How can two people travel/survive cheaply for two months between housing contracts?

Upvote:0

  1. I wouldn't know how to go about it (but Google is your friend). Why not try house-sitting? You get a roof over your head and probably get paid a little too.
  2. Buy a camper van or caravan. Either something dirt cheap that you can throw away afterwards, or something which will not depreciate $1k in two months (if that is possible - perhaps you can discuss with the salesperson?).
  3. Could you live in trailer park that cheaply?

Upvote:5

Depends on your situation. Do you have to work and stay near your work place during this time, or are you on vacation or between jobs and free to go where ever you want?

If you have a job, I would look into getting a hotel or motel near your work site for the time. Talk to the owner and you can probably work out a good deal if you take a room for at least 4 weeks.

If you have no work to do during this time, it might actually be cheaper for you to fly to Cuba, Dominican Republic or maybe Thailand (if you get a good deal on flights) and spend the 1-2 months there. Accommodation and costs of living are much cheaper and you get to see exotic places.

Upvote:5

If you don't mind getting dirty at the start of your marriage (ahem), how would you feel about volunteering on an organic farm?

WWOOFing

WWOOF (WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an organisation who facilitate volunteering on organic farms. Here's their US branch.

The standard basic deal is, you get free food and accommodation on an organic farm, in return for working for free.

Two months would be a pretty typical placement. Placements can be anything from days to years, and they're usually pretty flexible about how long you do it - so long as you do make a commitment and stick to it.

You can do it almost anywhere in the world (including across the USA), and it's a popular way to have a unique experience of a place, meet people, and get immersed in a rural community for a short period. Many people who do it have some personal passion or professional interest in organic agriculture, but not all - many do it simply to get off the beaten track or live cheaply for a while while enjoying a break from the urban rat race.

Do be aware that you are expected to work proper shifts. Make sure that both you and your host have the same expectations about what level of labour will be involved.

Most hosts are friendly, interesting, passionate, often slightly batty characters running ethical small farms who'll give you a warm welcome and an interesting insight into local rural life. Check reviews and remember that as a volunteer you can just leave any time.

WWOOFing is an unusual way to honeymoon, but not that rare. I very easily found blogs and forum posts from people who did it. Here's an entire blog by a couple who went WWOOFing in New Zealand as their honeymoon, and there are plenty more examples out there.

WWOOF-honeymooning in Hawaii seems popular :-D

Just don't forget to double-check that you get private accommodation, you don't want to spend your honeymoon in a dorm :-). You can probably find somewhere where you get a whole private hut or outhouse to yourselves.

Upvote:6

If you have a car and camping gear, you can travel around southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, southern Utah for quite a while exploring all the parks and sites. For very little money. And spring is not bad time to explore the desert southwest.

If you work your way further east to the southern states, spring is when the azaleas and dogwoods blossom so a real nice time of year to be there.

If camping isn't you and your wife's cup of tea, you can often get weekly rates from little mom & pop motels in these same areas, then use it as a base and explore the region through daytrips.

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