The Olive Atlas

The practical strategies I used to make international travel affordable as a broke recent grad.

I knew I wanted to live abroad after college, not just to travel, but to experience different cultures. At 22, I’d never left North America. At 23, I had nine more stamps in my passport. And I did it all by earning less than $3,000/month.

I thought this kind of travel was impossible, especially as a recent college graduate with $2,000 to my name and burned out from working the 9-to-5 life. But with the right budget and a few travel hacks, anyone can become a world traveler.

If you’ve been thinking of traveling abroad, this is your sign: traveling abroad is possible, regardless of your income. It simply takes the right minimalist budget and a few travel hacks to make it work.

In this article, I’m breaking down everything I used to make traveling across continents affordable.

Why Living Abroad Makes Travel Cheaper

If you want to travel more, living abroad simply makes it accessible. Getting across the Atlantic Ocean (speaking as an American) is an enormous cost. But once you’re in Europe or Asia, it’s easier and cheaper to travel to various countries.

I lived somewhere that was central to places I wanted to visit. I settled in the UAE because it was possible to visit Asia, Africa, and Europe on less than a five-hour flight.

Choosing the Right Job to Travel

The most important step is getting location-independent work. That way, you can travel somewhere for a week and still work. I recommend getting a remote job that pays enough to live and gives you time freedom. Basically, it covers the bases of your expenses, but gives you freedom to work from anywhere and at any time. As long as you log hours or meet deadlines, you’re golden.

Examples might be:

• Email customer service
• Social media manager
• Content writer
• Video editor

There are plenty of remote jobs that can be done across country borders. A quick search on Indeed or Flex jobs can help with your search.

Other Options:

• Online tutor
• Business English Tutor
• Teacher

Jobs similar to teaching have less flexibility, but overseas, the benefits are usually better than in America: paid flights home, summers off with pay, and other school breaks- a goldmine if you want to travel more.

I landed my first copywriting gig through a friend. Working cheaply for the first few articles gave me experience and space to build a portfolio so that I could charge more.

Travel Hacks that Made Travel Possible

Budget Airlines = Huge Savings

Once you’re staying overseas, flying budget airlines can make a huge difference in price. Instead of defaulting to Google Flights, shop around and wait for the right time to buy flights. Here are some of my favorite places:

• Google Flights will send you emails when a flight price changes for specific locations and dates. When planning a trip, sign up for email notifications to catch drops in prices and get notified if the price goes up again.
• Other sites like Skyscanner.com and Going.com catch deals that Google Flights miss. Make sure to check these too, to find flukes in flights.

I flew from Abu Dhabi to Rome for $130 on WizzAir. Some deals get as low as $30. Budget airlines might not always be comfortable, but they can be a fraction of the price.

Pack Everything in One Backpack

Minimalist packing saved me space and cash on checked bag fees for international flights. Plus, lugging baggage between destinations is no fun. Staying with a single carry-on and backpack was not only practical, but it also made my travel budget manageable.

Here’s how to make it work:

• Capsule wardrobe: pack fewer clothes that can be mixed and matched and reworn on repeat. Remember, you can always do laundry wherever you’re going, if needed.
• I typically pack a pair of pants, a skirt, a few shirts, and a dress. And I bring a versatile jacket. Each item should be paired with multiple items, meaning you have dozens of outfit combinations. For shoes, I bring a pair that are easy to walk in and sandals that slip easily into a bag.
• Ruthlessly eliminate extras. Can you buy it in the country? Great, don’t pack it. This goes for toiletries,  food, and others, outside of a travel snack.
• Bring layers over bulk. A lightweight down jacket + fleece + rain shell kept me warm in both the Italian Alps and chilly Jordan nights, without hogging space. I wrote an article about layering for travel, find it here:
• Compression packing cubes. These are underrated. They keep clothes organized and reduce volume by half. Plus, it can double as a dirty laundry bag, keeping clean clothes fresher longer.

Tips on Choosing the Right Budget Hotel

The best place to start looking for stays is Google Travel. When choosing where to stay, keep in mind how you’ll get to and from there. It’s no use choosing a cheap hotel if it isn’t close to a bus line and you’ll spend all the saved money on taxis.

Instead, choose hostels or hotels on bus lines, or close to a train station. If you’re introverted but still want budget stays, book private hostel rooms — they’re usually $50–70, half the price of hotels. It prioritizes comfort and safety while still saving.

Other places to check for good deals are Capital One Travel (if you have their credit cards), Hostel World, and Booking.com.

Cut Expenses to Travel More

Slashing your living budget is what will make travel possible. Simply eliminate everything you don’t absolutely need to spend monthly.

A few places I like to start are:

• Cut any unnecessary subscriptions. The average adult has 17 subscriptions. Just get rid of the ones you don’t use. I used an app called Rocket Money to find out that I was paying for Canva twice, and got rid of both accounts. I was only subscribed to storage for photos and Audible.
• Groceries over eating out, even when traveling. I personally limit myself to one meal out a day, not including coffee stops. I still get to experience culture, but save so much money. Plus, foreign grocery stores are fun to explore!
• Choose public transport over car services. Uber can be convenient, but limiting taxis saves so much money. Typically, countries in Europe have incredible public transport. Take advantage of this to save.
• Prioritize tourist excursions that matter most. Don’t feel like you need to see every single site. This makes travel more fun and relaxing. And you don’t spend on what you don’t care about.

When visiting Rome, I felt pressure to wait in every line to see the Colosseum, Ruins, and museums. But the truth is, the Vatican was most important to me. I still saw the Colosseum, but never went in, and I still had the best time. (Read more about my time in Rome here)

The best thing to do when traveling abroad is to experience the culture. This means getting lost in the streets where locals live, floating in the Dead Sea, listening to violin music carried through the canals of Venice. (Read one of my reflection pieces here)

These are the moments that make travel worth it. And best of all, it’s free.

Traveling to nine countries before 23 didn’t make me rich in photos — it made me rich in perspective. And the truth is: you don’t need thousands in savings to see the world. You need a strategy, a backpack, and the courage to go. So— where will you go next?