Greenheart Travel

Tag: money

Ways to Save & Make Money for Travel in 2019
You have probably been told that a great way to save money is to stop buying a daily coffee, or cancel your Spotify subscription, or something along the lines of giving up small luxuries. And while that’s nice advice on how to save a little cash, it’s a bit condescending to hear that you could afford your dream life if only you didn’t buy avocados. If you clicked on this post, you probably already follow all of that basic advice out there and are looking for some more insight on how to substantially save money to go abroad.

We have written extensively about ways to fundraise, but you’re probably going to have to pay for the bulk of your travels on your own. To be as straightforward as possible, making and saving money is hard. There is no “get rich quick” and funding your travels takes more than buying generic over name brand groceries. Let’s dive into unique ways to save and make money in 2019.

A few things about money management:
- Saving money means living below your means: This means cutting out things that you could otherwise afford.
- Know your budget: You have to know where every dollar is going in order to effectively reconstruct your budget. Don’t have a budget? Make one.
- Understand there will be sacrifices and know what they are: Cutting costs means losing convenience, time, and experiences. Choosing to take public transport over Uber means having a longer commute. Not eating at restaurants might mean feeling left out of group dinners. Remind yourself of why you are cutting back and remember what you will be gaining.
- It might take a while: Saving, especially little by little, takes a very long time.
- Know what you need: You might need to save up more money than you think. Prepare for the maximum amount you think you’ll need.
- Be realistic with yourself: If you are not in the financial position to go abroad right now, it’s better to wait. We do not advise anyone to go into debt in order to go abroad.
Now on to the advice.

High School Abroad in the Netherlands

Adopt the Minimalist Lifestyle

Minimalism isn’t just a trend, it’s a great way to be sustainable and save a significant amount of money. You can do it in small or big ways, whatever works for you. There’s a huge community of minimalists out there, so you’ll have plenty of resources. And when someone asks why you don’t buy paper towels or shaving cream, you can just say you’re a minimalist. Plus, it will prepare you for how life might be while abroad. You’ll be surprised by how many things you can live without.

Download a Budgeting App

Need some motivation? There are great apps that make saving feel like a game. Some of the most popular ones are Mint, Wally, and the subtly named, “You Need a Budget.” Everyone has their preferences, so do a bit of research and figure out which is right for you. If you prefer to keep it simple, just jot down everything you spend in your notes app to help keep track.

Get a Credit Card with Travel Perks

It’s more popular than ever to get a credit card because of the flyer miles. You can feel good that every time you DO buy something, it will also support that flight to Bangkok, or wherever it is you want to go. Look into which one is right for you.

The Envelope System

On the other hand, skip credit cards altogether and use the Envelope System. Greenheart Travelers have used this method to save $20,000 in two years! You can read more how it on their blog, but the basics are that you set aside your budget for the month in cash, and you break up that cash into envelopes based on categories, like food or transportation. Once the cash is gone, that’s it. It’s is great for people who tend to go a little crazy with debit or credit cards because the method doesn’t let you overspend.

Get a Side Hustle

This is something that will give you a boost of cash inflow, ideally without taking up too much of your time. Are you an artist? Upload your work on Society6. Great with kids? Sign up for Care.com. Know basic technology? Tutor those who are not as hip. Identify a skill you already have and learn how to make money from it.

Stop Buy New Clothes

Love fashion but can’t swing new threads? Opt for secondhand clothes at thrift stores and resell stops (there are a lot of great ones online). Not only is this a money-saver, it’s a whole sustainable movement that rejects fast fashion. That thing that is trendy right now will not be in 5 months, so you’re better off without it anyway.

Volunteers in Thailand cooking food together

Cut the Cost, Keep the Experience

Find solutions to money guzzling activities without losing the part that actually makes you happy. For example, most money-saving lists will tell you to stop eating at restaurants (and they are right), BUT if you are someone who values meals with friends, this may tank your social life. Instead, host a potluck, eat ahead of time, set your budget for the night, or ask to eat at a budget-friendly place. The point is that you are not putting yourself in the position where you feel isolated, because then it is hard to remember why you are saving up in the first place.

Learn the Respectful Way to Ask for Donations

No one is obligated to give you money to go abroad, but if you do set up a GoFundMe, Kickstarter or whatever, learn the protocol for how to say thank you. Most people who give money want to know where it is going, so make sure to explain your program and what you will be doing in detail. It is also nice to allow them to feel like they are a part of your adventures, so provide them some sort of documentation, like a monthly email blast, blog, or videos. And postcards or handwritten notes go a long way! We’ve written more about this subject here.

The Bottom Line

There is no easy way to get a lot of money really quickly. You will have to make sacrifices, make an effort, and make-do without. It’s hard when the payoff doesn’t happen right away, but when you finally hit that goal, the reward feels that much better.
June 24, 2019
Managing Money Abroad as a Teen

We all make mistakes, and when you travel across the world there are even more opportunities to mess up. One of the easiest areas to mess up is in managing your money. It is a great time to learn, but a hard one as well.

As a 17-year-old person, I am in the first years of my life where I get to have a job and my own money. Learning how much things cost and how to save your own money is one of the toughest lessons to learn. Luckily there is a grace period when you are young when you don’t have to buy as much as adults. Although this is true when you are traveling there are some differences. There is so much more to do that is new and everything costs money. When living with a host family it is often your responsibility to pay for yourself when eating out, or tickets to things or when you are out with friends.

Before I left on my exchange my parents were constantly worried about me having enough money, telling me how expensive things were going to be. Because they were worried, I did a lot of preparing and fundraisers. I didn’t like doing them and thought it was kind of overkill but I was very glad that I did. You want to have freedom while you are traveling and that takes money. So do some fundraising, get a summer job, and look for scholarships.

Once you are off and to your new country you have a set amount of money. To make sure your money lasts you, the best thing I found to do is find a balance. Instead of getting coffee fours days a week, make it a special thing on Monday. There will be things to do that cost money and you want to be able to do them. But there are also free things to do, like spending time walking around just enjoying your city or town, or watching a movie at home with microwave popcorn.

Even if you think you are doing a good job and finding a good balance you could still look at your bankcard statement at the end of the month and see that you spent way more money than you thought. Before you go, learn the currency conversion from your home currency. Although I thought I had a pretty good idea, when I did the math in my head with some rounding I often found myself spending more on something than I had calculated. I recommend a currency converter app on your phone to make sure you know how much something costs. With my bankcard, there were also some international charges, which could add up. Checking with your bank to find out what the fees are is a good idea.

There will be things that cost money that are worth doing so on your personal budget find a balance. It’s easy to rationalize buying things or spending money sometimes when you are going through a rough time. Some weeks or months you will spend too much money, but you have to be able to notice it and do better the next time. It’s a hard part of traveling but a great lesson to bring home with you.

Fiona MacDonald, from Cantwell, Alaska, is a Greenheart Travel First Time Traveler Scholarship recipient. Learn more about Greenheart Travel’s scholarship opportunities to help you travel for a change!

March 4, 2019
Where to Make Money Teaching Abroad

Teaching abroad is a life-changing, transformative experience. It provides the opportunity to travel, learn a foreign language, and immerse yourself in an unfamiliar culture. However, it can often be a break-even sort of deal: you’ll make enough money to cover your living expenses, but not enough to send money back home. Does this mean it’s impossible if you have student loans or are looking to save some money while overseas? Absolutely not! Here are some of the best destinations to experience life overseas while making good money.

South Korea

Sightseeing in lovely South Korea!

The English teaching market in South Korea is currently the strongest is the world, and in this stable, wealthy country, foreign English teachers are very well-paid. In the national public school program, your flights are reimbursed, and your furnished housing is paid for, so you monthly salary of $1,600 to $2,200 USD (tax-deferred) is pretty much all gravy. Frugal teachers on this program have managed to save up to $15,000 during the course of their one-year contract. You’ll also get about 30 days of paid vacation time, so you won’t miss out on exploring South Korea!

China

Greenheart International VP Daniel Ebert on the Great Wall

With a population of over a billion and an ever-increasing presence on the world economic stage, China’s ESL market is exploding. In the Teach English in China program, teachers get flight reimbursements, free housing, and a monthly salary of $1,100-$1,570, plus contract completion bonuses.

Japan

Torii gate at the Hakone Shrine

Legendarily beautiful Japan has the wealth to support a thriving and high-paying ESL market. Teachers in both public and private schools are able to save hundreds of dollars a month. However, due to its high popularity as a destination for foreign teachers, it’s one of the most competitive markets in the world. In order to set yourself apart from the crowd, it’s important to have a high-quality TEFL certification.

Vietnam

Program Manager Sara Dorsey in Ho Chi Minh City

Still fairly new on the ESL scene, Vietnam is a great destination for people looking for something slightly off the beaten path. In the Teach in Vietnam program, teachers earn $1,000 – $1,500 USD per month, while enjoying a very low cost of living. Placements are in public schools, so in addition to making a great salary, you’ll be opening doors for kids whose parents can’t afford to send them to expensive language schools. It’s a great opportunity to make money while feeling like you’re doing some good in the world.

Your student loans don’t have to keep you home! Contact us to start your profitable and enriching adventure abroad!

June 29, 2016
Learning About Money, Love and the Unlucky Number 4 in China

by Afi Yeboah, Greenheart Travel Homestay Teacher in China

Day 2第二天 Dì èr tiān

Ni Hao Family and Friends. It’s me again, 叶飞飞Yèfēifēi (affectionately known as Fifi in America), and this is my blog post about Day 2 in Beijing, China.

To continue where we left off, I was headed to orientation with Greenheart Travel’s partner company, “Bridge For Education & International Travel.” I am participating in their “Homestay in China” program. Upon settling in the meeting room, one of the first things I noticed was how they serve tea in Beijing.

Chao He, my B.E.I.T. representative, explained to me that they don’t add anything to their tea in Beijing. No sugar, honey, ice or milk! What’s served is just the hot water and bag less tea leaves. Hot water is also served with every meal, as opposed to the way cold beverages are served with meals in the U.S. Interesting stuff.

So Chao and her colleagues gave me a really great “Post Arrival Training” book, which went over a lot of important cultural aspects of China, but I will briefly cover two.

About the Money:

Chinese currency is called “Renminbi (people’s money). It is abbreviated as RMB. Yuan is a unit of Renminbi, and the smaller denominations are called jiao and fen.

1 yuan = 10 jiao = 100 fen

As far as spoken Chinese, yuan is called kuai and jiao is called mao.

When shopping, they tell me to divide the RMB amount by 5 to get the approximate USD amount. Meaning, if something is priced as 100RMB, its about $20 bucks or less back home.

(The actual conversion right now is 1 US Dollar equals 6.46 Chinese Yuan, according to Google.)

No Love?:

As we continued to talk about cultural differences, one of the most memorable differences was their expression of love.

In Chinese class in high school with Mr. Zhang, and even my Mandarin courses in college with Wang Laoshi and Lee Laoshi, I remember learning the phrase “Wo Ai Ni”, which means “I love you” in Mandarin Chinese.

However, I probably won’t ever hear “Wo Ai Ni” here in Beijing! Chao and Bella from B.E.I.T. explained to me that in China, you rarely say “I Love You,” not even to your parents.

I said “Bella, do you ever say I love you to your parents?” Laughing, she says “No, never!”

Boy, I was shocked. In America, I say “I love you” to someone every single day. In every conversation with all of my family members and even with my close friends, we exchange our “I love you’s” at the end of every single one of our conversations.

Chao explained to me that in China, people only say “I love you” to their parents during very special occasions, maybe on Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and wedding speeches. The reason being, China is a country where the people don’t like to show their emotions.

They don’t openly display their affection; they tend to keep it all inside. Although they may have love in their hearts, typically, they won’t verbally express it. I thought this was fascinating.

Unlucky Number 4:

When we were leaving orientation to get food at a local mall, I noticed something else. The elevators in China skip the number 4. (They also use the negative dash symbol to indicate their ground and basement floors.)

The number “4” is considered to be unlucky in some parts of China, and therefore omitted in some Chinese buildings. Why? Because in Chinese, 4,四 is pronounced “sì” which sounds a lot like the Chinese word for death “sǐ” 死.

Cool. So on our way to Phoenix Galleria, 凤凰汇, I spied a 7-Eleven which I was amazed that they had here. Even more amazing was the fact that the gallery had an H&M. If you know me at all, you know I love love love to shop, so I can’t wait to go back in there. We managed to grab food from the food court and I had the most delicious Chicken and Rice dish.

People continue to ask me how the food is here and I must say it hasn’t been too bad at all. I’ll talk about more about it later.

We left the mall and Bella and I took the Metro to the Historical Hutongs, which are narrow streets and alleys filled with shops, commonly associated with Beijing, and are considered to be an important cultural element in this city.

Finally, Bella takes me to meet my host family and I get to see where I will be living. I interact with them more in Day 3 in Beijing, so I will discuss it all in my next blog post. Stay Tuned!

Until Next Time ☺

叶飞飞Yèfēifēi

April 20, 2016