Why a long European trip?

I touched on my enduring travel dreams and the kids' curiosity a few days ago. The motivations are deeper than that, though. I suspect that we can find ideas and methods that will change our lives if we travel slowly, intentionally and consciously. I want my kids to see and experience things that shape the adults they will become.

It seems, but we can only really know after spending some time there, that many Europeans live in a way that combines simplicity with fullness. Their cars, homes, appliances and shopping carts are smaller. Their meals appear from this distance to be better, more thoroughly enjoyed and more natural. I read that they spend more than the American-average amount of time each day on the selection and preparation of whole, high quality foods. I want to explore that for myself, wandering through fresh markets and discovering new ingredients.

I also read that the average European spends much less time watching television than most Americans do. Internet statistics tell me that the EU, with a nearly identical population to the US, consumes half the number of semi-durable items like clothing and housewares. Is it that the quality is higher? Are they constrained by less disposable income and higher taxes? Are environmental concerns more in the forefront of everyday life there? How are they approaching work and ambition differently than we? Do they get and fully embrace more time for family and leisure?

As these are all important choices that I am trying to incorporate into our family life, the trip would be worth undertaking even aside from the excitement and fun that is involved. Adding in the opportunity to learn with my children as we homeschool on the move through various languages, cultures, histories and countries makes the whole adventure unmissable.

Please add your thoughts in the comment section!

My little family is heading to Europe for a really big adventure with a tiny budget. Please join the discussion!

Thanks for stopping in. This is the first of many ponderings leading up to Our Recession Adventure:
9 weeks, 4 countries, 2 kids and 1 AdventureMom!

I have wanted this trip for decades. As a girl I dreamed of Tuscan landscapes, German villages and British landmarks. The serious research started in 2003 when my then-husband was deployed to Europe. The children and I followed his movements virtually with maps and online resources. They caught the travel bug with enthusiasm equal to mine. Those ideas evolved as the kids grew until we now have an itinerary roughly planned, provisions in place for virtual schooling and the budget set aside.

How to move dreams towards reality, though? Especially in the wake of the economic downturn and my marriage coming to an unexpected end? Some of the methods I employed to save up for this trip are unusual. To list a few from the last 2-3 years:

• I quit smoking, saving over $1500 annually for a total so far of $4000.

• We canceled cable TV (the occasional show we want to watch can be found on Hulu.com, or other sci-fi, nature or family venues) saving $700 annually for a total so far of $1400. More importantly we have an amazing amount of time to talk, play, read, bike, cook and so much more.

• We kept our little Honda Civic (now topping 135,000 well-maintained miles) and started using a modified and very safe version of hypermiling that brings our average MPG up to 42. Combined with an overall reduction in driving, these actions have saved me about $3000.

• Those choices gave me the courage to raise the deductibles on all of our insurance options. This lowers premiums considerably but can make you nervous if you aren't very confident of your family's good health and safe driving. To date the savings on this choice top $1900

• We eat real food that is made at home. The packaged stuff is less healthy and costs more in terms of budget, the planet and our wellbeing. The kids get to choose 1 meal "out" per month and that is their chance to have a soda as well. If our busy schedule puts us on the road at mealtime we bring bars, fruit, burritos or any number of easy choices that I make in advance. In a pinch I can whip a batch of smoothies up in minutes. We feel great and have gone from over $200/week on food (half that budget went to various restaurant and take-out places and half to groceries) to $300 a MONTH to feed all three of us really well. I share healthy frugal recipes on Sparkpeople and I would love to post more on that topic here if anyone is interested. The savings just this year? At least $6,800.

• Eating so well let us give up a variety of fancy expensive vitamins and use just a plain multiviamin. The reduction looks like around $400.

• Without giving up travel completely, we have gone on fewer trips the last couple of years. The destinations have been closer, simpler and cheaper than usual. We have taken advantage of last-minute deals and free attractions. Friends and family have traded enjoyable visits and we have done without popular (ie crowded, overpriced) tourist activities. I guess it depends what your family normally spends on vacations and getaways, but in 2 years we cut that expense in half to save about $1000.

Not all of these options are available to nor advisable for everyone. But there are some habits that do only harm and should be let go of whether your family is saving for adventures or not. This list isn't comprehensive. There were more things, big and small, that the kids and I do to live more simply and save money. Within 30 months, almost $25,000 was set aside for our huge trip . Luckily we don't really need to use even half of it since (in a mixed blessing) I have been laid off from work. This leaves us with a tighter budget but a lot more time for exploration.  Plus I am writing a budget family travel book that may, if published, put us ahead financially.  The bottom line though is the willingness to sacrifice and strive for something of value. Next post I want to outline why, for me, this adventure is worth the struggle. Eventually I will get to discussions of the trip itself, I promise.

Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel National Geographic Traveler Miserly Moms: Living Well on Less in a Tough Ecomony