“I don’t have enough money..” “I don’t get paid enough..” “Traveling is too expensive..” “Maybe next year when I have more saved..” “I’m bad at budgeting..”
I have heard every excuse from people for why they can’t travel, but why not start making excuses to travel. Whether it be for a long weekend or for 6 months, there are ways to make travel affordable and feasible for everyone and that is called budget traveling! I was nowhere near making six figures, I don’t come from fame or fortune, and I haven’t won the lottery. Yet, here I am, during my 4th month of budget traveling writing this blog.
So obviously the first step is to save money for the trip and if you need suggestions for this click here for my blog on how to save money for traveling.
Woo! So now you have saved enough money for a trip and need to buy plane tickets. Skyscanner is a great website to use to look up flights. You can look at a whole month and the website shows you which days are cheapest to buy. This way you can save money on your ticket.
How to Budget Travel
You have now flown, driven, taken a train, swam, biked, or walked to your destination and are on the trip and you need help saving money and making your money last while traveling. It is actually not as hard as one would think. Below are some tips:
Cook Your Meals
This will always be my number one tip for saving money before you travel or while traveling. It saves tons of money! I could buy 3 meals for myself from the grocery store for the price of 1 at a restaurant. Now I’m not saying cook every single meal, because let’s be real, one of the best parts of traveling is trying different kinds of food and experiencing different cultures.
Use credit card points/miles
If you love to travel, I suggest getting a credit card that earns you points/miles and start using it for everything you can (of course be sure you can eventually pay it off). The points/miles you earn can be used towards accommodation, flights, tours, excursions, etc. And while traveling keep using your credit cards to continue to gain points/miles. Just be sure your card has no foreign transaction fees. My favorite credit cards are Capital One and Chase. For example, I used my points to take a day tour to Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia and got to experience beautiful waterfalls for free!
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Stay in Airbnbs or Hostels
These tend to be cheaper than actual hotels. Plus most of the time they come with a kitchen so you can cook your own meals (refer to first tip above). I feel like people have a stigma against hostels thanks to the scary horror films, but honestly some of the hostels I have stayed in have been better than hotel rooms I’ve had. Hostelworld is my favorite website to use when booking hostels. They have tons of hostels to choose from all around the world and the website is well-organized and easy to use.
Couchsurf
I have yet to do this, but I know people who have. Basically someone lets you stay in their home for free which is awesome. And you get to meet friends along the way.
Accommodation Location
When looking for accommodation look for places right outside the city center. These accommodations tend to be cheaper. You may have to walk farther to get to the main attractions, but your wallet will thank you.
Decrease your drinking
I’m a sucker for a good beer and coffee, but I have cut back a lot while traveling since it adds up. I love to try new beers in difference countries I travel to so I will buy different kinds from the grocery store since it is cheaper or buy a flight at a brewery so I can try a little bit of everything for a decent price.
Eurail/Interail Pass Benefits
If you are in Europe and using the Eurail/Interail Global Pass to travel through Europe, always check your pass benefits! Each country provides different benefits for different things. You may get discounts on attractions, public transit, and more! For example, in Switzerland we were able to get a discount on our funicular pass to go up a mountain in Interlaken.
View from the top of the mountain in Interlaken
Skip the international phone plan
Most accommodations, restaurants, museums, bars, etc. have Wifi now so spending a lot of money on a phone plan isn’t worth it to me. But then again, I also enjoy the “unplugged” feeling when traveling to really be in the moment.
Pick and choose your tourist attractions
On a budget you won’t be able to go in to every museum or take every tour. Choose 2-3 main things you really want to see or do and spend your money on that. Or look to see if your credit card points will cover it 🙂 For example, Gondola rides are super pricy, but when you’re in Venice it is kind of a must do. So I looked in my Chase Rewards and was able to find a gondola ride that I could use my points for, so it was free!
Gondola ride in Venice
City Cards
If you like to see a lot of museums and attractions when traveling then check first to see if the city you are visiting has a city card. Most well known cities have cards you can buy for 24, 48, or 72 hours. These cards typically include public transit, free museum entry, and discounts on other attractions. All city cards are different so be sure to look to make sure the card includes the things you want to do and see. If you use the card enough it usually pays for itself and you save money!
Do your research
You can typically find lots of free activities in the cities you are visiting so do some research before going. Most cities have free walking tours (but be nice and tip your guide), free museums, etc.
Medieval skyline picture from our free walking tour in Ghent, Belgium
Walk!
Skip the public transit to save money. Plus, exploring a city while walking is the best way to find restaurants, bars, shops, etc. I will admit some cities are way too spread out to walk and you have to take some public transit. It is typically cheaper to by transit cards for a full day or multiple days rather than buying a single ticket each time.
Hiking and exploring in Edinburgh, Scotland
Use these tips to make your money last and stress less while traveling! Everyone deserves to see this beautiful world!
