Moseax: From using HELB money to fund his career as a content creator to becoming a successful travel influencer
Nakuru travel content creator Moseax.
For many people, the holidays are a chance to travel and get away from their busy work or school schedules.
But with the high cost of living, how can you travel and still save money?
Mtaa Wangu caught up with Nakuru-born travel content creator Moses Alex, better known as Moseax on his social media platforms, to get some tips.
If you've been on social media long enough, especially Twitter, you might have interacted with a lot of his travel content.
"My passion for travelling started more than a decade ago when I was at university. At the time, I was a young and broke third-year student whose travels were funded by part of the money I received from HELB. So you can be sure I picked up a lot of money-saving tips along the way," says Moseax with a smile on his face.
His first money-saving tip is to travel to areas close to home.
"A lot of people think that travelling only counts if you go to a very distant place. My first destinations were Nairobi National Park, Ngong Hills and Kiserian because they were close to the university," says Moseax.
Travel Content creator Moseax at a National Park.
"Travelling to areas that are close enough to you is a cheap way to get started as a travel enthusiast. Places close to you rarely require you to break your bank to pay for transport, with some areas located within a walking distance".
He also notes that choosing cheaper modes of transport such as matatus, boda bodas or tuk tuks is another smart way to save money.
"You can save a lot of money by backpacking or camping. Backpacking is when you travel with your stuff in a bag and just check into hostels or dormitories to sleep. Camping is also cheap as most places only charge Sh500. If you don't like any of these options, you can consider AirBnb ," says the 32-year-old online marketer.
However, Moseax notes that it's important to ensure safety at all times.
Nakuru travel content creator Moseax.
"One way to make sure you're safe is to be sober so you're aware of your surroundings. Also, if you're visiting a place for the first time, make sure you research the map and layout of the place before you go, and call the places you'll be staying at ahead of time," he says.
When asked for travel tips for people who prefer to travel in groups, he notes that the biggest way to save money is to have your own car, as it's cheaper than to get a taxi every time the group needs to move.
"Travelling in groups can be both fun and frustrating. One way to avoid conflicts is to plan and budget in advance. Once you have your money in order, appoint a group leader to pay for all expenses. Also, each member of the group needs to have a personal allowance to meet their specific needs, such as snacks or drinks," says Moseax.
"Right now I get paid to travel. If you want to get into content creation, my advice is to start wherever you are. Travel content creation is the easiest to get started with. And no, you don't need the latest iPhone to start making content," he said.