How to Travel on a Budget

Jun 18, 2019
2 min read

As someone who speaks frequently with others about travelling, I've found one of the biggest things holding people back is financial constraints. Which I understand - trust me, I do. BUT there are ways to travel cheaply without slumming it. Here are some of my top tips!

Accommodation

Try some alternatives to hotels and resorts. There are a number of options including:

Hostels - depending on your location, hostels can cost as little as $50 or less to sleep in a dorm, or can be a little more pricey for a private room.
House-sitting - a personal favourite, many people will allow you to live in their house for free, and in exchange you care for their pets and plants. Pretty good deal! Try websites such as TrustedHousesitters to find a gig.
Couch surfing - this website allows you to stay with other travellers around the world in their homes.
Volunteer or work abroad - there are many organisations that will give you free accommodation in exchange for your labour, from working at summer camp to teaching English.

Flights

Research, research, research! The best way to get a good deal on flights is to be flexible with your travel dates. Generally, it's more expensive to travel over a weekend. Find out when the off-season is for you destination, and try to book for then. Use websites such as SkyScanner to find the cheapest month, days and airlines to travel with. If you can travel without checked luggage or added meals, you will also save some $$$.

Transport

I like to walk as much as possible when I'm visiting a new city. It's free, healthy and you see so much. Other options are to hire a bike or navigate public transport, rather than catching a taxi or Uber.

Food

Another way to save is to buy food from local supermarkets and cook at your accommodation, if possible. Street food is also cheaper than eating at a restaurant. Another tip is to buy alcohol from a bottle shop and drink it in your room, or take it to a restaurant that allows BYO.

Activities

Google some free things to do in your destination. Most outdoor scenery is free and many cities have free walking tours available. For other tourist attractions, some places offer discounts for booking online in advance.

Want more? Listen to Episode 4 of the Travel Lust Podcast where I discuss travelling on a budget: https://travellustpodcast.wixsite.com/mysite/podcast/episode/c1412577/episode-4-travelling-on-a-budget