I've traveled. A LOT.

I like to believe that we all dream of cheap travel, but most of us never take the time to actually figure it out. We all talk about the places we will go, and the things that we will see later in life, but we hardly ever actually take the time to research and go. I have strived for years to travel and experience what I can on my ultra-low budget. One of the most common things that I hear from older people is how they wished that they had taken the time to travel more while they were younger. I do not want to say that when I'm older. Maybe its my own version of FOMO (fear of missing out)...

Traveling doesn’t have to be crazy expensive and there are many ways that people have found to travel the world with little money. I could tell you hundreds of ways to save money on traveling, but instead, I will show you how I recently traveled on a budget and was able to travel for less than $500. This story begins when I asked a friend of mine to travel with me a few months ago. We wanted to go somewhere cool, but cheap since we were both a bit tight on money. After all of our planning and budgeting, we were able to travel to Portland, Oregon from Phoenix, Arizona for less than $500 a person. Let me break down exactly how we were able to do this.

If you don't know what a capsule hotel is; it's basically a fancy hostel where, instead of sleeping in bunk beds, you sleep in a literal capsule together with 20-40 other people (all in individual capsules of course, not in the same one). All other areas such as the bathrooms are shared, but most capsule hotels do offer individual shower rooms to keep guests as comfortable as possible. In most of these hotels, it is also common to separate men from women, which is also common in hostels. This concept originated in Japan, and has since become popular all over Asia and Europe.

I've been sailing around the world for the past three years, by crewing on other people's sailboats, or what I call, Global HitchHiking. I have been on eight different boats and traveled over 35,000 nautical miles. I have spent 100s of days and nights at sea and been to over 40 countries. I have been to countries I've dreamed about going to my entire life. I've also been to many countries I hadn't ever heard of my entire life. I have caught wild wahoo, tuna, barracuda, shark, and many other kinds of fish over the past 3 years. I even caught a booby-bird in Christmas Islands by accident, which I was able to get disentangled from my hook and released. It has been the adventure of a lifetime and it's getting ready to come to a close.

My experience has been a backpack and open road through the beautiful American South West.

Hey, you all—what is up? I know that I have not talked about my personal life a lot lately, but I thought that I would dive right in and share what is going on. Everyone who knows me well enough, knows that I love traveling SO MUCH. I literally could do it nearly every single day if I could, and I would be the happiest woman alive. Which brings me to today’s article topic—traveling full time. So how will I do that? First, I have it set up that I will purchase either a fully loaded RV, or Van transformed into a house, and start traveling all across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. I know I am crazy, right. Well, you only live once, and I want to spend it doing what I feel I am called to do, while still pursuing my passions. I love meeting new people, and experiencing other cultures, so I thought, why not bring my home on the road? I want to start in the western side of the globe first, and then move worldwide and travel.

Everyone knows Utah is a great winter destination. After the 2002 Olympics, our snow became forever famous for winter sports. Skiers and snowboarders are some of the state’s main tourists. However, if you aren’t a fan of snow, what can Utah offer you? Hiking in gorgeous mountains or through Arches National Park is proof that there are fun things to do in Utah all year long. There are fun hikes for all ages. Utah is home to many national and state parks with an array of mountain ranges. There are limestone ranges, sandstone ranges, red rock ranges, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer, or just starting to hike you’ll find the perfect hike in Utah.

Traveling the world is a dream. Well, what if I told you it could be your reality? That you could keep your job, and still travel, still have a family, and still have amazing adventures?

Have you ever had the chance to leave the country? If you have, then you must have an idea of just how expensive and taxing the process usually is. The research, booking, and expenses can be overwhelming. That said, imagine a situation where all you have to do is wake up one morning, strap on your backpack, and leave without having to worry about the expenses or accommodation. Is it impossible? No.

With summer speeding around the corner, many people, families, and couples have begun planning their next vacation. While there are some people who are prepared to take extravagant trips to popular destinations, a perfect vacation does not have to be as strenuous on your wallet. Taking a trip while on a budget is more than possible, as there are a wide variety of budget-friendly options that are at your disposal. Whether you would like to travel outside of your country for a unique experience, or looking to travel a shorter distance to a location you have never been, then consider these tricks to help ease the strain on your wallet.

Traveling.