8 Ways to Travel on a Budget

Whether you’re dealing with the stress of university, are burnt out from your job, or are simply looking for a fresh start, we all need to escape every once in a while. However, thanks to money and time commitments, life doesn’t always make that easy or possible. 

Fortunately, we’re here to help with that. 

Travelling doesn’t always have to cost you a fortune, and it is perfectly possible to enjoy new experiences for much less than you might think – both in terms of time and money. By following our eight tips below, we will teach you all you need to know about becoming a pro budget traveller. 

Plan ahead

The first port of call when it comes to thinking about a going away is to plan, plan, plan. 

While you don’t need to know your entire itinerary down to a tee, it certainly helps knowing where you’d like to go and what you’d like to do when you’re there. 

Browse through flight comparison websites like Skyscanner and Jack’s Flight Club to see where you can get to fairly cheaply from your nearest airport, then plan accordingly. Think about the travelling arrangements when you get there, how expensive the currency is, and when is the best time to go.  

Go in the off-season

Flight prices tend to plummet during the off-season so, if you’re looking to travel on a budget, then could be a good time go. Plus, it’ll mean that wherever you choose to visit will be less busy than if you were to go in the more popular months of the year. 

While you may have to deal with some slightly worse weather, the money you could save will make it all worthwhile if you can actually afford to do things while you’re there. 

Travel light

One of the best ways to save money while travelling is by taking as few belongings as possible. While you’ll obviously need clothes and toiletries, avoid packing bulky items that could weigh a lot. If you go over the weight limit for your cabin-sized carry-on bag, airlines can and will charge a lot of money for the excess, so don’t give them that luxury.

Avoid the touristy things

Tourist attractions are expensive – that’s a fact – and, while it may not be possible to avoid every single one of them, you should think about which ones are actually worth your time and money. 

Most locations across the globe offer free attractions and classes you can do instead. Museums, art galleries and parks are often free to access, so plan ahead to see which pay-to-enter attractions you actually want to do. 

Experiences > souvenirs

While on the subject of saving money, it may be a nice sentiment to buy friends and family souvenirs from your travels but, if you know you can’t afford it, don’t. If they are nice people, they will understand, and will likely rather that you spent the money on an experience for yourself. 

When travelling on a budget, it’s important to prioritise yourself and your own experiences. You can always get souvenirs on your next holiday if/when money is less of an issue. 

Go incognito

Certain travel websites can be very sneaky, so make sure you shop around for the best price. Use incognito mode on your laptop or computer’s browser to ensure you’re always being quoted the fairest prices – travel websites can use cookies on your browser to remember the prices you’ve been quoted before and charge you accordingly. 

Be sensible about food & drink

It can be tempting while on holiday to eat out every single night but, over time, this could add up to a lot of money. Avoid this by being sensible about the food you eat. Cook where you can, buy cheap street food from local markets, and take snacks with you for when you’re feeling hungry. 

Also, depending on where you go, drink prices can vary between being incredibly cheap to incredibly expensive. If they’re on the pricier end of the scale, try to limit the amount you drink, as this could eat up a lot of your budget. 

Travel at night

Staying in cheap hostels can be a great way to save money but, an even better way to keep costs down, is by travelling through the night. 

Most countries have sleeper trains and night flights available, meaning you can get to and from places during the night. This, in turn, kills two birds with one stone – saving money on a hotel for the night, while ensuring you don’t eat into the limited time you have on holiday.