Bikes Bikes Bikes! 

My bicycle is something I would go crazy without. Mandatory insurance costs? Nope.
Thousands of dollars for startup costs, repairs, and maintenance? Nope.
Fossil fuels and carbon emissions? Nope. 
Promotes fun exercise? Yep!
Gets you out in nature? Yep!
Available for people who are too young drive a car or can't get a license? Yep!
Substantially easier to maintain and better for the environment? You bet! 

There are plenty of Craigslisters selling inexpensive used bikes, and some cities even have an "Earn A Bike" program. Ask me how to get involved in the bike community or where to begin looking for your next ride and I will be more than happy to help! 

CouchSurfing and WarmShowers

"I want to travel, but I just don't have the money." 
This is the most frequent excuse I hear when people admire my ability to travel. I'm here to tell you that it's only as expensive as you make it! Couchsurfing is like crashing at a friends' place but you're not friends (yet!). The website provides a platform for members of all ages to stay as a guest at someone's home, host travelers, and meet locals. WarmShowers is similar but focused around bicycle tourists,  giving them a place to rehabilitate after a days' ride. These platforms are secured as an open-sourced, reputation-based system for hosts and guests around the whole world. I have used these to travel for over a year, and I have yet to have a truly negative experience; I've even made AMAZING friends and networking connections!

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

Another amazing way to travel the globe, AND make positive environmental progress! WWOOF enables people to live and volunteer on a variety or organic properties. Volunteers/interns (WWOOFers) help on the land and home for 4-6 hours a day and hosts provide the food and accommodation. It you want to have a hands on experience, learn and share organic and sustainable ways of living then WWOOF is perfect for you! Help with things like making compost, gardening, cutting wood, harvesting, milking, feeding, beekeeping, fencing, building structures, wine/cheese/bread-making. I have met some incredibly inspiring people doing amazing things for this planet; a truly great worldwide organization.

FreeCampsites.net

Still think traveling is expensive? I have one more for you: a publicly sourced platform for people to find FREE camping virtually anywhere and update the map for others. I've added a few locations myself. Some spots are confirmed primitive campsites in national forests, others are county parks/wildlife management areas based on donations. Some locations are cheaper paid campgrounds or casino parking lots for RVs. Either way, there is usually a way to experience a night under the stars on a budget where you want to go. Another win for the internet!

Podcasts

When I get sick of listening to the same music over and over, when I have to do some mundane task that I can zone out from, or when I feel like learning something (which is almost always), I turn on a podcast. You can find them on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, phone apps, etc. They are like lectures or talk shows, but can be incredibly informative and keep your brain exercised. Some of my favorite podcasts are:
Stuff You Should Know
Radiolab
NPR's Fresh Air, Hidden Brain, and More Perfect
Waking Up with Sam Harris
StarTalk Radio with Neil DeGrasse Tyson

YouTube's CrashCourse

I rarely watch television, but this YouTube channel "Crash Course" suffices my education craving when podcasts leave much to be visually desired. These playlists give you a basic 101 overview of subjects like biology, astronomy, history, economics, computer science, ecology, psychology, you name it. I am so grateful this exists, because I didn't pay nearly enough attention in my earlier years of schooling!

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2


This tent is amazing! Worth $422 on Amazon, pretty much one month's rent. This beauty is perfect for star gazing, but not so great for stealth camping. Worth every penny though, as it has held up over a year of traveling through thunderstorms and windy days. 

Darn Tough Socks

They really are tough, but that's actually the brand name. Darn Tough socks are seriously the best. They range from $13-$25/pair. A friend recommended them to me, saying that he doesn't wash his socks for a week at a time and I thought it was gross until I tried them. Even my sweaty, smelly, bike feet can last 3 or 4 days in them before they even begin to smell a little off! Made in America, they are made of wool and breathe really well, are super comfy, and they have a lifetime no-strings-attached guarantee (just don't be like me and lose a pair the first day you get them, they don't replace wandering socks!). Think of how often you blow through socks just to buy a new pack a couple months later. I only ever alternate between my two pairs so that's $30 for a lifetime of quality socks instead of spending that much for each pack made in a poor sweatshop overseas!