Want to travel longer and more often, but you do not know how to travel cheap to be able to afford it? Know that the world of today, more connected, more creative, puts at your disposal tools to save on travel and realize your dreams of travel with the means at hand.
Here is a long list of tips and tricks for traveling cheaper. Tricks tested and approved by seasoned globetrotters that small budgets have never prevented to meet their dreams of adventure.
1. TRAVELING CHEAPER BY SAVING ON TRANSPORTATION
It is well known, transportation is the most important expense in travel. Starting with the airline ticket, traveling to a country or a city.
There are many ways to travel cheaply by saving on transportation. The most important remains, however, traveling more slowly planning well its trips and especially taking his time. To really discover a new country, there is no point in crossing it up and down in a week. It would be better to choose a few regions that have a specific culture and take the time to visit each one. Direct result: We move less, less quickly and we do not save pal on its transport costs.
Here are some key and specific tips to save money on travel transportation starting with knowing how to find cheap airline tickets.
1. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS
There are no more secrets when it comes to finding cheap flights. It must be flexible in date, agree to make long stops by choosing secondary destinations and follow some rudimentary rules to make his reservation. Book your flight 8 to 6 weeks in advance, use flight comparators and activate price alerts. In addition to checking well if low-cost companies serve your destination.
2. THE BUS OR TRAIN PASS
Several bus companies in Europe or elsewhere now offer discounted transport passes that allow for a number of trips, even crossing several countries and with a lot of flexibility. The same applies to Interrail rail maps, which allow you to travel across Europe at more than attractive prices. It must be made sure that the chosen company serves all your stopover travel.
3. TRAVELING BY HITCHHIKING
Hitchhiking for adventurous souls is the best choice to combine travel savings and thrilling adventures. It must, however, have time to afford long waits and almost never the certainty to arrive quickly. Be well informed if it is allowed in the country of destination and follow some simple rules of safety, especially for women.
4. CARPOOL
Services like Blablacar offer to put people in touch with carpools and others who need them. Do not hesitate to propose your trip by carpooling or take advantage of available offers to reduce your travel expenses. This service has become quite common in many countries and the applications that offer it provide a minimum of security.
5. TRAVELING IN CARGO SHIPS OR SAILING BOATS
Traveling for free or very cheap by boat is also an adventure like no other. There are many cargo boats that can take a few passengers in addition to their merchandise, as well as sailboats that offer a free crossing in exchange for work onboard. Well, there are some who have crossed the Atlantic or been to Antarctica as well!
6. TICKETS AROUND THE WORLD
A common practice for those who choose to go on an adventure of a lifetime, go around the world for several months or more. Round the world tickets are now offered by a majority of airlines that are part of alliances. These tickets allow you to choose a certain number of stops in several continents during a long trip and at unbeatable prices.
2. TRAVELING CHEAPLY BY SAVING ON HOUSING
Staying on a trip can quickly become very expensive and almost prevent you from doing all the activities you want. Why go to expensive hotels when you can save a lot on this part and enjoy its financial resources to afford unforgettable experiences?
Here are some tips from experts to significantly reduce the cost of housing on a trip, without really depriving themselves, and sometimes offering different experiences and enriching.
7. HOME EXCHANGE
The exchange of houses for holidays is not yet widespread but is a perfect solution to go on vacation at a lower cost. Several sites today offer this service by ensuring that the exchange takes place in the best conditions and with guarantees on the condition of the houses put in exchange. An option to consider for family trips.
8. USE HOUSE-SITTING
It is a question of responding to a request of a house owner who leaves his house for a period but would like to have it kept, as well as his pets most often, by someone trusted and totally available to house during the whole period. One can easily end up spending a holiday in a beautiful house at the edge of the water!
9. YOUTH HOSTELS
On a solo or group basis, youth hostels have become a preferred option for affordable accommodation. There are of course several disadvantages to hostels, including lack of sleep-related to often noisy spaces. But who wants to sleep on a trip? They are highly recommended, especially for solo travelers.
10. HOMESTAY
Sleeping at home is a practice that many travelers adopt, less to save money than to experience authentic experiences while traveling abroad. Knowing each other’s culture and living their daily life is the prime motivation, but if it saves money, why not?
11. CAMPING
Combining nature and travel is often the leitmotiv of many travelers whose primary motivation is to get out of the tumult of cities. If you are a nature lover, camping will allow you to travel differently while avoiding spending money on accommodation and food.
3. TRAVELING CHEAPLY BY SAVING MONEY ON ACTIVITIES
We absolutely do not like to save money! That’s it!
When traveling, the activities are really the engine to offer experiences that are out of the norm and this is where most of your budget should go if you want to keep good memories of travel.
This being said, there is always a way to offer exceptional moments even at a reduced budget. Just be aware of the opportunities and know how to seize them. Here we tell you how to do it!
12. ENJOY FREE TOURS
Days of free visits to museums, free artistic, culinary or cultural activities, these are quite frequent occasions in several big cities of the world. Some regional tourist offices can also organize free activities to promote tourism in their regions. Do not hesitate to inform yourself about the free activities offered at your destination.
13. BUY CITY PASS
A common offering in Europe and in North American cities, city passes make it possible to visit several tourist attractions of the city with a consequent reduction. These city passes are often combined with public transport offers. It saves both transportation and activities, often avoiding long lines of expectation to visit the most famous tourist attractions.
14. FREE WALKING TOURS
Walking tours are quite common in many major cities around the world. The first target of these tours are the backpackers. Their offers are often found in youth hostels. Possible to find them also and book on the internet. How does it work? A tour of the city with a guide and in an international language for a few hours. If you like you leave a tip.
15. EXCHANGE OF SERVICES
And here’s a tip that travel bloggers practice more than others. Reassure yourself, even if you’re far from being a blogger you can do it too. It is enough to have a particular talent that one exchanges against the desired activity. Work for a few days in a local agency against his dream activity, take professional photos, develop a website … The possibilities are many!
16. NEGOTIATE GROUP PRICES
Even when you travel solo it is possible to obtain advantageous prices of activities by negotiating for groups. You metamorphose into a travel planner for a few hours and you gather a few people interested in the same activity as you (in your hostel, guesthouse, travelers met by bus, etc.) to go bargain on a group basis.
4. TRAVELING CHEAPER BY SAVING MONEY ON FOOD
You can always have good international cuisine at home, no need to travel far to do it. Also, when you go on a trip to a new country, or just another region of your own country, local cuisine should be our first choice. We will not have the opportunity to meet her often elsewhere.
Combining the pleasure of discovering a new culture and its cuisine and savings while traveling is something that could be done naturally. The local cuisine is always the cheapest!
Here are some ideas to help your wallet while making you happy.
17. EAT LOCAL CUISINE
Without eating all your meals in street food, especially if you have a fragile stomach, you can make great savings on a trip, having, as a rule, to eat most often in local restaurants. The products used in the latter come from the country itself in general and it is reflected in the price. It’s a bit like tajines on the roads of Morocco, delicious and cheap!
18. COOK FRESH PRODUCE
If you have the means to cook during your trip (being housed in Airbnb, in hostel or camping) take advantage of it to cook you healthy dishes, based on fresh, delicious and cheap products. Visiting a local market for shopping is, moreover, an excellent experience. A way to discover the culinary culture of the country, its production of vegetables and fruits and the habits of locals.
19. SHARE YOUR MEALS
Preparing a group meal always costs less. In your hostel proposes to prepare a meal with the group of travelers present. By participating each with a small amount you could prepare a delicious meal in an atmosphere of sharing and exchange. Eating is a social activity that is even more pleasant and much cheaper when you start out with more people.
