On the Road

Matt Tutt – A Freelance Traveler

on
July 8, 2016

Matt is one of those people who just can’t stop traveling, AND he’s making a living while doing it. Learn how he’s making money as he goes along, without depending on location bases work.

1) Who inspired you to travel?

I’ve always felt inspired to travel. I don’t think there’s one person that I can contribute that feeling to. I think being active on the internet from a young age has exposed me to a lot of information about traveling and living abroad.

2) What is your biggest fear?

Running out of money is quite a big fear, unfortunately! But away from the traveling mindset I think regret has to be my personal biggest fear – regretting things that I haven’t done with my life, which is kind of why I’m so happy to be where I am today.

3) What is the most memorable moment you’ve had while traveling?

Waking up in the Swiss mountains, staying in a cosy log cabin has to be one of my favourite moments so far. I’ve had some other great experiences too though – camping with friends in Sierra Nevada, or living on the beach for a few weeks in Greece during summer.

4) Who would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island?

Aside from Wilson, I’d probably have to be too sensible and say Ray Mears! He’s a survival expert from the UK (a better version of Bear Grylls!) and there’s a wealth of experience that I’d have to learn from – as well as having his aid in staying alive!..

5) Aside from necessities, what one thing could you not go a day without on travels?

Sadly it would have to be my phone – I know we should be able to go without using it so often, but it helps me to still feel connected with friends and family. It can be very lonely otherwise, and so it’s nice to have the option of speaking with someone.

6) What does your family and friends say about you travelling so often?

I think my family are getting used to it as I’ve never really been one to settle somewhere for a long time. There could be a slight “generation gap” too where they find it hard to believe in what I’m doing. I think they’re also from a time when it was seen as important to have a safe, secure job, with a house and family (literally everything I don’t have). My friends are probably a bit jealous, but I think most of them are happy to be where they are, and doing what they do, so they probably wouldn’t like to do it as long as I do.

7) If you had a warning label, what would yours say?

Avoid when hungry and/or tired.

8) What’s on the top of your bucket list right now?

I’d love to visit Asia and learn more about the food and culture – I’m a big fan of Asian cooking, and would love to visit China at some point to live for a few months.

9) What is the worst misadventure you’ve had during your travels?

Thankfully I’ve not had many, really the worst has probably been over-packing with a friend (we shared a suitcase) and it ended up being the heaviest thing in the world. It was like an anchor when we were trying to explore new places, so that was a really bad idea. 2 decent backpacks would’ve saved us all the stress!

10) What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

I’ve not yet been to many far-flung countries, so for me the strangest thing is  a prickly pear (now I know why it has that name…) which I actually got from a supermarket in Germany – so not so exotic as it sounds!

11) How do you make money and control your expenses to be on the road so often?

I’m a freelance digital marketer and I specialise in PPC and SEO services. I make sure I’ve got a healthy number of clients to keep my work high at all times, but this is a constant time-investment. In terms of expenses I’m quite lucky as I’ve been able to stay at friends places for free, and am presently staying at my girlfriends place whom I met whilst traveling. I’m not a big fan of subscribing to many subscription-services and I try to keep it this way.

12) Have you ever traveled alone, why or why not? If yes, where did you go the first time you did?

Yes – I went solo to Switzerland for a few weeks whilst I was traveling. I managed to find a place to stay at a hotel and restaurant based in the mountains by using the website Workaway. I ended up meeting some really nice people, and helping out in the guesthouse and kitchen. I didn’t regret traveling alone and I really recommend it; it forces you to meet new people.

13) Tell me about the craziest or most unforgettable night out during your travels.

My nights out tend to be quite tame by most people’s standards, but one moment I can recall is when a friend of mine decided that on the way back from a nearby club he’d climb into a shop (don’t remember how he managed this exactly!) to “borrow” some ice-creams for the long walk home. This was when camping on the beach in Greece, many years ago.

14) Where did you go on your most recent road trip?

I’m without a car at the moment but when I was back in the UK I went on a road trip around the south coast, showing my girlfriend some of the best beaches the UK has to offer (in Dorset!).

15) What is one travel advice you’d like to give?

3 of the most important websites I’ve discovered are Couchsurfing, Workaway and Helpx (I guess that’s 3 pieces of advice!) but by using these you will always be able to find a place to stay, regardless of how much money you have left over. These sites are life-savers; they enable you to work a few hours a day in exchange for food and accommodation. They’re also a great way to meet locals and find out what a country is really like – away from the touristic hotspots!

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