Trek Hard

Being a Couchsurfing Host

William — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Estonian friends who hosted me before I returned the favor months later

Couchsurfing is a two-way street. It works because for each surfer out traveling the world, there is a host willing to open their home to a stranger. It seems like a give and take system, but once you've hosted some really great surfers you'll find that hosting can be just as rewarding as surfing.

Personally, I've been limited in my ability to host surfers due to a semi-nomadic lifestyle. But in the experiences I've had, I can say that hosting can be very rewarding. Ultimately, you get to be at home with your everyday comforts and friends, and the fascinating people from across the world come to you. You get to share everything you love about your community with people who are out in the world to experience new things.

If you’re unsure about hosting, you might start by simply meeting with surfers in your area for a drink or to show them your favorite spots in town. You don’t have to open your home right away. You can offer to give people a tour, or find them at a group meetup before extending an offer to host. Understand that there is some work involved with hosting. You’re signing on to make sure that the needs of your guests are generally met.

When you’ve decided to host and you start receiving couch requests, it’s important to read profiles and exchange messages. Get to know your potential surfers. Try to understand how you’ll connect with them and make sure it will be beneficial for both parties before you accept. The last thing you want is someone in your home who you’re having trouble connecting and getting along with. Do whatever you need to feel comfortable before opening your home to surfers.

Being a good host means being someone that guests can connect with. It’s nice to give someone a free place to stay, but if that’s the only reason you’re hosting you should say so. If a surfer has chosen to request your couch, they probably hope you’ll spend some time getting to know and learning from each other. Again, it takes experiencing things together to form a good connection. You might think about how some of the hosts you’ve stayed with interacted with you, and how well you were able to connect as a result.

It’s important to keep safety in mind, even as the host. If there are things you want your guests to know about you or your place, make sure they do. Spend time getting to know who you’re hosting before trust them with your place and your things. Don’t leave out valuables that could be misplaced or broken and cause unnecessary conflict. If you feel unsafe or insecure at anytime, make it known. Remember that it’s much safer and more enjoyable to have friends around when you’re hosting. They can help keep the conversation flowing and connect with your guests as well. Who knows, they might make friends with someone that they will visit someday, someplace in the world.

Being a Good Couchsurfer

William — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Being flexible includes sharing rooms or sleeping in odd places

Couchsurfing is, most basically, an extension of your community. When you find a couch to surf, keep in mind that your host is welcoming you into their community, despite only knowing you through your profile and message exchange. Act accordingly.

Mind your manners. It sounds obvious, but it's important. Be respectful of everything that your host is sharing with you. Clean up after yourself. Make sure the kitchen is clean after you've cooked and the couch is put back together after you've slept. These simple actions will make a big difference in how tiring it is for your host to host you and you’ll both have a better experience because of it.

But being a good surfer doesn't mean having a minimal impact on your host's life. On the contrary, the best surfers have strong and lasting impacts on their hosts. The greatest draw of hosting couchsurfers is to learn and grow through meeting interesting people from around the world. Keep this in mind.

A good first step towards being a good surfer is to share something from home. For example, travel with a stack of stickers from your favorite hometown band or coffee shop, and offer them to your hosts. It's a great way to show appreciation and have something interesting to talk about upon first meeting. It won't take up much space in your pack and your host will be happy to have something from a foreign place, whatever it is.

Since you’ll likely be living out of a backpack, most of what you share will be your time, and stories. I have found this the most important part of being a good surfer. Make good on the promises you made in your couch request. Spend the time to connect with your host. Get to know them, learn from them, teach them, and make your impact on their life through experiences you share.

There are an infinite number of ways to go about this, but some of the more obvious ones are to cook together, make music, go out and explore the town, or just sit and talk over drinks. They’ll get the excitement of seeing their home through new eyes, while you get to borrow their local knowledge. Remember that being a good surfer means making a good connection, and a good connection usually comes from experiencing things together.

In terms of safety, being a good surfer means voicing concerns and expressing anything you’re uncomfortable with. Don't expect your host to know when you feel uncomfortable. There are a lot of cultural cues that can get lost in translation, depending on where you are. Actively voicing your needs or concerns is harder to miss. You want to be flexible and willing to try new things, but if it means feeling overly unsafe or insecure, stop and say so. Chances are your host will respect that you voiced your concerns and recognize why you feel the way you do.

Again, it's often a good idea to surf with a buddy, and it’s always good to have a loose backup plan in case things aren’t working out. Try to avoid putting yourself in a position of dependence; it’s good to have a nearby hostel in mind if you ever feel the need to leave.

Once you have some experiences surfing, you might find yourself eager to try hosting people in your own home, after you return from traveling.

Requesting and Securing a Couch

William — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:00:00 +0000

Surfing in Denmark!

Now that you've narrowed down the number of potential hosts it's time to start reading profiles. This is perhaps the best thing you can do to help yourself get the most out of your Couchsurfing experience. Get to know people and seek out the best fits for you. Look for things that you know you will connect on. Look for reasons for them to be your new best friend and for you to be theirs. I can't stress enough that actually putting the time in and getting to know the people you hope to stay with will ensure that it is a rewarding experience.

Scroll through your couch search, read profile blurbs, and create new tabs for each host that might be a good fit. Then go through each one. Start by reading their couch information. Do they actually have a couch to offer? Are they less inclined to host your gender? If there aren't any obvious reasons to not send them a request, move to their general information. Do they actually respond to requests? When did they last log-in? Where? How old are they? What do they do? Is there a language barrier?

With every bit of information you get, try to gauge how much you'll have to talk about with this person. Have you ever worked in the same industry? Are you both learning a language? Read all the way through their profile, getting to know them along the way and try to gauge how easily you could form a strong connection. Then read some references left by their friends. What did they do together? How was the experience? If, by the end, you still think you'd hit it off, send a request.

When you go to send a request you get a small window with some options. Enter your planned dates and details. The trip description that you entered earlier will show up in the "Introduce yourself..." section, and below that you can write a message directed to that specific host.

It's time to tell your host why you'd like to meet them. This is your chance to show that you've put the time in to get to know them through their profile and explain why you think it would be mutually beneficial if you surfed their couch. Many hosts even ask that you include a specific phrase in your couch request to prove you’ve read their profile. Talk about your common interests, what you'll have to talk about, and interesting things you can do together. A well-crafted couch request will go a long way in finding you a host.

Once you've sent your requests, all you can do is wait for replies. Some users might reply right away and others might not reply at all. This is why it's important to have paid attention while reading profiles. You can know when and where someone's last login was and avoid wasting your time sending requests to people who can't possibly host.

When you start receiving replies you'll find that some places are much easier to secure a host than others. In my experience, smaller cities without much tourist traffic usually have quite a few users eager to host. People in these groups are less likely to have guests already and will probably be excited that someone's headed toward their corner of the world.

Changing the number of travelers in your group might also help your odds. It is certainly a higher risk to travel alone. However, from a host's perspective it's often much easier to accommodate one person instead of multiple. On the other hand, some hosts prefer small groups of travelers because the group dynamic is always interesting. Just another thing to think about when choosing how to travel and whose couch to request.

If you're having trouble finding a couch you might try seeking out CS users without much CS experience. They are often eager to host and also want to beef up their profile with some positive references. It might not go as smoothly as staying with someone who has surfers every week, but it can be interesting to learn about the surfing process together. However, make sure you use your common sense and consider taking a friend with you. With only a few references there is only so much you can learn about your potential host.

After your request has been accepted, you need to make plans to meet up. Some hosts are willing to come find you wherever you'll be arriving. Other hosts just give an address and directions. Either way, you should make sure you know how to get in touch with them in case things don't quite go as planned leading up to your arrival. It's a common courtesy to make sure that your host is up to date on exactly when you'll be arriving. It’s not unusual for plans to change when you’re dealing with unfamiliar transportation in foreign countries.

Searching for a Couch

William — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 22:20:54 +0000

An unusual couch found in Eastern Europe

So now you have made a profile, made some friends, and earned some references, but you still don’t have any Couchsurfing experience. The next step is to be off to a new place with the hopes of making local friends through the CS network.

First, a word on timing. You'll find that some hosts like to have a while to prepare for surfers while others won't know if they can host until the last minute. I've found it reasonable to start looking for hosts about a week before you plan to arrive. Send some requests and wait to hear back. If you haven't found a good fit in a few days, you've still got time to send more requests. If there are important details about your trip, like specific dates or arrangements, you should probably start getting in touch with hosts a little earlier. That way you're more likely to find someone who can accommodate your schedule.

Once you have your dates worked out, you'll need to know whether you are looking to surf a couch or just make friends in a new place. If you are just looking for friends the best resource will probably be the city's group message board. You might find that there is already a planned gathering for when you're in town. Or you can post your own. Mention that you'll be in town and would like to meet up. This way everyone in the group can see your post and any replies. You'll likely get responses from locals and fellow travelers alike.

If you're dead set on surfing a couch, it's going to take a bit more work. Start with the Surf link on your couchsurfing profile or homepage. It will take you through a method for entering your destination, the number of people you'll be traveling with, and a description of what you plan to do on your trip. The third step of the method shows you the profiles of all your potential hosts. Depending on where you're headed, you might be looking at tens of thousands of potential hosts.

Just relax and start by being more specific in your host search. Use the options given to apply filters. Would you prefer to surf with a host of a certain age or gender? You can even look for people you might already be associated with through a friend or group. Play with the filters and put in the time to read a few extra profiles.

If you're concerned about safety and security, try filtering out any potential hosts you wouldn't be totally comfortable surfing with. If the filters don't cater to your preferences you're just going to have to go through and read some profiles. If you're particularly concerned, look for potential hosts with plenty of positive references. You can learn a lot about someone through what their past surfers have to say.

When you’ve found a few hosts that you think would be a good fit, send them a couch request.

Finding Friends and Getting References

William — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 17:22:48 +0000

Former tour-guide Bragi filled his car with couchsurfers for a tour in Iceland.

Once you’ve built a profile that you’re proud of it’s a good idea to join a group or two, especially if there is one close to home. At the top of your CS homepage (or "classic dashboard") you can search for members, activities, or groups all within a specific location. Once you've joined a group you'll find yourself on the group page which displays group posts, polls, and profiles of other members. Look through the group posts for anything about an upcoming gathering.

Use common sense in considering the safety of a planned meetup. If you're meeting someone from the network who you don't know, do it in a safe public place and take a friend. Group gatherings are a great low-risk environment to get to know fellow CSers. If you hit it off with someone in person, become friends on the network and take the opportunity to swap references on your CS profiles.

If there aren’t any local groups or they aren’t well established, try forming your own group to get people together and strengthen the local network. We’re all busy, but getting together once a month isn’t much to ask. Spearheading a group is an especially great way to make Couchsurfing friends because you’ll be the one everyone wants to thank for pulling them out of their routine.

A good backup plan for further establishing your profile is to find people on the network with whom you already have a relationship. You might try the built-in option to find friends via Facebook. You'll likely find people who know you well enough to at least leave a reference. Even if they are only acquaintances or it's been a few years since you've been in contact you can swap general references and maybe make plans to meet up and reconnect.

If you really can't find anyone on the network who can say whether or not you're worth hosting, you could possibly talk your friends into make profiles. Add each other through the network and list some qualities you each have in your references. However you do it, it shouldn’t be too difficult to have a solid profile with a few friends and references before you're sending couch requests. It certainly helps to have something established when you start asking people to let you into their homes.

Next you'll need to find a couch.

Create a Couchsurfing Profile

William — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 16:25:26 +0000

Haircut from a CS host - gotta look sharp in my profile photo

Once you understand the Couchsurfing network and want to join the first step is making a profile. You’ve got to create a cross-section of yourself so people on the network can get to know you. I really can't instruct on how to express yourself in this way because everyone does it a bit differently. It might feel a bit silly trying to describe yourself in the CS profile framework, but just the fact that you try tells others something about you. It is important to have some girth to your profile when your potential hosts are reading it.

Honesty is key. What are you into? What aren't you into? Why or why not? It's not as important to have the same interests as those you'll meet on the network as it is just to have something interesting to bring to the table. What topics would you be interested in talking or hearing about? List them. Don’t try to please the group of hosts you’re hoping to surf with- just be honest. Regardless of your differences, there will always be things you can connect on. If nothing else, you will both at least be interested in the CS network, traveling, and meeting people from foreign countries. Start there.

Empathy is key. Put yourself in the shoes of the entire rest of the Couchsurfing network. What would you want to know about someone coming to you, looking for friendship and a place to crash? Imagine they have no references and no other friends on the network. What would make you excited to open your mind, heart, and possibly your home to them? For me, beyond seeing that someone is able to represent thoughtfulness in their profile, I want to know that a person is passionate about something. Even if it’s not something I’m interested in, I can look forward to hearing them talking about it. I can learn about something new and learn to relate to a new friend in the process.

From a safety and security perspective, use common sense when filling out your profile. If there are things you aren't comfortable talking about, it might seem like leaving it out of your profile is best. However, depending on the topic, it might be smart to explicitly say that you'd rather not talk about it. There is no shame in stating that you would rather not talk about politics or religion, for example. The same goes for actions and beliefs. If certain activities or beliefs make you uncomfortable, make it known. That way you won't find yourself with a host or surfer with whom your attempts to connect may result in conflict.

Next you need to make some connections!

The Couchsurfing Network

William — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 20:26:30 +0000

A big group of couchsurfers I met in Croatia

The Couchsurfing Network is a global hospitality network comprised of 5.5 million hosts and surfers in over 97,000 cities. The first thing to understand about the Couchsurfing network is that it’s not just a place to seek free accommodation. If you’re filling out your profile and sending couch requests with the sole intention of saving money on accommodation, you’re selling yourself and the Couchsurfing network far short.

Couchsurfing is about community. When you couchsurf, you take your community and expand it to include fascinating people from exotic places around the world. The important and beautiful thing to remember is that your hosts are also extending their community to include you.

Being part of a community is not free. While you probably don’t pay your way with money, you pay it with time, energy, and any number of other qualities you have to offer. You pay your way with your self.

Those costs can be high. It can take a good deal of time and effort to figure out where you fit in. But the rewards of being surrounded by people you know, love, and trust make all the work worth it. Somehow these rewards seem even more prized when the community you find yourself part of is in a random city of a foreign country that you never knew you’d have the guts to visit.

That's where Couchsurfing comes in. It facilitates community building by helping you find rewarding extensions to your community all across the globe. Since the network attracts very open-minded and kindhearted people, it's not rare to find yourself part of a community you love within hours of meeting a CS host.

In this series of posts I'll to go through a set of guidelines for getting the most out of Couchsurfing. I'll share some of the valuable lessons I've learned through my extensive CS experience. My hope is that through the network you'll discover your own ability to facilitate the growth of a loving community. While it is an incredibly rewarding way to travel, Couchsurfing is also a great tool for learning how to relate to others and make new friends no matter where you are or what you're doing.

I do want to briefly mention safety. The first question to come up when I tell someone about the CS network is, how safe is it? The simple answer is that if you use the same common sense and logical considerations that you would in most things, there is little cause for concern. Regardless, it's very important to understand the risks involved and I will try my best to address them as they pertain to each article.

The first step in joining the network is to create a profile.

Saving for your Travel Fund

Karl — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:56:37 +0000

Delicious trout pizza in Bolivia for only $3.

It’s easy to extend your travels with a few lifestyle changes at home. Here are some tips to get you out in the world sooner, with more cash in hand.

Buy less

In addition to getting rid of stuff, you also have to try not to replace it all with other crap. Developing frugality as a habit is important.

The stuff not only gets in the way, but the additional padding in your bank account can go a lot farther once you’re in a place like Thailand. The money you save at home will likely go much farther in other parts of the world, and this is helpful to keep in mind when debating that next purchase.

Avoid monthly expenses

Many people take for granted their $100/month iPhone, $100+ TV subscription, gym membership, and more. These expenses can be a large part of what blocks you from breaking free and traveling the world.

Phones

You should be especially wary of anything that forces you into a long term contract, like the ones offered by most cellular providers. Fortunately there are some great alternatives like Virgin Mobile, Metro PCS, Republic Wireless, and more, that allow you to access data features (if you feel you need them) without requiring a 2-year contract and outrageous monthly rates.

A simple phone off craigslist and pre-paid phone cards are sometimes competitive for shorter stretches of time, or infrequent users.

If you’re worried about switching numbers, you should check out Google Voice. Google Voice allows you to distribute a phone number which can remain constant even if you switch providers. The service does have the caveat of no support for MMS (that means you, iPhone group messaging), but it’s free, so you can’t expect the world.

TV

Cable subscriptions provide terrible value in the age of the internet. Trim back to just using the internet, and if you need to, you can always supplement with a Netflix or Hulu Plus subscription.

Gym

Don’t pay for a gym membership! Ride a bike, do some pull-ups and pushups, go for a swim. It’s easy to stay in shape without blowing money on a gym membership. Speaking of riding a bike...

Cars

Another huge expense comes from car ownership. If it’s at all possible for you to get rid of a car, whether by moving closer to work, or by riding a bike, it can save you huge money. Obviously the benefits here depend a lot on your particular situation, but gas, insurance, and possibly car payments definitely take their toll.

Food

Trying to eat at restaurants less frequently can be another source of savings. Even if $10 doesn’t feel like much, it certainly adds up after many meals over the course of a month.

Debt servicing

Try to avoid taking on debt. Monthly interest and payments can be a plague, and the toll of keeping a balance on your credit card is very steep. Most likely, paying any outstanding credit card debt you have is more important than saving or investing. Most credit cards charge interest of at least 14 percent, which is considerably larger than any returns you can expect from the market or savings.

The goal

If money is a primary concern keeping you from traveling longer and more often, then making life at home less expensive, in addition to traveling frugally, will get you where you want to be. Trimming costs can go a long ways towards earning you the financial freedom you need to Trek Hard. Keep your eyes on the prize!

What are some other cost-saving tricks you use? Let me know in the comments!

Fewer Things, More Travels

Karl — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:46:03 +0000

Minimalism is well-suited to a hard trekker’s lifestyle, both on the road and at home. The benefits of packing light on a trip have already been outlined, but minimalism at home is also relevant, especially when it comes time to set off on another long-term trip.

Getting rid of stuff

I have done a few ‘purges’ of stuff in preparation for long-term trips. The first purge was the most difficult because I had accumulated so much junk over the years. I wouldn’t consider my former self a hoarder (not even close), but even ‘normal’ levels of accumulation in first-world countries are excessive.

Of course, not everything I had was junk. For example, I used my bike every day and loved it. When it came time to either part with it or stash it until my indefinite travels ended, I was torn. Eventually I decided to sell it. The money from the sale provided some padding for the upcoming trek, and the bike I bought when I got home suits me even better than my old one. The experience taught me how easy it is to let go of most material possessions, even those that I thought would be difficult to replace.

For items that are irreplaceable or would be too costly to buy back after a trip, loaning the item to a close friend is a viable alternative. A car is a good example, especially because you wouldn’t want to leave your car sitting idle indefinitely. Your friend benefits from using it and you don’t have to sell it or store it while you’re away. You just have to make sure that it will work with the insurance coverage of the car.

It’s important to know what’s keeping you from traveling. If it’s an expensive and difficult to move piece of furniture, you might need to reevaluate how badly you want to travel. You might be letting a couch make big decisions in your life, but a couch doesn’t have your best interests in mind.

The hidden costs of ownership

In addition to the cost of simply acquiring something, there are several hidden costs that aren’t included in the sticker price.

Storing it

If you’re on the road, paying for an apartment just to hold your stuff doesn’t make any sense. If you’re currently living with a ton of stuff, you might be paying extra rent for the space it takes up. Even a storage unit, while cheaper, is an unnecessary cost. You shouldn’t need to keep a mental tally of your stuff, or worry about it while you’re away.

Organizing it

If you have a lot of stuff, you inevitably spend time organizing it. This is another cost that is easily overlooked. Sorting through all the things you’ve got, to find the things you actually need, means you have too much. Living more minimally cuts down on clutter, and frees up time.

Moving it

There are additional costs in having to move things around. Truck rentals, and the hours spent packing and hauling boxes, are costs that are easily ignored until you’re face to face with a big move. If selling your stuff seems like as much work as moving it, remember that in one case you’re being paid to be free of it, while in the other you’re paying to deal with it later.

Minimalism is not a competition

Extreme levels of minimalism aren’t appropriate for everyone (especially in the case of work-related tools or clothes), but I’m confident that most people would find they are happier with less stuff in general. This goes for couples and families, too.

It’s not a competition to see who can survive with the fewest things. Instead it’s a challenge to discover the true cost of ownership by enjoying the freedoms of living with less.

It will be difficult at first, but just getting started will help you see the benefits, and progress from there will come more easily. The same degree of minimalism isn’t right for everyone, but cutting down on the stuff you own is almost always beneficial.

With fewer things to sort out at home, it’s considerably easier to take off on another long term trip should the idea strike you. You can read more about minimalism, and find helpful guides on Leo Babauta’s minimalist blog.

Choosing a Travel Computer

Karl — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:38:43 +0000

Will doing some movie editing on an ultrabook in Paraguay

After you weigh the pros and cons of bringing a computer, you will be faced with the decision of what kind of computer to bring. Below we’ll take a look at some of the options, from smallest to largest.

What to look for

The main things to consider when Trekking Hard with hardware are: portability, cost, durability, and performance. Here we’ll compare and contrast smartphones, small wifi devices, tablets, netbooks, ultrabooks, and laptops. You should shoot for the smallest & cheapest item that will work for you. A small computer helps you pack light, and a low cost computing is especially important for traveling due to elevated risk of theft or damage.

I won’t dive too much into specifics about hardware, because the industry tends to change very quickly. However, when you are ready to buy, do some googling for model numbers, and read reviews about products you are considering. One of the best sites for comparing specs and doing market research on computer products is Newegg.com. The reviewers on that site tend to leave detailed feedback and are generally very reliable.

Smartphones & iPod Touch

Smartphones are super light and über portable, and for this alone, they are a tempting choice. You get a keyboard, music, movies, and wifi capabilities, which for many people is enough. However, there are plenty of disadvantages to using smartphones as your primary computer on the road. The keyboard is tiny; the screen is tiny; the storage is tiny. You really cannot equate a smartphone with a laptop.

Additionally, they can be very expensive when compared to budget laptops. Making international calls on these bad boys can also be expensive (and tricky). You also want to avoid 2-year contracts. If you go this route, watch for the upcoming post on backpacking with phones.

The iPod Touch and its android competitors have similar pros and cons to smartphones. They don’t work as traditional phones, but they still let you listen to music, watch movies, and browse the internet when you’re on wifi. If this is all you need, you might be able to get by.

Tablets

Tablets can be convenient for hopping on wifi, checking out maps, and other basic things, but, like smartphones, they also have some limitations. Limited storage and inputs makes backing up photos a pain. Cumbersome touch-screen keyboards might annoy you when typing long messages. Some of these issues can be addressed by clever additions, like external keyboards and storage. However, if you’re carrying around a bunch more stuff to make your tablet act like a laptop, it’s usually easier to just bring a laptop!

Netbooks

Netbooks are great because they’re incredibly cheap and lightweight - they usually boast impressive battery life as well. The main drawbacks are the limited power and small, low-resolution screens. I’ve since graduated to more-expensive and less-portable laptops on the grounds of increased performance and screen resolution. If you think you want a laptop though, and don’t perform high-power tasks like video editing, then a netbook should be your first consideration.

Ultrabooks

I’ve also traveled with ultrabooks, which usually run 13-inch screens, but are similarly very portable. These laptops have a much larger range of features than the netbooks, with a corresponding range in prices. Generally you will find better processors, screens, and higher RAM allocation. Battery life is slightly-less than netbooks, but in this category there are exceptions to every rule.

15-inch and larger

My current laptop has a 15-inch screen. With larger laptops, the extra size is sometimes a hassle. It’s incredibly thin and light, though, so in spite of larger dimensions, it’s hardly any heavier than an ultrabook would be.

I really wouldn’t recommend this large of a laptop to other people even though I carry this myself. I have very specific use for a high screen resolution, but for most people this perk won’t be worth the added weight, size, and cost. If this is also something you prefer, check specs carefully because many 13-inch laptops have the same resolution as a 15-inch you may be considering.

Save money

The most frugal solution is to use a laptop you may already have. Even if it means a little more hassle, the choice not to buy can save some serious dough.

If you still decide to buy, and you have an idea of what hardware might suit your needs, shop around! A little due diligence can save you a lot of money, which you can put in your travel account instead.

Comfortable with computer hardware? (Or do you have a savvy friend?) Many budget laptops can be boosted with upgraded RAM or Solid State Storage for considerably less money than purchasing a pre-built system with the same specs. Even though I have saved hundreds and hundreds of dollars, I wouldn’t recommend this route unless you or someone you know is confident in working out the details. You wouldn’t want to muck up something important inside the computer before even turning it on.

What do you bring along, and why?