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Travel has become really expensive. Post-COVID, the entire world seems to be traveling again and prices just keep rising. I am astonished at how high they have gotten. But it’s a product of rising costs and out-of-control demand. Everyone just wants to travel. We’re all looking for an escape.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, it’s not all bad. Airfare has started to go down again, there are more deal-finding websites online<\/a>, free walking tours in more cities, and more opportunities to bypass the traditional travel infrastructure and connect directly into the local way of life via the sharing economy<\/a>.<\/p>\n As we navigate the post-COVID world of high prices, I want to share some tips and tricks on how to travel on a budget this year! Changing your mindset might not be a traditional budget tip, but it\u2019s important nonetheless. Constantly remind yourself that travel is<\/em> possible while taking concrete steps to make it a reality. Action begets action \u2014 even if it’s just baby steps.<\/p>\n Start with a \u201cyes, I can\u201d mindset<\/a>. Don\u2019t think \u201cI can\u2019t travel\u201d \u2014 think \u201cWhat\u2019s one thing I can do today to make my trip closer to reality?\u201d<\/p>\n Life is a mental game. Do one thing every day that gets you closer to your trip and you’ll find yourself building unstoppable momentum. Unless you\u2019re Bill Gates, we all need to save more money. But how do you do that? While life is expensive, I do believe there are always ways to save a little more. There\u2019s always something you can cut. A little bit of savings adds up a lot over time.<\/p>\n First, start by tracking your spending. Write down everything you spend money on for a month. Groceries, rent, eating out, Netflix \u2014 everything. You can’t figure out where to save if you don’t know where your money is going.<\/p>\n Next, start a savings account specifically for travel. That way, you’ll have a dedicated space for your travel fund and you can watch it grow. That progress will keep you motivated. Even if it\u2019s just a few dollars a week, every penny counts. The more you save, the more you want to save.<\/p>\n Finally, start cutting. Maybe it’s going to Starbucks, maybe it’s saving on gas by carpooling to work or cutting back on eating out. We all have things we can cut. Find yours.<\/p>\n Here are some posts on how to save money:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the things that people always tell me holds them back from traveling more is the cost of flights. But, let me tell you, there are a lot of deals right now.<\/p>\n All the airlines are trying to fill planes and are offering a lot of deals for summer and fall travel right now. After all, they need to make up for a lost year and are desperate to get people on planes.<\/p>\n The key to finding a cheap flight is to be flexible with your dates and your destination. If you have your heart set on “Paris in June” you’ll be forced to pay whatever the flight costs. But, if you open that up to “France in the summer” \u2014 or even “Europe in the summer” you’ll be able to find much cheaper flights since you’ll have a lot more wiggle room to test dates and destinations.<\/p>\n I like to use Google Flights<\/a> and Skyscanner<\/a> to browse my options. I type in my home city and then pick \u201ceverywhere\u201d as my destination. I then base my plans around where I can fly to for the least amount of money.<\/p>\n Both websites also let you sign up for price alerts so you’ll get an email if the price for your ideal trip happens to drop.<\/p>\n And if you really want to find amazing flight deals, consider joining a flight deal site like Going<\/a>. It’s the best website for finding flight deals from the US and has saved me a fortune over the years. It’s not free, but new users can get 20% off a Premium membership with the code NOMADICMATT20<\/em>.<\/p>\n Other helpful flight deal sites are:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Collecting points and miles is a great way to travel on a budget. By getting point-yielding credit cards and using a few simple techniques, you can get hundreds of thousands of miles \u2014 without any additional spending (you can even earn points just by paying your rent!<\/a>). These points can then be cashed in for free flights, free hotel stays, and other travel rewards.<\/p>\n I’ve earned countless free flights, upgrades, and hotel stays from my points and miles. By optimizing my spending and paying attention to which cards earn the most points where, I’ve saved thousands of dollars \u2014 and you can too!<\/p>\n Here are some resources to help you begin:<\/p>\n Even if you aren\u2019t American, you still have options, as points and miles have gone global:<\/p>\n Once you have points, use platforms like point.me<\/a> (for flights. Get 4 months free on the Standard plan with code NOMADICMATT4<\/em><\/a>. <\/strong>) and Awayz<\/a> (for hotels) to manage them. These platforms help you maximize your points and miles so you earn more free flights and hotel stays. Here are some of the best sharing economy sites to help you get started:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The world is awash with amazing free travel resources (like this website) that can help you travel on a budget. No matter where you are going, there\u2019s probably a blog post on what to do and see there for free or cheaply. Someone has been there and they\u2019ve written about it! Make the best use of all of them to help you plan your trip.<\/p>\n My favorite search term is \u201cfree things to do in X.\u201d You\u2019ll always get a result!<\/p>\n Additionally, don\u2019t be afraid to walk into a hostel \u2014 even if you aren\u2019t staying there \u2014 and ask them what to do for cheap. Their clientele is budget-sensitive, so they always know what to do and where to go for little money.<\/p>\n Local tourism boards will also have tons of info on free things to do as well (more on that below). Google Maps usually can give you a basic overview of the public transportation options and prices available. You can find information about day passes and\/or multi-day passes from your local hostel\/hotel staff (as well as from local tourism offices). For cheap intercity travel information, check out Rome2Rio<\/a>. Local tourist offices are a wealth of knowledge. They exist solely to provide you with information on what to see and do. They often have tons of discounts not found anywhere else and can also keep you updated on local events, free tours, and the best spots to eat. They can help you find public transportation discounts and\/or multiday passes too.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t skip the local tourist office! They are a severely underutilized resource. Since you have to stay somewhere every night, reducing this expense can save you a lot of money on the total cost of your trip. Stay in hostels, use Couchsurfing, stay in empty university dorms, camp, or try an Airbnb.<\/p>\n Since there are a lot of ways to cut your accommodation costs, here are my posts on how to get accommodation deals:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other than accommodation, food is one of the biggest travel costs. After all, everyone needs to eat. But there are lots of ways to eat on the cheap:<\/p>\n Also, use the five-block rule. There seems to be this magical wall that surrounds tourist areas. Most people don\u2019t go past it. It\u2019s been my experience that if you walk five blocks in any direction from a major tourist area, you end up losing the crowds and finding the local restaurants.<\/p>\n In my experience, tourist restaurants don\u2019t care about quality since those tourists aren\u2019t coming back. Residents do<\/em> care so places catering to them need to be better \u2014 and more affordable – or they go out of business. Those are the places you want to eat at. Use the above resources to find where the locals eat and avoid crappy food! The majority of people in your destinations don\u2019t spend lots of money per day like tourists do. Neither do you in your day-to-day life. So take that mentality with you. Walk, take public transportation, grocery shop, spend a day in a park, and look for deals. Do the things you do at home every day to keep your costs down.<\/p>\n Too many people get into this mindset that when they go on the road, they just have to spend, spend, spend, spend. That\u2019s not true at all. There\u2019s no law that says you have to spend more. Be smart with your budget \u2014 just like you are at home. That will help you save money and prevent you from going home early (and broke). If you’re a long-term traveler, consider volunteering or doing a work exchange to lower your costs. There are tons of options out there such as farm stays, working in hostels, teaching in schools<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n You’ll usually need to commit for a week or more, however, these opportunities enable you to get a much deeper and more nuanced travel experience. Here are some websites to help you find suitable opportunities:<\/p>\n All you have to do is take that first step. Remember, action begets action. Once you start moving, everything else gets easier. So don’t wait!<\/p>\n My New York Times<\/em> best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you\u2019ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It\u2019s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the \u201cbible for budget travelers.\u201d<\/p>\n Click here to learn more and start reading it today!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n Book Your Flight<\/strong> Book Your Accommodation<\/strong> Don’t Forget Travel Insurance<\/strong> Want to Travel for Free?<\/strong> Need a Rental Car?<\/strong> Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip?<\/strong>
\n <\/p>\n1. Change Your Mindset<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n2. Come Up with a Savings Plan<\/h3>\n
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3. Score a Flight Deal<\/h3>\n
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4. Get Points!<\/h3>\n
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\n <\/p>\n5. Use the Sharing Economy<\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2020\/budgettravel2020d.jpg\")
\nThe sharing economy<\/a> has led to a plethora of new money-saving and community-building platforms that have made travel even more affordable, personal, and accessible. It\u2019s never been easier to get off the tourist trail, connect with locals, and experience their pace of life. I live by these websites when I travel! You should too.<\/p>\n\n
6. Find the Free!<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n7. Stick to Public Transportation<\/h3>\n
![\"Old](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2020\/budgettravel2020f.jpg\")
\nIf you\u2019re on a budget, skip the taxis and rideshares like Lyft or Uber. Unless you can lower your cost by sharing a ride with other passengers, public transportation is going to be the most cost-effective way to get around. Not only will it save you money but you\u2019ll get to see how the locals travel too.<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n8. Use Local Tourism Offices<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n9. Get Cheap Accommodation<\/h3>\n
![\"Cozy](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2020\/budgettravel2020c.jpg\")
\nAccommodation is one of the biggest fixed costs travelers have, so reducing that cost can lead to big savings on the road. I\u2019m sure many backpackers would sleep in a barn if it were the cheapest accommodation they could find! Heck, I\u2019ve slept in hammocks in national parks to save a buck!<\/p>\n\n
10. Eat Cheap<\/h3>\n
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\n <\/p>\n11. Travel Like You Live<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n12. Work & Volunteer to Lower Your Expenses<\/h3>\n
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\nHow to Travel the World on $75 a Day<\/span><\/h3>
![\"How](\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/bookimages\/HowtoTraveltheWorldon75aDay.jpg\")
<\/div>\nBook Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n
\nFind a cheap flight by using Skyscanner<\/a>. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. <\/p>\n
\nYou can book your hostel with Hostelworld<\/a>. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com<\/a> as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. <\/p>\n
\nTravel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:<\/p>\n\n
\nTravel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation \u2014 all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites<\/a> to get started and see the latest best deals.<\/p>\n
\nDiscover Cars<\/a> is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best \u2014 and cheapest \u2014 rental for your trip!<\/p>\n
\nGet Your Guide<\/a> is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more. <\/p>\n