How To Travel On a Budget And Get The Best Value For Your Money

Are you eager to indulge in the breathtaking views, delicious food, and exciting adventure of an incredible vacation — but worried about the costs?

Well, if you love a good bargain, you’ll be happy to know that in recent years, travel has become accessible for everyone, no matter your budget. That means you do not have to break the bank if you want to see the world.

In this guest post, travel consultant Sophia Dean shares a few of her best tips and tricks that can help you satisfy your desire to experience the world while finding smart ways to travel on a budget.

22 Tips and Tricks for Traveling on a Budget

Plan Accordingly

Nothing beats coming up with a plan for your future travels. So for starters, it is paramount to know your destination, the mode of transport you intend on using, where you want to stay, and the activities you want to do. 

Visit Places Where Your Money Goes a Long Way

When you want to travel on a budget, a great money-saving trick is to go to places where your money goes a long way. Try to choose countries where the currency is weaker compared to yours. For example, Southeast Asian countries are very budget-friendly because your expenses can add up to only $40 a day. 

Travel During Off-Season

Consider traveling during the off-season because everything will be cheaper and there will not be too many tourists. However, most people like to travel during the summer months, meaning that the prices of everything will go up. 

Find Flight Deals

The cost of flights is usually the most expensive part of traveling. So finding the best flights deals can save you a ton of money. But you have to know where to look. Use websites like Skyscanner, Hopper, Momondo, and Kayak to find great flight deals. Also, keeping track of flights can enable you to plan your trip around when flights are the cheapest. 

Cook Your Meals

Everyone knows that one of the best parts of a vacation is not having to cook, right? However, cooking your meals when traveling will save you a lot of money. Depending on the region you are visiting you can consider which is the better value – cooking or eating out. For example, countries in Asia tend to be cheaper, meaning you can always eat out. In contrast, those in Europe tend to be more expensive, meaning cooking will be the better option. As a happy medium, you can also consider cooking most of your meals while still leaving room to try out a few restaurants in the area you are visiting.

Carry Your Water Bottle

Plastic water bottles are expensive and harmful to the environment. Instead, bring your water bottle to all your trips and fill it in water before leaving your accommodation to go exploring. 

Here’s a great BPA-free water bottle with a filter for only around $20.

Come Up with Your Own Tours

Instead of paying for specific tours, schedule your own expeditions. A guided tour means that you will get to all the spots you want to see alongside other tour groups, meaning the place will likely be overcrowded. Plus, guided tours tend to be a little expensive, and all you will be doing is paying for someone to arrange sightseeing for you. On the other hand, this is something you can easily do yourself. Scheduling your own expedition means waking up extra early to catch the sunrise if you want or staying out late exploring the destination more.  

Check out this cool site that lets you plan your itinerary for free.

Research The Place You Are Planning on Visiting

Before going to a foreign country, know the currency conversion rates, meaning how much value your money will be worth. Also, it’s essential to be aware of any scams or security alerts and what precautions you need to take. The idea is to have fun and stay safe even when you travel on a budget. Here are some simple travel safety tips everyone should know. 

Work While You Are on Your Travels

If you are traveling long-term, you can consider getting a work permit for your destination country. Working while traveling will save you money on food and accommodations. Plus you can even earn some money which you can put away for future travels. Before leaving your country, carry out your research on the legality of working in the destination country. Some ways to work abroad include housesitting, Au Pair, teaching English, seasonal jobs like summer camps, Workaway, hostels, and working holiday visas.

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Stay In Affordable Accommodations

There are always inexpensive accommodations everywhere, no matter where you are going. Some places where you can get affordable accommodations include Airbnb, Couchsurfing, Hostelworld, and camping. 

Get Accommodations with Breakfast Included Packages

Getting accommodation with breakfast included will reduce your food budget significantly. Try to compare the accommodation price with breakfast and without before booking it.

Create a budget of how much your entire trip will likely cost and make it a point of following the budget. However, be sure to add in extra money as a bit of a cash cushion in the event an unexpected expense arises or just in case you underprice things. 

Collect Travel Points To Travel on a Budget

Sometimes you do not always have the option to save a lot of money. So consider taking advantage of travel points that you can earn through credit card rewards. 

For example, you can earn travel points by using your credit card to pay for groceries, gas, flights, food, gear, and even your travel accommodations. 

Click here to learn how you can earn 60,000 bonus points with Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Get A Local or International Sim Card

A little-known tip for traveling on a budget is to purchase a local or international sim card. You can purchase a local sim card in the country you are visiting and get prepaid minutes and texts that you can use only in that country. You might also consider an international sim card which you can use worldwide and offers incoming calls and texts that are usually free. Either way,  getting a sim card means that you will not be charged a ridiculous phone bill once you return home. 

Choose Free Excursions When Traveling on a Budget

Curate your trip around free excursions you can do at your destination. Every destination always has free things to do which will save you some money. For instance, look up free walking tours, free entrance days in galleries and museums, and even free street art. 

Stay Away from Touristy Areas

Touristy areas are always expensive because everyone wants to visit those places. And they know people will pay no matter the prices. Consider visiting less touristy areas and even countries in regions like the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. Look for less visited places, accommodation outside the city, and explore off-beaten paths for an experience half the cost of what you would spend in the main hubs. 

Use Local Transport

The best way to get around in any new city or town is using local transport, such as trains or buses. These will save you a lot of money that you would have otherwise spent on cabs. 

Travel Longer and Slower

Most flights and accommodations tend to cost less for extended stays. 

Pack Light

Baggage fees always tend to add up in most cases. If you can travel with just a carry-on, that would be ideal because it will save you the extra baggage fees. Be sure to check the weather of your destination to pack accordingly. 

Avoid Booking Last Minute

When traveling on a budget, make all your travel arrangements early, such as booking your flights and accommodations. Because leaving all the bookings till the last minute can cost you up to ten times more. 

Buy Souvenirs from Local Vendors

Buy all your souvenirs from local vendors rather than the tourist shops. Supporting local vendors means that the money will go directly to their families. On top of that, you will buy the souvenirs at a much more affordable price. 

Let Lunch Be Your Biggest Meal

The lunch menu is always cheaper than the dinner menu in most places. So consider stuffing yourself during lunch for a much more reasonable price. 

Travel Insurance

Getting travel insurance is crucial for any traveler. Primarily because it covers you if anything happens like getting ill abroad, losing your luggage, or your trip getting canceled. 

Fly Mid-Week

Flying during the week tends to be cheaper than flying on weekends which is when people are more likely to travel. However, you should be aware that ticket prices are generally based on demand. So while Tuesdays and Wednesdays may give you a slight edge, your chances of scoring the best prices are to always book as many months ahead as possible. Still, it’s smart to compare prices on different days of the week before you book and not limit your flying to the weekend.

The Bottom Line

There is so much traveling you can do without going broke.

And now you have plenty of options to help you travel on a budget. All you need to do is choose the tips that will allow you to keep the most money in your pocket.

And just imagine how much fun you’ll have when you can enjoy your vacation and not worry about the costs. 

I am Sophia Dean, mother of four, three boys, then came my beautiful princess. I grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to Canada at 15. In 2019 right before the world turned upside down, I became a Cruise and Vacation Consultant for Expedia Cruises. I have a wild passion for travel, and for the past few years, I have traveled to quite a few countries. I believe that there is no one way to live your life. There are infinite ways to lead a fulfilling life, and I’m all about adventure. I am addicted to the beach and love this travel business. 

I was encouraged by a great friend to become a blogger in January 2022. I didn’t even think twice. I turned my passion into a blog. Since I started this blog to share my travel experience with you all, the journey has been a learning experience and loving every minute of it. At Road to Waterfalls, you will find articles and travel experiences from adventures to road trips we can share our dreams and discover new things. The fundamental objective of my blog is to motivate and inspire everyone to travel. P.S Oh, I started a new business with Arbonne Canada.

Sophia Dean Cruise and Vacation Consultant /Travel Blogger/ Independent Consultant @Arbonne Canada www.roadtowaterfalls.org  www.sophiadean.arbonne.com