How To Travel On A Low Budget

Traveling on a low budget isn’t as hard as people think. Many people think you have to be “rich” to see the world, but that’s far from the truth. If you’re traveling on a tight budget there is clearly a few things to consider before planning a trip but of course, its doable. On the plus side, if you travel on a low budget you have the ability to travel more often and/or visit more than one country on a trip.

Here are 10 Ways To Travel On A Low Budget

Go on a cruise- Cruises are probably the cheapest way of traveling, if you think about it, it’s like a flight + hotel + food, all in one price. It also takes out the stress of looking for the right airfare price, searching for the perfect hotel and worrying about your dietary needs. Cruises can easily start off at $199 and up, all depending on your destination and length. (For more on cruise, check out 28 Do’s and Don’ts of Going on a Cruise Ship)

Don’t eat at restaurants- After flight and hotels, the second thing I spent the most money on is FOOD! But remember, if you’re on a budget, there isn’t really a need to eat out at a restaurant for every meal of the day. Many times I just grab something and take on the go. It saves you time on seeing more attractions and the money. If you are on a budget make pizza, sandwiches and croissant your new best friends. 

Buy a tour bus pass- Almost every big popular city has a double decker tour bus, that takes you all over town to all the famous attractions for such a reasonable price. An even BETTER deal is getting a 2-day pass, because lets face it, you can’t see all a city has to offer in just 1 day. You can get on and off where there are stops. This will also take off the stress of costly taxi rides all over town or tiring yourself early on in the day from walking too much. 

Hostel- I think staying at a hostel is something to think about when you travel on a low budget. Some countries have such high priced hotels, London, for example, that it’s so much cheaper to just stay in hostel. A single night in a hotel in London cost me the same amount as a hostel in Barcelona for a week. Hostel price range varies with what you’re looking for. There are also really nice high end hostel as well and will save you so much money. (For more on hostels check out, Everything You Need To Know About Hostels)

Don’t shop- Honestly, after traveling throughout Europe and the world, I come to realize that everywhere has the same stuff. It’s nice to buy a souvenir from the country you’re visiting, but no need to go crazy. Use that money to see more attraction, I guarantee you, you will be more satisfied. 

Use a train instead of a plane- or a ferry to get around from one country to another, if you can. There are some really nice trains and ferries out there and they will save you a lot of money. 

Book things earlier- I’ve never been one to book things too far in advance because the thought of having to wait for months and dreaming of a destination drives me nuts. But if you’re a person who has patience, the smartest thing to do is to book things early on. It saves you money on airfare and hotels, sometimes very dramatically. Prices change within seconds and things get sold out fast at certain time of the year. Planning ahead will save you money. Some organized tours even give discounts for early bird booking. 

Do your research online- Never go with the first tour, flight or hotel you find. Do your research, check out reviews and other websites before you make your decisions. I recently found a tour for $2,795 for 10 days with one company and the same tour with the same destinations with a different company for $1,200 for 16 days! Look around before making that final move. 

Travel during weekdays instead of weekends- This is definitely something to think about when you travel on a low budget. In some destinations this is a deal breaker, it can mean saving a few hundred dollars just because you decided to travel during the week.

Bargain- Don’t just buy something on the first price someone gives you. Many places that aren’t an actual brand store, will makeup prices, according to how you look and where you are from. See if you can get things cheaper or ask if you get more than one if the price changes. I was once with a friend in Europe, we both wanted to buy souvenir shirts, she paid the first amount he gave her which was 25 euros and I told him it was too much, I got him down to 13 euros, as she paid double the price. Ask around at different locations before just buying. No one likes to get ripped off and there is nothing more annoying than seeing the same thing you just bought for any less. It’s all a hustle.