HOW MUCH MONEY DO I NEED TO KEEP ASIDE FOR TRAVELING IN 2018?

I don't travel as frequently as a lot of people around me do. Neither to I earn so much that I can afford a regular travel. But I have done some planned and some unplanned trips in the last year, and I am quite motivated to save for this year's travel too. The question is how much?

How do you plan for your travel?

I think what most people do is, they have a bucket list of places they want to go and things they want to do during that year and plan accordingly. I have a couple of friends at work who plan their holiday calendar in January for the whole year. They know when they want to take leaves and where they want to go for the long weekends.

But I fall under that category of people who get panic attacks when people around me are traveling and going on holidays, and wonder what am I doing with my life. Then I gather my resources and travel. 

For most of us life is not as easy to predict. I live with my parents they are the biggest influencers in my travel plans. I mean, they don't motivate me to travel, it's quite the opposite actually. Until last year, my parents never permitted me to travel. In 2016, they started traveling with me and 2017 they let me travel for work. I am yet go on solo travels or even explore what is it like to travel with friends.

How do I ensure I keep traveling?

I think most of us are stuck in a vicious circle called priorities of life, and our own desires take a back seat. What I finally learned from my friends who travel and also from the people I met during my travels is that their travel plan is not an option in their life.

It's not like, "If I have money then I will travel"

or "If my parents permit me then I will travel" 

or "If I get leaves then I shall travel"

It's more like 

"I will travel, no matter what"

Which reminds me Paulo Coelho famous quote “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” 

I am ready to believe that the people who travel, love traveling so much that universe conspires to fulfill their dreams.

Looking at my life currently, honestly I can't really afford to make travel plans right now, what I can do is to make one or two and work towards it. Last year it was Jaipur and Turkey - the goals I had for 2017,  rest of the trips just happened along the way.

This year too I want to make 2 trips, one with family another hopefully an international trip.

How much money do I need to keep aside for traveling this year?

My Turkey trip made me realise that, traveling, which is my passion, and to which I keep looking forward to, doesn't deserve to be treated like a step-child. 

I need to start keeping money aside for traveling first and rest of my life should be around it. 

This is a  choice I need to make at the start of the year; "should I be saving 30 percent of my income for traveling or only 10 percent only considering I just made a big trip?"

While I am still contemplating this, the decision has to be made now.

Truth is, it's not about how big or how expensive your trip is going to be, the question is how badly you want it? and where do you want to go next?

As for me, in my bucket list for the year are: Mumbai and Marrakesh

I am also considering Malaysia.

But one thing I know for sure at the end of this year:

"I.will.travel.no.matter.what"