End of the month approaching… I am on tight budget …

Before anyone panics…

Yes, you know I recently lost my job.

But no, I’m not about to open a GoFundMe.

Thankfully, I had saved enough money to give myself some time.

So no, this isn’t a story about financial hardship.

It’s about a choice.

I travel like I’m broke (sometimes) and completely by choice.

And I know that’s a privilege.

I’ll negotiate over €2.

I’ll walk 20 minutes instead of taking a taxi.

I’ll spend an hour comparing ten different hostels just to save €5.

Then, halfway through, I’ll stop and think,

“Stella… you’ve actually gone a little too far.”

Sometimes I’ll even call my mum and ask,

“Mum… am I becoming stingy?”

She’d probably laugh before saying,

“Come on, Stella… you can spend a little more!”

But then again…

She’s probably not the right person to ask.

If I had to summarize my mum’s spending philosophy, it would probably be:

“If you have money, spend it. If you don’t have money, don’t spend it.”

To be fair…

It’s not terrible advice.

Personally, over the years, I’ve adopted a slightly different philosophy. I’ve just added one extra step.

Pay yourself first.

Or in other words:

Save first.

Then, if you have money, spend it.

And if you don’t have money…

Don’t spend it.

I know.

It’s much easier said than done, especially when you’re a single woman without children. I also know everyone’s financial situation is different, and I’m not pretending this advice applies to everyone.

I’m simply sharing what has worked for me.

But that’s a conversation for another article.

Let’s get back to travelling.

People love putting travelers into boxes.

Budget traveler.

Backpacker.

Luxury traveler.

Digital nomad.

As if you have to pick one and stick to it forever.

Honestly?

I don’t think I fit into any of them.

Or maybe I fit into all of them.

Because just like everything else in life, I believe travel is about balance.

I’ve slept in guesthouses and hostels for around €12 a night, sometimes in a dormitory, sometimes in a tiny private room where the shower barely worked and a rat in the roof occasionally reminded me I wasn’t alone (I obviously left the next morning !)

I’ve also spent nights in beautiful four- and five-star hotels where I woke up overlooking a river, enjoyed incredible breakfasts prepared just for us, and simply relaxed.

One of my favourite experiences was in Zambia, during a trip with my friend Jess.

At first, I thought it was ridiculously expensive.

By the end of the stay, I didn’t regret a single euro.

People took care of us from morning until evening.

The food was incredible.

The activities were included.

For a few days, we didn’t have to think about anything.

I’ve experienced both worlds.

And I genuinely love both.

People often assume that if you’re staying in a hostel, it’s because you can’t afford anything else.

Sometimes that might be true.

But not always.

For me, it’s usually a conscious decision.

And I’m grateful that I can afford to make that choice.

Even when I had a well-paid job, I was never the type of person to spend all my salary upgrading my lifestyle.

I’d rather use that money to invite my family on holiday, save, invest, or simply travel more.

I’d rather take three trips than one.

I’d rather discover five countries than spend my entire travel budget on one week in a luxury all-inclusive resort.

And honestly…

I’m not even sure that would change if one day I earned twice as much.

I remember sitting on the back of a moto-taxi in Benin with Jess and saying:

Because what truly makes me happy isn’t luxury.

It’s discovering cultures I’ve never experienced before.

It’s seeing landscapes that make me wonder if they’re even real.

It’s getting lost in streets where I don’t speak the language.

It’s challenging myself.

It’s learning about other people and about myself.

It’s collecting stories that one day I’ll tell my partner, my children, my family and my friends.

Now, don’t get me wrong.

I absolutely love beautiful hotels.

I love waking up in a room with a balcony overlooking a river or the ocean.

I love big swimming pools.

I love breakfasts that turn into brunch because everything tastes so good.

And yes…

From time to time, I absolutely enjoy being treated like the princess I am.

The difference is that, for me, luxury is something to appreciate.

Not something I need every single day.

When I travel for a week or ten days, I’ll often book comfortable mid-range accommodation and maybe spend one or two nights somewhere really special.

It’s my little reward.

A chance to slow down.

Recharge.

Just chill.

But when I’m travelling for several weeks…

Oh my God.

I become a rat.

Suddenly I’m comparing every hostel before booking.

Walking twenty minutes instead of taking a taxi.

(Okay… partly because I’m also trying to lose a bit of weight.)

Negotiating almost everything.

I’ve been living in Ghana for nearly five years, so negotiating has become second nature.

Sometimes it still takes me a day or two to remember I should negotiate.

But once I remember…

There’s no going back.

I also start asking myself a completely different question before spending money.

Not…

“Can I afford this?”

But…

“What else could this money become?”

That €30 brunch?

Two nights somewhere else.

That expensive cocktail?

Tomorrow night’s accommodation.

That overpriced activity?

Maybe another week travelling.

Every euro has a purpose.

And when you travel for several weeks, something else changes.

You stop trying to do everything.

You stop chasing every Instagram-worthy experience.

Instead…

You start living where you are.

During my time in Zanzibar, I originally wanted to learn kitesurfing.

Then I saw the price.

Between €200 and €250 for a six-hour course.

Instead, I rented a paddleboard for about US$10.

Did I enjoy it less?

Not at all.

Kitesurfing can wait.

I can learn somewhere else.

Or maybe I’ll come back to Zanzibar one day.

The memories I wanted weren’t necessarily the most expensive ones.

They were the simplest.

And honestly…

I’m so happy I experienced the real Zanzibar instead of chasing the Instagram version of it.

Watching sunsets.

Talking with locals.

Meeting travellers from all over the world.

Understanding a place beyond the postcard.

When I think about it, my travel style isn’t very different from the way I live my everyday life.

Some evenings I’m perfectly happy eating a plate of attiéké and tuna while watching a film.

Other times I want to dress up, go to a beautiful restaurant and spend hours talking with friends.

Neither option is better.

They’re simply different.

Travel works exactly the same way.

Sometimes I want the social atmosphere of a hostel.

Sometimes I want complete silence.

Sometimes I want to be alone.

Sometimes I want adventure.

Sometimes I want room service.

The best memories don’t come from where I sleep.

Sometimes they come from a five-star hotel.

Sometimes they come from a €12 room.

I still laugh when I think about that night in Côte d’Ivoire when we ended up chasing insects around the room. 🦟

Maybe not the best accommodation.

But I’ll probably remember that night for the long just because I felt good or simply forget about the room but I will remember the trip.

Because the truth is…

A trip is rarely defined by the room itself.

It’s defined by the people you meet.

The conversations you have.

The unexpected moments you never planned.

That’s why I’ve stopped trying to fit into one category.

I’m not a budget traveler.

I’m not a luxury traveler.

I’m simply someone who wants to experience as much of the world as possible while allowing myself little moments of comfort along the way.

Travel isn’t about proving how much or how little you spend.

It’s about collecting moments.

And those moments rarely care how many stars your hotel had.

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