Hi all,

I've been on the travelling for almost a year now since I left my job and wanted to provide tips for new solo travelers, especially for long term. Note: Take these with a grain of salt, I tend to be a last minute planner.

Its much easier saving beforehand than attempting to make money on the road. I also learned this the hard way. I had money saved, but planned on doing a working holiday in Australia after hearing how so many people have saved loads of money for travel. Again, this is possible, but you have to be diligent and honest about your plan. Yes, if you work on a farm, have live-in accommodation, and work 40-60 hr/week, surely you could stack up cash. If you plan to work in hospitality in a metro area, it wont unless you're just willing to actually work, and not have a 'holiday'. Extra tip, if you do a work holiday in Australia - take advantage shifts on the public holidays ($).

Hostels for a long time can be exhausting, split them up with Hotels or Private Rooms. Let me first say that hostels are fantastic for not spending a lot of money and the social aspect. However, I found my best approach was staying in a hostel for 6-7 nights and split with a hotel in between to 'recharge'. Doing hostels for extended period of time (i.e. 50-60 days in a row), gets very tiring. Sometimes you just need time alone and relaxation. Try to split up how you lodge (AirBnB, Hotels, and Hostels). A good in-between solution is private dorms in hostel.

Do not plan more than 2-3 months in advance. Your plans will change, guaranteed. You may think you want 2 months in Laos, 2 months in Singapore, and 2 months in Cambodia - but you get bored in Singapore after day 4. A good solution for this is to have a rough itinerary in mind, and when you book hotels or hostels, make sure they are cancellable. Flights are harder - but my personal solution is to leave short-haul flights for last minute (that aren't subject to big price fluctuations), and book your long haul flights a couple months in advance but only for certainty (i.e. your final return home flight or across continents).

Take multiple bank cards with you. Its wise to bring a debit and credit card, or multiple of each. Hide them in different places for yourself. I lost my debit card (multiple times, I am an airhead) by forgetting to take them from the ATM, as some ATM's in the world dispense cash first, and then your card. Also it is wise to find a card without international fees. Depending where you go, the country may operate in mostly cash. So a debit card will be absolutely essential. Using ATMs also tends to have a favorable rate compared to exchanges.

Pack LIGHT. I have a bad habit of accumulating things. I already sent two packages by sea back home to ensure that I have a light load to carry at all times. It is so much easier to lug small bags around if you're on the move. It's also easier to keep track of everything, and you don't have to worry about checking bags at airports (this can add up to be a lot of money). I carry a 32L backpack and a tote bag, the tote can often fit inside. Other times I carry a grocery bag with my 32L on my back, this raises less eyebrows with budget carriers.

Do not rely on budget estimates from travel blogs. It took me a while to learn that these are not very accurate. They often vastly underestimate spending, oversell how 'cheap' it is to travel elsewhere. That being said, if you plan on taking it easy/relaxing, - just spending on food and basic lodging - just 'living' in these locations, then sure these $20/day in Bali estimates may be accurate. But if you're wanting to do activities you set out to do, take transport, and splurge on occasion - budget at least 20-30% more. Either that, or I'm just not very diligent about my budgeting (a strong possibility). One other thing: the guide books tend to be more realistic than the Instagrammer's blog of 'how I live for $300 a month in the Maldives'.

It can get lonely at times! (More often that not) Most of the time when you're solo traveling, you will be alone. More often than not, can be in stressful situations alone without the comfort of a friend or SO. It's important you know yourself enough to realize when you need company and when you're okay to be by yourself. When you need the social aspect, hostels and meetups can be invaluable. This is especially important in countries with low levels of your native language.

Remember to Enjoy! You're traveling, and many people don't have the opportunity to do so. I would say my biggest regrets while traveling are when I don't take the opportunity to DO the thing I want to do. Of course you have to be conscious about spending, but if you're in Cairns, and are unsure if you want to do the Great Barrier Reef because it costs $200 to get there, you may regret it when you return home, especially if home is a 20 hour flight away from Australia.