Dont forget to include campsites in your travels. We are full time vanlifers. Campsites in Europe are nothing like most US campsites. (Ive been in bathrooms on campsites that rival some spas in the US) Here youll find affordable bungalows, a cafe, clean bathrooms, laundry areas, usually a small market, and on most a restaurant on site. Plus so many places include a bus stop. We stayed at a site and rented bikes for a day trip into the nearest village. We stayed in France and took the train from our campsite to Versailles. Anyone wanting to see Europe should consider this option. Book a flight, buy a tent and take a train to your campsite! Camping here is very safe. Its amazing how many females travel alone here. Great video!
Travelling internationally or not, your insights and recommendations about knowing your budget are relevant and should be taught to all people (especially young people) as they enter into their work lives. Budgeting, saving, keeping to a budget both monthly and annually are rare skills it seems. You have a detailed insight into where every dollar was spent - and you have shown this in your annual spend videos. I am all for eating in, but note that when I am in southeast asia I do want to taste how food is prepared in these places. Techniques, ingredients etc can vary dramatically. Cooking stir fry (which I have every confidence is restaurant quality) would generally taste the same from Italy, to Poland to Thailand. As you stated time and again, "we are living abroad and not on vacation". Cooking at home is a staple in living. Cheers to both.
Please, keep those tips flowing! Let me tell you that there is beautiful synergy between you both. It warms my heart to see such spontaneous connection. Thank you for sharing your experience and inspirations!
Carrie is so cute. She was "peeved". LOL. I wish I found a woman like her who can afford to travel on a budget. You guys should set up a connection service so like minded people can share expenses and travel together. Sign me up!
We completely agree that certain creature comforts are a requirement for our stays. Not elaborate, just comfortable. We cook, so a kitchen saves tons, a large bed in a separate area. We did a studio apartment in Barcelona to cut costs last year and it was totally not worth it. It was bar stools, or a bed for sitting options, we aren't 20 something, we are in our 60s. So having a seating area, not a dining table, nor a bed, is a necessity going forward.
Another great conversation. The get in the restraunt lineup comment resignated with us. We just spent a month in Portugal. One day we noticed a lineup at 11:45 AM , got in line without seeing the menu, and had an amazing meal for 8 eur each. The white tablecloth places were probably starting at 40 eur each. Although not full time travellers, we generally budget slow travel for 3 months in the winter. One item we add to our 'budget' is usually food savings ( we eat for less in most of our travel locations than we can here in Canada ), savings on winter heating ( turn down the thermostat at home ) and car fuel costs ( less mileage and fuel costs ).
Great points, David. We save hundreds a month on car expenses and utilities alone not to mention the general cost of living expenses. Thank you for adding to the channel. We appreciate the support!
Great tips! I own an Airbnb in a historic town in the US. I sometimes have monthly tenants leave early, but they always communicate which I really appreciate because it allows me to get housekeeping in which takes the stress off of turnaround time. I think most hosts would appreciate a message letting them know that you’re leaving early. In fact, sometimes having that extra week allows us to use the house ourselves or let a friend or family members stay. I agree, though, I do the same thing I look for monthly rentals when I travel so that I can get the discounts.
Great video! We recently retired and sold our home 6 months ago. We put all our belongings in storage and have been travelling/staying with family since then. We have a very modest budget. Your video has really encouraged me to consider extending this “slow travel” time in our life and not rush to purchase another home. So much great advice on this video! 👍🏻👍🏻. Based on many of the things you’ve said, I think we can do this.. it just takes some thoughtful planning.
Love watching you guys. My husband and. I moved to Portugal 7 months ago. We retired moving from the Us. We live close to the coast. I don't know you guys live on so little. Maybe I need to eat more at home. And walk a little more😂
thank you guys for these videos- i love everything that you share on your youtube channel- please keep these informative videos coming. And yes, it's true, I traveled a lot throughout Europe and I'm in Romania right now and I pay 5 euro per month for a prepay SIM card for internet service and unlimited calls on my international phone which comes with interchangeable sim cards. Romania has the fastest and cheapest internet, hands down! I love that.
We just got the chase IHG card, only because we know that we have a $2800 expense coming. It will give us 165,000 points, and the card gives 3 points per dollar for every charge, then more for each category going up. Up to 17 points per dollar for so IHG bookings. Our plan is to use this for everyday bills and to earn enough points to cover a month or more in Asia. Some hotels there are under 3000 points a night. This will give us a chance to see a few areas in Asia and decide where we want to visit again. We are giving it 1 year with this card, because we had to pay an annual fee(which we refuse to do). Last year was 6 weeks in Europe, so this year will be a budget friendly vacation. You are correct that a budget is absolutely necessary, but it is in life ,at least that's my thoughts. 😊
Thank you! This format is meant to be a podcast you can find on all your favorite podcast platforms. We also decided to release it on TH-cam, so thank you for watching!!! 😃
Great advice - we are 14 months into slow travel & have the same views. Some additional points to consider regarding budgets: 1) Have wiggle room in your budget i.e. budget costs to max 95% of your income. 2) Record your expenditure daily - yes it’s painful at first but quickly becomes a habit & you don’t end up with any surprises. 3) Plan for annual inflation & currency fluctuations - not everyone has the privilege of source income in Euros or USD. 4) Have a “30 year view” - you have no idea where you will end up & you don’t want your “dream” to turn into a “nightmare”. Excell is a really great way to calculate some really helpful projections which are easy to tweak & refine….. Work’s perfectly for us 😊
We’re traveling as a family of four. One little trick I’ve discovered that saves money on flights is to book one adult and one child as one booking and the other child and adult as a separate booking. Surprisingly, it can actually save you $20-$30 dollars on the flight. I think some airlines have an allocated price per seat on the plane. Different seats have a different allocated price. If you block book across four seats they charge you the highest allocated price for all four seats.
I've watched quite a few of your videos in the last couple of weeks.....and just gotta say, Brian cracks me up! lol....... Ya'lls information is very beneficial! Thanks for sharing! 😃
An important thing is that you two are very much on the same page about your budget. Me and my girlfriend are the same way. We take pride in being cheap. We keep each other in check. Well, mostly she keeps me in check. There are a whole lot of women that I could not do this with.
Thank you so much for breaking down the budget when traveling. That is important when traveling especially when you are not in your home country. It is so important to keep a little cushion for any emergencies.
I love your videos so informative & the way you guys relate to each other is precious. The humor is everything. The videos must be made with "love" too! 😊 😂
Here is a link to the house-sitting video we did several months ago. th-cam.com/video/Eug_BnXEW1c/w-d-xo.html 😃 And here is the link to the platform that we use. www.trustedhousesitters.com/?irclickid=wJA3CjSBOxyPWWwyKjS8yVkMUkHRI9yJEXEW1s0&irgwc=1&CNT
Really enjoying your podcasts! All very informative. We are curious how far in advance do you generally plan and book your travel? I would love a podcast or video or your step by step planning process. Thank you again for your channel. Hopefully my husband and I can emulate this lifestyle in the near future! Cheers
Great information guys. I've been following you for some time now and the price breakdowns etc are very helpful. We're planning on taking early retirement in 3 years at 50 and your information is invaluable, we travel a lot now and very much along the same wave length as you two. Keep up the good work. 👍
Excellent info, thanks for sharing, and yes being flexible is the key. So I would like to know how you guys figure out your travels logistics. From countries to cities etc. where do you start?
Great conversation. Good video. Maybe one food for thought on the credit card points thing...what if you booked your splurge up front? If you front-loaded your vacation, you could pay for flights to your bucket list and exit point. Pay for everything, EVERYTHING, that you can on a card to get those bonus points. Focus on one card at a time, two max per year, or you get flagged. Everyone says Chase or AMEX. You get perks and points. Also, WHY can't you book airbnb on a card? I'm very curious as to why you said that.
You can totally pay Airbnb on your card, we do that. But not rent when we were back home. There is definate money to be made playing the credit card game 😊
Checked bags can cost lots of money, no doubt. You alluded to travel cards, the appropriate card can eliminate the fees on checked bags.. Great vids, thanks.. St
Yes, that is very true. I used to have an Alaska Airlines card and did get free checked bags. Being we are so selective of flights, and finding the best deals - rarely do they align with a specific card. Unless you know of one where it goes for any airlines ☺...that i would love!
Enjoyed watching, your travel style is very similar to ours, Lily does the booking, I do location research, I do the cooking and lily does the dishes. Considering Carrie books, and Cooks, I hope Brian at least does the dishes.......lol
9:19 What a great tip! Didn't think it could come out cheaper than a 2 week stay.🤔👍😊 I still feel strange about the house sitting option. You made a very helpful video on it.😊 I guess we just need to try it and get our feet wet. 18:16 🤔Budget Airlines basically less than $300 to get home instead of $1k+ Would you fly Spirit Air? Or does their tatted reputation prevent you from using them? Great job saving tons on sim cards/ data, and wifi 👍 26:16 Different viewpoint on rewards cards. And how people really use them. Your podcasts are just so jammed packed with helpful information. 👍💪🎙🎧🧠🌞
We have not flown with Spirit yet but if the price is right we would. Ryanair has worked well for us so far. Thank you for watching and commenting!! Cheers!
Great video!! Decided to explore google flights while watching you and from Melbourne Australia I got to Singapore and as scrolling down a fare to Seattle. Total Aust to Seattle $374 USD. Mind blown. You should consider this route if you ever come to Oz.😊
Hi! So sorry for the late reply. We've been on the move recently and I needed to get to a place I could look it up. Here are the ones I have, absolutely love them ♥ amzn.to/3PiySM9
Carrie & Brian, I have a Q. How do you keep your US # to pair with esim? Do you have to use any service in US in order to use or keep the number? How much do you have to pay for that basic service? Thanks.
I don’t know how you get such good deals on flights! I check flights all the time and it is always much more than you mentioned to get across the country and to get to a foreign country I don't find for less than 1400.
What do you travel with to make your TH-cam videos? Your lighting looks great, quality of the video is great. Anything special you use that's (hopefully) easy to travel with? Thanks!!
Thank you! Everything we film with is listed on this page www.brianandcarrietravels.com. as for lighting, this is something you have to seek out wherever you are staying... It's rarely ideal. Cheers!!
We booked a month in 2025 for a 1 bedroom condo in Danang Vietnam that’s $17/day for 2 people which you probably can’t get much for $8/day/person in a hostel.
What a thought-provoking conversation! Have you pondered creating a video discussing the financial aspects of transitioning to full-time, budget-conscious travel for couples? Many folks likely share this curiosity. For instance, could a couple in their 50s with a $1,000,000 portfolio sustain full-time travel? This scenario represents just one common situation among couples seeking to escape the routine and explore the world.
@@BrianandCarrie Great. But thats Summer in South America. I meant taking advantage of the Winter in South America (Middle of the year) while Europe is more expensive during summer. Just something to consider. I live in the US, but I'm from Brazil and we spend the "Winter" June-August in Brazil. It's cheaper and depending where you are in Brazil it's still hot. I just found your channel yesterday. Loving your content. Hope to do the same once I send the little one off to college. You can easily spend 3 months in Brazil getting to know so many different and amazing places. Check out...Lencois maranahenses, Arraial Dajuda, Trancoso, Jericoacoara, Porto de Galinhas, Gramado, canela, Florianopolis, just to name a few. Skip on Rio and São Paulo. Hope to see you guys explore there someday.
We would love to meet up someday, Frankie! Thank you for all the great advice. We tend to spend part of July and August back in the US visiting family and friends before heading back out. We do try to avoid the summer months in Europe as much as possible.
What is the travel app you use to keep track of your expenses? I heard it in one of your videos, but I’ve watched so many I don’t know which one it was 😂. Keep up the great videos!
Great information. I am curious, with slow travel, do you usually buy your transatlantic flight as a one-way ticket so that you are not committed to a specific return date and have flexibility to linger, or do you buy the round trip ticket. Or does the country you are flying to require a round trip ticket usually. What works best for you?
Hi, Steve. We buy a one-way ticket. The only place that we have ever traveled to that required an exit ticket was Thailand, and even then, the agent didn't ask for it. You won't need one traveling to Europe.
Thanks for the quick reply. A few years ago, I flew to Portugal, and after a 3 hour line up at customs, the customs person asked if I had a return ticket, but maybe that is not longer required. Maybe sometime you can do Scandinavia/Iceland....
Brian turn up your voice i’ve watch many many hours of your videos. Listen to them on the freeway everywhere. Carrie has a wonderful voice and it’s so loud. I can’t turn her down a little bit because otherwise I can’t hear Brian Brian if you could turn your voice up a bit it would be awesome speakers, I don’t know how you do it have one further away from you than the other person your happy travels!
When you book an ABnB for 30 days, is it normally from the first of the month to the end of the same month, or can it be say the 12th to the 12th for example?
Do you usually book one-way fares? I’m setting up my full time travel and noticed I can’t often get the return flight on the day I want because they aren’t booking that far into the future yet😅
95% of the time, I book one way tickets. Rarely do we know for sure our return date. Unfortunately though, cause you can get great deals on round trip.
In regard to your thoughts on travel cards. I do think that you are leaving money on the table. The Chase Sapphire Reserve pays you 3X on travel and restaurant related expenses. So you would get 3X points on your AirB&Bs, buses, trains, planes, Ubers, etc. And all your meals & drinks out. I don’t know how you wouldn’t earn more than enough points with your travels.
We get 2 points for every dollar spent on capital one venture and have been happy with them. We just don't want to add another card that we have to reach a certain level spent too get a bonus. Thanks so much for watching 😊
Hi guys. you are going to Argentina next year. We are Brazilian and we have an apartment near the beach in the state of Espirito Santo, city of Guarapari in Brazil. I can rent it for a good price for you, depending on the month of the year.
We have lived in Florida for 33 years. we will turn 62 in 3 years, and we want to stop working. The only way for us is to go to Brazil, where we bought this apartment and with some savings saved, plus rent for our house in Florida, we will be able to wait for social security at 67. In any case, keep our contact details. Who knows in the future, right?
It takes quite a lot of time. The research process, watching pricing, checking best areas to stay. But in the end it's worth it. How far ahead depends very much on time of year and availability. Most the time we try not to be anymore than 2 months out
Ih Hostels are terrible these days in Europe lots of peple live in hostels that work.. i would recommend go to private rooms in hostels ( can cost around from 30euros) or even if you choose hostel dont choose the cheapest one you wont rest
I'd love it if you'd house sit for me when I move to France 😊. Not until 2030 so I hope you're still traveling then! So hard to find trustworthy people to feed my two kitties.
I struggle with budgeting. Five months into slow travel, my very loose budget is just not to spend more than my retirement income, which is pretty decent, and I haven’t overspent it by any means. But, I do realize I could save a bit of money. Not even by cutting corners, just being a little smarter and more willing to take fewer taxis, eat out less, etc. On the other hand, I don’t really need to budget travel - single, no kids, no alimony. What I take away from this video is that I can be a bit more flexible with stays (and thus, flights), and save some money. On the other, other hand - why do I need to save more money than I need to? It’s all a pickle I’m still learning about how to untangle, and one that doesn’t really need untangling, because … I .make enough money to do what I want to slowly do, mostly. I have learned a really good hack about regional travel on regional airlines. Very often, their business class airfare is cheaper (or comparable) to economy class plus checked-bags. And the weight allowance is higher. (Sorry, I am a true nomad with no place to store excess stuff, so I must have my whole, irreducible life with me - it’s just impossible for me to go carry-on only.) . Anyway, thank you for your vids. They are always helpful.
Just make sure you don't run out of money before you run out of life. Going solo is one thing, staying solo is something else. There is a certain risk level having no one to rely on. Good luck, a grand adventure awaits!
Not to get too personal, but would you ever consider limiting your trips back to the US to less than 30 days a year? That way, what you are "paid" (whether from YT or other earned sources from your business activities ) is tax free and Uncle Sam doesn't take a penny, up to $120,000 (EACH) in earnings. This amount usually increases somewhat each year. That's equivalent to a 20-33% raise in income every year. FOREIGN EARNED INCOME EXCLUSION. Find a top shelf int'l acctg firm - most US accountants have no idea. This applies even if working for an "American" corporation if you are living out-of-country. Tucking away tens of thousands of dollars every year instead of giving to the tax man could drastically change your retirement in your later years for the better. Just a thought...
$20k would be amazing!! We would spend more on accommodations and maybe occasionally eat out. We are happy with our lifestyle as it is now so not really sure what else we would change. 🙂
Another tip: when choosing destinations, research to find if there are any special events happening there and when. Example: Sydney hosts the International Gay Pride Festival every February, Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics this year, Miami has the International Boat Show annually, Southeast Asia has a lot of religious holidays that attract huge crowds. These factors can often triple the costs of flights and lodging, On the positive side, maybe you want to go during those times to experience the excitement, so plan accordingly. Happy Trails!
Hi guys, great video thank you. With the AirBnB 28 days tip, how much does that on average save you when you divide it by the number of days.., ie total cost for 28 days / 28 vs say the total cost for 7 days / 7. Thanks
This will totally depend on the Airbnb and discount you've received. Some places we've gotten 30 percent off and others we've saved 50 percent. It's well worth checking, cause it may really be worth it.
These conversations are extremely beneficial to all new part time and full time travelers.
Dont forget to include campsites in your travels. We are full time vanlifers. Campsites in Europe are nothing like most US campsites. (Ive been in bathrooms on campsites that rival some spas in the US) Here youll find affordable bungalows, a cafe, clean bathrooms, laundry areas, usually a small market, and on most a restaurant on site. Plus so many places include a bus stop. We stayed at a site and rented bikes for a day trip into the nearest village. We stayed in France and took the train from our campsite to Versailles. Anyone wanting to see Europe should consider this option. Book a flight, buy a tent and take a train to your campsite! Camping here is very safe. Its amazing how many females travel alone here. Great video!
That's a wonderful tip , thank you for sharing. I'm sure many would love to travel through Europe that way. Cheers!!
That sounds amazing! Thank you for the suggestion. I am going to look into this!
Travelling internationally or not, your insights and recommendations about knowing your budget are relevant and should be taught to all people (especially young people) as they enter into their work lives. Budgeting, saving, keeping to a budget both monthly and annually are rare skills it seems. You have a detailed insight into where every dollar was spent - and you have shown this in your annual spend videos. I am all for eating in, but note that when I am in southeast asia I do want to taste how food is prepared in these places. Techniques, ingredients etc can vary dramatically. Cooking stir fry (which I have every confidence is restaurant quality) would generally taste the same from Italy, to Poland to Thailand. As you stated time and again, "we are living abroad and not on vacation". Cooking at home is a staple in living. Cheers to both.
Thank you for watching and commenting! We love sampling food from wherever we are but eating at home regularly is a must.
Please, keep those tips flowing! Let me tell you that there is beautiful synergy between you both. It warms my heart to see such spontaneous connection. Thank you for sharing your experience and inspirations!
That's so kind 😊. We love what we do and feel incredibly blessed every day. Thanks so much for watching. Cheers!!
Carrie is so cute. She was "peeved". LOL. I wish I found a woman like her who can afford to travel on a budget. You guys should set up a connection service so like minded people can share expenses and travel together. Sign me up!
Hello Fellow Washingtonians and Fellow Travelers From Thessaloniki Greece Today!!!! Loving your new podcast, good topics, keep up the good work!
Thank you! We just landed in Antalya, Turkey and plan to be in Greece over the next few months!! Happy travels!!
Really enjoy how I look forward to these new format videos. I watch at lunch while I relax at the park and eat. Really enjoying them☀️
Thank you! ❤
We completely agree that certain creature comforts are a requirement for our stays. Not elaborate, just comfortable. We cook, so a kitchen saves tons, a large bed in a separate area. We did a studio apartment in Barcelona to cut costs last year and it was totally not worth it. It was bar stools, or a bed for sitting options, we aren't 20 something, we are in our 60s. So having a seating area, not a dining table, nor a bed, is a necessity going forward.
We completely agree! We have done our time and deserve a little comfort. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Cheers!
Another great conversation. The get in the restraunt lineup comment resignated with us. We just spent a month in Portugal. One day we noticed a lineup at 11:45 AM , got in line without seeing the menu, and had an amazing meal for 8 eur each. The white tablecloth places were probably starting at 40 eur each. Although not full time travellers, we generally budget slow travel for 3 months in the winter. One item we add to our 'budget' is usually food savings ( we eat for less in most of our travel locations than we can here in Canada ), savings on winter heating ( turn down the thermostat at home ) and car fuel costs ( less mileage and fuel costs ).
Great points, David. We save hundreds a month on car expenses and utilities alone not to mention the general cost of living expenses. Thank you for adding to the channel. We appreciate the support!
Great tips! I own an Airbnb in a historic town in the US. I sometimes have monthly tenants leave early, but they always communicate which I really appreciate because it allows me to get housekeeping in which takes the stress off of turnaround time. I think most hosts would appreciate a message letting them know that you’re leaving early. In fact, sometimes having that extra week allows us to use the house ourselves or let a friend or family members stay. I agree, though, I do the same thing I look for monthly rentals when I travel so that I can get the discounts.
Great video! We recently retired and sold our home 6 months ago. We put all our belongings in storage and have been travelling/staying with family since then. We have a very modest budget. Your video has really encouraged me to consider extending this “slow travel” time in our life and not rush to purchase another home. So much great advice on this video! 👍🏻👍🏻. Based on many of the things you’ve said, I think we can do this.. it just takes some thoughtful planning.
That's great to hear! We will settle down someday but we are in no hurry. We are just enjoying life. 😀
Noooo it’s already over! 😂 I could listen for hours, thank you so much for the time you’re putting into this. Happy and safe travels!
Thank you so much!
Love watching you guys. My husband and. I moved to Portugal 7 months ago. We retired moving from the Us. We live close to the coast. I don't know you guys live on so little. Maybe I need to eat more at home. And walk a little more😂
thank you guys for these videos- i love everything that you share on your youtube channel- please keep these informative videos coming. And yes, it's true, I traveled a lot throughout Europe and I'm in Romania right now and I pay 5 euro per month for a prepay SIM card for internet service and unlimited calls on my international phone which comes with interchangeable sim cards. Romania has the fastest and cheapest internet, hands down! I love that.
We just got the chase IHG card, only because we know that we have a $2800 expense coming. It will give us 165,000 points, and the card gives 3 points per dollar for every charge, then more for each category going up. Up to 17 points per dollar for so
IHG bookings. Our plan is to use this for everyday bills and to earn enough points to cover a month or more in Asia. Some hotels there are under 3000 points a night. This will give us a chance to see a few areas in Asia and decide where we want to visit again. We are giving it 1 year with this card, because we had to pay an annual fee(which we refuse to do). Last year was 6 weeks in Europe, so this year will be a budget friendly vacation. You are correct that a budget is absolutely necessary, but it is in life ,at least that's my thoughts. 😊
Don't sweat the annual fee on the IHG card. The annual Free Night Certificate IHG gives you more than covers the annual fee.
This may be the most chock-full of useful tips video I've seen on any channel dealing with budget traveling & basic living... Kudos & Thanks!!
Thank you so much ❤️
I enjoy this face-to-face format. It's a perfect choice for the conversational subject matter.
Thank you! This format is meant to be a podcast you can find on all your favorite podcast platforms. We also decided to release it on TH-cam, so thank you for watching!!! 😃
Great advice - we are 14 months into slow travel & have the same views.
Some additional points to consider regarding budgets:
1) Have wiggle room in your budget i.e. budget costs to max 95% of your income.
2) Record your expenditure daily - yes it’s painful at first but quickly becomes a habit & you don’t end up with any surprises.
3) Plan for annual inflation & currency fluctuations - not everyone has the privilege of source income in Euros or USD.
4) Have a “30 year view” - you have no idea where you will end up & you don’t want your “dream” to turn into a “nightmare”.
Excell is a really great way to calculate some really helpful projections which are easy to tweak & refine…..
Work’s perfectly for us 😊
Great tips - thanks for sharing ☺. Cheers!!
We’re traveling as a family of four. One little trick I’ve discovered that saves money on flights is to book one adult and one child as one booking and the other child and adult as a separate booking. Surprisingly, it can actually save you $20-$30 dollars on the flight.
I think some airlines have an allocated price per seat on the plane. Different seats have a different allocated price. If you block book across four seats they charge you the highest allocated price for all four seats.
Interesting info, thanks for sharing 😊
I have a friend who does the Housesitting route, and loves it.
It's a great way to see new areas and save on accommodations.
OMG…just checked Norse Airlines…great deals! Thanks for the pro tip.
Norse is cheap airline if you walk in with just a small back pack only
I've watched quite a few of your videos in the last couple of weeks.....and just gotta say, Brian cracks me up! lol....... Ya'lls information is very beneficial! Thanks for sharing!
😃
Thank you for watching!!! 😄
An important thing is that you two are very much on the same page about your budget. Me and my girlfriend are the same way. We take pride in being cheap. We keep each other in check. Well, mostly she keeps me in check. There are a whole lot of women that I could not do this with.
It is very nice to be on the same page! We each are very lucky!
Thank you so much for breaking down the budget when traveling. That is important when traveling especially when you are not in your home country. It is so important to keep a little cushion for any emergencies.
Thank you for watching!
I love your videos so informative & the way you guys relate to each other is precious. The humor is everything. The videos must be made with "love" too! 😊 😂
Thank you for all your support!! ❤️
Thanks!
Thank you so much ❤️, we really appreciate your support
Thanks
Thank you so much ❤️, we really appreciate your support.
Great video. Love your natural conversation style.
Thank you, Anna. This is our new Tuesday podcast series that you can find on all podcast platforms. 😀
Another great video! Currently watching you from Romania.
As you know, we love Romania!! Thank you for watching!
Again, excellent video, information and relaxed conversational format! Cheers!
So happy you enjoyed it, thanks for watching 😊
Very interested to hear more advice and info on house sitting.
Here is a link to the house-sitting video we did several months ago.
th-cam.com/video/Eug_BnXEW1c/w-d-xo.html 😃
And here is the link to the platform that we use.
www.trustedhousesitters.com/?irclickid=wJA3CjSBOxyPWWwyKjS8yVkMUkHRI9yJEXEW1s0&irgwc=1&CNT
I wish this were a podcast. Great conversation.
It is, you can find it on all your favorite podcast platforms 😊
Brilliant video guys! So useful. Thanks. Off to Thailand in June, so this was helpful x
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!!
Great video again, many thanks :)
Really enjoying your podcasts! All very informative. We are curious how far in advance do you generally plan and book your travel? I would love a podcast or video or your step by step planning process. Thank you again for your channel. Hopefully my husband and I can emulate this lifestyle in the near future! Cheers
You will be interested in Tuesdays podcast, Aaron!! 😀
Great information guys. I've been following you for some time now and the price breakdowns etc are very helpful.
We're planning on taking early retirement in 3 years at 50 and your information is invaluable, we travel a lot now and very much along the same wave length as you two.
Keep up the good work. 👍
Thank you, Samantha!! 😀
I love these video, so educational
at :20, Brian: "We've cut back in some areas, we've decided to splurge in other areas"; Me: "Beer"
You just need to prioritize what's important! 😁
Excellent info, thanks for sharing, and yes being flexible is the key. So I would like to know how you guys figure out your travels logistics. From countries to cities etc. where do you start?
Great question! We will be doing a podcast soon on this topic since it's been a very popular question. Cheers!!
So helpful!
I love your new hair style, Carry, you have beautiful hair! Thank you for great videos!
Thank you so much! ❤
Great conversation. Good video. Maybe one food for thought on the credit card points thing...what if you booked your splurge up front? If you front-loaded your vacation, you could pay for flights to your bucket list and exit point. Pay for everything, EVERYTHING, that you can on a card to get those bonus points. Focus on one card at a time, two max per year, or you get flagged. Everyone says Chase or AMEX. You get perks and points. Also, WHY can't you book airbnb on a card? I'm very curious as to why you said that.
You can totally pay Airbnb on your card, we do that. But not rent when we were back home. There is definate money to be made playing the credit card game 😊
@@BrianandCarrie😎 Thanks for the the clarification. 😊🍻
Checked bags can cost lots of money, no doubt. You alluded to travel cards, the appropriate card can eliminate the fees on checked bags..
Great vids, thanks..
St
Yes, that is very true. I used to have an Alaska Airlines card and did get free checked bags. Being we are so selective of flights, and finding the best deals - rarely do they align with a specific card. Unless you know of one where it goes for any airlines ☺...that i would love!
Enjoyed watching, your travel style is very similar to ours, Lily does the booking, I do location research, I do the cooking and lily does the dishes. Considering Carrie books, and Cooks, I hope Brian at least does the dishes.......lol
Absolutely! I am the best at cleaning the kitchen after we eat! 😁
Good stuff!
9:19 What a great tip! Didn't think it could come out cheaper than a 2 week stay.🤔👍😊
I still feel strange about the house sitting option. You made a very helpful video on it.😊 I guess we just need to try it and get our feet wet.
18:16 🤔Budget Airlines basically less than $300 to get home instead of $1k+
Would you fly Spirit Air? Or does their tatted reputation prevent you from using them?
Great job saving tons on sim cards/ data, and wifi 👍
26:16 Different viewpoint on rewards cards. And how people really use them.
Your podcasts are just so jammed packed with helpful information. 👍💪🎙🎧🧠🌞
We have not flown with Spirit yet but if the price is right we would. Ryanair has worked well for us so far. Thank you for watching and commenting!!
Cheers!
Great video!! Decided to explore google flights while watching you and from Melbourne Australia I got to Singapore and as scrolling down a fare to Seattle. Total Aust to Seattle $374 USD. Mind blown. You should consider this route if you ever come to Oz.😊
Great flights can be found! Just takes a little time and effort. Thank you for watching and commenting!
Cheers!
Carrie, I would like to know the brand of your skirts. So perfect for travel. My husband and I watch all your videos. Thank you!!
Hi! So sorry for the late reply. We've been on the move recently and I needed to get to a place I could look it up. Here are the ones I have, absolutely love them ♥ amzn.to/3PiySM9
Thank you !!
Carrie & Brian, I have a Q. How do you keep your US # to pair with esim? Do you have to use any service in US in order to use or keep the number? How much do you have to pay for that basic service? Thanks.
Hi, Jessi. Here is a video that we did last year that will explain what we use.
th-cam.com/video/v-03aKbnjWM/w-d-xo.html
@BrianandCarrie Thank you for the information. I just watch it. 👍 So, do you have to pay for google Voice?
No, Google voice is free. 😀
I don’t know how you get such good deals on flights! I check flights all the time and it is always much more than you mentioned to get across the country and to get to a foreign country I don't find for less than 1400.
We will be doing a video about this soon. 😃
What do you travel with to make your TH-cam videos? Your lighting looks great, quality of the video is great. Anything special you use that's (hopefully) easy to travel with? Thanks!!
Thank you! Everything we film with is listed on this page www.brianandcarrietravels.com. as for lighting, this is something you have to seek out wherever you are staying... It's rarely ideal. Cheers!!
We booked a month in 2025 for a 1 bedroom condo in Danang Vietnam that’s $17/day for 2 people which you probably can’t get much for $8/day/person in a hostel.
We had a place in Da Nang that was amazing for $14 a night.. You get so much value for your money there.
What a thought-provoking conversation! Have you pondered creating a video discussing the financial aspects of transitioning to full-time, budget-conscious travel for couples? Many folks likely share this curiosity. For instance, could a couple in their 50s with a $1,000,000 portfolio sustain full-time travel? This scenario represents just one common situation among couples seeking to escape the routine and explore the world.
Yes, that would be a interesting topic and similar to one we have coming up soon. Cheers!!
I will look at the packing list video, but my questions is do you only pack summer clothes or winter as well. How does it fit in a carry on?
We only pack for the summer with a sweatshirt and light jacket. If we have to ware layers we can. We are currently in Dublin and doing just that. 😂
Ever consider South America during the more expensive months in Europe (During Summer)?
We are heading down to Argentina in January. We are back in the US in late July and August.
@@BrianandCarrie Great. But thats Summer in South America. I meant taking advantage of the Winter in South America (Middle of the year) while Europe is more expensive during summer. Just something to consider. I live in the US, but I'm from Brazil and we spend the "Winter" June-August in Brazil. It's cheaper and depending where you are in Brazil it's still hot. I just found your channel yesterday. Loving your content. Hope to do the same once I send the little one off to college. You can easily spend 3 months in Brazil getting to know so many different and amazing places. Check out...Lencois maranahenses, Arraial Dajuda, Trancoso, Jericoacoara, Porto de Galinhas, Gramado, canela, Florianopolis, just to name a few. Skip on Rio and São Paulo. Hope to see you guys explore there someday.
We would love to meet up someday, Frankie! Thank you for all the great advice. We tend to spend part of July and August back in the US visiting family and friends before heading back out. We do try to avoid the summer months in Europe as much as possible.
How do you become a house sitter? Is there an app you use or will use when you start looking at doing it overseas?
We use Trustedhousesitters. Here is the link.
www.trustedhousesitters.com/?irclickid=2LpwJOWZhxyPRsh3fkT3IwxLUkHy0kRvl3D-xk0&irgwc=1&CNT
What's the name of the restaurant you talked about in Chiang Mai?🙏🏽
Great question, I don't recall but do know we showed the sign in the video. Sorry, wish I could recall.
How do you find the house sitting jobs?
We use this platform and have been very happy with it 😊 trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/c/3563316/1555723/18144
what was this magical restaurant in Chiang Mai? I'll be back there soon.
Hi! Sorry we don't recall the name, but did show the sign in the video. We highly recommended, it was wonderful 😊
@@BrianandCarrie we'll go back and rewatch for sure, thanks
What is the travel app you use to keep track of your expenses? I heard it in one of your videos, but I’ve watched so many I don’t know which one it was 😂. Keep up the great videos!
I use the app called travel spend, just the free version and it works great. Thanks for watching ☺
Great information. I am curious, with slow travel, do you usually buy your transatlantic flight as a one-way ticket so that you are not committed to a specific return date and have flexibility to linger, or do you buy the round trip ticket. Or does the country you are flying to require a round trip ticket usually. What works best for you?
Hi, Steve. We buy a one-way ticket. The only place that we have ever traveled to that required an exit ticket was Thailand, and even then, the agent didn't ask for it. You won't need one traveling to Europe.
Thanks for the quick reply. A few years ago, I flew to Portugal, and after a 3 hour line up at customs, the customs person asked if I had a return ticket, but maybe that is not longer required. Maybe sometime you can do Scandinavia/Iceland....
We may do Scandinavia in 2025.
Brian turn up your voice i’ve watch many many hours of your videos. Listen to them on the freeway everywhere. Carrie has a wonderful voice and it’s so loud. I can’t turn her down a little bit because otherwise I can’t hear Brian Brian if you could turn your voice up a bit it would be awesome speakers, I don’t know how you do it have one further away from you than the other person your happy travels!
When you book an ABnB for 30 days, is it normally from the first of the month to the end of the same month, or can it be say the 12th to the 12th for example?
It just needs to be 28 days to get the discount so staring mid month is ok.
Do you usually book one-way fares? I’m setting up my full time travel and noticed I can’t often get the return flight on the day I want because they aren’t booking that far into the future yet😅
95% of the time, I book one way tickets. Rarely do we know for sure our return date. Unfortunately though, cause you can get great deals on round trip.
In regard to your thoughts on travel cards. I do think that you are leaving money on the table. The Chase Sapphire Reserve pays you 3X on travel and restaurant related expenses. So you would get 3X points on your AirB&Bs, buses, trains, planes, Ubers, etc. And all your meals & drinks out. I don’t know how you wouldn’t earn more than enough points with your travels.
We get 2 points for every dollar spent on capital one venture and have been happy with them. We just don't want to add another card that we have to reach a certain level spent too get a bonus. Thanks so much for watching 😊
@@BrianandCarrieYou bet. Safe travels!
do you have a video on how you spend only $1400 a month on accommodations? thanks so much,Shawn
We have an Airbnb video and monthly cost of living videos. Hopefully those will help.
Cheers!
How viable is it to do house sitting in other countries?
Very much so, there are available sits all over. We have friends that only do sits outside the States.
Thanks! @@BrianandCarrie
Montenegro is easy for mobile data. €20 1TB per month
So affordable, thanks for sharing!
Hi guys.
you are going to Argentina next year. We are Brazilian and we have an apartment near the beach in the state of Espirito Santo, city of Guarapari in Brazil. I can rent it for a good price for you, depending on the month of the year.
I have photos and videos
Sounds amazing! We don't think we'll make it there this time we head to south America, but maybe next time. Thanks so much for the offer ❤️
We have lived in Florida for 33 years. we will turn 62 in 3 years, and we want to stop working. The only way for us is to go to Brazil, where we bought this apartment and with some savings saved, plus rent for our house in Florida, we will be able to wait for social security at 67. In any case, keep our contact details. Who knows in the future, right?
How long does it take you to plan all your flights and accommodations?
And follow up question-how far in advance do you book out?
It takes quite a lot of time. The research process, watching pricing, checking best areas to stay. But in the end it's worth it. How far ahead depends very much on time of year and availability. Most the time we try not to be anymore than 2 months out
For most, it is just a dream.
Get on mint plan. Cost $15/ month
Ih Hostels are terrible these days in Europe lots of peple live in hostels that work.. i would recommend go to private rooms in hostels ( can cost around from 30euros) or even if you choose hostel dont choose the cheapest one you wont rest
I'd love it if you'd house sit for me when I move to France 😊. Not until 2030 so I hope you're still traveling then! So hard to find trustworthy people to feed my two kitties.
I struggle with budgeting. Five months into slow travel, my very loose budget is just not to spend more than my retirement income, which is pretty decent, and I haven’t overspent it by any means. But, I do realize I could save a bit of money. Not even by cutting corners, just being a little smarter and more willing to take fewer taxis, eat out less, etc. On the other hand, I don’t really need to budget travel - single, no kids, no alimony.
What I take away from this video is that I can be a bit more flexible with stays (and thus, flights), and save some money.
On the other, other hand - why do I need to save more money than I need to?
It’s all a pickle I’m still learning about how to untangle, and one that doesn’t really need untangling, because … I .make enough money to do what I want to slowly do, mostly.
I have learned a really good hack about regional travel on regional airlines. Very often, their business class airfare is cheaper (or comparable) to economy class plus checked-bags. And the weight allowance is higher. (Sorry, I am a true nomad with no place to store excess stuff, so I must have my whole, irreducible life with me - it’s just impossible for me to go carry-on only.)
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Anyway, thank you for your vids. They are always helpful.
It's definitely a balancing act of being smart with money but also not cutting to many corners that it's not enjoyable for you. Happy travels! Cheers
Great to hear that as we would love to visit one day. Yes, get out there and see the world - it's something we will never regret. Cheers!
I’m a solo traveler thinking of full time slow travel. Do you think I could do it on $3,000 a month?
Absolutely you can! We have monthly cost of living videos that will explain how we do it. 😃
Just make sure you don't run out of money before you run out of life. Going solo is one thing, staying solo is something else. There is a certain risk level having no one to rely on. Good luck, a grand adventure awaits!
Not to get too personal, but would you ever consider limiting your trips back to the US to less than 30 days a year? That way, what you are "paid" (whether from YT or other earned sources from your business activities ) is tax free and Uncle Sam doesn't take a penny, up to $120,000 (EACH) in earnings. This amount usually increases somewhat each year. That's equivalent to a 20-33% raise in income every year. FOREIGN EARNED INCOME EXCLUSION. Find a top shelf int'l acctg firm - most US accountants have no idea. This applies even if working for an "American" corporation if you are living out-of-country. Tucking away tens of thousands of dollars every year instead of giving to the tax man could drastically change your retirement in your later years for the better. Just a thought...
If i’m not mistaken a book was written on the subject of Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
We have family that we like to see so that wouldn't be enough time for us to be home.
@@JayandSarah You are correct! I pay an international accounting firm a considerable sum to utilize the rules as they're written, but it's worth it.
Omg...thank u. what a gem of info. I'll check it out.
Been doing it for years. Live off the federal tax I would have paid and invest the rest. Paid to stay out of the states pretty much
Thanks for sharing ❤
If you had $20k per month after taxes how would you change your slow travel?
$20k would be amazing!! We would spend more on accommodations and maybe occasionally eat out. We are happy with our lifestyle as it is now so not really sure what else we would change. 🙂
@@BrianandCarrie Goodbye coach! Hello Business!
I thought maybe fly the gkids over once and a while too.
Another tip: when choosing destinations, research to find if there are any special events happening there and when. Example: Sydney hosts the International Gay Pride Festival every February, Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics this year, Miami has the International Boat Show annually, Southeast Asia has a lot of religious holidays that attract huge crowds. These factors can often triple the costs of flights and lodging, On the positive side, maybe you want to go during those times to experience the excitement, so plan accordingly. Happy Trails!
Hi guys, great video thank you. With the AirBnB 28 days tip, how much does that on average save you when you divide it by the number of days.., ie total cost for 28 days / 28 vs say the total cost for 7 days / 7. Thanks
This will totally depend on the Airbnb and discount you've received. Some places we've gotten 30 percent off and others we've saved 50 percent. It's well worth checking, cause it may really be worth it.