So HOW? How can we afford to do this? (aka “You must be loaded!”) The truth is, this is not a “luxury” year long vacation and it’s much more accessible than most people realize. So how, then?

Well, there are a number of contributing factors. I’ll share our TOP 10 here.

1. Plan ahead and live frugally, making sacrifices along the way. No cable, no new cars, etc.

2. For those of you who don’t own a home, and can store your belongings, having no mortgage or rent to worry about helps.

3. Work hard at becoming debt-free. No more interest payments. Best feeling ever!

4. Continue to work while on the road, if possible. Owning our own travel agency has been a great fit. We have two US-based assistants, one who will help take care of the ‘business details” and the other, a fellow travel agent, who will field any travel-related emergencies, if we are unavailable. We’re thankful to both of them.

5. When you eat out or “play”, try using Restaurant.com or Groupon certificates, or take advantage of “Children Eat Free” or “Happy Hour 1/2 Off” specials. Also look for specials while on the road.

6. Find moderately-priced accommodations via negotiating for an “extended stay”, whenever possible. This also gives the advantage of really getting to know the people, the place, & the culture.

7. Choose destinations where the cost of living is extremely low. For example, in Southeast Asia, hotels can be as little as $10-$20 a night, and a great ‘feast” can cost $1.50 per person. With six traveling, four with voracious appetites, that’s an incredible savings. (I won’t tell you who the ‘four’ are).

8. Take time to read “Round the World” travel blogs of other adventurous families. We’ve enjoyed many that have been a great source of ideas and provided accurate, up-to-date analyses on real-life costs of living! Make sure to visit them.

9. This next one doesn’t apply to everyone, just my travel agent buddies. When in the travel business, our suppliers are truly gracious and make it quite affordable for a TA to visit their properties, do site inspections, & even stay at reduced costs. It’s an advantage to both sides as the suppliers get exposure & we get to know them & their properties much more intimately, often feeling more confident about placing our own clients there. This will help our budget significantly, so thanks in advance to ALL of our great suppliers/hosts.

10. Our last great secret? Nothing. If it’s a true desire, don’t automatically dismiss it as impossible. Instead, explore the possibilities. You never know!