Budget for Travel - Step by Step Guide to Set Your Full-Time Travel Budget

[@BrianandCarrie]

Interested in starting Housesitting and saving money on accommodations? Browse listings for free here: trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/c/3563316/1555723/18144

[@robertkelly6189]

you guys are so inspiring! my partner is a teacher and has a few more years before her pension kicks in, but we are starting to move the pieces into place now. you make it all seem possible!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Robert!! ❤️

[@JoseReyes-ov2tu]

You should do a time budget vide of how much time you spend on an average week: 1) Budgeting, 2) Planning your next travel, 3) Planning your current travel, 4) Working on KZbin, 5) Enjoying the location and doing fun stuff, 6) Etc. I always wonder about how much time planning and budgeting takes out of your personal time ;)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have done something similar to what you are talking about. I'll leave the link below. It may answer your questions. Cheers!!🍻 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWXMYqeChceJi9E

[@JohnS-zq8ks]

Planning, organizing, staffing, and leading a sustainable global travel project may lead to disappointment without strong control (financial control). Brian makes a good point, which is that not being good with numbers, detail and excel should not be used as an excuse; use paper and pencil. But do it! Do what works for you. Strict budgeting may not be essential for those with ample financial resources. But for those whose entire travel lifestyle could be abruptly derailed by their own financial mismanagement, force yourself to adopt some of what Carrie is sharing. Stay in front of the budget, not behind it. The best way to deal with financial problems is to avoid them. I'm a wealth manager with an MS degree in finance. This is one of the best, most practical and accessible videos I've seen.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, John! 😊

[@TheRealDlo]

BUDGET is king no matter where u live & what u do! 👍

[@jasonbucher9883]

Another great video, thank you. Really appreciate how open you are about discussing budget. I would love to see you give us a visual breakdown, or even an example spreadsheet, to make your approach more salient

[@BrianandCarrie]

We can do that!! This was a podcast so film it but really meant for our podcast platforms. We can do a "video" style and have more visuals added. Great idea!! Thank you. Cheers!!🍻

[@MotoTouringWorldWide]

Our favorite part of the video was at 25:27 😂,,, Carrie is correct, spreadsheets rule 😊😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes 🎉. One for team Carrie - I love a good spreadsheet. Thanks for watching 😊

[@joethecomputerguy1]

Budgeting for me has been so easy. This is because I have done it all my life. When I was researching retirement this was also easy. I knew how much I needed to live and it had NOTHING to do with my income. So many say you need X% of income. Yeah, I did it differently. I was able to retire at 52 because of life like this. That was 7+ years ago. Now I am considering adding worldwide travel to my retirement. In the past 2 years I have done 20 cruises so the transition will be natural for me. Thanks for sharing and I think others can gain knowledge from this. It is sad to me how many have no clue what they really spend. And there are many in this category.

[@perspective4517]

This video is a must-see in the context of people who might watch your journey with stars in their eyes without drilling down to the reality of proper contingency planning. Yes, what you are doing is feasible, but not if your travel budget is all the resources you have. I planned to go for a year in 2022 but delayed until 2023. In that time accommodation and food had increased phenomenally from the time of my research in 2020/21. The solution was as you suggested here, house/pet sits (in Portugal, Italy, the UK and Austria). It wasn't just a financial benefit but allowed us to experience living like a local in many ordinary places. A great respite from the heavily touristed areas and the sometimes intense historical/aesthetic overload of sublime archeological and architectural experiences. Met some great hosts too and their lovely pets. Lastly, yes to craft beer and yes to spreadsheets.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Prices have definitely gone up over the last couple of years and house sitting is a great option. Save money on accommodations or cut back on beer? 🤔

[@perspective4517]

@@BrianandCarrie if you're talking about the craft beer available nearby Prague castle, at Strahov Monastery Brewery, I think I can drop a star on the accommodation.

[@cherokesky]

Yep....I use pen and paper Brian .... I round up the pennies so I know I have a buffer. Thanks Carrie for the app just downloaded to give it a try. Wrapping up our last two weeks in Thailand then heading to Italy for a month then home. Officially one year.... It has gone so fast.... Thank you, thank you for all your videos and knowledge... Safe travels, Larry and Minnie..

[@BrianandCarrie]

Larry and Minnie, that's an amazing year!! I'll bet that you are excited to get home. We always are after only 4 or 5 months, I can't even imagine a year. Thank you for all your time on the channel, we appreciate it!! Safe travels!!

[@VividCollectiveWorks]

You guys have a great dynamic together. Fun to watch and great info as always!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you!! ❤️

[@robertmcfarlane4151]

Such a useful video. I have shared on numerous occassions your total travel budget for a year in 2023 and 2022. People when they hear your budget think you are staying in hostels and sleeping on the floor. Your all-in costs are so reasonable and manageable for those even contemplating this. Of course you are budgeting for 2 people, but you are always comprehensive in how much you are spending (and you aren't scrimping on the important things - like BEER!). Sage advice into having a slush fund/emergency to pool enough to address any issue like laptop replacement or medical emergency. We all should be as organized as you two. It saves in mental stress in wondering if you're going to have enough money! Cheers to both!

[@BrianandCarrie]

The lack of stress in our lives has been something we didn't expect going into this adventure. We feel blessed!! As always, Robert, thank you!

[@hamster-no-more]

Really enjoyed this video thanks. What makes your channel unique is your commitment to budget travel. As this channel continues to grow do you think you will be able to resist lifestyle inflation with the extra cash? Just don’t become like that couple that stays in hotels all the time eating hotel food and learning nothing. I love that you both try and get a taste of living like a local in every place! Safe travels!

[@BrianandCarrie]

As our channel continues to grow so does our retirement fund. We will always be a budget channel. There will be times that we stay in hotels to avoid Airbnb, but we will offset those costs by house sitting. Thats the plan moving forward.

[@hamster-no-more]

@@BrianandCarrie ❤

[@BoninBrighton]

One tip is to do with reducing hairdressing costs- I grew my hair long during covid and I no longer get hairdressing costs every 6 weeks due to the simpler style I’ve now got. Also I use 3 in 1 oil after washing it and this smooths my long fine hair enough to let it dry naturally. I use L’Oréal home hair dye now - it’s looks better than before! For travelling all I now need is a hair brush x2 hair grabs and 3 in 1 oil plus local shampoo etc

[@maryegerton6848]

What a great video. I track every single dollar I spend, every night when I’m at the hotel. I recently bought a budget planner note book from Amazon, and believe me when I say it’s the best $20 I have ever spent. I am taking my grandson to South East Asia for summer vacation. He’s never been on a trip like this before, never even been on a plane. He understands that we won’t be doing excursions everyday and there will be days where we just walk the streets and do things like cheap museums and free temples and eat street food. I’m not a spread sheet girl, but I need to know where every dollar is going. I want to show him the process of the cost of travel so he knows why we kinda have to rein it in. Where are you right now?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Your grandson is very lucky!! One of our favorite things is walking the streets, seeing the sites, and eating street food. Enjoy your trip and thank you for watching!! ❤️

[@WallaceDunn]

I’m with Carrie on the spreadsheet. There are several free budgeting apps out there. I use Excel on my laptop and cellphone. Too easy.

[@deritaratcliffe4592]

Not going to travel full time but definitely extensive slow travel. Your insights are invaluable in my planning.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It is nice to know that it is helping! Thank you for watching. Cheers!!🍻

[@robertkelly6189]

You've probably covered this in another video but - do you have to show a outbound plane ticket when entering countries? Do you ever have a problem entering a country on a one-way ticket?

[@WallaceDunn]

Depends on the country. Thailand does require an outbound ticket.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Correct, Thailand is the only country we have been to that requires an outbound ticket.

[@robbiewillford4601]

Well thought out and explained. Thanks for what your doing.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Robbie!

[@Tycobb10]

Listening to your budget process, we use YNAB for our personal budgeting and it would work well with your process.

[@Friendlyfish-p2g]

Came here to say this.... YNAB is great for managing both monthly expenses and those sinking funds (flights home, laptop replacements/emergency funds/etc)

[@sf3413]

Awesome video guys, that was so helpful. I like your annual big travel bucket idea, and clothing/bag bucket. That's great! Content idea- could you guys do a video of all the places you've been that can hit the $2,200 (for a couple) and below budget goal? That would be amazing!!!!

[@GaryBetz]

Hi, my wife & I are in our 60’s & have travelled the last 15 months on just under $2100 USD to Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Mexico, Peru & Ecuador - this number includes all costs except the international flights. Hope this helps…

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have done a video that will answer your question!! Here is the link! kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6CYZZKJm55phtU

[@DominicDSouza]

Always amazed and grateful about the information you provide with such clarity. Thank you for doing what you do!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Dominic!!

[@melodyn6419]

How much savings did you guys feel enough to early retire and travel world?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Not enough! 🤣

[@FrenchFifi65]

I have found that so many destinations have become contactless versus cash payment since COVID. I would love to see you add on a brief statement on what your experience with this is in each place you visit/live. It makes traveling a lot easier. Gosh I am enjoying your channel! Thank you

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great idea! We just shot a video/podcast and we do discus not using cash in many parts of the world. Thank you for watching and supporting the channel!!

[@robertcoulter7592]

I always love how intelligent and level headed you both are. It's really refreshing and delivered in a very personable and warm way that makes watching you both so easy and enjoyable. As well as useful! I've travelled for a year or two as well but it's always great to learn more and more - thank you both ❤️✨🙏🏻

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Robert. We are learning something new all the time it seems. We pack differently almost every 3 months!! 🤣

[@debbiekirby468]

Love your budget tracking tips! So important to track spending while on the road as things can add up quickly. Thanks for the great videos! 💕

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks for watching!!! 😊

[@amycampbell8827]

Team spreadsheet ✋

[@TheRickTurner]

Great vid as usual.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We appreciate it! ❤️

[@Christina-ee4kt]

You two are a delight! I love your banter and great insights on budget travel 😀 I’m looking at doing more slow travel in the future. Currently I have a 16 year old who has been my travel buddy for the last 4 years including Europe and Southeast Asia always during her school holidays. Can’t wait for longer slow stays once she graduates high school. Wishing you lots of fun adventures 🍻

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Christina, the memories that you two must have!! Thank you again and safe travels!! ❤️

[@DaniElle25g]

I know you're going back to Vietnam soon, and I've seen a few videos on Da Lat which is called the eternal spring because of the lower temperatures due to elevation. Hopefully it will be a place you would enjoy and then I would enjoy seeing your video since you always have the best tips. I'm like you when it comes to weather since I live in BC Canada.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We'll have to look that area up when we go back. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@ianwhittaker3041]

Another great video guys, which reminds us of all the categories we should be thinking about. I like Carrie's tip about the travel costs app, where you can record everything you spend, as you spend it. Can I ask, what is your current monthly 2024 travel budget you stick to, all in? Would be useful for us future travellers to have an idea what the experts budget at for their Fire travels. Cheers

[@BrianandCarrie]

Our monthly budget is about $2500 to $2800 a month as a couple. Keep in mind that it may go higher than that in some destination. We try to balance that out by going to less expensive places throughout the year. This is also a learning process for us. With costs on the rise worldwide we are always reevaluating. Cheers!!🍻

[@sbkpilot1]

Spain has becoming considerably more expensive from the time you went, Valencia especially costs have gone up much more, I think your figures were from 2021 when prices were still coming off the pandemic low. Now, prices have doubled or even tripled in some cases and are substantially more than even where they were in 2019.

[@TheRealDlo]

That's everywhere in the world if we are being honest

[@Every_State_Park]

Thanks for the tip on the app

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching!! 😊

[@elizaC3024]

Pen and paper tracking works for me. But tracking everything is also how I keep us on budget. 😊

[@dominiquetheeasyminimalist]

I think budget planning is The most important aspect when retiring and traveling. The best tip is to live on the retirement budget and track our spending one year before retirement. This is a reality check that sets us up for the success and sustainability of this lifestyle. Also hundreds if not thousands of hours of research, and let's not forget: a good spreadsheet 😂

[@b2g.travel]

We love watching your videos and so appreciate how you partner! Thank you for sharing!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We appreciate you watching!!! Thank you!

[@RetirementMilebyMile]

Haha, We went to see Top Gun Maverick when on vacation in Poland. I think it was $10 for two. I’ve never heard nomads mention this before, but it is something I would make a point of doing. In the US a night at the movies feels out of reach at $15 per ticket, but I could make it part of the entertainment budget when abroad. Most big releases are in English with subtitles in the local language. I don’t think most people realize that. Also it seems like there are a lot of film festivals in Europe, not sure what the subtitle situation would be with those.

[@FranHenderson-x4k]

We went to see Civil War i Wroclaw, Poland, whilst we were there. Sooo cheap!

[@TNTTravelsWW]

We always get a rental car when we’re back in the States, so we maintain our car insurance, at a lower rate. I found my car insurance and credit card cover what we need for rental cars but not quite sure. Can you talk about what you do with transportation when you are back in the US?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We usually barrow a car from my parents or have used vehicles while house sitting.

[@barryutah]

@TNTTravelsWW - It's good to keep car insurance to keep your rates from ballooning. If you let your insurance lapse and try to get insurance later, you can be treated like you've never had insurance...very high rates. The time of lapse can vary by insurance company, some are 1 day. Does your company offer "Suspended" or "Storage" coverage (Comprehensive only)? I "Suspend" my sports car when I'm not driving it (most of the year). While suspended I pay about $57 for 6 months. I've discussed this with my agent for when I set off to travel. He suggested to keep one car on Suspended coverage...even if I sell all my vehicles 🤷‍♂. I'll likely do that until I decide I'm not ever returning. As for the credit cards, are you using those for rentals outside the States? I haven't heard of any that work inside the US. Thx and Good Travels

[@RhondaCampbell-gh2jd]

How and when do you replenish these funds? Do you replace it as soon as used or monthly? Weekly? Trying to get a good handle on how to maintain these accounts properly! Love your videos and info!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We evaluate and replace every six months with investments, saving and what we generate with KZbin and our website. Thank you for watching and commenting Rhonda, it does make a difference. ❤️

[@FranHenderson-x4k]

Great video as always. With regards your entertainment budget, I think it would be helpful to know how many times you ate/drank out per month. Keep up the great work😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great idea! We will start giving an estimate of how often we eat out and stop for a beverage. Thank you for watching!!

[@cherylgann1993]

Great advice and tools guys!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Cheryl! ❤️

[@kellieduffy4388]

Thanks again for a great video!, we are looking forward to retiring next year and travelling full time and your videos are really helpful and inspiring. Do you have a budget spreadsheet/ template available?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks so much for watching 😊. That is a great idea about a spreadsheet template, if I get one ready to offer I'll be sure to add it to our resources on our website www.brianandcarrietravels.com

[@joannenardi4234]

#TeamSpreadsheet 🤣🤣 seriously though - super informative video. Thank you.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Joanne! 😊

[@travelbungalow6267]

I have a question about housesitting. Are you able to actually leave the house? I know it sounds silly, but I’m curious how much out and about time a homeowner is fine with when you’re staying in their home for free. Honestly, that’s my biggest hesitation about housesitting - that I’d be trapped and not able to explore. (Brian, I too am prone to hyperbole! Haha)

[@BrianandCarrie]

There are responsibilities involved with house sits. It would really depend on the level of care the homeowner needs and the animals that are involved. You would know all the information you need before excepting.

[@melindavictorson7973]

Hi guys! I know you recently made a decision to visit home every 3 months. You also increased your flight allowance to 3000/yr. Do you anticipate it being a challenge to stay within the budget with that many flights yearly? I know Carrie puts in a lot of work to find the budget flights but it still feels like it might be a little tight. Thoughts? Great video by the way. I have been wanting this one.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We believe that we can stay on our new increased budget, yes. We will be heading to Mexico this fall and from Seattle the flights are inexpesive so that will help. Thank you for watching!! ❤️

[@Fell214]

What do you consider a sufficient emergency fund?

[@nancyl7989]

Thank you so much, guys!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Nancy! ❤️

[@gregscott4368]

It would be really nice to hear some real numbers. The word budget can be a very broad range.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Greg. We do "Cost of Living" videos each month along with end-of-year cost videos. I'll leave a link to our 2023 budget video below. Thank you for watching. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHnXXph-dquqaKM Cheers!!🍻

[@eddiealexander5276]

Hi Brian and Carrie Can I ask what camera(s) you use or recommend for your video blogs? The quality and resolution is excellent. Regards Ed

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, Eddie! We use the Canon M50 for this style of video and the GoPro 11 when we do outside destination videos. You can find our full gear on our website under the resource tab. www.brianandcarrietravels.com/

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds amazing, Eddie! Safe travels and we will be here for any advice. Cheers!! 🍻

[@eddiealexander5276]

@@BrianandCarrie Oh we will be pestering you, no doubt 😂

[@CAH3893]

Can I ask how you actually plot and plan your flights and accommodation so that they work all together? Do you just use a digital calendar while you are working it all out?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We discuss this in an upcoming video!! Stay tuned!! Cheers!!🍻

[@bipinpai100]

Hi Brian and/or Carrie: You had mentioned NORD VPN. Which one do you use? Basic is $3.39 a month, Plus is $4.39 and Premium is $6.39. Thanks, Bipin

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! We use the basic, it suits what we need and we've been very happy with it. www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=d4bfb5df-f0c4-499b-bbb0-4734c69aa265&website_id=07ce4335-e112-4c0a-932c-33a2e51dc93e&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnordvpn.com

[@CAPTex92]

Do you all have a date/year when you expect to stop traveling? Even if it's just for a year or so to recharge or until you get the "itch" again? Similarly, do you foresee you YouTubing as long as you traveling? I know you talked about burnout earlier, but do you fear burning out?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We do not have an end date for traveling or KZbin. We enjoy the process and think we have figured out ways to not burn out. We are on more of a schedule now and know that we can stop, relax, and enjoy where we are. The only time we felt the need to take a short break was moving too fast through Europe last summer. We won't do that again.

[@suzannegabrielle]

Yea for spreadsheets. I add a 10% contingency to our budgets so that's the "emergency" money.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thats a good idea, Suzanne!!

[@steven_dekok]

It is pronounced "meech". 😉 It is either beef or pork or a combo of both - and contains a bunch of different spices. It is best with mustard. I eat it almost daily when we are in Romania. I bought my MIL a little grill so we buy it raw from the Lidl and grill it at home while enjoying some Ciucas.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Weve been told by many that it is pronounced "mitch" like the name. I had more than I probably should have while in Romania as well!! 🤣

[@steven_dekok]

@@BrianandCarrie I guess we were both wrong. My wife just informed me it is "Meetch". 😁 I'm trying to learn Romanian and my wife won't let me have an accent. She corrects me about 100 times but it all sounds the same to me. She says, "No! It's pronounced ______" and I'm like, "That's what I said!" We'll be married for 6 years in October (together for 10) but it feels like 50 sometimes!! And other times it still feels like we're on our honeymoon. But the most important thing is that we can spend 24/7 together and still get along. 😂

[@2Rugrats9597]

As a single person I would like to stay at a $2K a month budget. If I could spend less I would so this way Some countries could cost more

[@jindandy7826]

SO helpful! Thank you 🤩 Don't see housesitting link...am I overlooking it?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Sorry about that, thank you for the reminder, it's in there now 😊. Plus here it is to make it easier: TrustedHousesitters Affilite: trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/c/3563316/1555723/18144

[@jindandy7826]

@@BrianandCarrie Thank you!

[@martinesykes655]

I freakin can’t wait to get going! This video was so useful and I’ve been a good student and taken notes. B-U-D-G-E-T…I can definitely spell it, now to put it into practice 😂 Thanks as always for keeping me focused ❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

You'll be out adventuring in no time!! Stay focused!!! 😁Thank you for all the support!! ❤️

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Good point with the miscellaneous account, to cover clothing. I used to walk around 7-10 miles a day at work on cement. It would just destroy my shoes in 3-4 months. So I can imagine having a rotation of just a few items they get beat up faster than normal. With that said how's the Pineapple shirt holding up? 🍍 For your accounts are you using the higher apr accounts? Ally, Vanguard, Charles Swabs etc Alway enjoy your videos very helpful and motivating 👍💪

[@BrianandCarrie]

The pineapple shirt was left back in the US!! 😊 We use Charles Swabe and Fidelity for most of our banking.

[@lisaquick1196]

Thank you so much!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Lisa! ❤️

[@Innovations-uv5su]

Are laptops cheaper, the same, or more than here in the US? And if buying overseas, is language a problem or are they the same as here?

[@BrianandCarrie]

There all the same. I did buy mine in the US but there is no difference in price.

[@Mrdoballena]

Can we hear some air travel stories? What is your turbulence tolerance? What’s the worst or best flight you’ve had?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We really haven't had any problems with turbulence. Knock on wood!!! The worst flight was a 4-hour flight on Sun Express. Bad service and highly annoying people all around us! 🤣 We were glad to get off the plan!!

[@aimeegarrett7103]

What is your yearly budget combined for the two of you? I was confused a little when Brian said your accomodation budget for each of you is now $1100/month so $2200. Does this mean that your previous videos when you break down the cost of your stay somewhere for the month is actually twice that total amount, due to this being the total for each of you?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Aimee. I will leave the link to our 2023 budget video below. We break down our costs for the entire year. We also have monthly "cost of living" videos that will answer your questions as well. Sorry for the confusion. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHnXXph-dquqaKM

[@MountainGoat67]

Is $1500/mo for both of us enough in SE Asia (MY, TH, VN)? we don't drink alcohol, full time Asian food.

[@erickarnell]

$2,200 per month is the current budget for the two of them together. So your amount seems like it could be reasonable.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks, Eric!! $1500 may be enough in Vietnam and Thailand. Malaysia was a bit more expensive than we thought it would be.

[@elenidededaki]

Out of curiosity, which laptop did Brian buy for video editing? I’m also looking to upgrade mine for video editing

[@BrianandCarrie]

I use the Asus Zenbook Pro and love it! Here is the link. amzn.to/3TN0HOM

[@foopah]

Where is the link you mentioned at 6:00

[@BrianandCarrie]

Was it the Cost of living site? Is now added, thanks for the reminder.

[@foopah]

@@BrianandCarrie Yes, that was it. Thanks! I'm 3 years out from full time travel. Can't wait to join you guys roaming the world. Thanks for all the great videos.

[@conniecrew2585]

Kinda random question: what price range have you seen contacts to be outside the US? Just curious. I really enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing your research and experiences, its much appreciated! ❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Connie. I just bought new contacts in Türkiye and paid almost the same price as I did back in the US. Unfortunately, glasses are just as expensive.

[@conniecrew2585]

@@BrianandCarrie Thank you!

[@caroljordan4316]

Wow you guys do well with $3000 USD per year/person for flights

[@Innovations-uv5su]

Much difference between Alicante and Malaga, Spain?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Weve never been to Malaga.

[@Larry_Kabberga]

Great video, very informative! To help with the budgeting I was wondering if you could provide historical percentages spent by expense type. Just as an example (totally making things up) 40% in accommodations, 15% in entertainment, 20% groceries, 10% miscellaneous, 15% contingency reserve. I understand that every situation is unique, but having this historical information after 3 years of your travelling experience would be very valuable at least to be used as a proxy, offering a practical tool. For instance if after 3 years of travelling your estimation is that 40% goes to accommodations, someone with a 60k yearly income budget for all sources (savings, pensions, side gigs, etc) could set aside 2k per month for Airbnb. Then things could adapt based on preferences but having that initial planning based on real life insights would be terrific! Cheers 🥂

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds like a great idea, Larry. We can make that a part of our year end cost of living 2024 video.

[@kleerogers]

seems you 2 have a very small emergency fund, that's stressful I would think. We have found that everything is much more expensive than ever, almost everywhere except SE Asia, especially Thailand, it is much less for accomodation and food, airfares are insane, no deals out there unless you want 40 hour flights with layovers and multiple tickets from different airlines (way to stressful for us), we tend to Fly really good airlines, like Japan airlines, it is worth it for us, but it costs a lot more, but you get to where you are going faster and much better service (back and forth to North America)

[@BrianandCarrie]

Our emergency fund is really just to get us home in case of something unexpected.

[@jasonred1258]

Interesting: You guys beat me by 5 years retiring early. I did it at 55 years. When you say you put away 2 years worth of money aside in a very safe investments: Do you mean the $2200 (budgeted) x 24 months? Do you use this money for all your expenses? Does this money ($2200/month) include your flights. When you come over to USA, where do you live? Do you rent a place stay with Family, or you have a home here in the US?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We sold everything to travel including our homes. We stay with family or house-sit when we return to the US. The $2200 includes monthly expenses. We have videos on our costs for each month plus early expense videos.

[@JohnJoseph999]

Does Avant work in mainland China?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have never been to China.

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Emergency funds: Another slow travel influencer couple had a $5K deductible on healthcare insurance. While they haven't ever used it because even several days in the hospital at Kuala Lumpur didn't reach that, they have a separate account with $5k that they can use in a moment's notice if need be. They hope to never tap that account for any reason, but if they need funds in a crunch, they absolutely could. If they ever did that though, the priority is putting it back asap.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Ours is $3.5k for the same reason. We will hopefully never reach the deductible and never have to use our emergency fund.

[@mactravelandfinance]

1. I think I’ve been watching for about a month. I feel like your subscribers have about doubled in that time. Am I wrong on that? 2. Have you all gone down the whole points/miles/cash back rabbit hole?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Matthew! We have received about 6000 new subscribers since May 1st and are very grateful to each of you!!! We have not and don't plan to do the travel points game. We each have travel cards but you need to spend money to get points. Our whole channel is budget-focused for a reason, we can't spend too much money. 😁

[@pdxbeaver]

Thank you for providing this information. This is why I enjoy your channel. Most other travel channels assume their viewers are wealthy. Hopefully in a few years I can travel the world although I'm single so doing it alone makes me a bit anxious!

[@nncadi1]

I’ll be a single slow traveler soon too…taking 2week solo trips until I retire to get a feel ahead of time and make adjustments as needed. You should try it…may alleviate some of your fears.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We would agree with this. Get your feet wet with short trips. You will figure out what works best for you and learn that the rest of the world isn't that scary! 😊 Thanks for watching!!

[@claireklein9398]

Lol, I'm pen and paper and my husband's a spreadsheet guy. Same demo, 50s. He documented every penny we spent when we first got married....that only lasted a couple month too, I protested when he made me count my coins, again, for a missing $.05. 😆

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good thing that only lasted a couple of months!! 🤣

[@claireklein9398]

@@BrianandCarrie 😆 for sure!

[@sallyjohansson6045]

Do you ever argue about what’s important to spend on? It seems to me, you have to be a very goal oriented and compromising couple.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We never argue about money. We each have our own accounts but work together on all travel and daily expenses.

[@nncadi1]

😂😂spreadsheet v pen/paper debate😂😂

[@randyholloway920]

So, it sounds like you either don’t have a home base or you at least don’t have a mortgage.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are debt-free, yes. We sold everything to travel full-time. We return to our hometown of Bellingham WA. three times a year for a month at a time and either house sit or stay with family.

[@TheTravelTurtles]

Love the channel, Guys! I hope it’s doing well for you and you’re able to supplement your investments and yes, upgrade your travel lifestyle a bit! This comment is motivated by the fact that Carrie is taking on the budgeting for the both of you. Tread carefully there. I recommend checking out fellow KZbinr Ramit Sethi, whose videos are less about money and more about the psychology behind money and more importantly how it affects relationships. Wishing you the best! Cris :)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are too old and have too much experience to worry about who does the budget. 😁

[@sediqmohmand9996]

You two have found very easy way making money on KZbin, just sit in front of a camera and throw some words like bla bla bla , it’s getting boring your videos, bring some changes and new stuff.

[@BrianandCarrie]

On this channel we respect all opinions. We just ask that you are respectful in your delivery. As far as finding an easy way to make money on KZbin. You would be surprised at the time and effort that goes into running a KZbin channel. The website, weekly news letter, membership page, Facebook, and Instagram all take daily planning. It is anything but easy.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We know of a few KZbinrs that have decided to stop as well. We really enjoy KZbin and consider it a hobby, but easy money? 🙄 KZbin is hard!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very true!!!

[@jimd2343]

Brian what’s your beer budget? How you been to countries with really bad beers.

[@BrianandCarrie]

I do keep my beer budget in check! 😊🍻 Every country that we've been to has had large brands that satisfied us. We love craft beer, but cold beer is good too. 😁

[@jimd2343]

It's 97 in Reno today so some cold beer would be great.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Cold beer tastes better in hot weather for sure!! 🍻