For many people the dream of traveling the world maybe alone or with your friends can be an expensive, unrealistic prospect, but it doesn’t have to be. If you follow the right tactics, you can go on an incredible journey, learn about new cultures, and experience lifelong memories without emptying your wallet and you can travel the world on a budget.
Whether you’re going on a month-long trip or a weekend trip, these seven budget travel hacks will help you save money, make smarter travel decisions, and get the most out of your trip.
Are you ready to pack your bags and hit the road? Let’s dive in.
1. Flexibility on Your Travel Dates
Flexibility is important when it comes to cheap travel. When you travel is one of the most important factors that affect the cost of your flight and hotel. You’ll pay much more if you have certain dates in mind than if you are flexible enough to change your plans.
How to Get the Best Deals:
- Travel off-season: Every place has its high season and its low season. For instance, Europe is crowded (and expensive) in the summer, and Southeast Asia is more expensive in the winter. Traveling in the shoulder or off-season saves a bundle on flights, hotels, and attractions. Plus, you’ll avoid the crowds.
- Use flexible date search tools: Search engines such as Google Flights and Skyscanner allow you to search by a broad range of dates. It’s easy to understand how a simple trip-revision of a few days could save you hundreds of dollars. Such tools even allow you to look up the best month to fly to a specific location.
- Plan your trip midweek: Airfares are typically less expensive on days when there are fewer people out and about, like Tuesdays or Wednesdays. If you’re open-ended about the days you leave and arrive, then deals are usually better.
Without locking yourself into specific dates, you’ll be able to pick the cheapest option which will take the rest of your travel dollars to the next level.
2. Carry Light To Avoid Excess Fees
No one wants to believe that airlines don’t shy away from charging you a buck — even for checked baggage. Even the best airfare deal will quickly spiral out of control once checked baggage, carry-ons and other fees are added.
How to Avoid Handling Luggage?
- Keep it lightweight: Most budget airlines grant you one small carry-on bag free of charge. By learning to pack lightly, you can save $50-100 (and more) per checked bag in the first few days alone. Take a carry-on bag for a week or less if you’re traveling sparingly.
- Packing cubes: Packing cubes are an easy way to save space, and keep your clothes organized and bundled. Rolling instead of folding clothes means that you’re almost always getting more into a smaller bag.
- Bring the heavy items: If you’re taking heavy things such as a jacket or boots, bring them on the plane to make room in your luggage.
Not only is packing light cheaper, but it also makes traveling more comfortable. You’ll save time waiting for checked luggage, reduce the chance of lost baggage, and can more easily switch between destinations.
3. Choose Budget-Friendly Accommodations
Where you sleep might be the biggest expense of a trip, but it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty on the low end and if you do your research, you can score one that is cheap, comfortable, and even memorable.
Affordable Accommodation Options
- Hostels: Be afraid of the word “hostel”. Hostels aren’t purely for backpackers anymore. Most have private rooms, Wi-Fi and so on, and most are found in urban cores. They’re also a great way to get to know other travelers and add to your travel experience.
- Airbnbs & Vacation rentals: Whether you’re renting an apartment or room on Airbnb or Vrbo, it’s usually cheaper than staying in a hotel, especially if you’re staying a few days or with your group. An added advantage: most rentals have a kitchen, so you save money on your food.
- Home-sitting: Sites such as TrustedHousesitters give you free accommodation by sitting in someone’s home and cleaning up the house (and, sometimes, the pet). It’s a fantastic way to get free accommodation while living like a local.
Finding affordable rooms is the key to getting in early and being flexible. Avoiding luxurious hotels can save you hundreds of dollars and spend that money on other aspects of your trip.
4. Use Public Transportation
Traveling within a city can be expensive if you take taxis or rideshare services such as Uber. Public transportation, however, is nearly always less expensive and generally more frequent in major cities around the globe. Plus, it provides another adventure to your travels.
What To Expect When You Take Public Transport?
- Cost-effective: Buying a single bus or metro ticket will only cost you a small fraction of a taxi fare. Most cities also provide unlimited day or week passes, which saves you even more money if you plan on staying for long.
- It’s a lifestyle experience: If you ride the bus, train, or metro, you’ll experience the way people live and work in their city. It’s a great way to feel more integrated into a destination’s culture.
- It’s more environmentally friendly: Public transportation is far greener than driving or flying. By using it, you’re doing something environmentally responsible.
Before leaving, do some research on public transportation in the city you’re visiting. If you live in most cities, apps such as Google Maps or Citymapper will make it easy to navigate public transit systems, and show you the fastest routes and live schedules.
5. Eat Like a Local
The joy of eating abroad can be the greatest expense if you aren’t careful. Tourist-centered restaurants tend to overprice food, and dining out every meal soon adds up. There are, however, plenty of ways to indulge in delicious, home-cooked meals at an affordable price.
How to Save Money on Food?
- Exclude tourist attractions: Eaters at restaurants near major attractions are usually charged more for a bad meal. Instead, walk into communities where people dine. Better food is going to be much cheaper.
- Use street food: In most countries street food is not only cheap but it is very tasty. From tacos in Mexico to dumplings in China or kebabs in Turkey, street food is fast, cheap and authentic.
- Markets: Farmers’ markets and small grocery stores are great places to get fresh ingredients for a picnic or just a simple meal. This works particularly well if you’re staying in a house with a kitchen. Even preparing your own breakfast or lunch can save you big bucks during a trip.
If you eat like a local you are not only enjoying a place’s authentic tastes but you are also keeping the cost of food down.
6. Enjoy Free or Low-Priced Activities
We don’t have to spend our vacations on overpriced excursions and excursions. In fact, some of the best experiences are either free or extremely cheap. If you look for free things, you can take the rest of your days to experience something worthwhile without paying a single penny.
Budget-Friendly Activities
- Free walking tours: Many cities offer free (or tip-based) walking tours. These tours are a fantastic way to learn about the history, culture, and landmarks of a place from a local guide. Just remember to tip your guide at the end!
- Museums and galleries with free entry: Many museums offer free entry on certain days of the week or have “pay what you wish” policies. Be sure to check museum websites in advance to plan your visit accordingly.
- Explore the outdoors: Parks, beaches, hiking trails, and national parks often offer some of the most beautiful and memorable experiences at little to no cost. Whether it’s a scenic hike or a day spent lounging on a beach, nature is often the best (and cheapest) entertainment.
7. Leverage Credit Card Points and Travel Rewards
One of the best-kept secrets among frequent travelers is leveraging credit card points and loyalty programs to travel for free or at a significant discount. With a little planning, you can use these rewards to cover flights, hotels, and even car rentals.
How to Maximize Travel Rewards?
- Sign up for travel credit cards: Many credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses that can be worth hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in free travel. Look for cards that offer points on everyday purchases like groceries and gas.
- Join loyalty programs: Airlines and hotel chains often have loyalty programs that allow you to accumulate points every time you book with them. Over time, these points can add up to free flights, room upgrades, or even entire stays.
- Use points strategically: Don’t redeem your points for low-value rewards like gift cards. Instead, save them for high-value travel redemptions like international flights or luxury hotel stays, where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.
Travel Smart!
Stay tuned — budget travel isn’t about saving money — it’s about maximizing your money to make more trips and memories. Whether it’s booking the cheapest flights, avoiding hotels, eating like a local, or accruing credit card points, anything goes.
Are you ready to start imagining your next journey? With these suggestions in your pocket, you’ll be able to go out and explore the world without breaking the bank.
