HOW TO TRAVEL WITH A BUDGET
Many parts of the globe will soon be open for travel as vaccinations improve and testing becomes simpler.
After more than a year of COVID restrictions and lockdowns, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.
It won’t happen all at once, and what will happen at first will be limited. As the year goes on, the world will become more accessible, and we will be able to travel, which brings us joy.
Even though travel is happening again, if you’re starved for money or both, travel can still seem like a distant dream. It’s a wish that may never come true, regardless of how the world looks.
There have been many positive developments that make it easier to travel more. These include cheaper airfares, more deal-finding sites (and other information), online, free walking tours and more opportunities to connect directly to the local culture via the sharing economy.
In a post-COVID world, most of this infrastructure will be back. Many money-saving opportunities are available right now to help make future trips more affordable.
As the world slowly opens up, I’d like to share some tips on travelling with a budget in 2018.
Change your mindset
Although it might not be the most budget-friendly tip, changing your mindset is essential. Remember that you can travel and take concrete steps to make it happen. Even if you only take small steps, action is what will make it happen.
Have a “yes, we can” mindset. Do not think that you can’t travel. Instead, think about what you can do to make your trip more real.
It’s a mental game. You can build unstoppable momentum by doing one thing daily that brings you closer to your destination.
Make savings plans
We all need to save money, even if you aren’t Bill Gates. How do you do this? Although life can be expensive, there are still ways to save money. You can always cut costs. Every little bit can add up over time.
Even if you only have a few dollars weekly, get into the habit of regularly contributing money to your travel fund. Every penny counts. You can save more money the more you save. It becomes almost a game. It’s no longer a chore.
Grab a Flight Deal
People tell me that the price of Flying is what keeps them from travelling more. Let me tell you, right now; there are many deals.
Airlines are all trying to fill their planes, offering deals for fall and summer travel. They need to make up the year lost and want to get people on planes.
Flexibility is key to finding cheap flights. You will have to pay the full cost of your flight if you are set on Paris in June. You’ll find cheaper flights if you change your mind about “France in June” or “Europe in July” as you have more time to choose dates and destinations.
To browse all of my options, I use Google Flights or Skyscanner. After entering my hometown, I choose “everywhere” as my destination. Then, I base my plans on where I can fly for the most money.
You don’t have to do this (it’s a great Friday night activity), but you can look at these websites to search for deals that you can email to yourself:
- Scott’s Affordable Flights – The best website to find cheap flights from the US
- The Flight Deal Incredible Deals on Flights All Around the World
- Secret Flying is another site that offers amazing flights deals around the world (they have a lot of deals in Asia/Africa/South America not found anywhere else)
Earn Points
Travel hacking is the art of collecting miles and points. This is a great way for budget-conscious travellers to travel. You can easily earn hundreds of thousands of miles by getting a credit card with high points and following a few simple steps. These points can be redeemed for free flights, hotel stays, and other travel rewards.
Travel hacking has allowed me to earn countless free upgrades and hotel stays. You can save thousands of dollars by optimizing your spending and paying close attention to which cards earn the most points.
Make use of the Sharing Economy.
The sharing economy is a new way to save money and build communities that make travel more affordable, accessible, and personal. It’s easier than ever to connect with locals and live at their pace. These websites are what I use when I travel. These websites are worth your time.
These are the top sharing economy websites to get you started.
- Airbnb is the best platform to find rooms, apartments and homes for rent from locals.
- Couchsurfing is a great way to find free accommodation (often in people’s homes) and meet locals/travellers. I love the hangout feature of the app. You can see who is available to meet you.
- Trusted housesitters are the best website for finding house-sitting gigs. While the homeowner is away, you can watch the place while they are away.
- EatWith allows you to share home-cooked meals with locals. It’s like the Airbnb of food. It’s always a great way to meet new people, and it’s my favourite thing.
- BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing app that matches riders with locals who have a spare car.
- RVShare allows you to rent RVs or campervans from locals.