I don't see how you can do what you want to do...unless you can get a sponsorship. (Are there sponsored competitors? Are you good enough to get a manufacturer behind you?) If your sport (like mine) does not pay (or does not have prize money YOU are likely to win) then the only option is to work and earn... and be realistic about what competitions you can sensibly get to ! I travel as much as I (realistically) can to events within Australia, in the Asia pacific region and further afield... I made it into the Australian team for the Worlds last year and received a very useful amount of travel assistance.. can you get something like that??? Sorry...but in the final analysis it is a SPORT... it is not a career...and pardon me for saying so ...it is a LUXURY or an indulgence in many ways.... You say you can't afford any luxury, yet you want the luxury of working very little and travelling/competing a lot...