How to Travel on a Budget

Are you yearning for the urge to get out and see the world, but your budget says otherwise? Well, you don’t have to be rich to travel! Below I will share how to travel on a budget, this will help you to see that you can travel!

If you follow these steps below, in no time you can hit the open roads and go site seeing, try new foods and more. It just takes a little prep and planning when you plan to travel on less! 

How to Travel on a Budget

Finances

Prepare:

 Make sure you are ready and know how much money you have to spend on the whole trip. Find deals on lodging, travel, and food, as you will see how below. This way you won’t be shocked when you know you need $600 for the trip. 

Attractions:

 When you go to the town you want, make sure to look up free attractions. You might find a neat museum, fair, outdoor play and such going on. These can be fun ways to spend the day and they don’t cost as much. If you are planning to go to certain places, look up online to see what the admission cost is. That way you can be fully prepared what it will cost for you and your family. It does take time to plan, but by doing this, you will know exactly what you need for the trip, in finances. 

Method of Travel

Drive: 

Sometimes airfare can be very pricey, so if the gas prices are down, consider driving! If you don’t have a car, look into bus or a train! 

• Gas Buddy, iGasUp are apps you can download and it will show you the best place to find gas in the location you are at! 

Airlines: 

If you plan to travel by plane, consider looking for cheaper tickets. Sign up for multiple airline email newsletters, they sometimes share special deals. Also, check the prices of the tickets you want often (Clear cache before each search). Use sites like travelocity.com, farecast.com, yapta.com to see special deals. 

Lodging 

Hotels:

 If you are going to stay in a hotel, consider looking at online sites for discounted deals, like Groupons. You can also call the hotel directly and speak to a manager about a room. A lot of times they can offer you a better deal then what you get online! 

Renting a House or Condo:

 If you are a big family or are travelling with a group, renting a home or condo can be good savings. You can look at sites like interhomeusa.com, homeaway.com for prices on renting homes. You can see if it is a good fit for your and your family. If you are with a group, you could split the bill making it pretty affordable. Then you have a fridge and stove so you can eat at home, instead of dining out. 

House Swap:

 If you will be away from home for a little while, consider house swapping. There is an annual fee to be a part of this, but if you enjoy travelling you can stay in their house while they stay in yours! It is a neat perk. Use sites like homeexchange.com. Just be careful and do a lot of talking and research before you go this route. Make sure you are covered by your home insurance as well. 

Resorts: 

If you are thinking of staying at a resort, consider staying at one that offers, housing, food, and more. Some are beaches.com, starfishresorts.com, riu.com, and so on. Look for specials that they have going on, you can save a lot when you buy a packaged deal. 

Food and Dining

Consider Shopping:

 If you are going to be gone for a weekend or more, consider going to the grocery store for a few meals. If the place you are staying has a stove and kitchen, cook up your own meals. You could still go out like one meal here and there, but overall if you stay in you will save a tonne. 

Lunch Specials:

 Lunch is one of the cheapest meals to eat when dining out. They offer lots of lunch time specials and this is a great time to enjoy a meal and good savings! Always get water because drinks can really rack up the total of a meal. 

Deal Plans: 

Shop like Groupons again for deals on restaurants in the area you will be travelling to. You can find deals up to 90% off, which can really save you a lot on a meal for a family! Just plan ahead for this, so you have everything in order when you arrive.