How much money should I bring?

[TheOddAnarchist]

Say i want to just start traveling with no specific return date. How much money should i bring? How much do you usually bring? None at all? $100-$200 bucks?

 

[Durp]

How ever much I have when I leave. Its been as little as $20, or if I'm heading out after i just worked somewhere could be several grand in the bank. Money doesn't really matter when you travel. It just dictates how much boose, cigs, food, ect before you need to start busking or how long you can go between getting an odd job for a few days.

 

[Trvshwvng]

Say i want to just start traveling with no specific return date. How much money should i bring? How much do you usually bring? None at all? $100-$200 bucks?

I just bring what I happen to have, which is usually nothing. Some cushion cash is always good, I suppose but not necessary. How much to bring really depends on how good you are at asking for what you need. The road provides but you need to know where to look for said provisions. I'm assuming that since you're asking this question you haven't traveled yet or if so you don't have much experience. Not a criticism! I'm just wondering so I can help give a clear and concise answer that's relevant to you and what you're trying to do.

 

[Trvshwvng]

Oh and also: You having more means increased potential in others taking from you. People can tell if you're rollin' with a decent chunk of change. So whatever you bring should be nowhere NEAR $100 in my opinion. That's just a little much.

 

[Kim Chee]

I have left home with zero dollars severals times. Even when I've left with x amount I'd often run out in a few days. I know I can get more, spend it, become penniless and the cycle continues. That is how it happens for most, I believe. Being financially poor is a state you should be comfortable with if you're seriously considering traveling.

 

[Desperado Deluxe]

Also depends on what you have in mind to do, where you will be going etc. If you spend your money right it can lead to positive situations and help you enter certain social circles or even just go into a cafe to retreat from the cold, heat, and/or general bs. Its a tool really.

 

[angerisagift]

hmmmmm i would bring at least 100 bcuz of weather conditions like all this rain here in Colorado. traveling cheap sounds grrrrrrrrreat till all yr sheeeeeeeeeit is soaked

 

[Trvshwvng]

Sure! Keep $100 at all times! Also your gold, diamonds, key to the vault, missiles, secret password to the clubhouse and PIN numbers. Make sure they're locked tightly in a Samsonite suitcase (but steer clear of airports).

 

[Trvshwvng]

angerisagift, I saw a homebum in Orlando not long ago busking/poormouthing (more of the latter than former of course) because it was going to rain that night and needed $60 for a hotel room. I'm seeing a pattern in mentality here. Let me clarify by making sure that's not taken as a personal stab. There's just plenty of ways to stay dry that are cost-effective. Having the right gear, choosing the right spot, etc.

 

[Durp]

It all depends how you get your money, cause you will need it unless you like only eating half rotted dumpster food sometimes. Sure you can have no money and travel, its hell of a lot easier that way if you avoid populated areas and stick to the wilderness. I personally don't beg. I Have flown a sign like maybe twice, but I don't like it. I have pride and will either make things to sell, busk, or go do day labor. It depends whether this is an extended vacation for you, or a permenant life style choice. For me this is a life style choice and I take my time and enjoy each place im in at now. I have buzzed all around most of this land, and really see no reason to just rush through any one place these days. I also like having a bunch of good food every day, a place to keep warm or cool and just more less stay the fuck out of the rain. So I mainly rubber tramp anymore because I have a kind hearted woman to think of her safety and an old hound dog that ain't the tramping hound she once was, and really likes taking long naps these days. Plus go deal with getting fucked with and kicked out of what ever nice improvised set up reapeadely over the years just to go sleep in fucking rain. No matter what way you slice it precipitation is a pain in the ass to deal with when your transient. I also really enjoy not constantly getting fucked with and having to deal with utter morons on a regular basis, which find haven in the streets of the city. I am also young and strong and have multiple trades and like to fill my time by acquiring new skills. I genuinely like working for periods of time. Its sort of fun and you get to meet new people. A lot of us long term travelers will get a job in something interesting to them, work a season and go fuck off for a while until the stagnancy and boredom of routine set in for traveling. Traveling broke is a lot of work and sometimes aggravation in of itself, and its quicker and easier to just go earn a few $k in a couple of months and have a significantly more comfortable standard of living. If this is more of an extended sabbatical I recommend just grabbing a tarp, a sleeping bag, a water container, a book or two and instrument, forget about money and hit the road. After a while of this you will probably get bored and tired of this ,and switch it up or just go back home where ever that may be. If you don't have one, that certently changes things.

 

[Kim Chee]

If you spend your money right it can lead to positive situations and help you enter certain social circles or even just go into a cafe to retreat from the cold, heat, and/or general bs. Its a tool really.

Flat broke, I could stay all day in a bookstore unmolested with my crazy beard reading books. How did I do it? Go to the dumpster, recover a coffee cup from the coffee place in the bookstore. Walk in like you own the place.

 

[Durp]

Ah yes book stores and the library bastions of dryness!

 

[Trvshwvng]

Spanging doesn't coincide with having a lack of pride at all, but that's beside the point. I fly that sign with DIGNITY and get paid with RESPECT, son! True story.

 

[wizehop]

Everyone here has already put in some good points, but Ill chime in for the hell of it. The main question you need to ask yourself is how long you plan on travelling, and how comfortable you want to be. Its the same question you should ask before wondering what to pack as well.
As far as survival goes you don't really need much. You will not starve to death no matter what the situation (barred getting lost in the wilderness for a month, or locked in some basement, but even then it may suck but you should be fed)
Like 7xMicheal, regardless of the amount of money I leave with, it always goes pretty quick. Its funny because when I have nothing I can go like a champ, but for some reason when I have any cash I have to blow it as fast as possible.
If your just going for a short trip like for a month or the summer I wouldn't worry too much about cash flow, just save up as much as you can and go for it. If your going for a long time, or leaving for good then its more about learning how to find soup kitchens, drop in centres and so forth so you can take advantage of all the free shit that's out there.
I'm with JimH on the making money deal, I hate begging. I did the sqeegee thing for a while back in the day which worked great for the group of kids I was with at the time, but I would hate to do it on my own. I have gone the day labour route which was good. Retentively speaking the money is shity and the work was tough at times, but it was a legit way to make coin when I needed it.
Anyhow, figure out what exactly you are hoping to do and plan around that. Just remember at the end of the day you don't really need anything to survive, its all about what comforts you hope to have.

 

[Sip]

I've left with no money and I've left with 1200$ in my bank account. I had rather more fun with $0. Actually came back home with 20$ in my pocket (this is when I still had a home). I feel like having more money just insulates you from the grit and the reality of living outside. You have to do crazy shit when you have no money, which forces you to meet new people, which forces you to do new things. With a bunch of money, you're just a fucking tourist. On the other hand, it's nice to be able to buy shit whenever you want to and to be able to pay to see acttractions instead of having to sneak on/in.

 

[VikingAdventurer]

::greedy::

 

[Durp]

Spanging is begging, I like to earn what I have but to each their own. I would also never put my woman in the sort of harms way you did. I really hope she heals up quick and reevaluates the risk/ reward benefit. Good luck trying to pay all those future medical bills associated with such an acident on peoples pity pennies.

 

[spectacular]

You're going to blow thru $200 in a week or less.

Scrimping and saving when it comes to money is silly after experiencing the lows of living without it for a while.

Flying a sign pretty much sucks but so does working or digging thru the trash.

Money sucks. Living off the land is the next project in the works. Looks like it makes for a happy creature.

 

[cultofsam]

I left with 40 dollars and a carton of smokes.

 

[VikingAdventurer]

I left with 40 dollars and a carton of smokes.

What more do ya need?