If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash...

If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash with just a backpack, how would I survive?

Okay, let's say I were to leave the US with a one way plane ticket to another country, first things first, where would be the best place to go (as in the easiest place to survive & thrive)?

After I have that question answered, what would I need to do to survive? I'm a smart person, but I have no money. The only plus is I have no obligations, no responsibilities, nothing. I really don't care about returning to the states, other than having some family and a couple friends that I truly love and care about that live there. However they can always come visit me.

Oh, by the way, did I say this is hypothetical?

[edit on 31-12-2009 by highlyoriginal]

I've thought about this too,

but let's take it a step farther, what if you had no passport or plane ticket ?? what if you were wanted for a serious crime ???

How would you get out of the country ?? where would you go ?


I guess the only place to go is South America, maybe find a little job at a tourist spot where english would be usefull.

First off, you gotta get a visa in the country you want to live in. You can get a vacation pass that will last you a few months. After that, you may be brought back after a short jail sentence. If you're educated (usually bachelors degree) in a skill needed you may get a permanent visa.

Besides that, the usual: Pick a place, get utilities, find a job, etc..

I would think that if you leave without any money whatsoever, you're likely to end up homeless or in a much worse situation. My advice, if you're serious, save money or sell your vehicle. You need at least several thousand to start off in another country unless you're highly sociable, intelligent, and lucky.

Good thread. S&F. I'm interested to hear other's thoughts on this as well.

Haha come on up to Canada! we still have land untouched by man in more than 200 years! vast forests, hell killing a moose will give you a 4 month meat supply, probably longer. I am leaving this spring for a 4 month travel. Just to get use to it, i am only 17. hopefully its a good decision.

reply to post by gandhi


Honestly if I could take my rifle and pistol with, I would. But yeah it seems that citizens of their own countries have a hard enough time having guns these days let alone say an American like me trying to live in the wilderness of Canada! Bummer too cuz I'd love to just be immersed in the beauty of the great white north! Oh and the being left alone and untouched by other humans part ain't so bad either!

Here's a good article with some tips on what to do.

How To Move To Another Country

Originally posted by unityemissions
First off, you gotta get a visa in the country you want to live in. You can get a vacation pass that will last you a few months. After that, you may be brought back after a short jail sentence. If you're educated (usually bachelors degree) in a skill needed you may get a permanent visa.

Besides that, the usual: Pick a place, get utilities, find a job, etc..

I would think that if you leave without any money whatsoever, you're likely to end up homeless or in a much worse situation. My advice, if you're serious, save money or sell your vehicle. You need at least several thousand to start off in another country unless you're highly sociable, intelligent, and lucky.

Well I have a passport, no visa, but I doubt that some dinky little business man is going to care if I have a work visa if I'm willing to work for just enough money to live on. I highly doubt they are gonna send choppers out searching for someone who stayed in the country too long.

I obviously would want to have a house/apartment/flat whatever, but just some sort of shelter is all I need, I could care less if it's a small cabin or a makeshift cabin at that.

Money wise, yeah it would be much better to have some, but money is very tight, I might as well be homeless in another country than stay in the US since I'd just end up in jail.

Did I forget to mention in this 'hypothetical' plan that I am on parole and have no money to pay for fine, can't find a job for my life, and have lots of other issues which complicate my staying in this country? I'll just end up back in jail if I can't pay for my fines, so like I said I'd rather end up homeless in a new and exciting place then in jail again. I want to be free and roam the world with a backpack!

Originally posted by highlyoriginal
If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash with just a backpack, how would I survive?

Okay, let's say I were to leave the US with a one way plane ticket to another country, first things first, where would be the best place to go (as in the easiest place to survive & thrive)?

A lot of countries would not even let you enter with no money.... and only a one way plane ticket!

I am on parole and have no money to pay for fine, can't find a job for my life, and have lots of other issues which complicate my staying in this country? I'll just end up back in jail if I can't pay for my fines, so like I said I'd rather end up homeless in a new and exciting place then in jail again.

Even less likely a lot of countries will let you in!

Neither Australia or New Zealand would let you enter without sufficient money to look after yourself, or a return ticket

[edit on 31/12/09 by dereks]

Originally posted by highlyoriginal

If I were too (hypothetically) leave the US with no cash with just a backpack, how would I survive?

Okay, let's say I were to leave the US with a one way plane ticket to another country, first things first, where would be the best place to go (as in the easiest place to survive & thrive)?

After I have that question answered, what would I need to do to survive? I'm a smart person, but I have no money. The only plus is I have no obligations, no responsibilities, nothing. I really don't care about returning to the states, other than having some family and a couple friends that I truly love and care about that live there. However they can always come visit me.

Oh, by the way, did I say this is hypothetical?

[edit on 31-12-2009 by highlyoriginal]

Hey man Welcome to the enlightened path! I moved down here to New Zealand almost 4 years ago and am loving it. If you go to a country like this, you don't need a Visa to come here if you are from America. Then, once you get here, you can explore your options. If you have any skills, particularly ones they need here, you can get a job offer, work Visa, and get settled. Probably the best thing is to make friends in the new country. I made some good ones here and they have been extremely helpful. If you try to get through life on your own, you will have a disadvantage. If you form relationships, friendships, and become part of a "group" of like-minded people, that can go a long way to help you get off the treadmill.

You seem like a nice guy on the surface, so why not share more about who you are, and I can talk to you more about New Zealand... hypothetically of course!!!

Leaving the US is becoming a popular option. Crossing boarders going south they don't check documents much. hmm maybe I should just leave it at that.

Using public transport like air/train/bus to dross borders you will need documents so leaving the Americas might be hard.

There are lots of open places in Alaska, might even still be able to homestead up there.

If you have some money there are a lot more options.

Sounds like you would have to go to a country and then hide there without going through the normal immigration process. Most countries require that you obtain an FBI police report in order to stay there for any length of time, at which time they would find out about your police record.

Things are a bit more difficult because you have a record, but when it comes down to it, you are a human being that is entitled to live on this planet, just as much as anybody else. You could do the "hitchhiking around the world" thing, which could be very exciting and fun... as long as you avoid trouble along the way.

Anyhow, I wish you well and would be willing to answer any questions you may have about what I've learned of living in another country.

I reckon Laos, its cheap as anything and fairly easy to get lost in. I was up there awhile ago, the people are friendly and hostels and the like are always looking for workers as are bars.

South America is the good and traditional escape destination. It's a lot more developed than you think, but you can go back into the Amazonian outback of Brazil and find enough survival challenges to keep you busy 24-7. You can get lost back in there and nobody will find you.

However, if you can't get to South America, you can certainly head into Mexico. You need a hard and demanded skill to go down there and survive, like, automotive repair, refrigeration repair — that's why you see so many Mexican high school drop-outs invading the USA for field labor and landscaping and menial construction jobs.

See, there are jobs in Mexico, but you have to be seriously skilled to make any money down there. The vast majority of illegal aliens pouring out of Mexico are unskilled drop-outs. Ask any honest Mexican citizen and he'll tell you — the people invading the USA from Mexico are uneducated bums and ne'er-do-wells. That's not me saying that, that's what Mexican citizens say.

Anyway, I bring that up because it's important to know the value of your skills in different cultures and different economies. If you know how to fix an electric motor, for example, you'll make a lot of friends in Mexico, I can tell you.

To survive outside the USA, I would say you most definitely need to hone your mechanical skills, the more basic skills, right. Forget your cyber skills — that ain't gonna trade for a loaf of bread.

Master the repair of outboard motors, and you could be a king on the Mosquito Coast, right?

Think about your skills, gather them around you, evaluate them against the culture and economy of the banana republic that you decide to call home.

I speak from experience.

— Doc Velocity



[edit on 12/31/2009 by Doc Velocity]

Well my 'record' isn't much of an issue I don't think, I have no felonies or anything, just misdemeanors. I, umm hypothetically, can't afford my fines and do not want to end up back in jail. I have *some* college experience, but no degree, and since I have so much in fines still to pay off, I can't afford school at the moment. No point in adding more money to what I owe in student loans.

I really am serious about doing this, and if I end up dead in a forest somewhere so be it. No death wise, just a wish to actually live!

Obviously there are ways to get illegal paperwork and such, but I'm not trying to do that (at least not at the moment lol). But seriously, finding a job and board is my #1 concern, although fighting for survival sounds like an adventure worth dying for more and more everyday.

My record would not inhibit me from leaving the country, not even while on parole. Technically I'm allowed to leave the country if I have permission, but as I said I would not be returning.

Any advice/link/information would be helpful, or if you have more specific info you'd like to U2U me please do so.

Should I really keep saying this is 'hypothetical' or...?

[edit on 31-12-2009 by highlyoriginal]

I'd suggest coming to the UK, and as soon as you get off the plane start saying your here for asylum as you were being persecuted by your government, that alone should qualify you for a house , a car and all the other creature comforts you'll be used to plus a wad of cash to keep you going courtesy of the British taxpayer.
Thats what everyone else is doing.

Man I'm in a bad mood this morning....

Gotta lighten up, go have a coke I think, that'll numb my brain a bit.

[edit on 31/12/09 by DataWraith]

i think beliez is the best choice of places to go and hide out for a bit, really nice people, very low serious crime rate (by that i mean, there are very few murders or rapes, though there are a few burglaries, most people own big dogs so it isn't much of an issue). everything is cheep there, a little money goes a long way.

idk if you are religious, but one of the best ways to get on your feet over there would be to find a christian ministry and volunteer as a worker, they would make sure you had everything you needed to live. I don't think they would even care about your past "happenings" or why you were there.

The police don't really care what you do so long as you dont make a ruckus, usually if anything happens, they will just tell you to go home/inside, then they will leave and you can resume whatever it was that you were doing.

It isn't like mexico at all, it is a much more beautiful country with nice people.

good luck on whatever path you choose

reply to post by DataWraith


Haha, I don't think I want to get off any plane and start telling people I need psychiatric help, I'll end up in a padded room for the rest of my life. As fun as that sounds, I think I'll pass.

I've been doing some more investigating and it looks like if I do some volunteer work I may be able to get out of the country plus get to help some people out. I wouldn't mind doing that either, but I'm unsure of how it would all work out with my parole and all. I hate technology, everything we do is recorded and marked down forever, you can not escape from your past. And although it seems like thats what I'm trying to do, it isn't. I just want a better life, it doesn't have to be care free, it just has to be US free (ironic and an oxymoron).

Please help me ATS

reply to post by Bob Sholtz


Hmm... you make Belize sound pretty good, I've only been to Mexico, never to Belize so I have no personal experience there.

Since English is the official language there it would be an ideal place to go. The whole language barrier issue could be problematic in some places, although touristy areas are generally safe bets, but also tend to want to see paperwork and such so I don't know how easily I'd fit in. More research is needed... this is definitely not an overnight decision, but it is something that will be decided in due time I can tell you all that... hypothetically.

reply to post by highlyoriginal

in this 'hypothetical' plan that I am on parole

Note that in such a hypothetical case, leaving the country would probably be considered a parole violation, which would mean an additional charge on top of whatever the original charge was.

May I also suggest that if the city and state of residence and the clear full-face photograph of such a hypothetical person asking such a hypothetical question should happen to appear in their hypothetical avatar and member data on the very board they were asking such as hypothetical question...it might be in their best interest to remove those things.