I joined this group on Linkedin.com called "LinkBelize." I joined it thinking it might be nice to network with other professionals who are involved/share similar interests in Belize. Yesterday I popped onto the group page and saw a discussion that involved a lot being raffled on the island of Ambergris Caye. This immediately caught my eye as I have been investigating real estate and property in Belize as well. I’ve been browsing property and real estate just to have a general idea on what it may cost- if for some reason one day I decide I want to purchase something down there *dreams*. I would love to have a place for family and friends to go visit for vacation and be able to stay for free. A place that could be cheap to fly to but in another country to offer the exotic adventures and for cultural experiences. So yes, this discussion caught my eye.

The raffle tickets for this lot are going for $10BZ a ticket. That is only $5 USD a raffle ticket. Could you imagine winning a lot on the Ambergris Caye for a mere $5? The lot of land is 60ft by 80 ft deep and is located 2 miles south of San Pedro. It is situated in the New Marina Area. The lot of land can be used commercially or residential. All government taxes and title transfer fees are covered- although if you live outside Belize you do have to pay some extra fees. But a lot that is worth $95,000 BZ would be worth the extra fees you may have to pay plus the $5 raffle ticket. Plus, the best part about this raffle is that 50% of the proceeds benefit a local school: Holy Cross Angelican School. There are approximately 8,000 raffle tickets of the 9,500 left. All I can say is, why not?

So check out the lot and go purchase some raffle tickets! If you end up winning the lot and found out through our website about this raffle- please drop us a note and let us know! We’d be extremely happy to hear that we helped a good cause and that you are a winner of a GREAT lot on the Ambergris Caye and also might want to come camp out a night there!

I’d consider myself a seasoned traveler and if not a professional, then at least a first round draft prospect. I traveled about 50,000 miles per year for work and leisure. During those trecks back and forth across the globe, I have discovered a few obvious and not so obvious tricks to help make my life just a little bit easier. This web site is about travel to a specific destination, but I think these ideas are worth sharing for travelers to any destination.

1. Have a plan. This goes without saying, obviously, but there is simply no excuse for not knowing all the details ahead of time. Know where you are going, what you will be doing, what the weather may be like, how long you will be there and what possible unexpected circumstances you may face.
For example, you may be responsible for departure taxes when leaving a foreign nation. This is often cash only. Find out what it is ahead of time and stash that cash away.

2. Pack wisely. I once did a three-day business trip where an associate checked two bags, one for clothes, and one for shoes. At today’s baggage check rates, that could be an extra $45 US each way! By contrast, I managed an eight day trip with a backpack (for my computer) and a carry-on suitcase. That probably isn’t practical for most trips and most travelers, but it illustrates the critical point of this item – pack wisely. You can fit an awful lot into a single suitcase. Careful planning for what you plan to wear, what you need, what you would like to bring and what you simply cannot leave behind will help immensely when it comes to cramming everything into a 8” x 16” x 24” container.
Fold things carefully, and seek out nooks and crannies to stuff fillers like socks and underwear. These items tend to take up much more space than they should when tossed in haphazardly.
Finally, pack at least two days worth of clothes in a carry on bag. I have fond memories of bumming around in the clothes I traveled in for two days because my luggage was lost – during the monsoon season.

3. Be aware of airport security measures. In the US, the TSA has deliciously obnoxious requirements. The 3-1-1 rule is currently in effect. It stipulates that you must limit the size of liquid, gel and paste containers (such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) to no more than 3.1 oz and they all must fit into a single one quart transparent plastic bag. Not much. So stop by your local department store and pick up a few travel sized containers.
Also, in the US, passengers must remove laptops and DVD players from their bags and pass them separately through the metal detectors. Shoes must also be removed and run through. All of these minor requirements can lead to a number of problems when trying to catch your flight. Problems include: increased blood pressure, fear, panic, rage, thoughts of assault, battery and murder of other passengers and a strong desire to write your federal government representative and give him/her a piece of your mind. Know the requirements and procedures. Check them out ahead of time and be prepared to follow them to the letter. There is no skipping out on this one.
For US domestic and international travel, here is a link to the latest requirements: http://www.tsa.gov/

4. Funds and back up funds. Have cash, have traveler’s cheques, have debit cards and have credit cards. Always, always, always ensure you have some cash in your debit account. In 2006, while traveling in Trinidad, I ran out of cash. Credit cards are still something of a luxury there. Seven days into a 10 day visit, I was out of cash and looking at no options (other than emergency cash advances from credit cards). Make sure this doesn’t happen to you. Obviously, you aren’t as foolish as I, if you’re planning an exciting trip and hope to make it home alive. But there are always opportunities to mess up a good plan. Contingencies and alternatives are as critical to the sanity of an international traveler as they are to the survival of a campaigning army.

5. Documentation. Photocopy credit cards and passports. Make 2-3 copies of each. Give one copy to a trusted friend. Give one copy to a friend you trust even more than that one. Keep a copy of your passport with you, because no one is more trustworthy than yourself, right? If you lose a passport, a photocopy taken to your local embassy will expedite the processing of a new one. If others have copies, you’re that much more likely to get one in the hands of the consulate. Photocopies of your credit cards will help your friends have fun while you’re away. If they have copies, they can not only buy themselves that really great stereo, but also help you get access to credit (or protect what’s left of your limit) in the event of an emergency.

6. Immunizations, tropical diseases and other infections. Certain tropical environments come with certain tropical diseases. Many of these can be avoided with certain precautions. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers good guidance for international travel http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/. Otherwise, use some common sense: bug spray is a necessity, get a tetanus shot, and get the mumps, measles and chicken pox while you’re still young. No longer a child, eh? Get your shots then.

I think Courtney is spot on about the budgeting. When he made the suggestion of saving $25.00 a week, I knew I would take it seriously. I knew I HAD to take it seriously. I have to pull my weight for this trip and I can’t be going to Belize with no money. I wouldn’t be able to partake in the activities with Courtney. I couldn’t imagine myself sitting on the beach with my head in my hands and a frown on my face while watching Courtney do something fun that I imagine to do there- like ocean kayaking! How horrible would that be? Also, I couldn’t rely on Courtney for backup financially, nor will I rely on my credit card. I’m going there with plenty of money to enjoy myself and I am adjusting my budget accordingly.

Some measures I have used to cuts costs and save more are:

1. Packing a lunch to bring to work everyday. For me means bringing a can of soup and a bag of chips from the grocery store. I’ve gotten sick of eating soup almost everyday for lunch this past month so I divulged and made some chicken salad this week. Next week I’ll probably get lunch meats and make sandwiches. Typically I would spend $6-$12 a day eating out over lunch break at work. This saves me $30-$60 a week on lunch. That right there is the weekly $25 Courtney suggested. Monthly that is $120-$240 a month on lunch. Wow.

2. Cooking meals instead of eating out for dinner. Every night is different depending on what I am cooking, but this saves heaps of money. And it gives me a chance to show off my domesticated side to Courtney.

3. Not boozing it up. This should be a no brainer. Instead of going out to a bar or two in Boston on a weekend night and spending about $40-$80 a night in cab/alcohol/cover prices – I am able to pocket that money. Instead, lately, Courtney and I have been doing movies with friends or we stay in and get a bottle of wine, make a home cooked dinner, and watch a movie. And I have to say, it’s quite nice. It’s really nice to wake up the next day and feel alive and alert and not to be hurting from drinking the night before or staying up entirely late. This allows us to also do things to enjoy the summer and weather- like going on day trips to the beach, kayaking, volunteering, jogs, etc which are very inexpensive activities to do but they involve exercise and are good for the mind and body.

4. This is a handy little trick I use about once or twice a year. I go through my closet and clean out my name brand clothes that I don’t wear or want anymore. I then list them on ebay. Usually I can get back 60-80% of what I paid for the clothing. This is much better than just giving them away and it’s a great turn around on the clothes. I listed a few things last month and was able to pocket about $300. I also sell other used items. For instance, I listed two old used cell phones that have been sitting in my drawer for well over a year. The one sold for close to the value they are listed for, and I got it for free do to a two year activation. Granted I only used it for 5 months and it was in good condition- but I would have NEVER used that phone again and that will pay for a full day of activities right there.

We have two things planned over the summer that may fool a bit with our budgetting too. Actually the main one that will screw with the budgetting is Vegas. Courtney and I are headed there next week. Regardless, I was able to save $300 for Vegas and $300 for Belize last month. I don’t think I will be as successful this month because of the car crash and different obstacles that hindered my time outside of work and didnt allow me to get to the grocery store, etc for making meals. I bought lunch a few times since the car accident. I’m finally back on track this week with everything. Hopefully I don’t spend too much outside my budget for Vegas.

The other mini vacation is a camping trip to Bar Harbor (Bah Hahbah) Maine. This shouldn’t cost too much as Courtney has a tent and necessary sleeping gear. The sites come with grills and campfire pits and such so we will need the basics like food, beer, marshmallows. You know the drill. This site is about Belize, not Bar Harbor so I am going lite in the info here.

If all goes as planned I should have another $300 saved for Belize by end of this month. Hopefully I can acquire some more money through listing stuff on ebay. I also can sell a huge “red carpet” carpet (literally a red carpet event carpet) that I used for a party I threw when I worked for my old company. It’s only been used once for VIP traffic and is in tip top shape. I should be able to pull in at least half of what I paid for it (hoping for $200+) It’s just little things like that you have to think about and know that it all adds up in the end.

Liz and I originally started this blog to document our efforts to pull off an epic adventure on a shoe-string budget. Post discussing hidden gem beach-front rentals and car wrecks certainly attest to this effort. But we have yet to delve into the actual numbers.

I alluded to some costs when I wrote about the great gear we picked up at North Shore Kayak, but I did relate that to any greater financial picture.

The truth is, we have not quite gotten all of that worked out yet…
When I initially shared the news of the ticket purchase with Liz, her first reaction was that of any young professional with too many bills going out and too few bills coming in: “How will we ever afford it?”

I shared a simple equation with her to ease her concerns: “Your allowance is $x per month after bills, rent, food, etc. If you can spend $25 less per week from that amount, you will have saved $325 by the date of the trip. You’ve already paid for the plane ticket. So this isn’t a bad little purse.”

I went on to explain that if I did the same, only cutting $25, we would have about $650 by the time we left (or so I guessed). I still think $1000 will more than cover our expenses once there. We’d be almost completely covered!

We’ve already identified lots of nice hotels that are dirt cheap. Food is pretty affordable. Our desired activities will suck up the majority of our funds. So we must budget for them and decide which we can do and which we simply must postpone until our finances and our dreams become more compatible.

In the meantime, I’ve failed miserably to stick to my end of the bargain. Liz, despite a car wreck and the draw of summer fun, has managed to save a tidy sum in just the first month of preparations. Shamefully, manage my precious funds during this turbulent time I have not. Admittedly, I’ve been so focused on gearing up for the trip, I’ve practically guaranteed Backcountry.com its May 2009 sales target.

Put simply, I am a bit of a “geardo.” There are just so many gadgets and kits we could use for this trip. And of course, ALL of them are need to haves…

So I conclude this post with the knowledge that my bank account is not swelling, yet my suitcase is. And, as it looks, I’ll be reassessing my budget again and again over the course of the next three months.

I have been extremely busy over the past week and half and have not had a chance to work much on posting or the website as much as I would like to.

Last Thursday morning on the way to work I got in a three car accident. It was about 8:00 a.m. on a rainy morning. I was merging onto a highway here in MA, 90 West. I looked over my left shoulder to make sure no one was in my blind spot as I was merging on the on ramp and as I turn to look back in front of me the lady in front of me had stopped randomly (when she should be picking up speed to merge). I hit the breaks immediately but due to the inclement weather and the lack of distance, it wasn’t enough. I hit the lady in front of me but barely caused any damage. The car behind me was picking up speed to merge and had not noticed anything going on in front of her and slammed into me, causing a sandwich effect. That impact was the one that caused more of the damage.

Anyhow, luckily no one was hurt. I drive the car around(to and from work) damaged and took it down to Newbury St and parked it there (yeah, this busted up car I parked on Newbury St. If you’re not familiar with Newburry St. it’s the ritzy shopping area(st.) in downtown Boston. The street is typically lined with BMW’s and Porches and Lexus’s and such. After driving the car around for two days I turned it into the collision center being told it should be ready for me in a week and a half. I grab a rental car and I am on my way.

Two days later I receive a call from my insurance company. On the voicemail they let me know that my car has been deemed a total loss. This is devastating to me. First off, I am upset because that car holds so many memories for me. It was the car I wanted all through high school. It was the car that I learned how to drive manual transmission on. It was the car that I drove overnight trips in to Carolina Beach, NC in. It was the car I lugged back and forth from Philadelphia to Penn State my senior year of college. I drove plenty of friends, plenty of famous people, and more in that car. There’s just so many memories and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to it and I wasn’t ready to not continue those memories with this car. But totaling it gives me no choice but to say goodbye and move on with my life.

But this got me to thinking. What if I hadn’t been okay in that car crash? What if I had ended up in the hospital and had injuries. This is three months before the Belize trip. If that would have happened, Courtney would have been doing this trip alone. Could you imagine? I did have to dip into my funds for Belize for a down payment on a new car. Although, the insurance check should come in the mail for the difference from the car loan on the totaled car and will repay that money. But what if I didn’t have the premium insurance and the total loss wasn’t covered? What if the deductible was more than what I paid, $300? That could have completely emptied my funds for Belize putting me back at $0.

There are events in life we can’t control. But I am happy that I have been paying for the premium insurance and that this car accident didn’t really effect my life much. All in all I am out about $70 some dollars from pocket and have a used new ’06 VW Jetta that is in amazing condition and only has a whopping 18,000 miles up. My old Jetta I bought in ’06. At the time of purchase it was an ’01 and had 68,000 miles on it. The catch is that I am paying the same car payment monthly for the new car as I did my old Jetta. I think I made out like a bandit in this whole situation. Yes Sir.