How Living Simply While Traveling Made Me Rich in Other Ways
When I first arrived at my first work exchange, I unzipped my small backpack and stared at the handful of clothes I’d brought with me. For the next 2.5 months, this would be everything I owned. No closet full of options, no car, no fancy meals. Just me, a few essentials, and a sense of freedom I hadn’t expected to feel.
During those ten weeks, I traveled on a tight budget — cooking most of my own meals, walking anytime I could, and trading work for accommodation and the occasional meal or perk. Years ago, I would’ve called this kind of travel uncomfortable. I was used to nice hotels and trips with my parents, where convenience was part of the experience. But somewhere between hand-washing my laundry in a sink and sharing pasta dinners with new friends, I realized I felt richer than I ever had before.
Living simply while traveling made me realize that we need far less than we think. So many of our “needs” are really “wants,” and the real beauty of travel lies not in luxury hotels or expensive tours, but in the people we meet, the moments we share, and the small experiences that make us feel alive.
What “Living Simply” Looked Like
For ten weeks straight, I lived in shared rooms with anywhere from six to ten other volunteers. We cooked in small, often messy kitchens, survived on basic sandwiches, and sometimes hand-washed our clothes because the washing machine was either broken or already full. Showers weren’t always available when you wanted them, privacy barely existed, and naps came with the soundtrack of people coming and going.
At first, it felt like giving up comfort — the things I once considered basic were now luxuries. But slowly, I started to see it differently. Instead of focusing on what I didn’t have, like my own personal bathroom and full wardrobe, I focused on what I did: the laughs with new friends, the freedom to live abroad without spending a fortune, and the joy of exploring new places every day. I learned to make even the uncomfortable moments fun because they were part of an adventure that I was lucky to be living.
The Unexpected Richness
Rich in Connection
Some of my favorite memories were the family-style meals we made together. A group of us would head to the grocery store, grab a mix of ingredients, sometimes very random to me, and come back to cook together. Everyone brought their own cooking style and stories from home, and I learned so much about different foods and cultures just by standing in a kitchen.
Those meals probably cost me around three euros each, but they were valued higher than that. I had originally planned to eat out more, thinking that was how you “experience” a place. But I found myself choosing to stay in, to cook, smile, and eat with people who felt like family. The food might have been simple, but the point of cooking and eating with others was what made it so rich.
Rich in Experience
In the Canary Islands, my friends and I would spend our free days going on spontaneous adventures — hopping on cheap buses to explore new beaches, trails, or small towns. For just a few euros, we’d end up somewhere breathtaking, following our curiosity more than any plan.
Some of my favorite memories cost almost nothing: sitting on the beach, hitting around a volleyball, hiking up a random trail we found by accident, or snorkeling with borrowed gear instead of paying for a tour. I realized I didn’t need a $100 excursion to have an incredible day. The joy came from the simplicity — from doing things at our own pace, together.
Rich in Gratitude and Perspective
Back home, I have all the comforts: a nice car, a closet full of clothes, a private bathroom, my own room, and a stocked kitchen at my parents' house. Yet during those months abroad, when I had the least I’d ever owned — just a 60-liter backpack and a few pairs of shoes — I was the happiest I’d ever been.
Living with less stripped away the distractions and showed me how much abundance already exists in the simple things: laughter, kindness, adventure, and becoming friends with strangers from around the world. Happiness didn’t come from having more — it came from appreciating what was right in front of me.
What “Wealth” Means to Me Now
A few years ago, I thought being a traveler meant checking off lots of sights, staying somewhere comfortable, and spending on experiences so you could say you’ve done things. Now, I see wealth completely differently. To me, real wealth is having time, freedom, community, and stories to tell.
I used to think travel meant a hotel with a view and a nice dinner out. Now it looks like cooking pasta with friends in a tiny shared kitchen, eating off mismatched plates, drinking wine out of a mug, and laughing until midnight.
Living simply on the road changed how I see consumption, gratitude, and connection. I learned that satisfaction doesn’t come from having everything — it comes from realizing you don’t need nearly as much as you thought.
Now that I’m home again, surrounded by all the things I once thought I needed, I realize how full I felt with so little.
I came home having spent very little money, yet feeling richer in the ways that matter most — something I never thought could go hand in hand.
If you ever get the chance to travel slowly, volunteer, or simply live abroad, I encourage you to take it. Not just to save money, but to gain perspective.
