We sold our sofabed for $8 before we left on our trip.

Now why, you’re probably wondering, would we ever sell our sofabed for only $8? Well, aside from the fact that it was basically torn to shreds (we loved it dearly) and the fact we were desperate for someone else to move it for us (it was heavy as all hell)…$8 can buy us a heck of a lot when we’re traveling.

For most of us in the United States, that’s hard to believe. Other than Taco Bell and the dollar menu at McDonald’s, there’s not many places where $1 gets you very far. Let alone an amazing experience. (Well, sometimes Taco Bell can be an amazing experience, but those times are better left unspoken of.)

But in Argentina, $8 could buy us 2 steak dinners with all the trimmings. In Thailand, it’s two nights in a beachside cabana. And in the breathtaking Greek Islands (breathtaking both because they’re so beautiful and because they’re so swelteringly hot you can’t breathe at all), $8 will more than cover an upgrade to an air-conditioned room.

Although we’ve saved for almost 2 years, we’re going to be on a very tight budget when we travel. (And anyone who knows Jessica knows that she is a stickler for a budget. Poor Tim.) That means sleeping in dorm rooms away from one another some nights; or eating bread and cheese for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on some days; or (don’t read this next part, Mom and Dad) hitchhiking from time to time. So every extra penny really does count for us.

So, there’s no easy way to say this, but…um, can you spare some change? You know, just if our birthday is coming up and we’re not around to go out for beers? Or maybe if you’re planning a similar trip and found our site helpful? Or if we just do a good job of entertaining you while you secretly read this website at your office when you’re supposed to be working? Shhh! Your boss is coming!

Ok, the coast is clear.

Now, don’t worry. There’s something in all of this for you too. (You know, other than the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping to keep us from sleeping in barns and train stations…no pressure).

Behold, the great Hedgehog Giving Circle chart. *insert appropriate ‘ohhing’ and ‘ahhhhing’ here*