Two worksheets. Do these before you book anything.
Fill in every row. Then take the smallest number in the last column. That is your real ceiling, not the number you hoped for.
| What | Can it bend? | What covers it | Cost of bending it | Longest trip this allows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work | ||||
| Housing | ||||
| Dependants | ||||
| Pets | ||||
| Debts and standing payments | ||||
| Health and medication | ||||
The one that catches people is housing. Check the sublet clause before you budget for six months.
Check three to five destinations you are actually considering. Use each country's own immigration or foreign ministry site, not a blog and not a booking site.
| Destination | Visa needed in advance? | How long it takes | Cost, and is it refunded if refused? |
|---|---|---|---|
Count how many need a visa arranged in advance.
| None | Band one, open route. Your constraint is efficiency. Spontaneity is available to you. |
|---|---|
| Some | Band two, mixed route. Your constraint is sequencing. Applications have lead times and the order matters. |
| Most or all | Band three, application-heavy. Your constraint is lead time and approval. Everything else hangs off it. Budget for applications that may fail. |