Traveling is my passion, and over the years, I’ve collected many Budgets Travel Tips for Adventurers. People usually claim that traveling is inherent within human beings and while that might be half true, it is definitely true that there is some allure to explore even more parts of the world, its people. Yet, as much as all of us would desire, it indeed holds true that travelling may not be cheap.
Below, you can find some simple and useful pieces of advice or as some may call them – ‘tricks,’ which I have acquired during my years of experience and enriched knowledge on how to keep on travelling whilst keeping the expenses relatively low. Well, it is not a mystery that I do travel quite a lot at least for my work and as you can probably tell, I am quite addicted to budget traveling or at least trying to be.
Planning Ahead: The Key to Budget Travel
Research and Flexibility
The first of my Budget Travel Tips for Adventurers, which I supported, consists of Research. Unfortunately, this is where many individuals fail to understand that before you even get to an airport or even press the ‘book now button,’ you should do research on your destination.
Instead, perhaps, seek locations in which one gets more bang for the buck they’re holding and travel to such places specially at off-peak periods. For instance, going to Europe during the winter season is relatively cheaper as compared to going for the same during the summer season.
It can also be utilized in the search strategy to incorporate a number of dates that would mean more options for tickets prices. These websites assist me in comparing prices of flights, and in addition, search for the day of the week that will be cheaper for the flight price, two sites I mainly use most of the time include, Google Flights and Skyscanner.
Budget Airlines and Alternative Transportation
When it comes to details such as flight, then it is very important to be wise in your choice and always remember that budget airlines are your friends. Currently, there are plenty of Low-Cost Airlines such as Ryan Airlines, Easy Jet Airlines, and Spirit Airlines fees significantly lower than that of full-service airlines.
The downside is that you are willing to sacrifice some creature comforts such as reclined leg space, free meals, etc.; which for a short haul flight is quite acceptable because it means more savings.
Sometimes we can also consider using other means of transport for getting from one destination to another. Public transport like buses and railways are very cheap, perhaps thanks to technological advancements, this can be seen in European and Asian countries. Travel overnight as it will save you accommodation costs.
Accommodation Hacks: Comfort Without the Cost
Hostels and Guesthouses
Yeah, especially as they are quite associated with economical tourists. It is not only cheap to travel but such travelling presents a good chance of coming across other travellers. Hostelworld and booking.com accommodate all the web forms of hostels that travelers may need to use in their travels. In some areas hotels usually are cheaper and provide a little more space and privacy.
Couchsurfing and House Sitting
Couchsurfing enables you to live for free with individuals of the place. In couchsurfing you are provided with the opportunity of having a local person to guide you around the area and show you what to do in the region.
House sitting another wonderful to travel on the low budget. Companies like pet-sitting company provide access to homeowners who require someone to take care of the house and sometimes pets while the homeowners are away. In return, you can have accommodation for free.
Airbnb and Short-Term Rentals
Still, if you want a little more order, then Airbnb can be finer than conventional hotels in terms of cost. It is cheaper if you are seeking a place to stay than most hotel services, especially if you are in a group booking. Moreover, one can cook and save money by eating some of the meals prepared in the rental property’s kitchen.
Eating on a Budget: Savouring Local flavours
Street Food and Local Markets
Food is another area that people exploring new locations love to experiment with. In fact, sometimes street food is even cheaper than fast food and, in any case, it is more ‘real’ than any other type of food.
Local markets are also good places to purchase cheap and quality foods; this is because they are closer and also have the foods available. They also offer a good opportunity to communicate with locals as well as to expand your cultural perceptions.
Cooking Your Own Meals
Another practical idea in Budget Travel Tips for Adventurers If available, do not miss the opportunity to utilize it, though when cooking in a kitchen, remember to wash the vegetables thoroughly. To avoid consumption of takeaway foods, people should shop for their foods at localized markets and grocery stores; it is cheap and enjoyable.
Dining Out Smartly
Generally speaking, limit the number of times you dine out or, if you must dine out, select the best options. Search out local dining establishments rather than expending time in overly commercial tourist restaurants.
Promotions such as group discounts present in the lunch specials and the set menus are quite useful. In Spain, for example, many restaurants, eateries have a what is known as “menu del día” – a meal that is a set-priced multiple-course meal per order which is relatively cheaper per dish when ordered compared to the US à la carte.
Exploring on a Dime: Free and Low-Cost Activities
Walking Tours and Free Attractions
Some cities have free-walking-tour services which can be very informative and an excellent way of learning the surroundings. These tours are usually free but any gratuities to the guide will be greatly appreciated depending on how much you enjoyed the tour.
Also, a number of museums and tourist sites are free at certain occasions or on certain days of the week or month. It is therefore important to research for these in advance so as to avoid being a victim of so-called “unforeseen” fees.
Nature and Outdoor Activities
One can enjoy free amusement since nature is accessible without any cost. Sightseeing, tours and walks in specific locations such as national parks, beaches and scenic areas are ideal to experience a place and spend little. What can be more inspirational than hiking through national parks, relaxing on gorgeous sandy beaches or discovering lots of charming paths?
Budget-Friendly Culture and Entertainment
Make sure you attend local entertainment performances, shows, and other cultural activities. Such events are usually either free or easily accessible at a low cost. However, there is nothing quite like discovering street performances, and festivals on the go. Furthermore, one should also go for such activities at those places by searching for vouchers on such websites like Groupon or tourism information centres.
Money Management: Keeping Track of Your Budget
Currency Exchange and Bank Fees
Another cost which one has to reduce is the times he or she changes money since this is one area where unfortunately people are ripped off by the sellers. Sometimes it is advised to change some currency with the services situated in the country you are visiting and not, for example, in some airport services. However, using a credit card, which otherwise can be convenient while travelling, might just make it costly.
Budgeting Apps and Tools
It is wise to track one’s spending especially when one is financially restricted. Any traveller should find it easy to use their smartphones to keep track of how they are spending their money with the help of apps for example Trail Wallet and TravelSpend. A good example is the daily budgeting, whereby the traveller should set a particular amount of money that he or she wishes to spend in a day and should not exceed it to avoid running out of cash in the middle of a trip.
Avoiding Tourist Traps
All attractions that are associated with tourism usually have higher prices. However, it is permissible to go there, but one should avoid eating, shopping or arranging for a tour at such places. Probably, if tourists are ready to go a bit off the beaten path, they are likely to get a better deal as well as sellers are likely to be genuine.
Travel Insurance: Don’t Skip It!
Many people think it is just the added cost to the vacation, but it is actually one of the best value add-ons to consider in the event something does happen. Hospitals, cancelled trips and lost bags can, in fact, turn out to be way more expensive than the insurance cover price. I always make sure I carry it anywhere I go, and that I tell the same to anyone I interact with.
Staying Connected: Affordable Communication
Local SIM Cards and Data Plans
It is always important to stay connected when traveling as this helps in getting around and communicating with the locals. One of the Budget Travel Tips for Adventurers is that it is cheaper to buy a SIM card of a local carrier along with a data package that will not cost you much.
Free Wi-Fi
Use free Wi-Fi wherever it is possible especially at an Internet café. Most of the cafeterias, restaurants, as well as the public places provide free WIFI services. Just try to avoid using your access on insecure connection and do not use it when reading sensitive data.
Packing Smart: Save Money and Hassle
Travel Light
By carrying less luggage, you’ll not only reduce your costs but also potentially save on your flight ticket. Plus, it’s easier to transport and allows you to pack versatile clothes that can be worn multiple times. The best part? Packing everything into a carry-on bag saves you a significant amount of time, eliminating the need to wait for your luggage at the airport.
Reusable Items
It is important to note that keeping reusable items such as a water bottle, shopping bag and cutlery will assist in cutting down costs, and conserving. There are many water refill stations in the airports and public areas, having a reusable bag for grocery shopping and carrying personal items is always useful.
Essential Travel Gear
There is nothing wrong in sometimes spending some of your hard-earned cash to buy some of the basic extras that are important for travels. Extra clothes, toiletries, travel-sized electric laptop, good quality travel backpack, water bottle and comfortable walking shoes are some of my essentials. It means that although these items might have initial cost, they are helpful in making travelling easier and more comfortable.
Making Friends on the Road: Shared Experiences
Join Travel Communities
Thus, travelling to a country and engaging in travelling communities both on the internet and in the physical world is quite useful and can at times even help you to cut costs. Several websites such as Meetup and Couchsurfing are available to provide different events and parties where meeting travellers and residents is possible.
Traveling with Others
If you can accept this, the idea of travelling with other people will help a lot in saving. Housing, commuting, and even food can literally be cut in half, or even more depending on the circumstance when it is done in a group. Also, it is not very interesting to travel alone as you feel lonely at times when you don’t have any one with you.
Final Thoughts
Following these Budget Travel Tips for Adventurers, it does not necessarily mean that they are going to miss out on everything. Here are the tips that many travellers use to travel the world at a cheap price I must tell you. Although travelling can be done on a budget like I have explained above every trip has been a learning experience and has made my adventures all the more special. Therefore, open your luggage, head to the great unknown and have a good journey!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Book your tickets in advance and if possible look for cheap flight tickets to your destinations cheap accommodations such as hostels, Airbnb and even food by eating local meals.
That will always differ based on the country you are visiting, however you can expect to spend $50-$100 a day in budget countries and $100-$200 per day in the developed ones.
Take a list of all the expenses such as the flight tickets, lodging, meals, and the fun activities. After that, follow your Budget to ensure that the expenses are within the set limit.
Take buses and trains, eat in cheap cafes and eateries, go during low tourism periods, and seek for free events. How do you travel on a tight budget?
What is a good budget for Travelling?
How do I plan a trip budget?
How can you travel but not spend too much money?