Every time I come home from a long trip, I spend the first couple of weeks reviewing my budget. The goal is to see where I could’ve saved money—and after three months in the Philippines, let’s just say I gave myself plenty of expenses to review.
I signed up for an budgeting app called “Rocket money” and its pretty apparent that I overspent on every single category three months straight
I am always able to recover but the time has come to stick to a budget. The part that makes me comfortable is that my AZ expenses are low. The Philippines also makes it a lot easier to budget than most Countries I have visited.
Here is a quick look at my updated income plan:
Mesa Airbnb: $10K – $15K yearly income.
Investments: $24K – $36K distributions.
(~$3K a month / ~$36K yearly budget)
I will have -$50K available as a buffer.
It sure feels good to be home relaxing!
Here is my updated AZ Airbnb budget:
$320 HOA
$109 utilities
$60 internet and TV
$60 home insurance
My AZ property will run for about ~$500 a month while taking home ~$$3K in rent.
(HOA, internet, utilities and insurance)
Running my Airbnb comes with a few extra expenses. I rent a storage unit to keep my belongings while the place is occupied. I also maintain a place monthly in Rocky Point, Mexico (four hour shuttle/drive).
I always have somewhere to store my stuff. I also have a place to stay when rented and I’m not traveling.Â
My rent in Cebu, Philippines is $450 so accomodations is basically a wash.
I lower my Jeep insurance cost to offset travel insurance. I also put my gym membership on hold as new members pay $190 a month.
Travel insurance is about $5 USD a day depending on deductable.
You can read my travel insurance blog by  CLICKING HERE.
I get that question a lot—how did you retire so young? Honestly, I just send people to my blog if they’re curious how I’ve made this lifestyle work.
IT did not happen overnight—and it definitely wasn’t luck.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way, but that’s where most of the lessons came
The truth is, it didn’t happen overnight—and it definitely wasn’t luck.
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My 2026 three month trip to the Philippines taught me so much about my future travel budget. After years or roaming the globe, I have found a place that I to return to yearly.
That is huge for me but the numbers speak for themselves:
$600 round trip flight or points to get from AZ to the Philippines.
$425 month rent in an amazing area of Cebu.
$250 – $300 weekly budget / ~$1000 monthly
My goal has always been $2K for my travels but realistically,
I will need $3K to cover home and my travels. I have had $4K+ months traveling within the Philippines so, I will need to pay more attention to stay on budget.