A lot of us refrain from traveling because we are short on money. But what would you do if you discovered tricks to stay in several countries across the world for free!
A 33-year-old female traveler has found this secret and visited 70 countries including Poland, the UK, Germany, Nicaragua and the US without paying a single penny for accommodation.
One Sibu De Benedictis set off on her travels after finishing school and has been on the move without settling down. With this, she can aptly be termed a globetrotter for she’s been to countries for several continents already!
Most presume that she must be rich to afford her lifestyle but she insists it’s possible on a low budget when you know how as she has done it herself.
Sibu grew up between the US and Costa Rica until she finished high school. Then she left home to study a degree in China.
In order to fund her lifestyle she has worked countless jobs including being a waitress, pot washing, bar-tending, and many more odd jobs. In June 2020, she decided to take the leap of putting all of her possessions in storage in Germany, where she had been based for a while completing a master’s qualification. From then on she has officially been a digital nomad – a person who is completely location independent – and hasn’t looked back.
“There’s such a misconception that travel is not affordable. But money-wise, my number one priority is travel as much as I can, even on minimum wage – it’s just about being smart with it. Twenty-five dollars can buy you five Starbucks coffees, but it could also buy you drinks at a rotating bar in Baku, Azerbaijan, or a day wandering around Mayan ruins in Mexico,” Sibu told the media.
“There are so many things you can do or get for free too, you just have to do some research and pick your favorite. All my belongings are in storage apart from the suitcase I have with me, so I can go anywhere I want. I’ve been living off jobs that are minimum wage or less for a good amount of years now – I’m living proof you can make it work on a budget,” she added.
And that’s not it. The traveler knows more tricks. She has discovered a way to stay at the swankiest and most stunning accommodations – totally rent free. Using an app called Trusted Housesitters, she is able to stay in some of the most spectacular homes while their owners are away in exchange for keeping everything safe and in order.
“House sitting changed my life. Sometimes it involves looking after plants or pets but it allows you to go anywhere. Once you’ve paid the membership, the possibilities are endless,” the avid traveler shared.
Sibu also insists on packing light even for long stays. This allows to save money on luggage.
“When buying clothes, I don’t buy something unless I’m going to make the most of it. You don’t have much space so you should only take items you love that you can wear over and over again. I have around seven tops, seven dresses, and a few pairs of shorts and trousers so I can mix and match. For me, that’s more than three weeks of outfits. I am currently focusing on destinations which are warm, meaning I don’t need to carry as many clothes due to the climate,” said Sibu who is currently in Africa.
As mentioned earlier, Sibu is a digital nomad. She has been working a remote marketing role with a company based in the US. Every penny she earns has to be stretched to extremes in order to fund her lifestyle. While she vowed never to abstain herself, she told how being smart with your cash is key to making it work for a digital nomad.
“You have to account for the little things you buy – $10 here and $10 there does add up. Do you really want to take a taxi when you could catch public transport? Be aware that every dollar you spend could be spent on experiences so you have to spend smart.”
Another travel tip by Sibu is to search for scholarships, which are often free and allow you to learn new things as well as travel. She has visited eight countries by completing eight different scholarships because she loved them so much.
She is now in Tanzania after staying in Uganda where she was running group trips for tourists working with a local tourism company – and is planning more in the future. So, yes, the number of jobs she takes up is indeed adding up every day.
In her spare time, Sibu also does travel writing and has recently completed an advice book for money-savvy travelers.
“There are so many more things possible for you to do than you think – I want to highlight that again and again. I don’t believe in gate keeping so if I can share some information, I will. At the end of the day, it’s about taking the plunge and doing it. No matter how many tips and tricks I share, you have to go and buy that ticket and get on that bus, or plane, or train,” she said.
“The world would be a better place if we could all travel more,” she concluded.
Also read: This Traveler Found The Most Pawsome Hitchiker In Goa And Gave Him A Jolly Good Ride