Our budget travel tips will help you reach your travel goals without breaking the bank. Exploring other parts of the world and satisfying your wanderlust doesn’t have to be expensive or out of reach. We spent 5 consecutive years backpacking 40+ countries on a minimal budget, so we know these work.
Traveling on a budget is not hard but there are many things to consider. Your time, values, and priorities all have an impact. As does the actual destination and type of trip you have in mind. There may be compromises involved and tough decisions to be made, but everything is manageable and attainable with a little conscious effort.
The following is not an exhaustive list. We will add to it as we discover and try out more ourselves. This details how we currently budget as we work full-time taking smaller trips throughout the year.
This is the “cliffs notes” version of my three-part blog series.
If you’re interested in reading my long-winded post with added tidbits and stories check out the following:
- Budget Travel Tips: The In-Depth Simple Guide (Part 1)
- Budget Travel Tips: The In-Depth Simple Guide (Part 2)
- Budget Travel Tips: The In-Depth Simple Guide (Part 3)
Budget Travel Tips: The Complete Simple Guide
- Know Before You Go: Plan Your Trip
- Budget
- Destination
- Timelines
- Wants
- Consider the When
- Time of Year
- Time of Day
- Deal or No Deal?
- Comparisons
- Memberships
- Discounts
- Happy hours
- Choose Your Accommodation Wisely
- Type & Amenities
- The Where
- The How
- Early Bird or Last Minute
- How You Travel Matters
- Walking
- Cycling
- Public Transit
- Rideshares
- Be Free
- Free Walking Tours
- Self-Guided Tours
- Free Days or Times
- Nature Time
- Don’t Eat Your Budget
- Eat Street Food
- Cook Your Food
- Pack Snacks
- Keep It Simple
- Do Your Research
- Find What Matters the Most
- Sharing is Caring
1. Know Before You Go: Plan Your Trip
Traveling with no agenda or plan sounds appealing. Take off with your spontaneous self, your backpack, a water bottle, and a dream in your heart. It’s great. But it’s not always practical, especially from a budgeting standpoint.
You don’t need to have a full itinerary, but it is important to have a few key details sorted.
This looks different for everyone, but in general, it’s important to know the following things:
Budget
- It’s important to have an idea, even a rough one, of your maximum budget for the trip and work from there.
Destination
- The location of your destination may open up or limit your budget.
Timeline
- The longer term means more opportunity to save money, whereas the shorter term may mean less total money spent.
Wants
- What are you most looking forward to? As much as we would like to, we can’t always do it all. Focus on what you most want to do or experience, and build your trip from there.
Bonus: Have the money saved already.
- This provides peace of mind that you’ve budgeted appropriately and gives you a tangible number to play with.
2. Consider the When
When you choose to visit or travel a place can have a substantial impact on your budget. This applies both to the general time of the year and to the specific day and time you choose to travel:
Travel in the Shoulder Season
- The high season usually has inflated prices and limited options, but the low season may not offer the best experience. The shoulder season may be a better compromise.
Travel in Off-Peak Times
- Weekdays are typically less expensive than weekends and certain times of the day are more expensive than others.
3. Deal or No Deal? (Hint: We Want Deals)
There are so many deals to take advantage of ranging from flash sales to membership perks to Groupon deals and more. It can sometimes be time-consuming to hunt for deals and keep track of them all, but trust me it pays off.
Some of the more common deals you will find when it relates to travel are:
Comparison sites
- There are hundreds of comparison sites and apps to find the best price.
Membership discounts
- Memberships ranging from credit cards to school alumni may have great discounts on various goods and services.
Reduced rate days
- Attractions may have free entry on the first Monday of a month (as an example) or reduced rates during certain hours.
Happy hours
- Happy hour deals provide the ambiance and experience of dining out without the full price.
4. Choose Your Accommodation Wisely
This one is two-fold. Possibly three-fold. Decide on accommodation type and amenities, consider comparison sites and membership discounts, and get the timings right.
Type & Amenities
- Hostels, hotels, motels, short or long-term rentals, camping, couch-surfing, etc. all offer different price points and amenities that may impact your trip.
The Where
- Some neighborhoods are cheaper than others for a good reason but the more expensive neighborhoods also have their reasons. Weigh the pros and cons of each when deciding location.
The How
- This is where comparison sites and membership discounts come into play as prices vary across the board so how you book matters.
Early Bird or Last Minute
- There are deals to be had both with booking early or waiting until the last minute, but each has their trade-offs.
5. How You Travel Matters
There is a hierarchy of actual travel or transportation costs, with walking being the cheapest (aka free) and a private jet being the most expensive. If you’re reading this, I doubt you own or have access to a private jet, so we will focus on the opposite side of that spectrum.
Walking
- Walking is free, great exercise, and a wonderful opportunity to explore more of a destination.
Cycling
- Cycling is another great free or cheap way to sightsee.
Public Transit
- Taking buses, trains, trams, etc. is one of the more affordable and eco-friendly ways to get around.
Rideshares
- Rideshares are more expensive but may be your only option. Shop around to get the best price.
6. Be Free
The best thing you can do at your destination to save money is simple: don’t spend it!
This requires a bit of research and flexibility but can help protect your budget and open you up to new experiences.
Free Walking Tours
- Free Walking Tours are a great way to see a city, learn some interesting facts, hear unique stories, and meet new people along the way.
Self-Guided Tours
- Create a self-guided itinerary based on the sights you want to see.
Free Days or Times
- Many museums, art galleries, and more offer free admission on specific days of the week, the year, or the time of the day.
Nature Time
- Even in some of the busiest, most built-up cities, you can find beautiful hiking or walking trails and parks to explore for free.
7. Don’t Eat Your Budget
One of the greatest travel expenses you incur when at your destination can be the food you eat if you’re not careful. Always eating at restaurants or getting takeout is a significant expense on your budget and sometimes on your health. As with the other budget tips, this requires a bit of time researching and planning your options but is well worth the effort.
Eat Street Food
- Eating street food is a great, cost-effective, and convenient way to make your budget last while getting a true, authentic, unforgettable travel experience.
Cook Your Food
- Depending on where you go, it’s almost always cheaper to buy food from the local market or store and cook it yourself than go out to eat.
Pack Snacks
- Bringing snacks and your reusable water bottle with you prevents you from having to purchase expensive food and water while out and about.
Keep It Simple
- Recognize where in your daily eating habits you can keep it simple to enable you to splurge elsewhere.
Do Your Research
- Look at websites, social media, reviews, etc. of the places you are thinking about eating from to scope out prices.
8. Find What Matters the Most
This next tip is part budget, part general life hack: discover what’s most important to you, and do that. Also put: Do what makes you happy.
Prioritizing what’s most important to you not only helps you in budgeting for travel but also in general life.
There may be a specific event or attraction that is very expensive but so iconic you feel like you have to do it. But, do you? Does this particular thing enrich your life or do you just think it will? Would you be happier doing something else? Will you be stressing over the price of it and unable to enjoy the experience anyway?
When you know what makes you happy and what matters most to you, you’re able to prioritize those and maximize your budget, your time, and your happiness.
More on the importance of priorities in How To Budget: The Ultimate Guide to Save for Travel.
9. Sharing is Caring
This one might be a bit of a mind-shift adjustment as it requires you to potentially get out of your comfort zone.
If you are staying at a hostel, guesthouse, or even hotel depending on the vibe, you may be able to make friends to share experiences and costs. A lot of tours will offer discounts for groups and oftentimes, the more the merrier. Getting to know your fellow travelers is also a great opportunity to learn more about the destination and build life-long friendships.
You are now ready to get out there and see the world!
Still not convinced? Here’s 10 Reasons to Start Traveling Now (And Why We Will Never Stop).
