How I Just Destroyed My 2025 Budget

One of the most difficult responsibilities any nomadic traveler has is to set a budget for the upcoming year. I was able to set up one of my beneficiary retirement accounts to pay 10% per year for 10 years. This required distribution amount transferred to my personal account each December is fairly stable. This helps tremendously with setting a yearly budget.

Going into this year I had some fairly large expenses. This includes a new kindle, new cell phone, waterproof trail runners, medical checkup, eyeglasses and winter gear. In December I estimated the cost of these items. After 2 1/2 months reality set in. Let's see what went wrong and if I can get back on track the rest of the year.

Wellness

Medical Checkup - March 2025

Budget - $465

Actual - $430

One of the main reasons I decided to spend a month in Kuala Lumpur was to take care of all health-related issues. In the expat community Kuala Lumpur is one of the top five cities in the world for medical tourism. For a little over $400 you get comprehensive blood work, Consultation & physical examination by doctor, Vital signs monitoring (BP, pulse, temperature), Vision testing, Pure tone audiometry, Body fat analysis, Pap smear (liquid based cytology), Diet & wellness counselling, Opthalmic screening, Cardiological assessment (including ECG and Exercise stress test), and a comprehensive radiological examination. All done the same day. I was able to save a little money by paying for the services out of pocket with MasterCard. Health Screening | Prince Court Medical Centre

Dental - February 2025

Budget ?

Actual - $68

Dental was one area I did not set a budget. It has been six years since my last dental appointment, and I had no idea what type of dental work was needed. I did not sleep the night before with nightmares of root canals flowing through my head. To my great surprise, no cavities and no advanced dental work needed. He did suggest some cosmetic work like teeth whitening and mouth guard, but nothing that needed to be taken care of now. https://ivorydental.com.my/

Eyeglasses - February 2025

Budget - $400 - $500

Actual - $1470

Ouch, that hurts. I had debated on getting a new pair of eyeglasses when I was back in the states June 2024. But with a checkup, new frames and new progressive lenses I figured it would be cheaper in Asia. And yes, it could have been. There are many Asian based eyewear shops through Kuala Lumpur advertising progressive lenses and frames for less than $300. However, I was weary of the quality of both the lenses and frames. An amazing ophthalmologist was recommended in the Kuala Lumpur expat Facebook group. And they were amazing. I must have spent three hours just chatting about lens types and the exam was comprehensive. I tried on many frames and of course liked the most expensive one. Cha-ching. However, the biggest expense was the lenses. I was very weary of the protective coating wearing off in a couple of years, which happened to my current pair of eyeglasses. I went with the best and thinnest lens possible with sun protection. I'm hoping i can get a good 6-8 years out of these glasses. to justify the cost. Best Optical Shop in KL & Prescription Glasses | Optometrist in Malaysia

Medical Insurance - April 2025

Budget IMG - 1450 ($120 per month)

Actual Genki - 1260 ($105 per month)

There are certain questions future nomads ask prior to selling everything and jumping on that first flight to the unknown. How do I get mail? What credit cards should I get and What about health insurance. America is known to have some of the most expensive medical insurance in the world. The main concept is that you pay until you meet a deductible and then the insurance kicks in. So, I followed what many nomads in 2020 and 2021 were using, IMG Global Silver plan with a $5000 deductible. As I was looking at future medical expenses, I realized there was no way I was going to meet the $5000 deductible. So basically, every expense became out of pocket. Over the past six months, more and more nomads have discovered Genki, a European based insurance company. While the plan does not cover wellness exams, it does cover all consultations and outpatient procedures for a $50 deductible. In essence the medical screening my doctor recommended today would be out of pocket under my current insurance, it would be reimbursed with my new insurance plan. Genki • Health Insurance for Digital Nomads

Electronics

Kindle - December 2024

Budget - $160 (today's price)

Actual - $230

I originally planned to get a new kindle in November 2025 when I'm back in the states, but with expected spend being on the high side for 2025, I decided to pay more to have it go on my 2024 budget. Prices are constantly fluctuating on Amazon, especially on proprietary products during the Christmas season. While I did spend more to get the product a year earlier, my past kindle lasted seven years. Overall, I am happy with that decision. Amazon.com: All-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB)

Cell Phone - March 2025

Budgeted - $700

Actual - $1175

My three-year-old Pixel 6a cell phone is slowly dying. The screen is cracked in the corner and the latest update is causing the phone to slow down and freeze. Plus, photos are coming out blurry. As a blogger and traveler, the camera capability is probably the most important function. I was hoping the phone would last until November when I could trade in my current phone and upgrade to the Pixel 9 Pro or 10 Pro. As I was walking in one of the many malls in KL, images of this cell phone caught my eye. I had never heard of the brand and spend many days researching and playing with the camera and OS. And I fell in love. It looked and acted like a camera but uses the latest Gemini AI. So, for 475 dollars more I got the best camera cellphone on the market, a free photography kit (retail price $180) and free earbuds (retail price $135). Xiaomi 15 Ultra - Xiaomi Malaysia.

Can I get back on track

With nine months left in the year and $1200 over budget on these large expenses and winter clothing purchases to come, it will be challenging to get close to my budget. I love shopping in mountain warehouse and sports direct in the UK and added some extra days in October dedicated to purchasing winter gear which I will need for travels October 2025 - March 2026. (Puffer jacket, rain pants, thermals, hats and gloves). Both stores have great deals, and I find them cheaper than secondhand shops.

Spending the summer in Europe will be hard on the budget. I continue to reevaluate accommodations to hopefully reduce costs.

Would you have done anything differently? Would you sacrifice quality over cost?