us (and a ton of miles).* That is correct: Seattle to Rio and Buenos Aires for $70 per person. Why am I going? The love of travel and new experiences. Am I rich? Heck no. How am I affording it? Travel is a priority for me and experiences are more important than new things to me. Could you do the same? Of course. Decide you want to travel, how you can make it happen, and do it. In the end, life is counted by the number of days you remember. You can do it.
*Now, that $22,000 number is mostly because we decided to fly business class on the way back to Seattle which is $4,352 one way if you just buy it. However, if you just wanted to fly economy the whole way, the price for four people to fly from Seattle to Rio de Janeiro and back from Beunos Aires is actually only $4,132 for all four people ($1,033 per person)... The cost using miles is the same ($282 for four) with all economy, but would use less miles (60,000 miles per person instead of 80,000).

Thank you! -Nicholas...that's amazing! I have to seriously teach myself what free mileage is :) thank you guys for your help again.

Lou, I echo much of what's said above and suggest you ignore family on these subjects; traveling just doesn't make sense to non-travelers. I've traveled routinely starting a couple of years after grad school (in the sciences, not in something traditionally lucrative like business or law school). I chose to delay buying a home until a decade later than friends who don't travel, drive an affordable car, live simply, and travel simply (where they exist, religous guesthouses/convents/monasteries are a great cost-saving option, offering more privacy than hostels and far more cleanliness; and I eat relatively few restaurant meals, since they are time consuming and costly, and I generally prefer picnics and cafeteria options). I also have a rule that I don't travel unless I have the cash, but by planning, that's never stopped me from regular travels. Try taking a short trip and see how it goes.

I just want to add some more encouragement to the responses you have already received - if travel is a priority for you, then you WILL get there one of these days! There are lots of ways to keep your costs down - couchsurfing, hostels, staying in private rooms - and that's often more fun than staying in a more expensive hotel, anyway. I also want to add another volunteer idea to the ones given in the Budget Travel article mentioned above. Through British Trust Conservation Volunteers, BTCV, my daughter and I spent about a week in England, near Lincoln, helping to rebuild a drystone wall around an early church. The work was fun, we enjoyed talking with our fellow workers, and we had a day off in the middle to go sightseeing. I just looked at the site and there are a number of full weeks for around 250 GBP which includes food and lodging. A great value and a great opportunity!

When I was a young mother, I dreamed about traveling but had to travel through books. Never thought I see the places I read about. Later I was divorced and didn't think I'd ever be able to afford travel. Then my kids grew up, I got a great job and the first thing I did was head to England. Thirteen years and ten trips later I've seen most of Europe and plan to go each year until I retire. I've had to make choices. I bought a less expensive home, don't have an expensive car, etc. If you can't go now, don't think you'll never go. Go off season, get the cheapest decent hotel (Rick's suggestions are great) you can, maximize free sights, eat cheap and still you'll have a great trip. My guess is that by traveling less expensively than your family members you'll have a better trip since you'll meet more locals.

So sorry your family has been so negative. I too as another said was a single mother and still managed to find money to go to Europe with two sons, granted it was only a week but I did manage. How did we do it? Saved money, lots and lots of research. One way we save for trips is to have a trip jar. If I go to store for gum, give a dollar and keep the change and the change always goes into our "trip jar". Twice a year we take to bank and am amazed as to how much we have. Do not get discouraged at all.

Thank you all... I've learned a lot form all of you!

I agree all the advice you've gotten is excellent and thoughtful. I am learning from it all too. So thank you for your post. And about your siblings: Why are they so negative and unsupportive? What do they get out of it? I do smell some jealousy there, I'm sorry to say. When I run across such people trying to trample on my dreams, I avoid them as much as possible. You go girl! Keeping dreaming, working, saving, planning and you will get to travel some day! I really believe that. Good Luck!

I was fortunate to grow up in a family that took a three week vacation in the station wagon every summer from Minnesota to someplace in the US, so the need to travel is in mine and my four brother's blood. As we've gotten older we've "graduated" from traveling the US as we've already seen much of it (only 5 states remaining on my list) to other countries. When I met my husband 27 years ago, his travels had only taken him from ND to Colorado/Utah. Two years later we spent our honeymoon in San Francisco and he saw an ocean for the first time in his life. Since then, we've been able to afford to expand our travel outside to many places outside of the US.
But if you haven't travelled much in the U.S., start there. It's a great country with a lot of beauty and history that is certainly different than Europe, but still well worth the time and effort to see. Secondly try other countries within North America, Caribean, Central America where plane tickets can be half the price of a flight to Europe. The "need" for travel is experiencing things you've not seen before, and the "where" does not have to be Europe. I'd venture to say most people on this site did not start their travel adventures with a trip to Europe.

Lou,
Hiya friend. No I don't think you have to be rich to travel to Europe or any place really. As you know it's all about when you want to go. Of course in the Summer is the most expensive time to travel. Try the off season. Plus try all the big travel sites. Heck it pays to check & recheck them. Now let me share some information with you. I am in no way rich. Still this October I shall be heading to London. Yes I have had to cut back on many things to pay for this trip. I cut back on eating out, expensive coffee drinks. Plus before I buy anything ask do I need this?? Sorry to ramble. Please forgive me. Never let others negative thoughts take away from your own hope. Many people are unhappy & negative. If thats how they wanna be..let them. Just tell them.. I shall work out what need to..to take this trip & negative thoughts are not needed. Please keep dreaming & research. Hey enter contests. Do anything you need to in order to get to the end goal. Dreams can come true with hope & hard work. I have faith in you! Keep us posted & feel free to send me msg. We can keep each other positive.