How to Travel Cheap? Our 15 Best Tips [Infographic]
Many people don't travel much because they think travelling is expensive. The most asked question related to travelling is how to travel cheaply. There are various ways to travel inexpensively or even for free. Research and explore the world!
There are some aspects of travel on which you should not save money, travel insurance and appropriate visa permits to certain countries need to be purchased. So how can you travel cheaply? On what you can save up and how to do it?
Here is a cheap travel guide that will help you visit as many countries as you can without spending all of your money!
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1.Plan and Research
To see the world while on a budget, one of the most important things to do before you hit the road is planning and researching. If you want to save as much money as possible, you will need to make proper plans concerning your trip.
Make a thorough plan of:
- what airlines best to use to get cheap flights and when it is best to book them
- the place you want to go to and what to see in it. Consider making a list of free attractions and the cheapest travel destinations
- if you're travelling by car, plan where you're going to be pumping your petrol to find the most affordable options and what routes best to use
- consider hitchhiking or using any of the applications offering free car rides
- plan what and where will you be eating, consider cooking at your destination
- plan each day of your trip and the expenses that need to be made
- prepare a list of clothes and things to pack, make it light
Planning and researching ensure saving money, whether through using budget airlines, cheap, local restaurants with good food, or even taking advantage of exchange programs that give you free accommodation. Plan your budget and personal finance to ensure sufficient funds for budget travel.
2.Travel During the "Off-Peak" Times
Travelling during the most crowded seasons in each country is not only more expensive but also quite hectic and troublesome. The best way to travel to not only save a lot of money but have the tourist destinations to yourself is to travel during the off-peak times.
Most hotels and tourist attractions are even 50% off when travelling off-season.
3.Pack Efficiently
Light packing is one of the best travel tips for multiple reasons. You can save on paying an additional fee for heavy luggage while travelling by air. If you choose to hitchhike or use free car rides, small baggage can help you find a ride easier.
Some may be wondering how to pack lightly for a long trip. Here are some of the best tips to light packing for a long journey:
- Choose multi-functional wardrobe pieces
- Consider using a spacious, durable backpack instead of a suitcase
- If you go to a warm climate place, pack light material clothes
- Rewash the things you wear and choose pieces that dry quickly
- Roll your clothes, don't fold them so that they don't take as much space
- Plan whole outfits you can make with the clothes you're taking
4.Target Seasonal Deals
While looking and researching for cheap flights, plan your purchase on the seasonal deals that happen on certain days. Here is a list of the best days to snap a seasonal deal:
- Black Friday
- Tuesday Travel
- Cyber Monday
- Christmas
- New Years
- Valentines Day
There are multiple other days to take advantage of when buying airline tickets. To travel around the world cheaply, research airlines offers beforehand thoroughly and choose the best date. Booking your flight early will also do the trick if there are no seasonal days ahead.
5.Use e-Visa permits
Electronic visa permits could help you save some money but, most importantly, save time. To apply for an e-Visa to different countries worldwide, you will only need a working device with an internet connection and a credit card, or other means of payment, to pay the visa fee.
There is no need to leave your home to apply, no need to visit the embassy. Applying online saves you money that you would spend on visiting the embassy and time that you would waste on waiting in the queues.
The online application takes less than 15 minutes, and the processing time takes up to 72 hours. However, usually, e-Visa permits arrive much earlier at the traveller's e-mail address!
6.Find Budget-Friendly Housing
If you want to travel for cheap, accommodation is one of the things that you can save on or even get for free. Make sure to research this part of travelling correctly. When planning a trip, take into consideration the following:
- programs that offer free accommodation in exchange for work or house-keeping
- house swap programs
- sites and applications that help you compare the accommodation options and find the best one
- sleeping in a tent and moving from one place to another
- trying couchsurfing
- hostels instead of hotels
If you want to travel for much cheaper, lower your standards, focus on people and seeing the world instead of luxuries!
7.Try Travel hacking
Travel hacking is one of the ways to get a free flight or free housing. The best way to find your way around the world for as little money as possible is to plan your flights and hotels to be always of the same chain.
This way, if you have a credit card that takes part in these programs, you can gain travel rewards credit points.
Points rewards credit card makes an excellent option for future free travelling.
The most prominent rewards credit card is the Chase Sapphire credit card. Gain reward points and have access to some free flights or housing later on!
8.Get Around on Bicycles
When you already are at your destination, the best cheap way to explore the area is by cycling. Instead of spending money on renting a car, cycle your way around your destination. Make stops whenever you feel like it, get to places where cars can't go.
You will save money on parking fees, petrol, and renting. Plan your route carefully, take the food you need with you and explore fully this great way to get to know the foreign lands.
9. Stay Away From Taxis
Taxis as comfortable as they are, sadly are not budget-friendly. The transaction fees can be enormously high for tourists abroad. If you want to get from place to place while abroad consider using:
- bikes
- public transport
- trains
- hitchhiking
- free car rides apps
- walks
If you're still a student, try to find cheap ways to get around using student discounts!
10. Work and Travel
Working abroad can solve all of your financial problems while travelling. If you know English or any other language, consider teaching it as your way to pay off the travelling expenses.
You can also work as a waiter/waitress or find any other minimum wage job that does not require experience. A great way to travel and work at the same time is working on a yacht or a cruise ship! Imagine all of the beautiful destinations you could visit while getting paid.
If you're lucky and hard-working, travelling could be your way to live. Best travel-friendly job is keeping a travel blog. Make money on the internet, sell what you can do, whether this would be translating, copywriting, blogging.
The possibilities are endless!
11. Buy at the Local Markets
Local markets and local restaurants are not only budget-friendly but also delicious. The locals know best where should you eat and where to buy to spend as little money as possible.
Ask the locals to offer you some tips when it comes to food and restaurants. From fresh produce bought at the local markets, you can easily prepare some tasty food at your accommodation to save even more. You can practice your haggling skills and language skills as well!
12. Try Street Food
Along with local markets, eating street food can be a great way to save money while travelling. Street food can be delicious and represents the personality and traditions of your destination.
Before having street food, find some recommendations so that you are eating the best possible food at the lowest price. Learn how to pronounce the names of the foods you want to buy. Maybe the locals will appreciate it, and you could have some for free, saving even more money.
13. Visit Free Attractions
Free attractions are another great way to save cash. No matter what is your destination, you are sure to find some free attractions that are entertaining.
Before leaving, do your research to find the best free attractions at your destination. We're confident that you will find something great to see. Consider buying a multiple-entrance pass for the attractions that need to be paid for to save some more money.
14. Buy Local SIM Card
If you are travelling abroad, you will want to consider purchasing a SIM card in your destination country. Making international phone calls is undoubtedly expensive. Ultimately, the cost of buying a local SIM card at your destination will be much less than the cost of calling friends and family at home from your regular card.
Internet costs should drop significantly with a local SIM card as well.
15. Choose cheap but beautiful destinations
Research how much your currency is worth at the destination you plan on going to. See what the exchange rate is and choose the best time to exchange your currency to avoid high transaction fees.
Numerous cheap travel destinations that are beyond beautiful wait to be discovered. East Europe, Asia, and Africa have a lot to offer their tourists with not much money.
Here is a list of some of the most beautiful and cheap countries to visit on a budget:
- Vietnam: is one of the most affordable countries to visit. Travel to Vietnam and explore its' natural landscapes, numerous free attractions, and haggle at the local markets to get the best offer possible.
Street food is Vietnam's pride. As cheap as it is, it also has some good quality and is most definitely delicious. You can explore Vietnam for $30 per day, everything included! E-Visa to Vietnam costs just 79 Euro and allows a single-entry for 30 days. With food, accommodation, attractions for $30 per day, visiting this country is a cheap travel option for everyone.
- Cambodia: Cambodia offers tourists a cheap stay. You can sustain your travel for just $25 per day. Make sure to do proper research of free attractions and best hostels to stay in, while in Cambodia.
Get around the country and explore it thoroughly on a rented bike or intercity buses. Eat street food, buy at the local markets, haggle and be friendly with the locals! E-Visa to Cambodia costs 99 Euro for a single-entry visa for 30 days.
- Turkey: another cheap country to travel to, is Turkey. However, you need to plan your trip thoroughly and your expenses to get the best offer possible.
Turkey is a big country with seven diverse regions. Each region has its' own characteristics and must-see places to see. Travelling from area to area may be expensive, so we suggest planning the route and the means of travel within the country carefully. With proper research, you can spend only $40 per day in Turkey!
An additional cost to add to your expenses is the Turkish e-Visa that can cost either 69, 99, or 129 Euro depending on your nationality.
- Egypt: for a cheap travel and exploring Egypt, avoid taxis or bargain if you need to use one. Try the local train or other means of transport. Choose hostels instead of hotels and compare the prices before you go.
To avoid high admission fees for entrance to the Egypt attractions, try buying a multiple-entry pass that will save you a lot of money if you wish to see as much as possible. E-Visa to Egypt will cost you 69 Euro for a single-entry visa for a stay of 30 days or 99 Euro for a multiple-entry visa for six months validity and each stay of up to 30 days.
- Sri Lanka: can be explored for approximately $30 per day for food, accommodation and transportation. The most incredible way to discover Sri Lanka is by taking a train. Take advantage of cheap transport, food and housing to save up money to see the more expensive side of Sri Lanka, i.e. the World Heritage Sites located there.
E-Visa to Sri Lanka costs just 69 Euro for a visa allowing two entries up to 30 days of stay each. It can be used for tourism, business and transit purposes.
- India: a country that can be explored for only $20 a day! However, you need to lower your standards as much as possible to travel to India on a budget. Hostels and different accommodation places need to be booked without any agents or websites to get the best deal.
Use all of the travel tips described above, plan your journey to India carefully, and try discovering the country as a local. India e-Visa costs that need to be added to your expenses are either 129 Euro or 149 Euro depending on your nationality.
Final Words
The travel tips you can use vary depending on your goal. If you want to make a living on travelling, try working abroad, working through the internet, blogging and capturing your journey.
If you want to travel occasionally, make sure to use all the other tips, including the Chase Sapphire travel rewards credit card. Try seeing the world as the locals do, find budget airlines, explore many exchange programs that allow you to travel for free!
Whatever your goal is, seeing the world makes some of the most remarkable experiences in life. Don't waste your time staying in one place. Explore as much as you can, have a great time, meet new people and do so on a budget using our cheap travel guide.
