When I sold everything to travel, I couldn’t imagine a time when I’d say I’ve been on the road for 10 years. But here we are, 10 years later. I’ve travelled through and/or lived in over 50 countries in that time. And I’ve learned a lot about what “full-time travel” really means. Here are eight myths about the full-time travel lifestyle that I’ve learned along the way (often the hard way!). Myth: Full-Time Travel Is an Extended Vacation Full-time travel is a lifestyle rather than a trip or vacation. When travelling full-time, there’s no “regular life” or “home” to return to, like there is if you are travelling for a limited time. This creates a different mindset around foundational ideas like what home is, and ultimately, how to create that sense of home abroad. Myth: Full-Time Travel Is for Rich People Most full-time travellers work in some way…

I’ve been proverbially homeless for 10 years, travelling through and living in over 50 countries. Over the years, I’ve experimented with many different styles—and paces—of travel. In 2010, embracing a “backpacker” moniker, I breezed through a dizzying number of countries. In that entire year, the longest I spent in one place was three weeks; on average I “moved house” every five nights. After this fevered travel pace, I spent the first six months of 2011 in a near-comatose state of recovery. Something wasn’t right. I couldn’t quite define what was wrong, but I had an unsettled feeling. I was fundamentally tired, like I hadn’t slept well in months. On reflection, this was true; too many late nights, early mornings, unfamiliar beds, and communal living quarters had taken a toll. I was dizzyingly confused; the whirlwind of travel in the previous year left me feeling like the world was spinning around…

At one time, travellers cheques were the preferred way to carry foreign currency. They were secure, low on fees, and in some cases were the only way to pay for things abroad. But they’ve been going steadily out of favour since the 1990s. They pose security risks and cause extra work for retailers, the commissions and fees aren’t competitive, and even banks abroad are hesitant to cash them. A reader told me about a European vacation during which she visited 12 banks, none of which were willing or able to cash her travellers cheques. These days, there are other, more secure and cost-effective ways to access your money while travelling, such as the following: Credit Cards In most Western countries, you can pay for almost everything with credit cards. Many of my North American friends don’t even carry cash any more. Credit cards are convenient, they provide a record…

This financial travel tip comes to you courtesy of pickpockets, petty thieves, and absent-minded travellers. Cash comes and goes easily on the road, and to preserve it involves stashing and managing it wisely. Here are 16 tips for carrying cash safely and securely while you travel the world. General Tips for Carrying Cash For some travellers, the question is not where or how to carry cash, but whether to use cash at all. In most western countries, you can pay for almost everything with debit and credit cards. (See also: How Many Debit/Credit Cards to Carry). However even in these countries, it’s prudent to have cash available for tips, transportation (taxis and buses), and emergency needs (if your cards don’t work). In many other countries, cash is king. Debit purchases are almost unheard of, and credit card purchases entail extra fees. In both cases, these tips below will enhance…

This article is the first of the Financial Travel Tips series by Nora Dunn (The Professional Hobo), a former financial planner who has been travelling the world full time since 2006. We trust you’ll enjoy her experience-based tips and tricks for managing finances and travelling the world smartly! How many credit/debit cards to carry when you travel A number of factors may weigh into this decision, including the following: Your destination (credit cards aren’t widely used or accepted in some places) The length of your trip (a weekend getaway won’t require as much forethought on this topic as a long-term trip will) Payment method for the trip (if you’ve already paid for an all-inclusive vacation, your credit/debit cards will be almost redundant on the road) Other things to consider include reducing risk (against theft or card problems), minimizing fees, and keeping your finances running smoothly. Travelling with credit…