Anagor
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2014
- Messages
- 757
- Reaction score
- 870
- Location
- Bonn, Germany
- Website
- anagortravelling.wordpress.com
I'm not talking about illegal drugs here, but about tobacco and alcohol.
You can travel without or with very little money. I read a lot about it and I experienced it myself. Accommodation? You can sleep in cheap hostels, in the woods, at the beach, on the streets. Food? You can buy cheap food, dumpster dive, ask for leftovers or just be thankful for what a stranger gives you without being asked for. Travel? You can take a very cheap coach/bus when looking for special offers or hitchhike.
But when you are addicted to tobacco and/or alcohol that's not so easy. Unfortunately I'm a heavy smoker and I'm used to drink at least a few beers every evening since years. In "normal life" it never seemed to be a problem (despite the consequences to health of course), when I'm running out of ciggs I just buy a new packet.
But during my last trips I realized how much I depend on money and that sometimes I spend most of it just for smoking and drinking. Everything was great and cool, even having to deal with for me new situations others would find annoying or frightening. As long as I could just go to the next cash machine to get money if needed. But my mood really went down as I ran out of money/lost my cash card. Not course I couldn't book a bed in a hostel or was afraid to starve. I was afraid of running out of tobacco or not having money to buy some beer.
I was and I am really into the idea of living with less. Downsizing. Living out of a backpack. Spending only little money. And I can do that. I don't need three full meals a day, sometimes I only had a cheeseburger and some chicken nuggets the whole day and I was fine. I don't need fancy clothes, I'm fine wearing worn out jeans or shoes. The jacket I wore the last trips is 20 years old. And I definitely don't need brand new electronics (used phones or computers are good for me), spend money for DVDs or other forms of entertainment.
So I was telling everyone "I can do with little money" ... but that was wrong.
I was kinda depressed as I realized how much I spend for booze and cigs on my last trip. It was even more than what I use to spend at home for those. Of course, at home and at work there are constraints. You have to take a break to smoke a cigarette while at work. And I only drink beer in the evening, cause I have to work, drive a car, etc. during the day. But on the road you can smoke at any time. And have your first cider at 9am if you want. And I used that "freedom" very often. :/
And I realized that my plan to travel around and do some part time work (either remote work with my notebook or some jobs where I currently stay) will not really work out, especially in a country like England where you pay 9 pounds for 25g of tobacco and about 1 pound for a can of cheap cider.
There were times as I lost my cash card I slept on the beach (hostel is too expensive) and ate free food someone kicked down but spend about 10 pounds for tobacco and 8 pounds for booze. :/
The most easy and obvious solution would be: just quit smoking and drinking. Yeah. But it's not so fucking easy. I tried quit smoking (especially cause of health and fitness) so many times. It never worked. I can do without alcohol (I maybe kinda alcoholic but I have no withdrawal symptoms if I'm without for a few days), but I just want to have at least a few beers in the evening.
I'm really sad about it. And angry about myself. I found out I can handle quite a few situations. I have no problem having no money for a meal at a restaurant. I even have no problems sleeping rough in one of the largest cities in Europe. But when I only can afford a 12.5g pack of tobacco for a day and have to ration, my mood is down.
Any thoughts about it?
You can travel without or with very little money. I read a lot about it and I experienced it myself. Accommodation? You can sleep in cheap hostels, in the woods, at the beach, on the streets. Food? You can buy cheap food, dumpster dive, ask for leftovers or just be thankful for what a stranger gives you without being asked for. Travel? You can take a very cheap coach/bus when looking for special offers or hitchhike.
But when you are addicted to tobacco and/or alcohol that's not so easy. Unfortunately I'm a heavy smoker and I'm used to drink at least a few beers every evening since years. In "normal life" it never seemed to be a problem (despite the consequences to health of course), when I'm running out of ciggs I just buy a new packet.
But during my last trips I realized how much I depend on money and that sometimes I spend most of it just for smoking and drinking. Everything was great and cool, even having to deal with for me new situations others would find annoying or frightening. As long as I could just go to the next cash machine to get money if needed. But my mood really went down as I ran out of money/lost my cash card. Not course I couldn't book a bed in a hostel or was afraid to starve. I was afraid of running out of tobacco or not having money to buy some beer.
I was and I am really into the idea of living with less. Downsizing. Living out of a backpack. Spending only little money. And I can do that. I don't need three full meals a day, sometimes I only had a cheeseburger and some chicken nuggets the whole day and I was fine. I don't need fancy clothes, I'm fine wearing worn out jeans or shoes. The jacket I wore the last trips is 20 years old. And I definitely don't need brand new electronics (used phones or computers are good for me), spend money for DVDs or other forms of entertainment.
So I was telling everyone "I can do with little money" ... but that was wrong.
I was kinda depressed as I realized how much I spend for booze and cigs on my last trip. It was even more than what I use to spend at home for those. Of course, at home and at work there are constraints. You have to take a break to smoke a cigarette while at work. And I only drink beer in the evening, cause I have to work, drive a car, etc. during the day. But on the road you can smoke at any time. And have your first cider at 9am if you want. And I used that "freedom" very often. :/
And I realized that my plan to travel around and do some part time work (either remote work with my notebook or some jobs where I currently stay) will not really work out, especially in a country like England where you pay 9 pounds for 25g of tobacco and about 1 pound for a can of cheap cider.
There were times as I lost my cash card I slept on the beach (hostel is too expensive) and ate free food someone kicked down but spend about 10 pounds for tobacco and 8 pounds for booze. :/
The most easy and obvious solution would be: just quit smoking and drinking. Yeah. But it's not so fucking easy. I tried quit smoking (especially cause of health and fitness) so many times. It never worked. I can do without alcohol (I maybe kinda alcoholic but I have no withdrawal symptoms if I'm without for a few days), but I just want to have at least a few beers in the evening.
I'm really sad about it. And angry about myself. I found out I can handle quite a few situations. I have no problem having no money for a meal at a restaurant. I even have no problems sleeping rough in one of the largest cities in Europe. But when I only can afford a 12.5g pack of tobacco for a day and have to ration, my mood is down.
Any thoughts about it?