My Name is Nikki and I'm 27.

This blog is aimed at anyone who is travelling on a tight budget or anyone who needs a bit of inspiration for their own travels. 
For years I wanted to pack my bags and say goodbye to the Irish rain. But there was always a reason not to go - mainly money! I struggled to save a decent amount, despite working since I was 16. Then going to college I had the typical student expenses and felt I couldn't afford anything other than a short holiday once a year. So I waited until I graduated. But then I had other expenses. Now, looking back, I can see that a lot of these "expenses" just weren't necessary. They were mainly frivolous. In 2017, I decided "this is it". It has to happen. So I set myself a goal. Every week a certain amount of money would be taken from my current account and put into a savings account which I would not access under any circumstances. I vowed that by the end of the year, I would have what I needed and would finally go travelling. Eventually, after a year of scrimping and saving, I finally had enough to make my dream a reality. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't loaded - far from it - but I had enough to buy my visa and plane tickets and support myself for a few months if I didn't get a job.

I might be living my dream now but that doesn't mean my struggles are over. I worry about money a lot. I do everything on a tight budget and watch every penny. Some people don't like to live like that and wouldn't dream of travelling this way, but for me, it was my only option. I felt trapped in Ireland. Rent and mortgage prices are outrageous. I'm only one of many who couldn't afford to move out. And if I did I would probably only be able to afford a place in the countryside in the middle of nowhere with very few job prospects. So I could spend every penny I had on rent in Dublin and starve and have no social life in order to pay for it or I could get a place in the countryside and have a couple hours of a commute every morning and evening, leaving me with no social life. Or I could pack up and go somewhere else entirely and see what the world has to offer. It's not a full time solution to my problem - I will, of course, need to settle down and get my own place, I want that. But right now, I don't want to live my life saving every penny I have and still having no life. There is plenty of time to get a 9 - 5  job and save for a place, but right now, I want to enjoy my travels and see what the world has to offer. So explore my page, read  up on some of these fabulous places that don't require a hefty bank account, let me know your own thoughts and opinions in the comment section and of course, don't forget to subscribe!