Money isn’t everything; it sure is a lot of things. (Photo: jtyerse)

This is part Two of Six for the Road Trip Series. The road trip series is all about preparing for a road trip to finishing a road trip. Read the series for some great tips.

–

How much preparation done for a road trip can mean how much fun it is or how miserable it is.

There can be both too little preparation and too much preparation.

Can you imagine coming back from a road trip to find out you lost your job or someone died in your family?

This is why there are some things to prepare for. Of course if you were a true vagabond, you would be location independent.

Planning for Work

If you are indeed working, you’ll need to plan for time off. Not every place will grant vacation time or time off so be prepared for a no.

Submit your time off request early and ahead of your trip by months. If you wait too long, there may no slots for time off when you want to go on a road trip.

Plan ahead for holidays and other busy times of the year, many people who work on the holidays apply for time off on the holidays.

Not all places you work will allow you too much time off at one time either, which is one reason why I quit my job.

Many companies do not function well when an important person leaves for too long, unless you learn to delegate your job functions. I learned to delegate my job functions in my previous job and was able to leave for a week or longer without telling anyone.

I used GoToMyPC or Log Me In to access my PC remotely. I recommend trying these programs out, Log Me In has a free version which works great. I’ll write more about these programs later.

Basically to prepare for time off from work for a road trip:

• Submit your time off request early
• Determine how long you want to be gone
• Plan for holidays and other busy times of the year
• Find ways to delegate work and work remotely

Be Reached on any Phone in the World

To prevent losing your job or not knowing when important matters arrive, you may want to be reached wherever you are in the world by phone. I would still recommend spending less time on your phone while on a road trip; enjoy the experience, not your phone.

There are programs which will give you a phone number for people to call and make it forward to any phone you have access to in the world.

I’ll write more about using these programs later; here are a few you can try and use. Google Voice is free and Skype being very inexpensive.

I currently use Google Voice to forward calls to my cell phone. You can use it to forward to work phones, home phones, and most any other type of phone. I’ll write more about using it later; it is great for a vagabond traveling the world. I will trying Skype only while traveling over seas and combining it with Google Voice.

Here are some benefits:

• Google voicemail: voicemail like email
• Voicemail transcription: read what your voicemail says
• Custom greetings: vary voicemail greetings by caller
• International calling: low cost calls to the world
• Notifications: read voicemail messages via email or SMS
• Share voicemails: forward, embed, or download voicemails

You can also use Skype to forward calls or receive calls while connected to the internet on a laptop (or Wi-Fi on phones which can use Skype).

Either solutions works well, Google Voice is free for forwarding while Skype can actually be used to talk.

What I do while on a trip, I log into my Google Voice account online and set it to forward to any phone I might be around for a while.

Let’s say I’m staying with friends or strangers who don’t currently use Google Voice, I would just have my calls forwarded to their phone (with their permission of course) for the important people. Some places you stay may not have service for your cell phone, so definitely look into Google Voice.

You can also use Google Voice as your main number to mask any of your private numbers. Especially good if you NEED to give your phone number to stalkers or just change phones a lot.

Get a phone call wherever you are in the world from the important people!

Financial Planning will prevent Headaches

Road trips can be really cheap and really expensive, just depends on the person or people planning the trip.

When I went on road trips with my friends, we would find deals and stay at places for free or really inexpensive.

How much do you have to spend? I find it is better to spend less and stretch your money further so you can do more.

These are some of the expenses you need to consider pertaining to the road trip itself:

• Gas
• Hotel/Hostel/Lodging
• Food
• Souvenirs
• Fees for parks/camping/entertainment

Here are some expenses not fully related to the road trip you will still need to think about:

• Rent/Mortgage for Home
• Insurance for cars, house, health, etc.
• Cell/Home Phone Bills
• Pet costs (if you have a pet)
• Utilities
• Subscriptions for home
• Any other expenses

Unless you are a vagabond and don’t have a set home (you make a home wherever you go) then you will still have a lot of bills to pay. Bills just suck.

If you are looking for places to stay as you travel, I recommend you check out Couchsurfing.org. Couchsurfing.org is basically what it sounds like, couchsurfing.

The biggest difference with this couchsurfing and the normal one is safety and reliability. With a good reputation for yourself, you can find people all over the world to stay with. The other great part is that staying with locals means you get firsthand experience from a native showing you around.

I could write so much more about Couchsurfing.org, someone else has already written a great guide about it. Check it out from Karol Gajda called the Black Book #001 from his blog Ridiculously Extraordinary.

Splitting the Bill

Another aspect of traveling with other people is how to pay for everything. Planning ahead with expenses will definitely help any vagabond prevent headaches while traveling.

There are many ways to do it such as each person pays for themselves or if someone pays for all of it (if they have a large bank account or credit card) and everyone reimburse them.

What my friends and I have done is the 2nd way; we would split the bill third ways at the end of the trip and reimburse the person paying for everything. Of course we wouldn’t split luxuries such as a person’s special huge mean or souvenirs; we would split lodging, gas, park fees, and other trip supplies.

Definitely plan ahead and decide:

• To split the road trip bill evenly between everyone
• Everyone pays for themselves

With a little planning, a road trip should just be a fun trip to experience new things. It’s been said that our lives are enriched by new experiences more than possessions. Plan ahead and have fun.

From author of Vagabonding Rolf Potts posted on Tim Ferriss’ Blog 5 Travel Lessons You Can Use at Home

“Scientific studies have shown that new experiences (and the memories they produce) are more likely to produce long-term happiness than new things. Since new experiences aren’t exclusive to travel, consider ways to become time-rich at home. Spend less time working on things you don’t enjoy and buying things you don’t need; spend more time embracing the kinds of activities (learning new skills, meeting new people, spending time with friends and family) that make you feel alive and part of the world.”

Try new things today! Even at home.

–

On the next Road Trip Series: Packing for the Road Trip (Part 3).

Posted on February 24th 2010.

Keep it a secret, your eyes only! (Photo: Anna Gay)

OK, I didn’t plan to write about this program at all, though I think The Shoemoney System can help a lot of newbies to start making money online and become true Vagabonds. I’m not selling my soul promoting this program no, I signed up for this program myself.

If you are one of the lucky ones who reads Vagabond Insider, keep this a secret, too many people doing this system will create a lot of competition.

I signed up for the system the day it launched. I’ve been bombarded with advertisements from many different places. From John Chow‘s blog and email subscription, to Jonathan Volk‘s blog, to even Shoemoney‘s blog and email subscription(s).

Receiving emails nearly everyday got the message into my head to check out the program, I watched some of the intro videos Shoemoney provides and it hooked me into it.

I’m currently going through the videos, the podcasts, and signing up for affiliate networks in the program (I just got into AzoogleAds, I hear their screening process is tough, the system got me almost instant access). The system doesn’t give everything at once, something I both like and dislike. It means I’m only limited to the videos released every week, though I won’t overwhelm myself with watching dozens and dozens of videos.

If you have ever watched dozens of How To videos in one session, it makes it difficult to apply any of the knowledge, and sometimes we use it as an excuse for inaction.

I’m here writing my current review of the program while it still unveils. And yes, if you click on my link to the program and sign up I do receive an incentive as an affiliate. Though remember I’m using the program myself, so I’m not speaking out of my butt here.

Basically the Shoemoney System is a set of videos explaining and showing its users how to make money online the same way Jeremy does. Whether it is through CPC (Cost per Click), CPA (Cost per action) and other ways to make money online. Since Jeremy has started online marketing 5 years ago, he has generated over $10,000,000 in revenue.

I’ve been reading his blog for almost two years now and I can tell you he always provides a lot of value and insight into different topics. Many I’ve used to make money online myself.

While the program is going a little too slowly for my liking, I think the program will be a lot more valuable when it gets to the nitty gritty stuff.

Here is the Ugly stuff about the program:

• Few videos released a week (2-3)
• Costs an arm and a leg ($197.00 a month for 12 months)

Here is the Pretty stuff about the program:

• A Huge library for Podcasts Shoemoney has done over the years
• Over $2500 of advertising coupons (slowly releases these)
• Webinar every other week
• A Huge Page of helpful links from affiliate networks to tools to software to outsourcing to even more
• A large page about Niche Ideas
• Videos from Shoemoney showing us and newbies how to do what he does

Yanik Silver says to provide 10x-100x the value for any product we release. That way the person buying our products feel and know they received the value they paid for.

To me, the Shoemoney System already provides this with just a few pages in the program. The program itself will be worth many more times the $197.00 if the practical knowledge is applied. Meaning any money you paid for the program will be paid for by making money online you learned through the program.

This system is not for people who will watch the videos and not follow the direction Jeremy gives. The program is not for people who will watch the videos and say “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

This system is for people like me, who aspire to be a true free global Vagabond. I earn all my money online meaning I have mobile freedom to be anywhere I want at anytime.

Check out the Shoemoney System if you want, I’m definitely enjoying it. If you want me to write about my results as I go through this program, let me know in the comments.

Remember I’m experimenting and trying different things so you don’t have to. So you can have someone on the inside of things letting you know if they work or not. This way you can save and learn and only do the things that work!

Please keep this program a secret! It is for your eyes only.

Posted on February 4th 2010.

Be happy! Sometimes great events just happen. (Photo: avpjack)

I resigned from my job one month ago during this recession.

My income has not been as stable and some expenses have popped up. I recently went on a 2,000 mile drive to do the following things in the new state, Texas:

• $187.00 Register my car
• $34.00 Get a new license
• ~$445.00 Set residency in a new state for tax purposes (I’ll write about why this is great for a traveler in another post)
• Apply for a Sales Permit
• $879.00 Apply my Limited Liability Company as a Foreign Entity

Luckily the business related items (even the drive) is an expense for my business. I’m able to write off my mileage and not pay taxes on business expenses. This is one reason why a majority of millionaires in the book Millionaire Next Door, are business owners. This is one reason why I recommend starting a business as well. Many of these business owners mix business travel with personal so it is a business expense.

Being an employee doesn’t allow this freedom or tax advantage.

Many of my friends work as independent contractors as Search Engine Evaluators (google this if you want to apply to these jobs). There are thousands of people around the world earning a good wage telling search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc if certain search content is good. In the United States, they are making $17-$20 an hour. The job is part time around 20 hours a week.

It is a very easy job, at the same time a mind numbing I want to poke my eyes out type of job. The great part about this independent contractor work is the ability to travel and work online. This is why the job appealed to me. I know people traveling and doing this job and living perfectly fine off of this income.

While I know I can live around the world with this income, because it is more inexpensive in places such as Buenos Aires, I don’t want to get comfortable with that income.

I’ve always set my priorities and one priority is to provide for a family while traveling. I want to travel the world with my lover (Queen) and kids and live in exotic places. This income is not enough as a Search Engine Evaluator, not enough to lead my Vagabond life.

I’m so happy I applied and was turned down for this job. I would have been comfortable earning the wage and not work as hard on my business.

Here is what I would have gained if I did get the job:

• A steady nominal wage
• Enough income to live off of with a little savings
• Wouldn’t be required to focus on growing my business revenue
• An eye poking boring job I have to work on even if I didn’t want to

While the first 3 points sound great to many other people, it is just not enough for me. I can’t own an island with this income. I can’t be a billionaire with this income. My online businesses won’t grow without my complete devotion and focus.

This job is similar to any other job as an employee, it is just not enough freedom or income to fulfill what I demand of the universe and myself.

Here are the main reasons why I am happy to be turned down for this job:

• Complete devotion to my businesses
• I decide my future, my failure, my success
• I need to succeed for my future, I have my priorities, I burned my bridges before

You may wonder what my businesses are, I’ll share them as the revenues grow and possibly show how to do something similar. The main point in my businesses is to provide value while operating in a profitable niche.

These 3 items are core for my plan of success. I burned my bridges to force myself to do better when I resigned my job. I have my priorities in life, which I work for everyday.

How does this apply to you? In every single way. I remember making excuses not to focus on my business when I was working. I had a stable paycheck. At the end of a long day, I made excuses to just watch anime or play video games.

Think about how you might be comfortable right now, and not trying hard to do better in life because it is comfortable earning just enough.

I know a lot of people who have no drive to be more in life, to do better in life, because they are comfortable in life.

I choose to not be one of these comfortable people.

What will you do?

Posted on Feburary 2nd 2010.

Remember the Pony (Photo: sallylondon)

I’m sure you heard the phrase, “you are what you eat.” Or “I think therefore I am.”

All this boils down to this, you are what you think. If you think with a poverty mind, you therefore are in a poverty world. If you think everything is too expensive, everything becomes too expensive. If you think you are fat, you are fat.

This is very important to know because it affects your daily life. This thought process affects your love life, your money, everything. If you think negative, negative will come. If you think positive, positive will come.

Check out the following video from Mort Utley, it is the keynote speech from Southwestern Sales School (I recommend book selling at least one summer to every college student).

Mort talks about the summer, though it applies through our whole lives.

I’m going to fool myself into profit just by thinking prosperity. Next I’m going to share with you my vision, all these items will happen, no doubt in my mind. If you think they won’t happen for me or for yourself, you’re right in your own world, not mine.

Positive mental attitude and knowing where you are going will make the doors open.

You may notice I have some vagabond rules down there. Everything I have written (except some interviews) so far will be part of those rules. I’ll get into some of the juicy “HowTo’s” soon, I already have a lot of these articles written. There are some affiliate links down there, click them or not it is up to you.

What I envision:

• World Freedom (Vagabond Rule #1)
• Multiple Successful Businesses
• Financial Freedom (Vagabond Rule #2)
• A Good Woman by My Side
• $100,000.00 or more (got the “or more” from Yanik, the additional 0 was from a Maverick Business Insider webinar a few days ago, it was $10,000 in a previous post) monthly net profit by May 1st 2010 from my businesses

Slowly and quickly I am realizing these ideas and dreams.

1. When I say world freedom, to me this means I can be wherever I want in the world at anytime without obligation to be somewhere else. Essentially my definition of a Vagabond in this blog.

2. Multiple successful businesses speaks for itself, though to make it clear, these are businesses which will drive a huge profit for me with minimal involvement.

3. Financial freedom is where I will never need to work for someone else again, only work for my customers and my loved ones. Does this sound contradicting? It sure is, though to me it makes great sense.

4. A good woman by my side, in the book “Think and Grow Rich“, Napoleon Hill talks about how most or all great men had a great woman by their side. If they didn’t have a good woman at their side what else is there to work for? The same applies to women about men. Here is a little excerpt from the book.

“Napoleon Bonaparte was one of these. When inspired by his first wife, Josephine, he was irresistible and invincible. When his “better judgment” or reasoning faculty prompted him to put Josephine aside, he began to decline. His defeat and St. Helena were not far distant.“

“The Millionaire Next Door” goes on to say a very large percentage of millionaires are married, giving the idea that by being married, you are more likely to be a millionaire, though marriage does not necessarily indicate being a millionaire.

There are a lot of people in the world who are married and will never be millionaires and there are single people who have never been married and are millionaires.

I plan to never be married, though a family I shall have, and a billionaire I shall be. I have this requirement to do business. 5% of all my different companies revenue will go toward people in need, charities, and related of my choosing. This is another item from Yanik.

5. Making $100,000.00 or more net profit monthly is not a difficult reality. This is something I live and breathe and currently working toward through various means such as affiliate marketing, CPC & CPA campaigns, niche websites, joint ventures, and product creation.

I’m spending hours daily studying marketing, psychology, finance, working on my websites, and writing my blog posts. Literally making it inevitable for success. This is only a milestone, I have higher more lofty goals I set up years ago.

Another item developed recently is that I will launching a tech company this year. Sergey Brin co-founder of Google said something along the lines, and I don’t quote, if you don’t launch a tech company by age 25, you’re finished.

I learned at a Maverick Business Insider webinar, that the only difference between millionaires and billionaires is three zeroes. This is what a billionaire said.

It takes the same amount of effort and thought to make $10,000.00 as it does $10,000,000.00. If you don’t believe me, you’re right in your own world, you just won’t make that money because you think it is NOT possible.

Do you have any goals or realities to look forward to? I would love to hear them.

Posted on January 11th 2010.