Assuming that you are dead broke now, have rent/mortgage payments, car payments, credit card bills, wine of the month dues, etc., you will have to commit yourself to a strict budget and lifestyle change, at least for the time being. More importantly, you will have to get out from under your debts and expenses. I call this “Ricardo’s Live-Like-a-Refugee Savings Program.”

Housing. Usually, rent/mortgage is the greatest drain on anyone’s income. If you own, selling your house may be your best option. Otherwise, go for the long term lease of your home while you're away. Ideas on lowering housing cost for both owners and renters:

• Take in a roommate, or two, to help share expenses. You can post notices on the Internet (such as Expatriates.com) college bulletin boards, travel gear stores’ notice boards, in the newspaper, or put a "room for rent" sign in front of your house.
  
  
• Leave your rental and move into the home of a friend, or find somebody who has a room for rent. You may find most of your friends eager to see your dream come true and give you a great deal on temporary living quarters until you depart for your trip. And even if they charge you half the cost of what you were paying before for rent, that's still a lot of money saved.
  
  
• Move in with your folks and sponge off them like a teenager. Since they won't be seeing you for a long while, it will give everyone time to bond before they will be glad to get rid of you. (Just be sure to do your own—and maybe even their—cooking, cleaning and laundry.)
  One very good reason to move into smaller quarters is not only to save money, but to get yourself accustomed to living out of a backpack or suitcase for awhile.

[More on this topic in the Full Version of Quit Dreaming & Go!]