Three Hacks, we use, to travelling Europe on a budget

What if I told you that if you think outside of the square the world becomes your oyster?

Now, I'm no Gandolf or claim to be the next Dumbledore, both the essence of wisdom. Nor am I Mary Poppins sent from a magical realm preaching that a spoonful of sugar helps you through life. I'm a husband, a dad and just a little bit more. But I do like to ponder life's possibilities...a lot.

...and I've pondered upon something. Now hear me out and (and for the record) I am open to constructive feedback so keep that in mind.

What if there was a life where you could "escape the rat race", say goodbye to the 9-5 grind and end "working for the weekend"? Where spending time with your family was an everyday thing not just a weekend luxury. Where the need for things was overshadowed by your desire for connection. What if you were fulfilled daily? What if finances seemed simple without you needing to meet deadlines or sacrificing for somebody else?

Ready for my revelation?

Earn strong money and then geo-arbitrage.

Our online business is selling water ionising filter units to people that take drinking good quality water, hydration and their health seriously; but you could niche down in your chosen field, do freelancing or work for somebody else. We've all heard about the Aussie that lives in Bali and works online and they bank a strong currency and then live on a tropical beach for a few dollars a day. But what if I said Europe is also an option? Culture, history, food, language and a splash of Mediterranean sun (or alpine snow...yes please!).

Follow along and I can show you how we achieve this.

I can tell you for a fact when we're in Europe each year it is cheaper and more enriching than if we were to remain in Australia. Hands down. Of course I agree with you...Australia will always have the most beautiful beaches in the world, yes our childhood friends are no longer just down the road and there are no fish'n'chip shops. But, there are memories to be made.

I'll break it down:

Hack 1:

We mainly stay for 28 days or more in each accommodation as there's a considerable discount for month-long stays when using Airbnb. Sometimes the discount can be as high as 75% but usually it's about 20%. For example we're staying in the Bay of Kotor (Google it! It's beyond beautiful) for $500 AUD a week. That includes utilities and great Wifi. Not bad right? Two bedrooms, bathroom, laundry, kitchen, right on the water's edge and 10 minutes walk from the Old Town. Our next long stay is in Budva and our rent (including utilities) is $350 AUD a week. If we were back home we would easily be forking in excess of $1000 AUD a week for a similar location. Can you start to see the vision yet?

Hack 2:

"If you eat like a local you'll spend like a local". Things that might have made it into our weekly shopping basket back home have now changed. 

One example is we eat a lot of organic butter back home but it's really expensive here and we have noticed everybody buying cream cheese instead. 

So the cream cheese is going straight into our basket and we live without using much butter. Another is our family values animal welfare very highly so we don't eat caged chicken or pork and lamb isn't available here so beef is our only protein option at the moment. We are also finding ourselves eating primarily vegetarian and being both chefs and Ash's background in health and nutrition, we are getting our protein in a slightly different way to back home in Australia.

Putting all of that aside, our weekly food spend hovers around 35 EUROs a day including a snack while out during the day, a few beers or glass of wine in the evening plus eating out only occasionally. We don't overspend but we eat wholesome, nutritious and abundant food.

Hack 3:

Move slow and see more. During our long stints somewhere we skip on car rental and opt for public transport instead. Yes you can definitely hire a car for a reasonable price if you do your research...BUT! If you're staying somewhere for a month and want to see the surrounding area I'd suggest car hire for a few days and do a road trip. We find that by renting a car you always feel like you need to be on the move, using it and getting bang-for-your-buck.

So slow down. Chillax. What's the rush? By moving slower we now have our favourite bakery for burek, our cafe for espresso, our farmers market for fresh produce and our local butcher for meat. We walk to the park so the girls can play, picnic in the sun or just hang out by the water's edge. The locals begin to recognise you, they know our regular coffee order at the cafe and we start to connect with the neighbours like old friends.

My advice (for what it's worth)...sit down with a piece of paper and write down how much you are really spending, per month, on all of your expenses. Have categories like petrol, rent/mortgage, groceries, phone, insurances, entertainment, subscriptions, car maintenance and the like. Be honest. Be brutal. Find out what the figures are and I'll touch in next week for a review!

To reach out or connect find us on instagram @our_freedom_family or ashlee_ajones

Our website, if you're interested in reading other posts is www.ourfreedomfamily.com

From me, that's a wrap.

Matt