About Me: Budget Travel With Gabby
Hi readers!!!!☀
(Too eager?? I get very excited when anyone reads my blog and I won’t try to hide it.)
My name is Gabby Boucher.
I grew up in a small town in central Massachusetts, USA. When I turned 18, I moved to Tampa, Florida to study International Relations and Communications at university.
Though I spent most of my life in a small town, my parents both worked internationally so I was introduced to travel at a young age. My family lived in Italy and England when I was young, and it was a return visit to Europe when I was 18 that really got me interested in traveling.
So I spent my third year of university studying in London, where I became pretty much addicted to traveling at any chance I got. I started this blog right before I moved to the UK to document my travels.
Why Warsaw Changed My Life
The Ultimate Budget Travel Guide To London
How To Survive A Full Year Study Abroad Program
Travel Hacks For Europe
Post-Grad Travels
Once I graduated from university in 2016, I realized I didn’t want to pursue a stressful career right away. I wanted to take some time to try new things, meet new people, see the world outside of Europe, and just have cool life experiences while I was young.
So I started doing work exchanges through Worldpackers and Workaway. Once I discovered I could gain work experience AND travel without spending much money, I was hooked.
Most of my early and mid-20s were spent working in hospitality, volunteering, and exploring the globe. I’ve done lots of bartending and waitressing, a 6-month stint as a student tour guide in Rome, and various odd jobs around the world like housekeeping, apple-picking, receptionist work, and social media.
I also continued blogging for fun throughout these travels, and eventually started getting some paid writing work for other websites!
My First Volunteering Experience in Ecuador
Volunteering In The Wild Coast, South Africa
Work Exchange In Morocco: How I Lived In Marrakech For Free
A Guide To Work Exchange: The Cheapest Way To Travel
Curating my Budget Travel Blog
Because I started traveling alone when I was 19 and I didn’t have much money, I learned to be frugal straight away. With a bit of discipline and a non-materialistic mindset, it’s actually quite easy to travel on a budget.
Money-saving is now ingrained in my soul at this point, and every time I travel somewhere new I look for affordable ways to enjoy that place.
Throughout my years of exploring, my blog slowly changed from just a travel diary into a resource for those hoping to travel on a budget. I learned how to write useful articles and share my tips for traveling cheaply.
I named this blog Budget Travel With Gabby because my biggest goal is to show that travel doesn’t have to be expensive. And any money you spend on a trip abroad is almost 100% worth it!
How To Afford Traveling The World In Your 20’s
50 Budget Travel Tips
A Budget Traveler’s Guide To Travel Insurance
Are Hostels Safe? FAQs + Tips From Personal Experience
Moving to Australia
During a work exchange in Costa Rica in 2017, I fell in love with an Australian guy (classic). The following year I came to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa, and 7 years later I’m still here!
I never planned to permanently live in Australia, but once I adapted to the amazing lifestyle here I just never wanted to leave (that Aussie guy may have had something to do with it as well).
Australia was the first place I’ve really settled down since leaving home at age 18. I spent my first 4 years here living in the Sydney area, working as a full-time bar manager, and getting consistent freelance travel writing and editing work. I prioritized health, saving money, and exploring Australia!
Moving Abroad In 14 Steps
Pros And Cons Of Living In Australia
How To Travel Australia On A Budget: The Ultimate Guide
Best Time To Visit Australia: A Complete Guide
Becoming a full time travel writer
At the end of 2022, I decided it was time for a career change. I had spent 11 years working in hospitality and though I loved it, I was never truly passionate about making cocktails and coffees.
And I had been stuck in Sydney for the whole COVID pandemic, so I hadn’t seen my family in America in almost 3 years.
I decided I wanted to work completely remote so I could have more flexibility to travel and visit home. After a few years of part-time writing work, I felt I had enough experience to pursue my dream of travel writing full-time.
So I got a job at an Australian travel company as a journalist/copywriter. For the last 2.5 years I’ve been working on amazing brands that sell a huge range of tours and experiences around Australia, including Sailing Whitsundays, Fraser Tours, Cairns Tours, East Coast Tours, and Outback Tours. You’ll find my articles and product descriptions all over these sites!
Affiliate Links on Budget Travel With Gabby
I have some affiliate links scattered throughout my posts. For those who don’t know, that just means I include links to some of my favorite websites, tours, or products, and if you purchase something then I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
I only promote businesses that I personally have used and genuinely recommend. Some of the websites I have affiliate partnerships with include:
- Hostelworld for booking hostels around the world
- Worldpackers for finding work exchanges
- Get Your Guide for booking reputable tours and activities
- Squaremouth Insurance for buying travel insurance (US residents only)
- Saily for ordering eSIMs online before a trip
- Skyscanner for finding and booking cheap flights
- iVisa for checking visa requirements for any country
- My company’s websites, for booking tours and activities around Australia
All of these websites have actually made traveling much easier for me, so I highly recommend them!
How to contact me
I love hearing from people so feel free to reach out at any time!! Use the contact form below or email me at gabbyb12@msn.com.
I’m available for freelance writing assignments, preferably travel-related!
Feel free to contact me about any writing work, and check out my Published Work for articles I have written for other websites.
