Do you want to do some traveling but aren’t sure if you can afford it? Here are 8 simple budget travel tips that everyone should take advantage of.
For those of us who love to travel, there’s nothing better than getting out of town and exploring new places. The world is a big exciting place, with exotic and beautiful locations just waiting to be discovered.
Travel can be a challenge for those on a tight budget. Yet there are budget travel tips that can help you learn how to travel cheap. Learning how to travel cheap is a great way to do the things you enjoy without breaking the bank. Let’s take a look at some great tips for exploring the world without spending a fortune!
8 Budget Travel Tips Everyone Should Take Advantage Of
Do you want to do some traveling but aren’t sure if you can afford it? Here are 8 simple budget travel tips everyone should take advantage of.
1. Learn to Travel Light
Learning to pack as little as possible when you travel will help save money in several ways. For example, you can avoid checked luggage fees by bringing only a carry-on backpack. This also allows you to take advantage of traveling on budget airlines.
Another advantage of a small backpack is squeezing onto small buses or taxis where there is limited space. Just keep in mind that in order to get everything you’ll need for the trip into a small bag you’re going to need to get extremely skilled at packing.
2. Work as You Travel
Yes, you heard that correctly. If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug yet have limited funds, you can always take on small jobs in the locales where you are staying. Perhaps wash dishes, clean houses, or even do volunteer work in exchange for food and lodging.
There are websites like Work Away and WWOOF that can hook you up with employment and volunteer opportunities, or sites like HouseCarers that enable you to care for someone’s home while they are away.
All it takes is a little ingenuity and creativity to make the most of traveling the world with a minimal amount of cash.
3. Try Not to be too Picky
One of the secrets to traveling on a budget is to seek cheap destinations and to not be overly picky about the quality of your accommodations. Destinations like India, Thailand and Vietnam are perfect for traveling for next to nothing. And Europe has a wealth of gorgeous budget-friendly cities just waiting to be explored.
Keep in mind that traveling for under $50 a day often requires sleeping in hostels, dining on sandwiches and cheap coffee, lots of walking and doing without certain creature comforts like hot water or air-conditioning.
Here is a great site to learn more about booking a flight to India.
4. Learn to Take Your Time and Travel Slow
It’s human nature to want to get to your destination as quickly as possible. Especially in the modern world. But high-speed forms of transportation like planes, trains and buses burn up a lot of cash in a matter of hours.
Learning to slow down can help save money and allow you to appreciate the places you visit. Take the time to learn the language, get to know some of the locals, and simply chill out and soak up the atmosphere.
You can also save money by taking slower and cheaper forms of transportation, such as a sleeper train. Just be sure to pack a deck of playing cards for the long hours of downtime.
5. Check Out Free Museums
Believe it or not, even the most beautiful museums in the world often offer free admission on certain days of the week or on special occasions. This a great thing to keep in mind when planning your trip. Museums are the perfect way to spend the afternoon, and you can save as much as $20 per person.
There’s no reason to get in a hurry. Slow down, enjoy everything the museum has to offer, and allow yourself to be inspired by amazing works of art by the masters.
6. Book a Package Deal
Travelers often spend a great deal of time online looking for rock-bottom prices on airline tickets. Smart travelers do the same thing for hotel prices. Because hotels often offer package deals to save you money on your room, meals, various forms of transportation, and even guided tours.
You might not be aware of these deals because hotels typically don’t advertise their special discount prices.
7. Toss Your Guidebook
Our next recommendation for squeezing the most bang from your traveler budget is to ditch your Lonely Planet book and get recommendations from the locals instead. Many of the best bars, restaurants, hostels, and local hotspots never make into the pages of printed guidebooks.
Locals know the scene and are a great source of tips for finding those cool places you would have otherwise missed. They know how to avoid touristy spots and find the awesome cafes and restaurants located off the main strips.
Bartenders are always a wealth of knowledge and can give you the low-down on neighborhood spots where you can enjoy world-class meals without going broke.
8. Take Advantage of Public Transportation
When you travel to a major city, skip yellow taxis and Uber and opt for a ride on public transportation instead. Jumping on a bus or the subway is a great way to get anywhere in the city quickly, and typically only for a few dollars.
Public transportation is also a much more budget-friendly way of getting around town than dealing with a rental car, especially if you are traveling in a foreign country and aren’t familiar with the area or the local traffic laws.
Making the Most of Your Travel Dollar
Traveling on a budget doesn’t have to be complicated or limit your experiences. Making the most of limited funds is a simple matter of knowing this list of budget travel tips, being creative, and making a informed choices.
Learning how to travel cheap is actually a lot of fun and can lead to cool adventures that you might have missed if you had an unlimited budget. So get out there, save a few dollars wherever you can, and have a blast exploring the world!
Click here to see 10 ways tourists can help the environment while traveling.