How to Travel on a Budget

There’s no doubt about it. Everyone loves to travel. Travelling opens your eyes up to a world full of opportunity and adventure. Nevertheless, travel is not always possible because it can come with some constraints. Most of us love to travel, but unless you have the time and the money it can’t always happen. So, what about budget travel ?

Travelling doesn’t have to be expensive to be good. We believe that travelling can be quite cheap, if you take the time to do a bit of planning. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips on budget travel. Get ready. You’re about to get itchy feet!

Flights

Going somewhere new, especially to a new country, typically involves taking a flight. Often the most expensive part of the trip, especially if you are going to a faraway destination, we found some tips on how to get the cheapest possible flights.

Check flight fares regularly – prices for flights can change as airlines cut the costs of flights as the seasons change and demand fluctuates.
Go off peak season – if you are set on travelling to a certain destination, a good idea would be to travel there during an off-peak season or just after the busy periods. Flights are the most expensive during the summer months and Christmas holidays. If you have the flexibility of going during an off-peak season you could significantly save on the cost of your flight.
Use flight search engines – it’s a good idea to use the best flight search engines to find cheap flights. Skyscanner is one website that finds the best deals on flights.
Travel on Tuesdays – the most expensive times to fly are often on Fridays and weekends. If you want to grab a good deal on a flight, fly out mid-week!
Save up frequent flyer miles – are you a frequent air traveller? If so, you could save up your frequent flyer miles to go towards paying for your flight. You could also try getting a credit card or rewards card that gives you points that you can use for flights.
Book in advance – there’s no doubt about it booking your flights in advance will always guarantee yourself a cheaper flight than if you book closer to the date of travel.

Accommodation

Another travel cost that can easily become very expensive is accommodation. However, there are some things you could try to keep your accommodation costs low. Instead of paying for the most expensive hotels there are some much more affordable alternatives:

Airbnb – what a great website. Airbnb allows you to stay in people’s homes that they rent out for holiday goers. It can be a much more affordable option. Plus, you can have a more authentic experience by staying in a local home. Some people even bundle local experiences in.
House swap – another great option for budget travel is to do a house swap. If you have friends living in a different destination, you could do a house swap with them. This way, neither of you have to pay for accommodation. There are also some that allow you to find people who want to do a house swap.
Hostels – this is undoubtedly a great option if you are a younger traveller or don’t mind roughing it a bit! Hostels can be a super cheap travel option and you can find them in most travel destinations.

Experiences

Another way to go on a budget travel adventure and still have an amazing time is to spend some of your trip enjoying the free experiences that your destination offers. Here’s a list of things you can do for free in many destinations you travel to.

Free museums – many cities such have free museums open to the public. Some of these are art galleries or natural history museums. It’s a great way to explore the city without having to spend a cent!
Check out the street art – in many cities you can find art known for their stunning street art. It’s like going to an art gallery outside which is completely free!
Do you own exploring – if you just hang around the tourist areas, you’ll end up spending a lot more than if you were to venture off on your own and do your own exploring. Skip the tour, do some research and be your own guide!

Food

You might find food is one your biggest expenses when travelling! If you love eating out and trying new food when you travel it doesn’t have to be a massive expensive. Going to restaurants that are more popular amongst tourists can be more expensive. However, here are some tips on how you can experience the local food but still hit your budget travel goals.

Street food – If it’s budget travel you’re after, you’ll want to look up some good street food options before you get there, or ask locals once you touch down. It’s often cheap and delicious! It also gives you an opportunity to try the local food.
Go to the local markets – see if your travel destination has any local farmers markets where you can buy your food from. This is often much cheaper and you can end up trying new fruit and vegetables that you’ve never come across before.
Eat lunch out – if you do want to eat out at a restaurant, make lunch your big meal for the day. Many places often have deals on lunch menus. Whereas dinner is often the more expensive meal.
Pack your lunch – If you’re planning to spend the day exploring it’s a good idea to bring your own food. Prepare some lunch for yourself at the accommodation the night before. Then when you get hungry during the day you won’t have to worry about going out and buying food.
Take a water bottle – especially if you are travelling to hot destination, but even if you’re not. Taking a water bottle with you is a good idea because buying bottled water can quickly add up.

Getting around

While you are on holiday, travelling around your destination can add up. However, we’ve found some great tips to help with making getting around as cheap as possible.

Travel at night – the cheapest times to take buses or trains are at night. So, if you need to make your way to a new destination, skip the uber and take a night bus or train. It’s another way of saving money on accommodation for one night.
Rent a bicycle – in some places, one of the best ways to explore the area is on a bicycle. Not only can you get around quicker than if you were to just go on foot, but it’s great exercise too. Renting a bicycle for a few days is often incredibly cheap no matter where you are.
Travel light – if you can get away with only packing the essentials try and fit everything into your carry-on bag. That way you can save money on having to pay for a check in bag.

Destinations

One way to make your trip a budget travel trip is to choose an affordable destination. This just means being a bit more flexible when it comes to choosing your holiday destination.

Travel to cheaper destinations – some destinations are more affordable than others. So, if you want to budget travel it might be a good idea to choose cheaper destination. Skyscanner has a great feature on their website that allows you to search for the cheapest destinations near you.
Travel within the country – alternatively if you want to get away, it doesn’t necessarily mean you must travel abroad. There may be plenty of places not too far away that you could be blown away buy.
Be open to traveling to new destinations – if you don’t have your mind set on travelling to one place keep your mind open to visiting a new destination. They might be more affordable and some of the places that aren’t on the top list maybe those that you wouldn’t want to miss out on.
Travel to destinations when it is off peak season – if you do want to visit one place in particular, you could consider going during an off-peak season. Times that aren’t during school holidays such as summer or Christmas can be much more affordable travel times.

Practical tips

To help you hit your budget travel goals, here is another list of ways to keep costs low when you are travelling.

Get a travel card – a travel card that lets you deposit money on it in different currencies. It works like a credit card, so you can use it anywhere when you travel. The great thing about a travel card is that it saves you from wasting money on expensive currency conversion and ATM withdrawal fees.
Choose the right phone provider – this is a great tip to help keep costs low when you budget travel. Depending on how long you stay for, you could consider getting a sim card in your destination of travel. Alternatively, you could look at the deals that your existing provider offers. They might have a package that allows you to pay a certain amount per day to have access to data and calls.
Use free WIFI – when you want to budget travel, taking advantage of free WIFI spots is a must. If you need to access WIFI when you are out and about try and find a McDonalds or a Starbucks that often has free WIFI you can connect to.

How to save up money for travel?

Now, we know what you are probably thinking about dusting off your suitcase. You feel like going travelling, and you know what you need to do to travel on a budget. But what about saving up enough money to travel in the first place? Here is out list of top tips to help save money to get out there and go on an adventure.

Cut out the morning coffee

Learn to love cooking – it’s so easy to get takeaway food these days with so many places offering amazing different food options. However, eating out all the time takes its toll on your bank account. If you make it a habit to cook as much as possible and learn to love it, you can save yourself a lot of money.
Get rid of the car – the expense involved with owning a car can add up very quickly. Why not sell your car and use the money for travel? Not to mention you’ll save money on things like, petrol, parking, car repairs, car servicing, registration and insurance. That’s a lot that could otherwise be spent on travel!
Buy second hand stuff – buying things that are brand new can be unecessary are incredibly expensive. You often find things that are just as good that have been hardly used for a fraction of the price. You can do this with clothes, furniture and other basic household items and end up savings a ton!
Quit your vices – it’s those cheeky habits like drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking cigarettes that cost a fortune. Not only are they bad for your wallet but they are incredibly bad for your health.

To sum up, there’s no arguing that travel brings with it incredible benefits such as unforgettable memories and experiences of a lifetime. In addition, travel doesn’t have to be expensive. Done with a bit of planning, open mindedness and creative thinking, you can have a trip of a lifetime without breaking the bank. And, if you’ve become excited about budget travel after reading this article you can start following the steps to start saving money for your next big travel adventure!

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