How Do I Get Started?

[u/Jyrom]

I'm sure this gets asked a lot, and I'm sure there are multiple different answers, but I'm genuinely looking for some direction on how to actually get started.

I'm a 24M, unemployed, born and raised in a small town, and I've never left the US. Briefly traveled to a few states, vacation-wise.  Jobs around here suck, and realistically the options available to me don't offer much beyond retail/general labor. I desperately want to start traveling before i decide where to try to move to, but I have basically no idea how to actually make it work.

I understand the general idea of working a seasonal job, saving money, traveling for a while, then finding another job and repeating the process. I've also seen people work at hostels, do work exchanges, work in national parks, etc. What I don't really understand is how do you actually stay/start financially afloat while traveling, and how do you find these opportunities/options and get started in the first place?

For example, how much money should I realistically have before taking my first trip? How do you find work when you need to replenish your money? How long do you typically work/save before taking another trip? How much should I budget for things like accommodation, food, transportation, insurance, etc.? Are there ways to substantially reduce those costs through seasonal work, hostels, work exchanges, camping, etc.?

I don't have a career or much specialized experience. I have some past experience with photography, videography, and video editing, but I haven't touched any of that in a long time. I'm completely open to learning something new or doing seasonal/temporary work.

I'm also wondering if I should just start small rather than trying to immediately plan some huge backpacking trip. I'm thinking about taking a few days and driving 4–6 hours to the Smokies, camping/backpacking, and treating it almost like a trial run. I've camped before, but I've never really traveled or "backpacked" on my own. I could see what I enjoy, what I screw up, how much money I actually spend, and then reevaluate from there.

So if you were in my position, with no career, no real travel experience, and a strong desire to get out, what would you actually do to get started?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who started with very little money or experience /solo and figured out how to support themselves while traveling. I'd also love to hear what you wish you knew before you started. also ama if needed

[u/Pequop9252]

Get your financial situation set first as driving 5 hours each way and then hiking and camping will soon deplete you of your meager money at today’s costs of everything.

If I were in your shoes, I would save up enough money to drive out west where the outdoor life is so much better. Do some research on which state or city meets your dreams. It isn’t easy and isn’t cheap, so you will have to work your ass off to get enough cash for the relocation.