ways to afford travel lifestyle roadschooling

How Do You Afford Roadschool Travel Adventures?

Wondering how to afford roadschool travel? Dreaming about roadschooling your kids? Or working and living from anywhere adventures? If so, read on because this post is for you.

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Many homeschooling families are already stretching the limits of their family budgets just for ordinary living expenses.  
Forget budgeting for family travel–that often seems impossible, especially when one parent decides to stay home or opt outs of full-time employment to homeschool.

But more and more families are embracing their dreams of living an epic roadschooling lifestyle. So, what’s the secret to making it happen? How do they or you afford roadschooling and the travel lifestyle?

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How Do You Afford Roadschooling?

Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time planning my family’s life around travel. This planning has included figuring out ways to roadschool, homeschool, worldschool, and wanderschool (or whatever word you prefer for mobile/travel focused schooling) my children while we travel.

Designing your life for the travel lifestyle, roadschooling, and homeschool adventures often means obsessing about finances.

Families are Finding Clever Ways to Afford Homeschooling and Roadschooling 

Over the years, I’ve discovered that LOTS, and I mean LOTS of families (many more than I originally realized) have found or are finding clever ways to finance flexible, homeschool travel adventures.  These families include those listed on Families on the Road (FOTR) and full-time, on-the-go RV families such as those who are members of Fulltime Families.

Spend a few minutes on Instagram or Pinterest, and you’ll quickly see that there are many travel families out there, already living the life you dream about! They are traveling, working remotely, living the digital nomad life, AND roadschooling or homeschooling their kids.

Living the Travel Lifestyle is Your Dream, So It’s Time to Make It Happen!

The simple truth that many of these families who are already roadschooling their children have realized is that you don’t have to have a trust fund, be independently wealthy, win the lottery, or stumble upon a jackpot of luck to finance a flexible, homeschool/travel adventure or lifestyle.  

create a freedom lifestyle work anywhere digital nomad

Certainly, it helps to have a sweet travel nest egg and a portable lifestyle already in place. For example, a savings nest, a spouse who is self-employed, teleworks, or who can commute home for the weekends to join you and the family in cool locations on the road, or a flexible, take anywhere job. But that’s a dreamy situation for many families who hope to one day get on the road.  

Roadschooling Can Actually Be A Cheaper Way to Live

Some families have actually discovered that roadschooling, whether via fulltime RVing or renting apartments in various states or countries is significantly cheaper than living an ordinary lifestyle in a sticks and bricks house.

For example, some families who have chosen the RV lifestyle have discovered Ways to Live for Free (or Nearly Free) in an RV or Camper Van. Living for free or nearly free surely beats having to pay monthly rent or a mortgage.

How to Afford the Roadschool Homeschool ‘Dream’

The stories of those who have made traveling the country, continent, or world while homeschooling their children possible share at least one thing in common:  they didn’t wait to make what they wanted most happen!  

Whether married, single moms, single dads, or married ‘single’ solo parents who travel sans spouse, those who wanted the roadschool adventure/lifestyle stopped waiting around, figured out what they wanted most, started planning, and made their roadschooling travel lifestyle a reality.

Make Your Dream Happen. Here’s How…

1.  Figure Out What YOU Want.  

What is your dream for your family?  How do you envision your children’s education?  What do you want them to remember most about their childhood?  What kind of lifestyle do you want?  Are you looking to escape your life, make it over, or do you simply long to follow that inner seed of wanderlust?  Does your spouse or partner share your vision? Why do you want to travel or roadschool in the first place?

2.   Define Your Dream.  

Ask yourself the hard (or perhaps they aren’t so difficult) questions.  

Where do you want to go with your family?  Do you want to take your family on a six month long RV trip across Canada or the United States–or perhaps a full-time, open-ended RV adventure?  Do you want to hike the Colorado Trail?  Or do you want to spend time in every European country?  Do you want to walk or ride a bike across the United States? Do you want to visit all the continents?  You have to define and map out your dream.  A clear idea of what you want and where you’re headed will help you prioritize your finances and ultimately get you to where you want to go.

3. Redefine Lucky:  Roadschooling Is A Decision, Not A Stroke Of Luck.  

Just as you made a decision to homeschool your child or children (or made any other important decision for your child or family if you are not already homeschooling), view your dream for a roadschooling adventure as a decision.

Though people may suggest or make (sometimes snarky) comments about your dream, don’t lose your focus! You’re so lucky. Are you rich? How can you afford to travel? They may make comments like, you are so lucky to be able to roadschool or travel or to even entertain the possibility.

If and when you share your travel dreams or plans, keep in mind that it’s not the “lucky ducks” who get to take their families on roadschool or flexible travel adventures.  Smart, savvy families who make thoughtful choices and decisions about their family’s educational and lifestyle objectives can roadschool their kids and travel.

Travel

So, stop hoping that you can travel someday, or wishing on the first star you see each night…decide today to make your roadschooling/travel dream happen!

4.  Map It Out.  

Research, research, research!  If you have Internet access, you don’t have to spend a dime to research how to implement your dream. 

Write down your plan.   Figure out how much money you need.  Figure out what you will need to do to get there.  

If you have to sell the house in order to buy an RV that will allow you to travel for the next two years around the country, sell the house!

Map out everything you can.  Estimate how much everything will cost–whether it’s airline tickets, Harvest Hosts Camping Membership (which allows you to camp for free at vineyards, breweries, and golf courses), Thousand Trail campground membership, rent for a villa in Spain, or fuel costs for the boat trip.  

Use an App. Or keep a notebook, journal, or file on your computer or phone to store your research and notes, and/or to track your financial strategy.  Arm yourself with knowledge so you can make well reasoned, smart decisions about your travel dreams and finances that will get you out the door.

Create a Side Hustle or Find a Flexible Job

If creating a side hustle or your own business or gig will help you afford roadschooling, it’s time to get to work. You can find some great ideas for starting a side hustle in 37+ Side Hustle Ideas.

If a flexible job will make your dream happen faster, approach your employer about flexible work options and start talking about what you want.

Alternatively, start applying for new jobs that will allow you to adopt a portable lifestyle. Check out flexible or remote work job sites for jobs. For example, Flexjobs offers listings of telework possibilites that might allow you to work on the go.  If you’re thinking about RV living, look into workamping, or campground work opportunities that allow you to work for money or in exchange for free rent or propane.

Also consider designing your life to create a work and live anywhere lifestyle, such as becoming a digital nomad. This might mean taking classes or learning how to create an online business or career, such as programming, blogging, freelance writing, consulting, counseling, or running a business from anywhere. Read Best Digital Nomad and Travel Lifestyle Books for Inspiration.

Bonus:  the more planning you do, the more committed you may become to your dream…and the more committed you find yourself, means the more likely your dream will happen!

5.  Establish A Roadschool-Homeschool Travel Savings Account. 

This is your travel lifestyle account.  It’s off limits for anything else.  It’s untouchable until it’s time to book flights, make reservations, buy the travel trailer, book the campground or hotel, rent the apartment in Italy, etc.  You’ll put in every penny you find and every extra cent you can manage into this account until you reach your travel financial goal.  Tip:  for those who find themselves consistently coming up short on change, come up with a clever way to build the fund.  Keep reading for ideas.

6. Cut Expenses.  Ditch Non-Necessities.  G-G-G-Gone!   

This is the part people freak out about.  But, but, but…I can’t live without Starbucks!   Wait! I need cable TV and that cell phone family plan with all the bells and whistles!

Snip, snip time, dreamers!  It’s time to set you apart as a doer–no longer a dreamer.  Cut out whatever you can from your budget, big or small.  Do you really need that package for unlimited text messaging?  Can you downgrade your phone plan?  

Can you wait an hour before checking out from the online store or go for a walk around the block before making that brick-and-mortar store purchase…just to clear your head and think briefly about whether you really need what you’re about to buy?  Can you commit to buying NOTHING (besides food) for a week?  What about two weeks?  A month?  

Can you hold off on buying a new vehicle for a bit longer?  Can you sell your second car?  Do you even need a car?  Can you skip that weekend away from home and save the cash toward your grand travel plan, and instead enjoy a staycation at home?

7.  Coupon ‘Till You Can Clip No More.  

Couponing is chic.  It’s practically a sport these days.  You can save tons of money by couponing and filling your pantry with deals (on stuff you’ll use…no unnecessary hoarding!) AHEAD of time, before you run out of or need to buy a particular item.  An hour or two of couponing a week, using online coupon and deal sites, can easily slash 30-60% off your weekly grocery bill.  That’s a lot of savings!  Oh, in case you’re thinking that coupons are only good for use on junk food, think again.  You can get your hands on healthy, green coupons, too.

8.  Reject Consumerism.  

Strive for Simplicity.  If you really think about it, what’s the point of keeping up with the Jones’?  Overspending = unnecessary stuff = debt = stress = delayed dreams = lack of true meaning = unhappiness.  Doesn’t sound all that cool, don’t you think. Do you really need another pair of shoes?  The next time you’re in the mall, think about this…most of the products displayed for sale will end up in a landfill in a matter of years, if not sooner.  Your travel memories and moments with your family will last forever.

9.  Adopt That Heathier Lifestyle.  

While you’re on the pursuing your travel dreams kick, you may as well toss in a healthier lifestyle in the mix.  After all, you want to be healthy and alive and kicking when it’s time to embark on your carefully crafted travel plan.  

A healthier lifestyle can also save you money.  You don’t need fancy health club memberships to get healthy.  Quite simply, a pair of running shoes or sturdy walking shoes alone can lead you toward losing weight, eating better (and eating less), preparing better meals from less processed ingredients (e.g., fresh vegetables that you could grow from a garden), and right into potential money savings.  Of course, adopting a healthier lifestyle may also mean ditching expensive habits that can free up more cash for your travel/lifestyle budget.  Bonus:  You’ll also look smokin’ hot in your fit body when you travel around the globe!

10.  Find Creative Ways To Make More Money.  

There are many ways to make extra cash from home and on a limited schedule. Do you have piles of outgrown children’s clothes? Send clothes to ThredUP (you get a bag with a return paid mailer and you fill the bag with clothes and send it back to the company), sell clothes or Poshmark, or drop clothes off at a used clothing store like Once Upon a Child and get same-day cash for your clothes. Send women’s clothes to Twice.  

Sell your goods on eBay.  Or sell your crafts on Etsy. Sell your services on Fiverr.  Have a yard sale.  Start a part-time business.  Start a blog.  Help a neighbor run errands or with yard work.  Collect bottles and return them for cash. Maybe that means taking a walk before dinner every night with the kids (good for everyone’s health and wellness) and collecting every bottle you see on the road and putting the change from bottle redemption into savings.  The possibilities are endless.

You can find lots of awesome ideas for making more money on the side in 37+ Side Hustle Ideas.

11.  Stay Focused on your Travel Dreams.  

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.  Stay focused on your dream.  Don’t give up. Plaster reminders around your house.  Tape a photo of a dream travel destination to your car visor, so it helps you resist the urge to overspend when you’re out and about.  Believe that you can reach your roadschool travel adventure.  You’ll get there!

If you found this post helpful, please consider pinning it, sharing it, or dropping a comment below! Thank you so much!

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Are you a roadschooling, worldschooling, wanderschooling family?  How did you make your travel/lifestyle/educational dream happen?

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3 thoughts on “How Do You Afford Roadschool Travel Adventures?”

  1. What great inspiration. I can’t wait to start planning. The only thing I’m waiting on is my 9 month old to be a few months older. He is the youngest of 4 but even before him my dream was to roadschool. I have a couple ways to make money while traveling as well.

    1. Best wishes on your roadschool adventure! Find our family on Instagram at @wanderschooling and we’ll follow you back. Would love to see where your adventures take you!

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