We live in such a beautiful part of the world but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to show Lucas different places and experience various cultures.
To travel without spending a fortune is an achievement. With the skyrocketing prices of everything, it seems that a cheap travel experience can happen once in a blue moon, but not if you are aware of the ways to get cheap travel offers and deals.
So, to make your dream of travelling without going broke possible, consider the following ideas for cheap travel. These tips can serve as helpful guidelines for planning your trip and financing your travel on a budget.
Flight deals
Find airlines that let you subscribe to their promo alerts, so you will have the opportunity to learn more about low fares. As a result, you will spend less flying and enjoy cheap travel. There are also flight offer sites such as Scott’s Flights (this seems better for the US airports), I have added 2 local airports to me in the UK and 2 in France and neither are supported. There is also Expedia which seems better worldwide and if you have a specific destination in mind but not a time scale, you can track destinations on Google flights.
Ferry Deals
Use Compare Ferries to get the best price. With the ferry search tool, you can guarantee that you are securing the most advantageous offer for ferry tickets. You will be able to view and compare prices for different routes in one location using the ferry search. There is no need to tirelessly search through multiple websites on the internet. They thoroughly examine every ferry company and route to ensure you purchase the most affordable ticket.
Travel off-peak
Travel on a budget is not always possible with children in school but if possible looks at various times and days for going places. Often flights are cheaper midweek and accommodation cheaper in school terms.
Research
Do comprehensive research and planning. The Internet can be an invaluable source of travel promotions and cheap travel packages. So, if you are always online, chances are that you can get the earliest updates about cheap bookings.
Travel light
Don’t bring too much luggage and unnecessary stuff. With most airlines charging separately for luggage, try to take as little as possible. Make the most of the room you have in your carry-on luggage.
Be aware of your expenses
Look around for the best credit cards for air miles. Using travel reward points to pay for items can result in many miles to claim. Make sure you pay the balance off in full each month. Even supermarket loyalty cards convert points into hotel or travel vouchers. Join loyalty programmes with hotels as well, such as Marriot Rewards and Hotels. com, where you earn free nights when booking nights.
Work Away
One way to travel on a budget is by participating in volunteer programs overseas through platforms such as Workaway. Workaway is the largest website for work exchange, but there are several Workaway alternatives.
Use your house
Whilst you are away, put your home on Airbnb, your home could earn you enough to pay for your trip away. You could also join one of the home exchange sites.
House Sitting
Using Trusted House Sitters, you can apply for house and pet sitting worldwide, getting your accommodation for free. The annual membership cost is similar to a one-night stay in a hotel, so well worth the money, and you can apply for as many house sits as you like throughout the year. Also, look at Facebook groups for house sitting and pet sitting in specific areas or countries, like this house sitting in France group.
Check the cheapest way to get around your destination.
Once you have arrived at your destination, use public transport rather than private taxis. If hiring a car, don’t just get the one from the airport where prices are significantly hiked up. Research other ways to hire a car. For example cheapest way to hire a car in France is from one of the supermarkets. For another trip I am planning, I have hired a car from a car dealership further away from the airport, the car is a lot cheaper than the airport, and there is a free shuttle bus to it, allowing me to still travel on a budget.
Travel to cheaper destinations
This will vary depending on where you live but don’t go to all the places that are popular, and prices are high. Go where the cheap flights or car journeys take you and enjoy investigating new places without tourists. You’ll be surprised where you can get on a budget, it’s possible to find cheap tropical islands and adventurous getaways without spending a fortune.
Convert your currency wisely
We use Wise to convert our currency. It is a borderless bank account that you get a debit card with. They use the real-time exchange rate as you’ll find on an independent source like Google, XE, and Yahoo Finance. (Their fees are as low as 0.35%.) You can hold and manage money in more than 50 currencies. This lets you avoid exchange rate movements and prep for future transfers.
I also use Revolut. They don’t believe in financial borders, so they let you spend abroad in over 150 currencies with the interbank exchange rate, with a small 0.5% fee for anything above £6,000 each month. A flat markup on weekends and certain currencies may apply. Although ATM withdrawals cost them money, they give you £200 a month in international ATM withdrawals for free. Anything over £200 attracts a small 2% fee to help cover their costs. They can also help with insurance, from your health to your phone; they’ll ensure you and the things you love are protected worldwide for as little as £1.00 per day. Insurance is provided by Revolut Travel Ltd. The free card and app also help you with budgeting and can round up pennies to the nearest pound to help you save.
You can literally save hundreds and thousands of pounds if you become aware of cheap travel destinations. As a result, you will find contentment at the end of the trip because you will successfully travel on a budget, just as planned.
Rosey says
There are so many wonderful places to see that are not so expensive. I love the tips, and the one about the carry on luggage is near and dear to my heart. The fees for everything on flights has become the norm and it really jacks up the prices of your tickets overall, esp. if you are traveling as a family.
rachael phillips says
amazing tips, i love visiting new places and am always on a budget. my favourite thing is to look on skyscanner and find the cheapest flights and just go for it, i’ve had some real bargains. EAting where the locals eat is one of my top tips, that is usually where you find the cheapest and the best food. Looking forward to reading more about your adventures x
Laura - Dear Bear and Beany says
Great tips. Travelling and seeing the world is a wonderful thing, but it isn’t cheap!
Courtney says
Awesome tips!!! I’m always trying my best to travel off season, or at least as close to off season as possible! Crazy how much you can save!!
Kira says
We want to try and travel more as we didn’t much ,last year . Definitely will be on a budget . Thanks for these tips
Kara Guppy says
I am always looking for ways to save money on travel but not sure I would rent my house out……..it needs too much work
Aimee says
Thank you for all of these great tips. I would love to go travelling more, but finance is a real struggle as a student so this is great! Will be saving this to refer back to in the near future. 🙂
Rosey says
It’s nice to go off season too, because the lines are so much easier to endure. The difference in the off-season and tourist time is astounding. You lose so much time waiting in ques if you go during the ‘hot trip’ times.
Rebecca Smith says
These are great tips. We always try to ensure we travel on a budget and we are always looking for good deals.