Travel Income & Expense Report: November 2024
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Welcome to our November 2024 travel expense report! When we embarked on our journey, we aimed to stick to a daily budget of $55 for both of us ($54.79, to be exact). October was a great success, as we came in under budget. But November? Let’s just say it was a bit of a different story.
Travel Expense Report: November 2024
Our November budget goal was $1,643.84. However, our actual expenses totaled $2,254.19—a whopping $610.35 over budget. Yikes! Several factors contributed to this, including some splurges, adventure-packed days in Baños, and a lack of volunteering this month. Despite the overspending, we’re taking it as a learning experience and looking for ways to balance the numbers next month.
Our income for November also saw a decline. We earned $52.94 compared to October’s $179.14. This decrease was largely due to a Google Core Update and seasonal dips, but we’re excited about adding a new income stream through Benable. On the bright side, we saved $47.22 on ATM fees thanks to Charles Schwab’s rebates, which softened the blow a little.

Travel Expense Report Breakdown: -$2,254.19
Here’s a full breakdown of our expenses in November, including accommodations, transportation, food, personal items, bills, and extras.
Accommodations: $549.85
Without volunteering to offset costs, accommodation expenses were much higher this month. We stayed in five different hostels or hotels across four cities, totaling $549.85—nearly double October’s $306.81. It’s a good reminder of the savings that come with volunteering! Cost breakdown for accommodations:

Food & Snacks: $956.94
This month’s food costs surged, primarily because coffee and water weren’t included at most of our hostels like they were last month. Of the total, $239.68 went to snacks, including ice cream, water, and our caffeine fixes. We ended up going out to eat at a few fancy restaurants in Cuenca which contributed to this high total. Plus, last month we didn’t pay for any meals for ten days straight.
Transportation: $85.63
Transportation costs were pretty reasonable, considering we bought bus tickets for travel between four cities and relied on taxis for most of our in-town travel. Public transportation continues to be one of the most budget-friendly aspects of our journey.

Activities & Attractions: $243.20
November was packed with adventures! We went white-water rafting, did a Tarzan swing, completed a canopy circuit, soaked in hot springs four separate times, rented bikes, explored Inca ruins, rented swan paddle boats, and visited scenic overlooks. Most of these adventures took place in Baños, the adventure capital of Ecuador, which explains the higher spending in this category compared to October’s $72.80.
Toiletries: $103.51
This month included a few splurges in this category, such as Cetaphil face wash and lotion, which are hard to find in Ecuador. We also restocked essentials like contact solution and other personal care items. We also spent $20 on laundry this month.
Bills: $193.06
Our bills included a month of health insurance, as well as some major purchases for camera gear, including a new SD card, a camera microphone, and a Bluetooth adapter. Unfortunately, we later learned that our camera doesn’t accept external microphones, so we learned our lesson to do our research beforehand!
Pssst! If you’re looking for travel insurance, we can get you $20 off your first month with our link here!
Extras: $122
We treated ourselves to some extras this month: pictures from our bridge jump, massages, a haircut for Dylan, a manicure for Sam, and even a new notebook for travel journaling. These were fun but added up quickly. We also tipped $17 this month.

Travel Income Report Breakdown: +$52.94
Our income saw a dip this month, but we’re optimistic about bouncing back. Here’s how our earnings broke down:
Affiliate Marketing: $24.35
Despite lower performance due to seasonality and a Google Core Update, we still earned $24.35 from affiliate marketing on our blog and social channels. We earned $9.45 on Stay22 (though $6.88 was from our own bookings), $7.05 on Amazon Associates, $6.54 on Benable, a new affiliate marketing platform we joined this month, and $1.31 on TravelPayouts.
Patreon: $28.59
Our amazing Patreon community continues to support us, and this month we earned $28.59 from our patrons. Thank you to everyone who’s contributing to our journey! Shoutout to Carly Drobnick for becoming a paid member this month!

Summary of Travel Expenses & Income Report:
November 2024 Expenses: $2,254.19
November 2024 Income: $52.94
While we didn’t hit our budget target, November was a month full of unforgettable experiences. We’re learning to better balance our spending and are optimistic about getting back on track for December. Thank you for following along as we share the ups and downs of budgeting while traveling!