Working 70 hours a week to travel, should I?

So, for almost a year now I've been saving every spare dollar I have to go to Europe this summer. I've been to Europe twice already, but this time I am hitting some new countries.

I have made some pretty big sacrifices to do this. Some of which are a little crazy, but at least I'm aware and admit it. Like, for one, I don't turn on the heat in my apartment unless I have company over or unless it's below 20 degrees outside. I am hardly ever home. I don't care if it's cold in here. Also on days when it's not that cold out I turn off my hot water heater when I leave to save electricity.

I have also given up luxuries like cable TV. I considered giving up internet too and just having my internet on my phone. But considering I run an online business I don't think that would be very practical.

Despite all this, I still am having a really hard time coming up with the 5 grand or so I will need for this journey. So here comes the big sacrifice. I have been looking for a part time job for a while. But it's been next to impossible finding one because of the hours I work at my first job. I work in the evenings and so for a second job I can only work in the morning. No one wants that. So, I have the opportunity to take a part time factory job where I would work from 7am to 1:30 pm m-f. I know that doesn't seem like much. But keep in mind I work from 2pm to 10:30 pm at my current job. So, we are talking about 14 hour work days 5 days a week here. And both jobs are physical jobs. I am pretty fit, I work out and all that. But that's a pretty demanding work load. And if I do this I will have to temporarily give up my gym membership, which is pretty much the only social life I have during the work week. I would also have to deal with long term sleep deprivation, fatigue, etc.

I have talked to several of my friends and they are on both sides of the fence. My family thinks it's an absolutely no. They keep telling me to just wait till next year. But really, what's going to be different next year. I will still have to take a second job if I want to go on this trip. It's not like my first job is just going to gie me a 5k raise, lol.

Also on a side note... my boyfriend (who is planning on coming with me to Europe and originally agreed to pay for half) has no (at least to my knowledge) saved anything toward the trip. So there's a whole other dilema. I want him to come. But I also don't think I should have to pay for everything, especially when he makes almost twice what I make. But that's a whole other thread altogether. Sorry for the tangent.

So now I'm asking strangers. What do you all think? I want this trip bad. I live to travel and it's been almost three years since my last trip abroad. I am itching to get out of this country. I am one of those people who will do just about anything within reason to have these experiences. But is this too much? Where is the line, I guess, lol.

Thoughts appreciated.

What works for me if I need money fast is selling stuff on ebay/kijiji/amazon. I will look around my apartment for stuff that's just sitting there. I realized that "just because I never use it and don't find it valuable doesn't mean someone else won't" and it's true! People will literally buy ANYTHING. I have sold old magazines, stuffed animals, dishes lol, old dvds, toys, furniture, curtains...anything really! People will buy it as long as your honest about it's condition and everything. I even sold art that I made that I personally hated, but for some reason people bought it when I was ready to throw it in the garbage. "One person's garbage is another person's treasure." It also helps the environment because you will be getting rid of stuff that would have otherwise just sat there and got all dusty, or would have been thrown out. It's like recycling So if you need money, just sell odds and ends you don't need anymore.

I found that you don't have to sell what you think is valuable. Like don't sell things you like just because you might think others will like it. Sell stuff you don't like and you'll be surprised at people's interest I once sold this video game I absolutely hated for 40 bucks, and I sold comics that I thought were just garbage for another 30. My boyfriend sold all kinds of things on there (stuff I thought ...nobody's going to buy that) and he made 100's of dollars on some of it, with happy customers

How much does it cost to warm up a cold apartment when you have company? It make more sense to leave the heat on but turn it down low instead of warming it up from scratch. Same with the hot water heater, but I don't know. My advice would probably have been to plan a less expensive vacation and not go through tis, but if that's really what you want to do....

Only you can answer those questions. I'd simply save till I could afford it. But that's me. Are the sacrifices you'd need to make worth it to you. Can you work yourself to death for a few weeks of enjoyment.

Only you can decide that

I am not sure what you're planning on doing in Europe, but perhaps learn to travel on a budget too. $5,000 isn't A LOT when it comes to traveling, but definitely not a little...I survived on about $2500 for 4 months when I was a college student traveling, mind you I found a lot of "free" accommodation and often would do trades or pay-it-forward type stuff...ie, let me stay at your place and I'll cook/clean make dinner, hang out, etc. A lot of times people would let me stay for a day or two, but since I am seemingly somewhat likeable they'd ask if I wanted to stay for a week.

It's different kind of traveling, my dad travels a lot, and spends roughly $1000-$1500 a month, I on the other hand just went to Japan with my girlfriend for a week and we spent roughly $2000 in a week, not including tickets.

You can do it, but I suppose life is in the here and now. The sacrifice might be worth it, but you might be too burnt out to enjoy your trip. I'd find a way to travel more cheaply perhaps?

I'll echo the other posters here....

Turning off the water heater and then heating it up from cold is actually costing you more. Ditto on warming up the place. Better keep the temperature more stable. It will actually be cheaper that way.

Outside of that, sounds like burn out city with the job situation, so yeah, you might not get to enjoy the trip. Also, if the work is physical and you are exhausted, you are liable to get hurt and then your savings will go toward medical bills instead of a trip. I'd keep looking for something else.

Finally, $5K is a lot. You can travel Europe much more economically than that. I'd rethink your itinerary if I were you and how you are spending the money. Consider seasons also. Spring or fall can be gorgeous, Christmas time can be a blast, but not popular for tourists so prices are a whole lot lower for everything. Stay in hostels rather than hotels, etc.

I would rethink the fact that your bf will be accompanying you if he isn't even trying to save.

I would rethink the fact that your bf will be accompanying you if he isn't even trying to save.

I agree with this. I also agree about the heaters. I think you might be risking your physical health by taking on an extra physical job.

As far as selling things- yes but I'd be concerned about the safety of selling to strangers unless you're just shipping it and making them pay for shipping plus pay before you send it.

If you don't turn the heat on, you could have frozen pipes. It is NOT fun for the pipe under the sink to burst, the heater works that much harder and longer to bring the heat up every time you have company, rather than lowering the heat from 70 to maybe 58 and wearing sweaters. You also could get sick. Taking a second job could lead to mistakes on the first one and endanger your job. I would pick up a second job if it was something part time and flexible or something super fun that didn't feel like work if the hours with that and work allowed you to eat meals regularly, etc. rather than rushing from one to the other and not eating. Or where you can sit.

I admire your drive, but I think that I would either go to Europe for a much shorter time - really focus on one new country or go next year for a grand trip and in the meantime have all that money saved up in an emergency account, then still try to penny pinch and make even more so that when you come back from Europe, you don't come home wiped out financially.

And...you won't enjoy your trip if you are so physically taxed by the two jobs that you will use your trip to rest instead of explore.

I have been where you were - I worked midnights, then I went to school full time on top of it with a major that required extra lab hours. I had 10 hours where I wasn't physically in class or doing lab hours. It was a twenty minute commute from home to work, 40 minutes from work to school and an hour from school to home, if I was lucky to go home for awhile before work. So really, if I was LUCKY i had 4-5 hours of sleep when you consider i still needed time to prepare or procure meals, fill the gas tank up, and what have you. I eventually crashed.

I agree with your family that you should wait until next year ... or the year after. When I think about need versus want, the trip is a want ... a strong want but a want. I'd save until you could truly afford it on your own without compromising your physical/emotional health with the additional part-time job.

Given how bf/gf relationships go if I were you, I would not plan to go until you had enough to cover all of your expenses and don't plan to rely on him paying for any part.

How much does it cost to warm up a cold apartment when you have company? It make more sense to leave the heat on but turn it down low instead of warming it up from scratch. Same with the hot water heater, but I don't know. My advice would probably have been to plan a less expensive vacation and not go through tis, but if that's really what you want to do....

Average electric bill last winter when my heat was on 24/7: $230. Average electric bill this winter so far when using the heat only when necessary: $68. Cheaper electric bill=more money for trip.

When you eat less you spend less on groceries. When you drive less you spend less on gas. When you use less electricity you save on your electric bill. It seems like pretty basic logic to me. And so far it's working. My bill did go down about $192 a month.

I'm surprised how many people are picking at the one small detail of my post.

Average electric bill last winter when my heat was on 24/7: $230. Average electric bill this winter so far when using the heat only when necessary: $68. Cheaper electric bill=more money for trip.

 

When you eat less you spend less on groceries. When you drive less you spend less on gas. When you use less electricity you save on your electric bill. It seems like pretty basic logic to me. And so far it's working. My bill did go down about $192 a month.

 

I'm surprised how many people are picking at the one small detail of my post.

Because some of us have rented for years, have owned homes we rented out, or have been there in general and have had burst pipes or have suffered negative health doing what you are doing. I did the low heat thing out of financial necessity. I have also seen what it does. Because I left my heat so low in a drafty building, some of my older books started to get funky or mold. I just couldn't get warm enough to be productive when I got home, etc., and minor joint pain that is weather related from old injuries was a bear. Also, i found that buying the plastic for the windows helps your heater to not work so hard and you save a lot of money by doing that, and then not having to keep the heat so low. I went from $250 to $180 by keeping it low without plastic and from $250 to $75 to keeping it now quite as low with plastic (but being productive at home and not achy). I can at least have it at 62, maybe 64 instead of 50-55.

Anyway, its not really minor when your pipe bursts and you have to replace everything.

I understand its logical on paper.

Maybe I'm just an idiot when it comes to this stuff... but I fail to see how a pipe could freeze and burst when it's not below 32 degrees. I said that I leave the hot water heater on on cold days. Its actually been quite a while since I shut it off. So if its above 32 in my apartment, and if it's above 32 outside, how could anything freeze and burst? Again maybe I'm missing something. I'm not a plummer.

I would rethink the fact that your bf will be accompanying you if he isn't even trying to save.

I agree. If he cannot pay his own way, no photo at the Eiffel Tower for him. You can buckle down and save enough for yourself but having him along as a guest is not practical.

What time do you start your job in the evening? Perhaps you could work in a lunch bar. They start earlyish and finish earlyish. worked for me when I worked two jobs, the latter being in the evening and i was at uni at the same time. Some places just need help in the week or on weekends so that might work too if you want something casual but not wear you out.

1. Your boyfriend should not come on the trip if he can't pay his way. I spotted my ex on multiple trips, and although I don't regret it looking back, it did cause some big financial burdens that could have been avoided and in all honesty, I would have probably had a way better time traveling solo than with my ex.

2. I travel A LOT. And am a world-wide traveller and in my mid-20s. $5000 is way too much for Europe. Maybe re-think your expenses cause I'm not sure why it w.ould cost you that much. Are you staying at hostels? Have you looked at couch surfing? There are places you can stay at for free if you like. What's the public transportation system look like? How long are you travelling there since you may be able to pick up some odd jobs just to carry you along the way.

Also, why the focus on Europe. You've been there twice... have you looked at other places in the world. Southeast Asia is a great place to spend pretty much next to nothing and have an amazing experience. You can often stay at a nice hotel for the price of a crappy hostel in Europe. I was in SE Asia for over a month and spent no more than $2000 (including the flight).

My point is you'd be better off looking for alternative travel destinations cause there are very beautiful and interesting places all over the world (Europe is just one of many), and find ways to minimize your costs. 5K is way too much for a European destination unless we are talking honeymoon quality kind of deal.

Also, I'm going to add one more thing. If traveling is your passion, then do what you must to do it. I've been to a ton of places and yes, it was often a financial burden. I'm currently in a job I don't enjoy, even relocated to another country so I could enjoy my passion for traveling. Your family, friends, boyfriend or some people on this forum may not understand that desire for travel. I know most people from home do not understand my passion and would have been the type to tell me to wait a year and so on. Don't let other people tell you how to live your life, especially regarding what you are actually passionate about.

Honestly you can travel for a lot less than 5K and if you do some hard research on how to travel cheaply. The more open-minded and flexible you are in this regard, the much easier it will be for you and the more you can actually enjoy your trip. Good luck!

I'm getting a little annoyed with everyone just assuming I don't know how to travel cheaply. 5k for two people to go to Europe seems pretty reasonable to me. And that factors in everything. That's factoring in airfare, lodging, food, spending money, lost wages from our jobs while we're gone etc, etc, etc.

Yes I know about hostels. Yes I know about link removed. I'm not some clueless 18-year-old who just graduated from high school and wants to go backpacking. I'm in my mid thirties.

I checked probably half a dozen sites for airfare to the city that we are going to. And airfare for the two of us accounts for about half the 5k just in case anybody's wondering. I also checked on average prices of hostels for where we're going. And that's where I got the lodging budget. I also have a pretty good idea how long we're going to be gone and what wages I'm going to lose at my job and what wages he's going to lose his job. So that factored into the 5k and since I've been over there I know about what food cost. Honestly I think 5k might be under shooting in a little bit for the two of us. I don't know why everybody is saying that I could do it for so much less.

and everybody keeps telling me to change my itinerary and change my travel plans and go somewhere else... There's a certain event then him and I want to go to in the Netherlands and that event only takes place once a year it's not like they're going to change it just for us. And if we change our plans and just do something else then we're not taking the trip we want.

I used voice to text to write this so sorry if some of it's little bit wonky.

I'm not sure why you are getting so annoyed about anything? We are offering you advice out of kindness, not making any judgement calls. I think you are taking the posts too seriously.

Your original post implied you were spending 5K on just yourself which is way too much. $2500 does sound about right. The Netherlands is also an expensive area. Just saying you are going to Europe implies pretty much anything.

If you cannot be flexible or open-minded about travel plans then the only advice I can give, is either save the money up and go by yourself (since your boyfriend isn't splitting the bill and in his mid-30s that is completely unacceptable).

I was under the impression you were doing this just to get away and travel for a bit, but if you are trying to make an event then your only option is to save what you can and hope for the best, or simply not go. It's basically an all or nothing type deal since you are only focused on going to that one event and having that one type of trip

Cynder,

Just leave your boyfriend home. It is not fair that you have to pay for both. He shouldn't even allow you to. Go have fun.

I'm not sure how old you are, but if you're young you could probably handle that schedule OK if you made sure that you focused on getting enough sleep and eating right.

When i was young, I had a full time job and went to school nights and studied on weekends. So it was a schedule that put me at 70-90 working on something. All i did was work, school, eat, sleep for a few years and I did fine BUT i was really tired by the end of it but it was well worth the effort for my career.

But now that I'm older, no way could i work that much without my health breaking down. So you would have to decide how healthy you are, and whether you are willing to sacrifice everything but work, eat, sleep for that trip.

And i agree with others, lose the BF on the trip. If he earns twice what you do and doesn't care enough to save money for that trip, then you shouldn't work yourself to death for his sake, and he certainly would be using you if he took money from you under circumstances of you working two jobs and him earning twice what you earn. I would also be concerned about whether he loves you at all if he's let you work that much in order to take him while he lounged around and didn't make any effort to pull his own weight or care about the sacrifices you were making to try to take him with you. I'd get a new BF, or just accept that he really doesn't want to go with you and that is why he is not saving in hopes you'll let him off the hook and not demand he come with you. Some people just aren't that into travel, and others live for it.

Yes, sounds like he really has no interest in travel. I can relate.

Yes, sounds like he really has no interest in travel. I can relate. Just won a free trip to Maya Riviera and turned it down. I didn't want to pay income taxes on it.

I know how to travel on a budget. Like I told another post, I am not some clueless 18 year old who just graduated high school and wants to go backpacking. I've done this before. My first time in Europe I stayed in a hostel and paid about $30 a night. I'm sure now someone will read this and tell me that's way too much and that they only paid $15 a night when they were there. Good for them. But $30 was the cheapest I could find in the city I was in. It's not like I'm planning on booking the penthouse at the Hilton.

My second time there I stayed for free with friends and worked a temporary job while I was there.

The 5k budget I came up with covers everything. That's air fare (for two people) Lodging (for two people) Food (for two people) Spending money (for two people) and lost wages from both of our jobs while we are gone. I actually think 5k is pretty low. And I didn't just pull these prices out of nowhere. I looked at multiple travel sites to get the air fair budget and the lodging budget. Considering I've been over there before I know how much food is and all that. Idk... for two people I don't know how much cheaper it's going to be.

Why are you figuring in lost wages for two people? I didn't realize people normally figured in lost wages for a vacation. Do you not have vacation time? Even if not you should not have to earn HIS lost wages, and all his vacation expenses too. Does he really expect you to pay his whole fair? If not then why all the pressure on yourself to do it all?