How to travel even when you technically can’t afford it.
Traveling is great. New places, new food, new people (if you’re into that sort of thing), maybe a new climate… I could go on. It’s awesome. Why would I have a blog about travel if I didn’t think it was worth it? (Because it’s easier to write a couple blog posts about your travel experiences than to write a book about them like your mom suggested? Yeah, that too, but mostly because it’s worth it.)
As much as I’d recommend traveling, especially traveling abroad, it has its downfalls. All the ‘new’ things I mentioned can be really overwhelming. And then there’s the cost… Yeah, international travel is NOT cheap (usually, hint hint). Take it from someone who travels between the U.S. and the UK a couple times a year: the price tag isn’t pretty.
But I have some great news for you! There are a bunch of resources out there to travel for cheap, or sometimes even for free! Depending on where you look, you could even get paid to go. How’s that sound? Pretty good, huh? Now, I admit, this is nowhere near an extensive list. It’s just what I’ve happened to hear about or try. Some of it is also kind of just common sense that we don’t always want to consider because we know there’s a way we’d prefer. As much as I love a good comfort zone and some high standards, I’ve learned the hard way that some of the best experiences happen outside of both. And you won’t always compromise as much as you think. So shall we dig in?
(Side note: none of this is sponsored. I’m not that cool yet.)
Where to start looking?
Great question. My go-to lately has been Pinterest (and guess what, you can find Anxious International on there!). I’ve found a huge variety of travel suggestions, cheap locations I never would’ve thought of, and money-saving tips. Basically, it’s Google but with better search results. Most of the stuff I’ll talk about here I learned from there.
Obviously, search engines like Google are also pretty helpful. Google is kinda my arch nemesis, so I don’t usually use it unless I’m verifying resources and sites I’ve heard of elsewhere. (That’s my tip for you: verify everything before using it. In fact, feel free to verify everything you read in this post. It’s better safe than sorry, especially with traveling.) If you have a better relationship with search engines than I do, then search away! Everything is on these sites. The sky’s the limit.
Don’t forget YouTube! So many people put together videos about traveling and money-saving tips. And don’t overlook travel vlogs and the like, either. How did they afford to travel? Not all of them are sponsored. They might have some useful tips, and if nothing else, you now know more about a new place, and you’ll hopefully be even more motivated to travel.
Finishing off my not-remotely-complete list is social media! I was blown away by how many travel groups, accounts, and pages there are on social media. I’m in a women’s travel group on social media now, and everyone can ask for advice on locations, budgeting, transportation, flights, etc.. I don’t even post on social media (like, ever), but I’ve found myself posting here and getting great suggestions that won’t put a dent in my already empty wallet.
Cheap flights? Yes, please.
Flights can easily be the most expensive part of your travels. It’s the number that scares me most to look at and can shape my travel dates in a heartbeat. But what if you don’t have a car, or if it’s too far to drive, or if your license doesn’t work there, or if it’s across an ocean, or…? Yeah, in those cases, you might be better off flying. Especially since (in my limited experience) rental cars can cost even more than a series of short flights– and that’s before fuel costs. But never fear, cheap flights are near!
Where, you might ask? Number 1: Google Flights. I discovered this not long ago, and you can find some dirt cheap flights here if you’re willing to go anywhere. Just put in your departing airport and leave the destination blank. If you’re flexible, leave the dates blank, too. If not, no worries. You can still compare a bunch of cheap flights. I’m talking round trip coast to coast flights (in the U.S.; it’d be a little less impressive in the UK or something), for a little over $100. How about a round trip flight to/from Miami for $40 bucks? And depending on where you fly from and when you go, you might be lucky enough to find even cheaper stuff. It’s not just national flights, either. You’ve got options around the world.
Next up is Skyscanner. I haven’t used this one many times, but I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. While it’s not as cheap as Google Flights, you can usually find some nice deals on flights compared to sites like Kayak or Expedia (also, Kayak is usually cheaper than Expedia). It might not be dramatic discounts, but cheaper is cheaper, so, hey.
Did you know the day of the week can change flight costs? Yep. Some days are cheaper to fly that others. And make sure you know when tourist season is in your destination. Prices might shoot up when everyone will be traveling.
SkyMiles! If you travel frequently (or connect your account to your Starbucks Rewards account), you can eventually use your points to book flights or get free upgrades. You can use credit card rewards and cashback the same way. If you’re spending money anyway, you might as well get something out of it later.
Accommodation: check.
Depending on your destination, accommodation can be dirt cheap or cost half your savings. This is where we sometimes see comfort zones and high standards conflict with budgeting. But not always! (Thank goodness, because this is an area where I’d rather be comfortable.)
Just like with flights, you can sometimes use SkyMiles to book hotels. Don’t ask me how it works, but you can. And credit card rewards are just as nice here. I recently booked a stay using credit card points/cashback that cut the amount I actually paid significantly. Your price tag doesn’t change, but it won’t hurt your pockets (or purse, for the women) as much.
Compare booking sites. I tend to use Booking.com and filter based on distance from attractions or city center, cost, accommodation type, etc. You also have sites like Hostelworld with reasonable prices.
That brings us to the next thing, which might include some compromise: choose hostels over hotels. They’re almost always cheaper (like, by a lot). Honestly, as long as you look at reviews and are mindful of your personal items, they can be a great experience. I talk a little about my experience in a hostel in Crazy People in Cardiff. I’ll admit, I don’t have much experience here, and people have had a WIDE variety of experiences with hostels. Sometimes, it’s just what you’re willing to make of it. If nothing else, travel light, and it’ll give you an excuse to spend more time outside your accommodation.
Couchsurfing. Think free accommodation in someone’s home for a short length of time. You may or may not have much interaction with your host, so introverts should exercise caution here, I guess. Couchsurfing does require a paid membership to use, so I probably wouldn’t recommend unless you’re confident you’ll use it. There’s no browsing to see if you’d like it before you pay.
Now if you’re flexible on destination, look for places with cheap accommodation. ‘Nuff said.
Don’t forget you ‘gotta get around.
Unless a destination is walkable or you have a car there, you’ll need to find ways to get around. Or maybe you need to get to your destination in the first place, and flights aren’t an option. That’s the position I’m usually in. I’d recommend compromising a little in this area.
In places like the UK, choose coaches/buses over trains. Trains are usually much faster, but they are NOT cheap. Coaches are. It’ll take you a little longer (depending on the specific trip!) and in my experience, they’re more reliable and less prone to strikes anyway. The trip there and back will be less enjoyable, but you’ll have more money to spend at your destination.
Book directly through the company. Most of the time, the company will have the cheapest prices for their services. Some of them allow you to create a free account that can knock off/down booking fees, too.
Carpool. If you know someone with a car who needs/wants to go to the same area around the same time, and if it’s a drivable trip, then offer to split the cost of fuel and go together. The more people you go with, the cheaper it’ll be for everyone. And if you don’t know anyone, you can use resources like BlaBlaCar to find people planning their routes who are willing to carpool. I haven’t used that one yet, so I can’t vouch for it in any way, but it seems handy as long as you’re cautious.
Eurail/Interail are pretty neat. Interail only works for those with EU passports, and Eurail is the alternative. You can build your trip and choose how many days you want to spend in each place. You’ll choose a plan based on your needs and get to travel by train for relatively cheap around Europe.
Depending on where in the world you are, you can rent bicycles, scooters, etc. to get around for cheaper than renting a car.
Discounts on the whole trip? Sign me up!
You can mix ‘n match the discounts I’ve already told you about (or the ones you found somewhere else, but feel free to share if you find more!), but there are a few places where you can get discounts on the entire trip, not just parts of it. Again, you can use things like SkyMiles (or probably other airline equivalents) or credit card points/cashback to get special discounts on vacations.
I’ve started looking at an app called LuckyTrip. You have to create a free account to personalize most elements of a trip, or you can leave it to chance. This one only works if you’re flying out of Europe, though, so that’s a huge bummer. Basically, you set your departure airport, choose how many people are going, and set your budget. You can narrow down accommodation types, dates, and destinations or leave them to chance. Finally, you can narrow down what you’re looking for in a trip and hit the “Lucky” button. It’ll take the info you gave it and come up with an entire trip for you within your budget: location, accommodation, and flights (which are included if you book through them) and it’ll give you a list of things to do there. I haven’t booked with them yet, but I’m addicted to the app. I keep changing my filters to get inspiration for trips. A timer had to get put on it really fast.
Scour other blogs, the resources I listed earlier, and anywhere else you know to get discounts. A lot of things are more likely to give discounts or award entire vacations than just flights or stays.
General discounts depending on your demographic.
If there’s anything I’ve learned since starting uni, it’s that student discounts are great. And you can use them in a huge variety of places. When I went to Cardiff, I got cheaper tickets to the castle because I’m a student. Not to mention sites/apps like Student Beans or UNiDAYS. Those have an assortment of student discounts, and they’ll even include travel discounts.
I know some people who get military discounts on hotels, food (in their country), and some other stuff. The hotel discounts aren’t even limited to the country they serve in. One person I know went straight to a hotel’s website, chose their location and added a discount/special rate. Boom, half off certain hotel rooms. It’s hard to know when/where you can get military discounts, so if this applies to you, always check.
Similarly, you might apply for senior discounts/rates. My understanding is it works the same as getting the military discounts online. Just look at discounts or special rates when you book. There’s no age limit on travel, so enjoy those discounts and enjoy your trip!
Work on vacation? Is it worth it?
Yes. Full stop.
Do an internet search for volunteering at hostels, and you’ll get free stays abroad. Look into becoming an Au Pair and you’ll get an income and free accommodation. Wanna work on a farm? You have options, too! Tour guide? Yep, you’ll find something. Basically, if you’re willing to work or volunteer during your time abroad (and there are plenty of part-time and undemanding options), then either you cost will plummet or you’ll actually make money for traveling.
Also, who said you should only travel during vacation? If you can work from home, then why not see if you can work remotely abroad? Or just study abroad! Tuition costs might be lower (I know they are for me), and you’ll get both travel and a degree– two-for-one. Oh, and teach English abroad! Getting a certificate doesn’t take very long, and a lot of countries don’t require a degree, so you can skip the study abroad part (you’ll be missing out, but I understand the desire to escape student loans).
Clearly, there are a lot of ways to lower your travel costs. And there are so, so many more than just what’s in this post. I’m still new to finding these discounts, but they’ve been great so far. Hopefully you now have a few ideas, and feel free to comment or reach out if you find more that I haven’t mentioned. Like the title says, I’m low on money, too. Best of luck, God bless, and enjoy your guilt-reduced traveling.
One thought on “%1$s”