Visiting famous and not-so-famous cities, exploring new cultures, and being amazed by wonderful cuisines are just some of the things to look forward when traveling. However, it is also a fact that traveling incurs a lot of expenses, such as travel fare, accommodations, food, and shopping. But if you have massive debt, can you still afford to do this? Or even if you can take out more loans to travel, can you still bear the burden? Here is the ultimate guide to help you solve this problem. You can still make the most out of your travel, despite paying debts.  

Set Goals and Plan your Payment Terms

You can still travel even with massive debt. No law bars you from doing so. But you need to be wise in order to this, by prioritizing your debt first. To do so, you have to set goals and make a concrete plan on how are you going to pay your debts. In this goal setting and planning scheme, know the full amount of your debt, including the interest rates. Then, determine how much you earn from work. Try to reconcile how your income can match your debt. Upon estimation, you can make a schedule to pay off your debts.   

Plan your Travels

Once you have formulated a concrete plan to pay off your loans, you may now plan your travel. Unplanned travels may be tremendously expensive, so thinking ahead is key. In planning your travels, make sure to determine the place where you want to go and when are you going there. The destination and season are important, because airfare varies, depending on the distance and whether you will be booking a flight during peak, shoulder, or offseason. Airfares are more expensive when you book your flight at the last minute. Also, make sure that the cost of living, locations to visit, modes of transportation available, and food are included in your planning. With these, you can estimate how much money you need to earn. 

Grow your Travel Fund

Since you already have massive debt, make sure to fund your travel from earnings. Yes, you will be needing to swipe at your credit card when booking a flight and accommodation, or when cash is not available when you are already traveling. But it must be funded, so that when you return, it will not add up to your existing debt. So to earn travel money, you can live more frugally, save from your salary, sell something to add income, or invest your savings in stocks or mutual funds. By planning your travel funds ahead of time, it will be much easier to travel and affect your debt less.
 

Choose Smarter and More Creative Options

The advantage of planning everything is that you have the option of selecting smarter options while making your itinerary. There are companies which offer travel packages, where all that you have included in your plan may have been included already. Usually, these travel packages are much cheaper compared to regular travel, and you can make the most of it. However, since these packages are created for budget-conscious travelers, do not expect that you will fly via a business class trip, be accommodated in a five-star hotel, and eat in fine-dining restaurants. 

Work around the world, by participating in WWOOFing or other work for room and board opportunities. That way, all you need to do is get there, and then your labor ensures a roof over your head, food in your belly, and new friends. 

But if you want to experience high-class travel packages that include a luxury cruise trip, five to seven star rated amenities, and enjoy the luxury lifestyle, work for companies that offer travel incentives as part of the compensation packages once you hit certain sales quota or income earned. By engaging in this kind of work, you can also pay your massive debt. 

Travel is fun until you have a massive debt right under your nose. But being creative and resourceful gives a lot of opportunities to travel and pay your debts hand in hand. Planning is essential to be able to travel and get rid off your debts. Bottom line? Mmanage your finances so that you can enjoy not just traveling, but every aspect of your life.