"As far as I am concerned it is not about which of us is the hero here, but which of us is doing his soul's bidding, at whatever cost". – Nomad's Hotel

Travel and your budget are inevitably linked. What your budget should not do, however, is stop you from travelling. Recognising that unless you have a bottomless bank account travel is something that has to be planned and exotic travel (meaning anything beyond Atlanta) is generally viewed as for the rich. I don't believe it. I spent the last year travelling around the world without anyone bankrolling my trip (well except for myself). It wasn't always easy, but it can be done.

How much did it cost me for one year? I don't have a final number, but I will say it was around $25,000, which included all of my flights, a laptop for my writings and things like scuba lessons. Before you scoff or wonder what kind of salary The Royal Gazette was paying me (I was a full-time journalist) think about your yearly budget, but on a monthly basis.

I'm not sure how much it is, but I am going to guess it is probably more than what I spent for a year around the world. Yes, yes, I know I wasn't working, well except for my weekly columns, so I didn't have much of an income. So what did I travel on? My savings. How did I do it?

This is where you need to look a little closer at your budget. Yep. I'm putting it on you. How much of your monthly budget is miscellaneous? And by that I mean how much do you spend on things like massages, getting your nails done, eating out, nights in the pub, clothes, shoes, golf, your motorbike, buying that massive car, etc. I am going to guess when you look at that you can find at least $500 a month you could cut back on.

Do you really need cable TV or a satellite? No. Do you need the BMW or the Kia Sportage? I don't care how many kids you have, no you don't.

So cut back on the image issues a bit multiply that by 12 and you have already saved $6,000 in one year.

That will buy you a flight to Santiago, Chile and at least three months travelling through South America.

It will go even further in Asia. In Delhi I had a double room, with air-conditioning, a TV and a bathroom attached for just $5.

In Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh I had a suite in a beautiful boutique hotel for $25 a night.

Of course I am not booking these through the chains and I'm not staying at the Hilton, but that's not to say these are not comfy accommodations. Check out www.hostelworld.com or www.hostelbookers.com for more ideas.

For those who are still not convinced that they can travel for extended periods of time or venture beyond the East Coast of the United States here are some tips.

1. Do not shop. Do you really need a new dress? Are the jeans really worth it? Think $200 could mean a week in Malaysia.

2. Bring your lunch to work: Healthier and more interesting means of providing subsistence. My one indulgence? I buy coffee every day. When I think about how much that adds up I want to cry.

3. Eat dinner in and have friends over for a BBQ rather than spend the GDP of a small Asian country in a restaurant here.

4. Work. Before I studied in London for a semester I had two jobs and now I supplement income with housesitting, where I often get paid, freelancing or other odd jobs.

5. Taking care of yourself. I run, have boot camp twice a week and try to eat as healthy as I can. Yes I have health insurance but the copays will eat your bank account alive if you let it.

6. Travel with a companion. I am not advocating leaving with a travel buddy or never going alone.

What I suggest is while travelling link up with another traveller for a few months to split the cost of a tuk tuk or to share a room in a hostel.

7. Eat street food. No do not lay your food by your feet, but sit on the mini stools outside a food vendor in Asia and indulge in the noodles and fried meat on hand. It will be the best food you've eaten and, counterintuitively, the safest.

8. Walk. Yes it's tiring, especially with a 20 kilo bag on your back, but it's the best way to see a city and get your bearings.

9. Take public transportation: there is nothing like hanging with the locals crammed in a tin bus with the door swinging open and the women holding their baskets from flying.

10. Enjoy recording your trip with a camera rather than with your credit card.

Finally if I can order you to do anything (which I really can't, but wish I could) spend the $1,000 to $2,000 to get to Thailand. Spend two weeks there on $30 a day and it will be the same price as a weekend in New York ... I promise.

Next week follow me as I walk through East London. Yeah I said it. East London and I came out alive. For more information and to follow more of my writings visit my website at www.robynswanderings.com