The Truth Behind Full-Time Budget Travel Expenses

[@sarahthompson5066]

I agree with the other comment. Enjoy your travel and if you are over budget, it's to be expected. And the shoes were worth it--seriously, they are your "Transportation" costs--VERY IMPORTANT! (And the shoes look really well made)!

[@FIREWeGo]

Love how you called the shoes "Transportation"! That is true, and they were a definite necessity. We are starting to get excited to head to Brazil, just the need to slow down a little and plant our stuff in one spot!

[@FIRE_DrNinjaTurtle]

I love the tans. I am traveling almost every month in the U.S. I am still chasing your lifestyle. I love being financially independent.

[@FIREWeGo]

@@FIRE_DrNinjaTurtle you're living your best life now! How is retirement treating you?!?!

[@FIRE_DrNinjaTurtle]

@@FIREWeGo it is fabulous. I really am traveling the U.S. a lot. I love giving double the meal amount as a tip. It will brighten the day or the waitress or waitor

[@tonyalaw8197]

Hey Friends! I'm back on here. My family and I have been on vacation in the states enjoying family and friends. It's nice to see you guys looking great with those tans. FIRE looks so good on you guys!🎉 Another great video! And it's great to see your channel is growing in numbers. Awesome! I am so happy for you guys.😊 ​@@FIREWeGo

[@tonyalaw8197]

Hey Friends! It's nice to see your channel is growing 🎉. AWESOME!. Great video! You guys will be just fine and the budget will settle down give it time. At least you guess are watching the spending 🎉. Thanks for sharing 😊. I also love the tans too! You guys look GREAT!🎊✨️

[@FIREWeGo]

Ahhh, thank you!! The tans are nice, and the sunshine has been good for our souls! 🤗

[@Holly-lv3fr]

I would love to see a video when you reach a year of retirement , how it effected your net worth, did you break even, go down, go up.

[@FIREWeGo]

@@Holly-lv3fr that is a fantastic idea!! We wrote it down so we hopefully don't forget!

[@hogroamer260]

​@FIREWeGo And don't forget to include inflation! After 7 years retirement, I have marginally more money but my buying power has dropped. I still won't take Social Security for another three to six years so there is no concern. Social Security will be much more than I have been spending.

[@FinancialFreedomLifestyle]

Loving the videos! Thanks for sharing! Your tan's are on point! What have been some challenge you guys have faced so far?

[@FIREWeGo]

Lol, you can't see the horrible tan lines!! At the moment, the biggest challenge ge is moving each day... We really just want to get to one spot a stay for longer than 2 nights!

[@FinancialFreedomLifestyle]

@@FIREWeGo Oh yes I know the feeling! Slow travel is looking more and more appealing :)

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

You both look relaxed as if a mountain of stress has been lifted from you! Keep on rolling and enjoy! Larry

[@FIREWeGo]

Thanks, Larry, and you're completely correct! I was just telling Gean the other day that I feel absolutely no stress anymore, I even stopped biting my nails (awful habit, but one I no longer have!)

[@bran1214]

never mind the over budget look the happiness in your faces …. that’s priceless!!!

[@FIREWeGo]

🤗🤗🤗🤗 we really are so happy!

[@Vedette-sa]

I would do exactly the same thing, spend a little bit more when you need to on trips like these (they are once in a lifetime adventures) and just try to reign in the budget a bit more later during months where you can. Love your videos! My husband and I are looking at FIRE for him at the end of the year and myself middle of next year. Getting a lot of inspiration from your videos!

[@FIREWeGo]

You guys are so close! That time is going to fly by for sure, Congratulations! We really appreciate the support, thank you!

[@tracyreaume6451]

You’re getting closer to your monthly budget, you’ll get there!! I would do what you are doing- trying to stay on budget, but go over if you must. You can and will makeup once in Brazil! So happy you are enjoying yourselves! You both look great! As someone with previous foot problems, good shoes are essential!! Cheers from 🇨🇦!

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you!! Cannot agree more...the shoes were essential, we definitely would not have made it this far without them! We are looking forward to Brazil, not only to save a little money, but to slow down and stay in a spot for a little bit 😉

[@Faben202]

Considering that you’re not staying in one place for long, you’re eating all your meals out, and you had the additional expense of shoes for your walk, I think your spending was quite reasonable last month. Thanks for sharing this information and good luck with the rest of your walk!

[@FIREWeGo]

Thanks so much! We think it was pretty good, too, and we have no doubt it will come down once we reach Brasil 🤞

[@laura_and_shanman]

100% agree with @faben202 - I think that’s an amazing budget!

[@k.i.1700]

Thank you for sharing your retirement! I think it’s ok to go a bit over budget in your go-go phase. Wondering if you’ll be doing anymore videos on your portfolio…where you’re drawing your money from first? RRSP meltdown strategy?

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you! We are planning to do a few videos on our portfolio, and we talked a bit about our drawdown in our 3 buckets video a few weeks ago... but will be discussing this more in the coming videos!

[@gmarks1559]

I hope to be fire in a few years! Congrats, let's goooo🎉

[@FIREWeGo]

Amazing!!! You may even get there faster than you think!!

[@kerri7973]

I am glad to see how much you are enjoying this experience. As for me, i would say, spending a little more now is ok. you are in a unique situation walking the trail where you have limited control over expenses. i think that will stabilize further on in the year. take advantage of where you are. Your situation will be different later on. Glad to see you both looking so well. What an adventure!

[@FIREWeGo]

Thanks so much! We really do feel great as well. It's hard to describe the difference in just 2 months...amazing!

[@LadyBug-qh8nq]

We are early in our retirement and trying to stay under budget. I like to save money but know at some point I need to ease up and spend a little more. I think you are doing great with your budget, enjoy.😊

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you so much! It's hard, isn't it? Getting your head around spending instead of saving! Hope you're enjoying your retirement as much as we are!

[@AdrianaSpark07]

Thanks for sharing 😊 I think its normal to be a bit over budget, you're learning and enjoying your first months of retirement. I think you won't regret to spend a little extra money 😉

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you!! We are really hoping that we will be Ble to get back on track once we reach Brazil. Slow down and be able to start cooking again! It's amazing how much we miss that!

[@travelingexpats]

Europe is expensive but such an amazing experience. We've been over budget almost every month since retiring in October but we're going with the flow and enjoying life.😂

[@FIREWeGo]

It is expensive! And good to know we aren't the only ones! 🤗 Have you been in Europe quite a bit as well?

[@nursynikki]

You guys started like us, this time, with the camino. Though we did start in Porto for the Portuguese way and received our compostela in Santiago, then continued our travels following the coast, Leon, then down to A Corun̈a, back up to camino del Norte. We are just finishing the north of Spain. We will fly to Alicante then getting the heck out of Spain, unafordable. Albania is our new budget. Buen Camino where ever you go

[@FIREWeGo]

That sounds like an amazing walk! Great job! We have also thought of heading to Albania next year for a bit. Keep us posted on how it is and the costs we would live to hear your thoughts!

[@thepinkpeppercorn]

You both look so healthy and RESTED!!!! Congrats :)

[@FIREWeGo]

Lol, I'm pretty sure neither of us has felt this great in decades! Excerise, rest, and time together is an amazing mixture!

[@Wlachancegofordividend.]

We’re not retired yet but every time we travel we do it n a budget. We have a motorhome so our own accommodation on wheels and can stop along the way anywhere. Sometimes it’s free places and sometimes it costs to stay. We have started to plan our retirement budget with our dividend income and Canadian pensions. CPP and OAS. Hopefully it will be sooner than later.

[@FIREWeGo]

A motor home is a great way to save some money on accommodation, and it's true that you're able to see so many out of the way places!!

[@TravelswithLlama]

Sounds like you are just fine. Your budget will flex. Have to look at the big picture and on a longer time from. Sounds like you are right on track for an expensive place. You will have lighter months when you are with friends or Brazil. Plus you are in your go go years. That time slips away fast. Don't worry. Live you life but GET GOOD SHOES!

[@FIREWeGo]

@TravelswithLlama lol, yes, good shoes are a definite must-have! Thank you for the support and encouragement 😊

[@Cathy-nr5qi]

I would say enjoy yourself right now as others mentioned it is to be expected you would be over budget with having to stay in so many hotels and eating out etc. and this is temporary, you will be back in Brazil soon and most likely won't be spending as much. Plus you are right when you get older we naturally spend less so I say spend a bit more now while you are younger and able to enjoy it. My husband and I are planning on moving to Europe, Portugal next year for a few years when I retire at 50 (could be earlier we'll see as my husband would love me to leave my job ASAP) and then possibly Ireland where we are from, can't wait, right now we are living vicariously through you lol. You both look great, so healthy, happy and well rested!

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you so much! We can honestly say we have never felt better. We are exercising, sleeping, no stress! Retiring early has been the best decision. We are definitely looking forward to Brazil! Not just for lowering our costs, but just to slow down a but too!

[@LiveLifeLori]

Definitely go over budget sometimes and enjoy it! You can make up for it when you're in Brazil, cooking all your own meals, and spending the day at the beach...you'll have tons of spend zero days to balance it all out :)

[@FIREWeGo]

Lol, we love the term "sprnd zero days!" We can't wait to get to Brazil to just relax 🤗

[@LiveLifeLori]

@@FIREWeGo yeah I bet! We finally moved to Vancouver Island, and have been spending too much $ on stuff for house and airbnb unit, so can't wait to try to do a whole month of zero spend days :) Enjoy the last bit of your trip.

[@brianmcgrath5977]

I can actually see the stress leaving you. Well done. u

[@FIREWeGo]

We feel amazing...no more stress!

[@rickmorris3580]

I'm curious about the money KZbin pays. I've seen people with near 1M subs give the details but curious what "normal" people might make. You share quite a bit of financial info but this is certainly optional if you don't want to disclose. Glad to see you guys are having fun and have great tans :)

[@gmm5550]

they pay peanuts, most youtubers that make at most 20$ on a video that why so many beg in livestream and sell stuff and have side sponsor sceams (and scams)and things like that..

[@FIREWeGo]

We may look at doing this. We will keep you posted 😊

[@livingtheslolife]

I think you're doing great! Makes sense to spend a little more now when you are on the road the entire month vs. when you get settled in Brazil and have no housing costs or eating out expenses. Question though: how are you finding it to be constantly on the road, sleeping in different beds all the time, not having privacy or your own 'space'? My wife and I just got back from an 8 day trip to 4 different cities and it was so nice to get back home and sleep in our own bed, watch our own TV, and cook our own meals. I'm wondering how many people who FIRE and travel the world get tired of it after awhile? Is it really something that is sustainable?

[@FIREWeGo]

The fast travel is tiring for sure! At the moment, we are moving to a different place each day, and this is hard! Once we are able to settle into ine place for a longer period of time, it will be better for sure!

[@hogroamer260]

I've watched a lot of your videos, love them, but don't recall exactly how you arrived at your budget. So, I can't tell you my exact thoughts on how you are doing. I will say that if you are truly retired and have accumulated what you expect to have for the rest of your lives, your overages are within the margin of error. First, you expect Brazil to be easily within your budget. Second, you have no guarantees on your portfolio returns. My guess is they will outperform what you calculated. Overall, I think you are right on budget and should continue what you are doing until you get to Brazil. Enjoy the rest of your time in Europe!

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you! We tried to use many different sites to come up with our budget, numbeo, airbnb, booking, actual grocery site in a few countries, etc. We hope it is realistic, and like you mentioned, once in Brazil, we should be able to come back within our range!

[@Fiwithoptions]

Spend little more for valuable experience is not an issue. You can cutback to compensate latter.

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you!

[@tendegreeswarmer]

Generally speaking, our budget is about half of what you spend (we aren't officially retired yet so are trying to stretch our budget into as much time as possible), but we did double it for the Camino, knowing our accommodation costs especially would be so much higher than usual. But after spending the first half of the year in Europe, we're now heading back to Asia for some geoarbitrage where everything will be much cheaper and go easier on the budget. I don't know much about costs in Brazil, but I wonder if things will be cheaper for you down there?

[@FIREWeGo]

Things will definitely be cheaper... lol, they need to be. Otherwise, we are coming to stay with you guys in Asia! The Camino has definitely been more than we thought, but worth every cent! When you guys are in Asia, do you typically stay in Airbnb? Hotels?

[@tendegreeswarmer]

@@FIREWeGo Back in the olden days, we did a lot of hostels and guesthouses (cheap hotels). Now that we've gotten (ahem) a little older, we don't do dorm rooms anymore, and also we stay longer so we look for month long stays in most places we go. Airbnb can be great for that. But when we go to Bali next, they have tons of great guesthouses, where the Airbnbs are a very mixed bag, so we are going to a great 4-unit guesthouse we've been to before that is about $22 a night. We generally try and keep accommodation costs around $20-$25 a night - if we can do that, then everything else usually falls into place. Hotels are great for short stays (like in Singapore), but for longer stays we need a kitchen. (Except in Vietnam where the food is yummier and cheaper on the street than anything we could cook.)

[@Dividend-Shark90]

I almost spat my drink out when you guys revealed your food budget LOL! glad to see your, looking tanned and happy!! As for your guy's Q at the end, my wife and I have very similar goals for a lifestyle like what you are doing, but having done a lot of research and discussion I think our FIRE budget will be 10K CAD per month to feel "comfortable" while living the FI lifestyle. So i guess I would say spend it and enjoy it, but if there is future room to grow the income and increase your budget that would be best! I applaud you guys for trying to keep the 5K budget, but it seems like a tight number for 2 people now a days even outside of the western nations.

[@FIREWeGo]

That's a great point. Things are becoming more and more expensive everywhere. If we can keep it around or under the 60k for the year, we can continue to grow our income to help compensate for future overspending!

[@nh154321]

As long as you can stay within a yearly budget, it’s all good. For the peace of mind I would probably start with the least expensive destinations of the year first and then see how much can be spent on the more expensive ones and live accordingly.

[@FIREWeGo]

That's a great way of planning! Start low and see how your money works out 🤗

[@mjbalmmac1588]

Think you are doing really well on your spending. Good value

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you so much!

[@HGills]

I'm researching the Camino Frances for 2025 and looking at accom pricing. Nothing is really coming in at the pricing you are quoting apart from beds in shared dorms, even albergues in private rooms or BnB's are coming in around AUD100 / CAD92 (yep our exchange rate is even worse than yours lol ...) Would love more in depth info on accom options, where you stayed, how you chose your accom and how far out you booked each night as I'd imagine there is the ocassional day where you either need or want a break ? Are you using a luggage transfer service, how you are finding meals and snacks along the way in terms of cost and options. If you come across someone selling cakes, fruit, snacks along the way where the payment is a donation - what would your recommendations be and have you found most of those places to be genuinely friendly. Very excited to be in the planning phase but also a little overwhelming - or should we forget planning and just start walking :)

[@FIREWeGo]

Hello!! And just to get this out of the way... you are going to love the Camino! It has been the hardest thing we have done, but also the most rewarding. We would suggest not planning too much. That being said, we would highly recommend staying in Orisson the first night and Roncesvalles the second. You will definitely need to pre-book Orisson! (8km may not seem like much, but it is hard! And the view and commradery in Orisson is an amazing way to start your Camino) Accommodation can be very affordable in most of the albergues in the dorm style rooms. Anywhere from donation based to 18€ a night. If you want a private room, those are definitely more expensive. Gean and I did more private rooms than dorms because we found that it was only slightly more in most cases than 2 bunks in an albergue 🤗. You will meet many people along the way, so perhaps you will find a few to share those private rooms with...give you a break from the snoring! Food: your main meal you can get with a Pilgram meal...generally prices were around 12 to 18€. We found breakfast and drinks to add up the most. You can definitely offset this cost by utilizing the grocery stores and buying fruit and stuff for the smaller meals! The little stands along the way, we generally left what was comparable when buying it in the store or cafe... the people along the way have been AMAZING! Boyh locals and other pilgrims as well 🤗🤗

[@pilotgirl5953]

Enjoy your travel. Adjust your budget later in life.

[@FIREWeGo]

We love this!!

[@natinaharris8381]

I don't think it is that bad. I would probably be over, too. I watched another couple who said being over your budget in the beginning is normal. Besides, the "splurge" like spa days are worth it, especially since both of you are walking so much. I think y'all are doing fantastic! Enjoy! Great video!👌🏽😁♥️

[@FIREWeGo]

Ahh, thank you! We really appreciate all of your support!! And you're right. That spa day was very much worth it!

[@natinaharris8381]

@@FIREWeGo You're most welcome! ☺️👌🏽

[@franciscokameko4671]

Very informative, as always. Do you think that maybe for future videos, you could use euros or dollars when you’re taking about prices? Or when mentioning Canadian dollars, always give the US dollars or Euro amounts? It’s just that Canadian dollars are only useful for Canadians. Those of us that live elsewhere can usually convert our currency to euros or dollars in our heads without having to stop to convert from Canadian dollars. Thanks!

[@FIREWeGo]

That's a good point! We will try to do this moving forward. We are glad you're enjoying the videos!! 🤗

[@inea-fijourney22]

I love it! y'all look so relaxed!! ❤

[@FIREWeGo]

Ahh, thank you!! We are feeling amazing!

[@gmm5550]

Ill think that the slowtravelers that have the easiest time to keep budget are here in se-asia..like Thailand Cambodia Vietnam Indonesia lao Phillipines etc u can really travel in relative luxury very cheap here..and if u live here its cheaper than that. Europe can be damn expensive, especially getting a roof over your head and eat out everyday

[@FIREWeGo]

So true... we are really looking forward to heading to SE Asian next fall!! Do you have a favorite spot you can recommend?

[@gmm5550]

@@FIREWeGo well i do live and work in bangkok +15 years..haha so I'm a little biased ..its my homebase..travel all over se-asia in work but start In Bangkok for getting your bearings and" boots on the ground "and work from there..travel by modern aircon luxury busses or airplane here in se-asia is dirt cheap and hotels to. remember that hotel star system is very different here.. a meere 2-3 star hotel in bangkok is often cleaner and nicer and more luxury than many 4 star i been in europe and Shockley cheap

[@FIREWeGo]

@gmm5550 that's great to know, and we will definitely be coming to Bangkok! We have heard so many amazing things about the city!!! Thank you!

[@lindadorman2869]

You have 3 choices. 1. If you have funds, you can increase your budget by $1000/month. 2. If you need to stick to your budget, cut back on something. Try 2 meals a day instead of 3, order cheaper dishes, share a dish, or eliminate drinks or desserts. 3. Accept you are over-budget this quarter and cut back in future months, so the annual budget evens out. This is what I do. I spend some time in expensive cities, alternating with time in more affordable ones, so my average monthly spend is within my annual budget.

[@FIREWeGo]

Excellent points! And I think we are going to try number 3 😊. We want to try to keep things around the $5000/month to see how our finances do in this first year. So, hopefully, once we get to Brazil, things will even out a bit more! Where are you traveling at the moment? Thanks so much for the comment and for reaching out!

[@preparingforretirement]

We will be retiring in about 1.5 yrs and will sell the house and start traveling. My plan is to aim for a certain monthly budget BUT I will take an annual view of it. If I want to spend a few months in the Euro-zone, which might test that monthly budget, I will plan a few months in SE Asia later in the year to offset it. That way we can keep to our budget but not take the more expensive countries out of our travel list. We are also a little older than you guys - I think we won't travel quite as fast - at least a week in each area... possibly a month with day trips. Wise though. Keep your budget a wee bit padded so that you can deal with unexpected smaller costs like the shoes. Also an emergency fund of at least 3 months cash will help to deal with unexpected medical, etc.

[@FIREWeGo]

That is an amazing plan! We are hoping to get back on track budget wise by heading to Brazil next! SE Asia is also in our plans, maybe next year! We are really excited about that 😉 Also, I agree with slowing down the traveling! Once we finish the Camino, we will aim to be somewhere for at least a few weeks if not a month or more!

[@BB-dr6ho]

I definitely did the same thing… 🎉 😂 … Totally normal for me on the first year of retirement 😂 … I really enjoyed your video ❤

[@FIREWeGo]

Thank you! That means a lot 😊

[@steven_dekok]

We travel a lot of Eastern Europe, specifically Romania (We live fulltime in California.). We have found it very cheap to be in those countries.

[@FIREWeGo]

We are really looking forward to spending some time in Easter Europe. It looks amazing and seems to be quite affordable! I'd there a specific place in Romania tatyiuncan recommend?

[@Holly-lv3fr]

I like control and stabilty so I would try to stay with in the yearly budget... but like you I would expect some adventures to cost more.

[@FIREWeGo]

It's true... some adventures will always cost more! I am confident that we will be able to get the budget back on track!!!

[@nursynikki]

Did you try Ezequiel? Great tapas. We left Leon and havent gotten free tapas anymore. However, cheaper pinchos with great quality in Gijon and Bilbao.

[@FIREWeGo]

No, we didn't try Ezequiel...was it good? Will have to go back!

[@dcorman2350]

I don’t like budget. Never did. I feel it is a constraint that only leads to, at some point, splurges. What I do though is writing my expenses. Every day, in about 10 categories or so. I think its important to know where your money is going… For example, I dont have a car. I realized ling time ago that I was spending way too much to move my butt around when I can just walk or bike… that alone made me a millionnaire… Then its restaurants… making a budget would sometimes block me from trying a good restaurant worth it in my mind. So that’s partly why I dont do budget… however, writing down my expenses will tell me that I spend $10 on average for breakfast and thats probably a bad expense… I would readjust that habit. I eat oatmeal every morning. Its healthy, filling, easy to carry and cost only $0.30 per meal… that would be a good way to start my day, financially speaking. Dont do a budget… write down your expenses… decide your enjoyment/spending ratio !!!

[@FIREWeGo]

This is a great philosophy! We do you an app to track everything we spend, and this breaks everything down into categories, so it does help to keep us accountable for sure!

[@melodyn6419]

When will you go to mainland China?

[@FIREWeGo]

We do not have any plans to visit China in the near future.

[@silmaraguimaraes5296]

Would you share the socks you bought to prevent blisters. :)🤗

[@FIREWeGo]

Sure! We started out with merino wool, but they were too thick, and out feet were not stayingvdry. Thin ones would be good, but we ended up buying some here in Spain that are synthetic ones from the hiking store. They don't shrink if they accidentally go in the dryer, and the kept our feet dry!

[@ryanm7171]

I don't remember your retirement plan, but assuming it stated you were only allowed 60K, plus indexing for inflation each year, I would be very worried about overspending. I would allow myself the freedom to overspend while vacationing if you knew you could return back to your Brazilian condo and underspend until you are back in the black. I hope your retirement plan gives you the freedom to overspend a little bit. Ie. You are spending 60K, but you could have spent 65K and also be just fine. I know some retirement plans give you options of spending more each year, spending lump sums of money, retiring even earlier, or earning less return (than the market) and still being on track.

[@FIREWeGo]

So we have set the 60k amount as we can co er this with the dividend jncome we generate, and still have a bit of money left over for other emergencies and taxes. But like you suggested, we will be heading back to Brazil, and that should hopefully correct the budget! Lol, this first year is really a learning curve!

[@HGills]

To answer your question about budget We would spend a little more and enjoy your retirement- these years don’t last forever, you will slow down and there will be countries that are more affordable. Adjust your budget accordingly and enjoy it.

[@FIREWeGo]

It's so true. I think we are hyper focused on the 5k/month, and we also want to truly enjoy our time in all of these places... we may never be back! So maybe spending a bit more now, and less later...🤗

[@dancurran8977]

Your accommodations are a bargain. My son spends $3200 a month in New Jersey. I like the tans!

[@FIREWeGo]

Lol, the tan lines are a little ridiculous! Sock a d t-shirt marks... but nothing a little time in Brazil won't fix! $3200/month is a lot, it very similar un Toronto. It is so hard to get by for so many people these days.

[@BrianAnother]

Friendly feedback: your voices are only on the right audio channel making this really weird to listen to with headphones

[@FIREWeGo]

We are so sorry...we only realized after we recorded that Geans mic was off... we definitely will be double-checking in the future 🤗

[@dominiquetheeasyminimalist]

Your self respecting feet and back thank you for staying at a Parador 😜

[@FIREWeGo]

Oh man... the surely do!!! That hotel was something else!