the solution
Let's say:
The return airfare from Singapore to Florida is: 1739 Singapore dollars.
And minimum daily expenses are: 20 SGD a day.
Hence, the total amount needed to exist for one day is:
1739SGD + (n*20SGD).
Deduction 1: it will cost less per day the longer I stay
Deduction 2: the proportion of cost of airfare on total cost will decrease the longer i stay'
Conclusion 1: Staying longer will equate to money better spent.
Conclusion 2: Staying longer will mean a less wastage of money spent on transport
So if I stay for 15 days (just on food.) in FL, it will cost:
1739 + (15*25) = 2114 SGD
That's assuming that I have accomodation for free. But just in case it's not free, and thru experience, the cost of hotel there was 31 per night because i booked on expedia. So let's recalculate.
1739 + (15*25) + (15*31) = 2579SGD
That's what I have to do to exist a day comfortably (not living off hamburgers and 1 dollar pizzas). No sightseeing and shopping. Wait. Haven't factored in transport.
The car rental in the states for 15 days is... 710USD with car insurance (extra 25USD a day cos im a F**KING YOUNG DRIVER), without GPS (im smart enough to bring a gps there now). Assuming i pump full tank once in 8 days, and the car contains 45L of petrol, then daily petrol usage is 5$. Hence, daily car cost is 58.6SGD.
HENCE, for a good transport, decent food and decent accomodation, it will be:
1739 + (15*25) + (15*31) + (15*58.6) = 3458
Finally, this is it. We, as bboys don't need to shop.
While it sounds stupid, it is actually not so, because I am a bboy, and my primary objective is to learn and not sightsee or shop.
Apropos, it is ridiculous.
How can you possibly spend 1739$ to go US and NOT SHOP?! DAMN.
So of course, let's come out with a shopping list. I would at least need to buy:
2 Shoes
There. So 2 shoes cost about 120USD (give abit of allowance).
But of course, there are many things that would catch my eye.
So let's calculate this way. Let's say eveyday a T shirt catches my eye, every 3 days a shirt catches my eye, every 4 days, a pants catches my eye, and every five days an Airmax catches my eye. So if a Tshirt is 15SGD, a shirt is 40SGD, pants is 40SGD, Shoes are 75 SGD, then, the daily shopping expense will be:
1*15 + .333*40 + .25*40 + .2*75 = 53SGD/day
So with these 2 essentials, and assuming (hoping) that i can get a free entry to Disneyland, and assuming i stay for 15 days, my total cost will be:
1739 + (15*25) + (15*31) + (15*58.6) + (15*53) = 4253
For 15 days. One person.
WTF.
The solution:
But, things get better when there are more people. For example, the car and the accomodation can be shared, which results in the case of 2 people:
1739 + (15*25) + [(15*31) + (15*58.6)]/2 + (15*53) = 3581
What wonder if there are 4 people travelling together. Let's add an extra $4.40 for the car cos... there needs to be more space yea. so it results in:
1739 + (15*25) + [(15*31) + (15*58.6+4.4 = 63)]/4 + (15*53) = 3261.5
Oh yes, if we can register a driver who is NOT under 25, then it will save us 31$ a day! Alternatively, you can travel after 25 but please...
1739 + (15*25) + [(15*31) + (15*63-31=32)]/4 + (15*53) = 3145
Finally, because of my vast network of bboys, and if they're hospitable enough, it would be great man, which means we would not need to pay for accomodation. Problem is: do they have space? Assuming that accomodation is 100 a week, it will mean 14 a day. shared by 4 is:
1739 + (15*25) + [(15*14) + (15*63-31=32)]/4 + (15*53) = 3081
3081SGD. This is the cost of going to Florida for 15 days, the most expensive state to go to in US because of the flights. Shopping, food, accomodation, and bboying included. The shopping part is 800SGD. For me its abit difficult to reach, but for girls..
So assuming i take a long vacation of 21 days there with 3 other friends,
1739 + (21*25) + [(21*14) + (21*63-31=32)]/4 + (21*53) + 31 on extra baggage = 3649
That's 1113$ of shopping, which is about 15 airmaxes with.
The solution: Hang on. How about I stay longer, and find temporary employment to earn back some cash?
The problem is, if that's so, I would have to travel on my own as I can't expect others to do this with me. So, travel expenses are (assuming I still rent the car, which isnt feasible): 167 a day. Very unfeasible.
But let's pray that I could stay with someone there in the states, the accomodation, be 100 a week, or 14 a day, it will mean a reduction of 17$ a day. If I don't rent that car (which i probably won't), then costs will be reduced by 58.6 a day.
Thus, daily living expenses will be:
25+14+53 = 92/day
If I live on one dollar pizzas and burgers, food expenditure will be 9 a day, equating to:
9 +14+53 = 76/day.
That's still spending 53 a day on shopping. And if i stay 2 months, I would have spent: 3200$, which is buying 42 airmaxes wtf. So let's say I go shopping once a week, and during which I buy an Airmax, 2 tees, 1 shirt and pants: 75 + 30 + 80 = 37/day. That equates to a ridiculous 8 airmaxes at the end. So let's half that number. which means i will spend 18.5 a day on shopping.
Hence:
Food (9) + Accom (14) + Shop (18.5) = 41SGD
Let's tabulate a hourly rate table, assuming I work 7 hours a day:
Rate (USD)
5 35 = 43.5
6 42 = 52.5
7 49 = 61
8 56 = 70
9 63 = 78.5
10 70 = 87.5
IF i can get a rate of 7USD an hour, i could make a surplus of 20 SGD a day.
Using that to service the cost of the airfare, the cost of travel would be:
1739 - (n*20).
So if I work for 2 months, the price of travel will be:
1730 - (60*20) = 530
If i work for 10 weeks, the price of travel will be:
1730 - (70*20) = 330
This is the solution to travel. Although an average tourist will suffer a lot from less shopping and less sightseeing, it's the most efficient method of travel. Because I got to travel, and I got to learn too. I would learn a hell lot about... almost everything. Let's hope I can get some allowance.. because if there is I could turn a 'profit'.
