How to Travel on a Budget?
Saving money for your trip is not an easy task. One of the best ways to save money for travel is to track every single purchase you make and payment you make. This will allow you to make changes in your spending habits and save money on your next trip. Hopefully, these tips will help you travel on a budget and still enjoy the trip! So, go forth and start saving now! Good luck! And until next time!
Couchsurfing
Using Couchsurfing as a way to save money on travel can be both exciting and rewarding. Not only can you save money, but you’ll also get the chance to meet locals. You’ll get to know the culture of a country as if you were a local. Even better, you can do it for free. It’s not only for budget travelers.
Couchsurfing is a popular way to travel on a tight budget. It was the brainchild of Casey Fenton (21 years old), who dug into the University of Iceland student database to find out what it contained. He emailed the list of 1,500 students and received over 50 replies. Fenton came up with the idea while on his trip and set up the website. While the concept is a great way to save money, there are some safety issues that should be considered.
It’s a good idea to leave a review once you have found a host to let others know how it was. It will help other couch-surfers to get in touch with you. Be honest about what kind of experience you had with the host and whether they were friendly and helpful. Don’t copy and past quests. Refer to points in the host’s profile. Once you’ve found a couch, make sure you exchange phone numbers with them. This will allow you to stay in touch with them after you have stayed.
In addition to saving money, couch surfing is a great way to meet locals and exchange stories and information. Couchsurfing is a great way to meet locals and learn about their city’s culture and history. Many Couchsurfing hosts have spare bedrooms and bathrooms that they are happy to share with you. Respect their house rules. Leave a positive review on their website.
Use the airline’s website
It is not always the best choice to use an airline’s website to book a flight on a tight budget. Airlines have their own websites, which are designed to make money for the airline. These websites don’t always have the best deals so it is worth looking at third-party websites for the best airfare deals. In addition to this, some credit cards offer bonus points if you purchase airfare directly from the airline.
How to Travel on a Budget?
OTAs are great at showing prices for individual flights. However, the websites of airlines are better at displaying the fees associated each flight. This means that you can choose a cheaper flight if you’re willing to pay more. To get the cheapest airfare, search for the flight you’d most like to take and then compare the prices between those sites. Many OTAs make it difficult to find the lowest prices on multiple flights. Make sure you check the airline’s website before booking.
Avoid touristy areas
Visiting popular tourist destinations can cost a fortune. Last-minute deals are a blessing for budget travelers. Avoid tourist areas during peak season, such as August and January, when locals go on long vacations. Public transport is slower and shops close during these times. A famous family-owned pizza place will likely not be open during these times.
Using public transportation
Public transportation can be a great way to reduce stress in your daily life. Although it may be difficult to commute to work, you can still make the most of your commute. You can listen to educational podcasts, read books to improve your career skills, or simply relax. It is also less stressful than driving and generally healthier. You can travel faster and enjoy a more pleasant day. And public transportation is usually free.
If you’re not comfortable riding the bus or subway, renting a car may be the best option. Many rental car companies offer discounts for various passengers, including seniors, children, and students. Even Wednesdays and Tuesdays can be reduced. In addition to buying a cheap rental car, you can also take advantage of GPS route-planning apps to figure out where you need to go. If you are staying in one city for more than a day, bus passes and multi-ride tickets will help you save money.
The metro, also known as rapid transit, is another option for cheap transportation. Google Maps makes it easy to navigate rapid transit networks. Subways and metros can get crowded, so be sure to let others board the train before you go. Also, remember to stay off the seats. If you need to get somewhere quickly, don’t hesitate to call a taxi.
Working in hostels
There are several ways to work in a hostel, from bartender to waitress to decorator. You can also help out by joining the local community and helping guests in need. Many hostels are also in need of writers, photographers, and videographers. There are many different jobs available, and working in a hostel is an ideal way to travel on a budget and gain experience.
Working at a hostel allows you to gain experience and save money on lodging. A hostel gives you free lodging, free breakfast, and maybe even a free bar. Since lodging is one of the three biggest expenses on a trip, working at a hostel is an excellent way to minimize costs for transportation. You may be surprised by the social aspects of working in a hostel.
One great perk of working in a hostel is that it allows you to meet new people from around the world. This is an opportunity to practice your language skills, learn a new language, and make lifelong friends. While working in a hostel requires some effort, it can be rewarding, and will also provide you with valuable travel connections. You can also choose to work as a cleaning staff or a guide.
Applying for a hostel job requires good people skills and a positive attitude. A comprehensive CV is essential if you are looking for a job at a hostel. Be prepared to give references, show proof of previous work, and explain why you are the best person for the job. Remember that these jobs are often seasonal, so be sure to plan ahead. Make sure you mention your skills when you apply. Apply for jobs as soon you know that you can travel during shoulder season.
You Can Afford Adventure: 10 Tips on How to Travel on a Budget
Traveling is a life-changing adventure that most people dream of but many don’t act on. An American study found over half surveyed people has never even been outside of their own country.
What keeps them from getting on that plane? Money.
Most people’s reasons for not traveling are not having a large enough budget, causing those that do travel to spend money they don’t have. It’s a tough spot to be in, but life is too short to make up excuses that are in your control.
The fact is, traveling on a budget (even small ones) is doable. Today, we’ll take a look at 10 tips on how to travel on any budget so you can get busy enjoying your life!
1. Work Hard, Then Play
Fair warning: these first few bits of advice are tough to swallow.
If you find that money is keeping you from traveling and living your life, then you need to find more ways to earn money and work hard.
Yes, it’s easier said than done but it is possible. As with any budget, you need to prioritize your life. What do you want most?
Do you want to know how to travel more? If so, then aim to earn as much as possible to prepare.
- Take on more jobs and/or hours
- Take freelance jobs
- Cut spending
- Commit to a savings
For work, be diligent and take on as many shifts as you possibly can. If there are overtime opportunities at your work, then do it. If your job revolves around shifts, be willing and able to pick up as many as you can.
You can find freelance jobs through websites like Upwork and Fiverr, or even create something yourself and sell it through eBay. Basically, seek out every money-earning avenue in your control.
2. Curb Your Spending
We love to spend money – our brains are hardwired that way. But just the same as it can be difficult to work hard to earn more money, you need to work hard to spend less money.
There are a lot of things you can do to curb your spending:
- Eat out less
- Get together with friends at your own homes
- Remove monthly expenses that are unnecessary
- Avoid triggers for spending, such as going to malls
Again, it’s not necessarily fun, but if you’re bent on traveling more then you need to spend less money.
3. Beef Up the Savings
Once you’ve reduced your spending habits, you’ll be left with more money than usual. You need to be diligent and put it into some sort of savings account right away.
You’re working toward travel and you should have a monetary goal to reach. For example, you won’t even begin the process of traveling until you’ve saved X amount of dollars.
When you learn to abide by a budget you should also be setting a certain percentage of money aside for your travels.
4. Consider taking a loan
We’ve discussed earning more, spending less, and saving more, but sometimes you still need a bit extra to reach that travel goal.
Personal loans are a great consideration as long as you understand interest rates and are committed to making payments on time. Bonsai Finance reviewed Borrowell’s personal loans and found that they were easy to work with.
Their loans came with various interest rates, but regardless of how small or large they are, the company is transparent about all the little details. Plus, those looking for a way to go travel can get personal loans quickly. This is great for spur-of-the-moment trips.
5. Get to Where You’re Going Cheaply
The biggest roadblock to traveling is the cost of getting to the destination. At the very least, it’s the part of the budget that people think about the most.
Plane tickets, train tickets, boat tickets, insurance, etc. is not necessarily cheap. But there are ways around this. In particular, use aggregate services like Kayak, Google, and more.
With these resources, you can specify your destination and travel time and search by the lowest ticket prices available. From there, you can choose tickets that are much cheaper, possibly because they leave or arrive at unusual times.
Nobody likes a redeye, but sometimes, it’s necessary when traveling on a budget.
6. Stay Where You’re At Cheaply
When you travel, you need to stay somewhere. This is also where the price starts to add up.
Look into cheaper accommodation options, such as:
- Hostels
- AirBnB
- Couch surfing
- Camping
Do you know someone who lives where you want to visit? See if they’ll let you crash at their place.
Camping is fun and practically free(except for the initial cost of equipment and possible camping site fees). Not to mention, the same aggregate websites mentioned in the previous tip work for accommodations too!
7. Be Stingy About What You Do
When you travel, you want to do it all: eat the local specialties, visit new places, see new things, experience new wonders, etc. But you don’t want to overdo it when out on a budget.
You can save money while traveling by being picky about what you do. When at your destination (or preferably before) search for local free events and cheap eats that are highly rated and reviewed.
8. Explore the Offseason
Anyone who likes to shop for clothes on a budget knows to buy in the offseason. When it’s spring, start buying up your winter clothes. Winter? Get that bathing suit you always wanted.
The same applies to travel on a budget. Avoid holidays and research the best times of years to travel your preferred destination (which can vary based on location).
9. Work While You Travel
Travel life is busy and there’s plenty to do, but sometimes you have downtime. This is the perfect opportunity to earn some money while traveling.
You can supplement your travel budget by using the freelance job opportunities mentioned earlier. You can do freelance website design and development, freelance copywriter, or photographer, etc. A lot of jobs on websites like Upwork or Fiverr are remote positions that can easily bed one with a computer and internet access.
10. Plan Ahead
Everything is cheaper when you do it early.
Buy your plane ticket early, book your hostel early, and get a spot on that group tour early. The more you plan your travel ahead of time, the better your finances will be.
Knowing How to Travel on a Budget
We all want to travel, but we don’t all necessarily know how to travel on a budget. Poor finances often keep us from living our best lives, but it’s possible to travel cheaply and do a lot of it.
Hopefully, these tips gave you some good ideas, but there are more ways to achieve a fulfilling travel life. If you’d like to learn about more traveling opportunities, contact us right away!
About Post Author
Pier Doyon
Pier is YPT’s regional manager for Africa and the Middle East. When he is not blasting through the night on top of iron ore trains in Mauritania or fighting off iguanas in Socotra, he likes to discuss the revolutionary history of China or sing pop hits in an intolerable high-pitched voice.
How to Travel on a Budget
If you’re looking for guidance on how to travel on a budget, the greatest travel tips on a budget, or how to save money while travelling, you’ve come to the right spot. Traveling is a wonderful adventure, and the ability to do it on a limited budget makes it more available to individuals. Additionally, you’ll have additional money if you save money on one adventure to use on another. Budget travel does not have to be any less pleasurable. There are a lot of affordable travel places available worldwide.
There are various ways to save money while travelling, from carefully planning your travel budget prior to departure, taking into account camping and car-sharing, to the choices you make (such as what to eat) while on your trip. There is also expert advice for travelling on a tight budget even if you are going to an expensive destination. There are many methods to travel across Europe on a tight budget, including free activities in London, cheap things to do in Copenhagen, and economical things to do in Vienna. There are also suggestions about how to travel on a budget in Australia and New Zealand! If you know how to manage your money, travelling to far-off lands doesn’t have to be expensive, and you don’t even need to win the lottery. You may plan a vacation on a tight budget by using the tried-and-true advice we’ve compiled.
Top Tips to Travel on a Budget
Come up with a plan
If you have the luxury of time and money to spare, travelling spontaneously is fantastic. However, you should start by creating a strategy if you wish to travel on a low budget.
Even if you don’t need to plan a specific, hour-by-hour schedule, you should know the course of your epic excursion. At the very least, you should be conscious of how much time you will be spending in each nation or region. Less reliance on chance means less unanticipated costs; last-minute travel and hotel can be significantly more expensive.
Travel out of season
As prices will increase and businesses will try to take advantage of families who can only travel during these weeks, avoid travelling during the summer or winter break. Find out the best times to travel to the destination, and then leave just before or after these dates. Even if the sun might not be shining as brightly during this time, your trip will still be fantastic and it won’t be nearly as hot. The “shoulder season” is this time frame. Hotels and airlines lower their prices to attract customers at this time.
Be accommodation-savvy
Hostel dorm rooms are preferable to pricey hotel suites. Costs are automatically distributed when people share an area, and bunk beds provide you the opportunity to meet people who might be keen to go exploring with you. Excellent alternatives include websites like AirBnB and Couchsurfing, where you can just book a spare room in a local person’s house or apartment. You will get a true taste of city life and the expense will be lowered in half. Consider your host to be your very own, personal tour guide who is familiar with the region’s top eateries and tourism hotspots.
Better yet, think about staying with friends or family. Reach out to acquaintances or plan a trip to a place where a long-lost cousin or classmate currently resides; doing so may take you to locations you never would have thought of.
Pack properly
In order to avoid having to go shopping while you’re away, make sure you carry everything you need (apart from a few souvenirs). No matter where you’re going, always pack at least one pair of long jeans, a warm sweater, and a waterproof jacket.
Book flights in advance
When travelling overseas, it is never a good idea to run out of money without a safe method to return home. Therefore, book your flights in advance, especially return flights. Airlines “release” their available seats up to a year in advance, and as departure day draws near, prices increase, especially in the final month.
Be smart about how you fly
Decide to go during the week, preferably on a Tuesday. Midweek travel is more affordable and has shorter waits at security and check-in desks because weekend flights are more expensive due to the premium linked to them. Despite how comfortable Business Class seems, you can still fly in economy; there is no need to upgrade. If you buy cheap tickets, you can use the money you save to pay for food or housing when you arrive. Low-cost, budget airlines are appropriate for them and frequently provide affordable flights. If you’re travelling for the weekend, try to pack minimally and only bring hand bags to save money on hold luggage.
Embrace public transport
Cheap than flying are buses and railways. You also avoid the expense of one fewer night in a hostel by taking an overnight train.
Don’t eat away your cash
You can get affordable lunches from a supermarket or even your local fresh food market in place of dining at an expensive cafe or restaurant. Before choosing a restaurant for supper, try to do some research. If you choose the first place you see, you won’t know if you’re overspending. Drinking a beverage with every meal adds up quickly; if you periodically choose for water, your pocketbook and body will thank you. Alternatively, hostels and vacant rooms frequently let you use a kitchen if you want to save money by cooking for yourself.
Earn while you travel
Working holidays are an excellent way to afford to spend several months of the year travelling. You can teach skiing in the winter, look after tourists travelling to the in the summer, or make money by teaching a language. If you have the ability to work “on the go,” you can even do freelance work while travelling. There are practically countless opportunities.
Choose your destination carefully
Naturally, certain locations have prices that are more or lower than your home. Locate places that are suited for low-cost travel. It might be a place that’s cheap and convenient to get to, where the value of the currency is higher due to the exchange rate, or where the cost of living is lower than at home!
Avoid tourist traps
The cost of visiting large towns and well-known tourist attractions is frequently far more than going off the beaten track! Try to choose less well-known areas if you can. Even if you are already there, avoid eating at restaurants on the main drag and instead try someplace down a sidewalk. The food will probably be better and more reasonably priced!
Get travel insurance
Possibly the most crucial advice for cheap travel! Sure, it will initially cost more, but if your vacation is cancelled or, God forbid, you become ill while travelling, you’ll be glad you took the time to arrange it.
Travel overnight
Traveling overnight is one option to cut costs if you have a great distance to cover as part of your trip. No matter what time of day you go, you have to pay for transportation, but if you travel overnight, you won’t have to pay for lodging that night. Bonus: you have more time to explore because you don’t “spend time” travelling during the day.
Read others’ backpacking experiences
When making plans, always check out backpacking guides first. By doing this, you’ll be able to see right away what a cheap vacation in your chosen location entails and you should be able to get a sense of prices, lodging, and activities.
Search for free things to do
Always explore for free activities wherever you go when travelling on a tight budget. There may be local events taking place or particular institutions that are free on certain days. Don’t overlook the traditional “free walking tour,” which is a fantastic way to see the city you are visiting. Just keep in mind that leaving a gratuity at the conclusion is traditional.
Get a local SIM
It can be expensive to pay for WiFi or data roaming while travelling. Purchasing a local SIM card with locally priced data packages is one option to cut costs when travelling. The information will be necessary for communication with home and for finding your way about.
DIY excursions
By forgoing a scheduled tour and figuring things out on your own, you may frequently save a lot of money! Take a picnic, arrive by public transportation, and purchase your own admission ticket (if needed).
Be aware of ATM charges
Money conversion and withdrawal fees at ATMs can be very high. But more often than not, taking cash on a trip will be less expensive than getting it changed before you go. Take as much cash as you can stand to lose all at once to avoid costs. The less frequently you pay the fee the more you withdraw, but there is also more to lose or have stolen! If you have a lot of cash, distribute it among your pockets and luggage and leave some of it in a secured, secure area of your lodging.
Try and haggle
Prices are frequently hiked for tourists, so try bargaining and see if you can get a break! This is more possible if you are travelling with others or have made friends along the road, and you all sign up for the same excursion, for example.
Get recommendations from the locals
There is little doubt that the locals don’t want to pay tourist fees for activities, food, and drinks. Ask a local (perhaps someone working at the hostel reception) about their favourite hangouts. We can assure you won’t be let down!
Bring your own water bottle
Travel with reusables at all times! If you bring your own water bottle, you can get free refills at fountains, restaurants, or mountain springs.
Walk everywhere
The cheapest mode of transportation and unquestionably the greatest method to explore a new region is by walking. If you need to travel a little further, renting a bike is frequently affordable. While travelling, cycling and walking are also excellent ways to stay in shape. Buses are usually the least expensive option if you must utilise public transportation. If you’re travelling on a tight budget, stay away from taxis and Ubers like the plague because they are by far the most expensive mode of transportation. There is almost always a far less expensive bus or train alternative with some forward planning.
Decide on your budget
Few places are inaccessible to travellers on a shoestring budget. You merely need to manage your expectations of, for instance, how frequently you can eat out at restaurants or how frequently you can engage in pricey activities there. Every location offers free activities. Once you’ve decided how much you can spend, try not to go over that amount because doing so will only make you feel more stressed during the vacation or once you get home.
Learn the language
If at all possible, try to speak the language there! There are local and tourist rates in the shops in some places, including Delhi. When you enter a store, they may occasionally only ask you to pay the local rate if you speak the language.
Search for discounts
When you have a plan in place, you can use it to find bargains that can lower your expenses. Certain airlines offer reduced prices on their flights when you book at least six months in advance of your preferred vacation dates. Bargains enable you to spend less money than you had anticipated, and planning ahead will enable you to locate the best discounts.
Source https://www.adventureassist.com/how-to-travel-on-a-budget/
Source https://www.youngpioneertours.com/travel-on-budget-tips/
Source https://www.trickytravellers.com/post/how-to-travel-on-a-budget-misaalmalhotra
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