Cheap Travels
THE ULTIMATE 8 TIPS TO TRAVEL ON A BUDGETLet’s be honest: travel can be VERY expensive. Hotels, car rentals, flights… the costs can add up quickly.
Most of the people I know can’t afford to go in holiday for more than a week in a year. And, after you’ve worked your a*s off for months, you find yourself forced to think that 7 days out of 360 of a relaxing trip are enough to shake off all the stress.
But what if I told you there are ways to spend less and travel more?
We learned this at our own expense. As we lived abroad for years mean, we had to book a flight every time we wanted to see our families. And this often meant that, with all the expenses to travel back home for a few days, the summer holidays were often out of reach.
However, since the start of this travel blog, I’ve met many travel experts who have shared their tips on how to save money while travelling. And, after trying these myself, I learned a trick or two.
Keep reading to find out the ultimate 8 travel tips for a low-cost holiday!
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1) Chase The Deal
Not having a specific destination in mind means you can benefit from incredible deals and spend less for your holiday.
Let’s say you want to spend two weeks somewhere in Europe, and you have a fixed budget in mind. Here is a trick we used plenty of times: open SkyScanner and head in the “can’t decide where” on the destination section. The website will automatically give you many destinations with an average flight cost. This allows you to easily compare flight prices and offers for different destinations.
Just pick the one you want, and save money!
Another trick is to have a look at the last-minute deals page, where you can find the lowest flight prices.
We did this many times, and once we even paid 8 euros for a flight from Edinburgh to Venice!
2) Be Flexible
Flexibility = Cheaper travels.
If you can, always prefer low season travels: prices can be reduced to half if compared to high season. Plus, you would enjoy your destination with fewer tourists!
Most hotels and airlines have many offers for off-season travellers, making everything more affordable.
In addition to that, when you travel low season, you also have a wider choice of resorts and hotels, which lower their prices (even one empty room for them is a loss) and allow you to stay at more luxurious accommodations while avoiding spending too much money!
3) Find Cheap Accommodations
Just because you have a low budget, doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Maybe all you need is just a different way of travel, which doesn’t necessarily mean less comfortable!
Accommodations are one of the highest expenses when travelling, but there are many ways to find the perfect deal. Hostels are undoubtedly cheaper if compared to hotels, but don’t exclude the possibility to find a great deal for a perfect hotel!
Our most used website when it comes to hotels is Booking.com, and for one good reason: once selected the place you are going to, it allows you to easily filter all the results by clicking on “best-reviewed and lowest price”. This way, you can make sure your hotel will be one of the most reviewed by the other users and will not cost you a fortune!
Discover the best deal for you:
Another good website to book accommodations is Agoda. Now, we prefer to use Agoda to book long-stay accommodations (usually cheaper than short-term stays). Moreover, you can choose from the top bar “today’s deals” to have a look at the latest offers and coupons; who knows, you might find the perfect offer for your next vacation!
4) Or Free Accommodations!
Our van life started a year ago, and it has drastically cut our travel costs. The more we travel full-time, the more we discover that many people choose alternative ways to travel: with their cars, campers, RVs, vans! You can travel at your own pace and reduce costs by doing so.
Moreover, we discovered that we spend much less now than when we lived in Scotland! I really wish we would have done this sooner!
Another super cheap option is wild camping. I know this is not for everyone, and in some locations it can be pretty hard to find a place to camp (especially close to large cities). But if you love nature and are ready for adventure, then you should definitely consider this option!
And remember, if you are travelling on a budget but still want all the comforts, there are many campsites that offer all the facilities you might need at a very low price.
You can also find free accommodations through websites like Couchsurfing (where you can stay with locals, for free), or work exchange opportunities. I have lots of friends who travelled for months while helping out in farms in exchange of a free room. Some would even give you a small wage besides the free stay! You can find most of these opportunities online (search “work exchange” + the country you wish to visit), or just ask around once you’re on the place. This is how we found out about a farm in Scotland that offered free stays for a few hours of work!
5) Think Local
Every traveller knows that, if you think local, you can spend way less. Avoid tourist shops, restaurants and bars, and start searching for local places to eat and shop. These are often the best, and are way cheaper than the ones for tourists!
Look for local markets, support the local business and get to know the culture and the people of the place you’re visiting.
There is no better way to experience a country than immerse yourself in its traditions!
6) Travel To Cheap Destinations
Let’s say you found the perfect hotel deal and got a cheap flight; it doesn’t really matter if the country you’re going to visit is very expensive and will require lots of money for eating, shopping, seeing the attractions etc. In the end, you’ll still spend too much!
Remember, to really travel on a budget, you must consider many factors. One of the most important is the destination.
Thailand and Vietnam, for example, are much cheaper than the Maldives and Bora Bora. And both are absolutely stunning!
Make sure you choose your destination carefully to enjoy your holiday to the fullest, without going bankrupt!
7) Take Your Time
If you have the time, travelling slowly is one of the best ways to travel on a budget. It reduces the daily costs, allows you to enjoy the place more, reduces the stress of a fast vacation (where you rarely have the time to relax), and it allows you to stay at long-term accommodations (often more affordable).
This way, you could also shop and cook for yourself, avoiding eating out every day and saving money for a longer holiday!
This is especially worth it if you, like us, are a digital nomad and have a source of income while travelling.
If you want to know more about how to become a digital nomad, check this article:
How to become a full-time traveller
I also wrote a FREE ebook with all the essential steps to become a digital nomad and start living a life of travels. Subscribe below to get your free copy!
8) Basically… Be Honest With Yourself!
Being honest with yourself is extremely important when planning an holiday, especially if you have a tight budget. Think realistically about what you can and cannot afford, carefully consider your destination and the kind of accommodation that best suits your needs AND your wallet. And be clear about your priorities.
If you prefer to stay in a luxurious hotel for a few days at an expensive destination and eat at expensive restaurants, then go for it.
But if your goal is to travel more, take your time and maybe extend your holiday to a month or two, then you should definitely consider cheaper options.
In the end, you and only you know the way you want to live your holiday, and what is most important for you!
I hope this article helped you to plan your next holiday. Good luck, and enjoy your trip!
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Kikka
EDITOR IN CHIEF