Budget Travel: 11 Unique Tips for Traveling on a Budget

I love traveling.  If I'm not traveling once or twice a year, there is something seriously wrong (like, I don't know, a pandemic).  But, living on a teacher's salary, I know all too well the struggle of traveling on a budget.  You want to go on vacation but you don't want to live like a pauper to do so.  

As a veteran traveller who's been to over 30 countries, I've learned a few tricks over the years.  And now I want to share them with you.  So if you need tips for how to travel on a budget, you've come to the right place.

Traveling doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.  There are plenty of things you can do to make sure you are traveling on a budget.  

With careful planning, you can have your dream vacation without spending more than you can afford.  You don't have to sell the soul of your firstborn son to travel.  It doesn't have to be that complicated. 

Check out my 11 BEST tips for traveling on a budget below.  And start jet-setting this year!

11 Little-Known Tips for Traveling on a Budget

When it comes to traveling, I've been around the block a few times.  And along the way, I've learned a trick or two about saving as much money as possible while traveling.  You don't have to be rich to travel once or twice a year.  Overall, you just have to be smart about it.

Purchase Your Tickets Mid-Week

Did you know that purchasing tickets on the weekend could cost you hundreds of dollars more than if you'd purchased them during the week?  Test it out if you want but trust me.  It's true.  

Waiting until the weekend to purchase your tickets is not a good idea of you want to get the cheapest airfare possible.  The weekend is not only when most people are traveling but also when most people are looking to travel.  Which means prices are going to go up.

Top tip: It helps to purchase your tickets at random hours.  These are the times when pretty much no one is buying tickets, like 3 a.m.  That is when the prices are the lowest.

Use a VPN and Purchase Tickets from a Cheap Locale

Did you know that the prices of your tickets change depending on where you buy your tickets?  These service providers have gotten a lot more internet savvy and they are now using the cost of living to justify price increases or decreases depending on where you live.

For instance, a person living in California and purchasing tickets there can expect to be charged a higher price than someone purchasing tickets from Alabama.

I recommend using a VPN and choosing a locale with a low cost of living.  Chances are the prices you'll be quoted will be lower than your current location.

Faster Decisions, Cheaper Tickets

In addition, it is best to buy your tickets in one shot.  Looking for the same flights over and over again will drive the price of your tickets up. 

Why?  Because the cookies that track your search habits will know that you are looking to purchase airline tickets soon and the price will increase every time you search.  To avoid this, try searching in incognito mode, using duckduckgo, or using your trusty VPN.

Fly Mid-Week

Everybody and their mama is, for the most part, free on the weekends. Subsequently, that is when most people are likely to travel.  Because of this, airlines can and will increase the price for these flights dramatically.

So do yourself and your wallet a favor and fly mid-week.  The best dates to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

Travel Out of Season

Flying to Bali in the summer might sound like a great idea but rest assured that millions of other people are trying to do the same.  To avoid the rush and the increased costs of flights, hotels, etc., travel in the off season.

Better yet.  If you time your travel just right, you might be able to sneak in just before or after the rush, get some great deals, and some decent weather.

Ask the Locals... Always

If you've ever been to countries like India and China, you'd know that there is the local price and the tourist price.  And many times the difference between the two is exorbitant.

When I was in India, I had people trying to sell me things with a mark-up of over 2500%.  Yes, you read that right.  2500%

Now, while I get that coming from a western country to India, I probably make a lot more money than the people there but to charge such blatantly outrageous prices is rude and insulting.

The moral of the story here: always, always, always ask a local how much things should cost.  That way you now roundabout how much you should be paying.

Car Pooling Services Bla Bla Car

Need to get around but not looking forward to those crazy tour or taxi fees?  Introducing, BlaBlaCar.  It is a community-based travel network that you can use to get a ride to your destination for cheap.  

They have buses and carpools available so you can catch a ride with people going to the same place as you anytime.  You can even use them to travel between countries.

Bla Bla Car available in 22 countries and has over 300 destinations to choose from.  The downside is it mainly covers countries in Europe.

Go Off the Beaten Path

Very popular tourist spots are called tourist traps for a reason.  So where possible avoid shopping in those touristy spots (along the main shopping strips) and instead opt to venture off the main street to find some gems.  Even taking a slight detour down a small street could net you some serious savings.

This tip also goes for sightseeing spots and attractions.  For some help on this one, you may try asking the locals what they do for fun.  Or check out a cool travel blogger who goes off the beaten path on the regular.

Do a Work Exchange

A great way to save money while you travel is to do a work exchange.  Many hostels will allow you to stay for free in exchange for working a few days a week.  Check out the Worldpackers site and search for your destination.  Some hostels even include food!

Besides that, there are many other things you could do to supplement your stay such as bartend or teach.  And it doesn't have to be an English teaching job.  

I have a friend who always spends 2 - 3 months a year teaching skiing in Nagano.  And another one does the same in Canada.  Free lodging + a stipend.  Sounds like a great deal to me!

Become a Farm hand

For those who don't mind getting their hands dirty, you could go work on an organic farm anywhere in the world.  This is called WWOOFing,  for short.  WWOOF is an acronym that stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms.  

It is a network of organizations that help connect organic farms with people interested in learning more about sustainable living and organic farming.  There are over 130 countries you could go to and every experience is unique.

While you will have some chores to do around the farm, don't worry, you won't be slaving the day away.  You'll have time to go out explore and learn more about the surrounding culture as well.  Some farms even provide stipends in addition to free room and board.

Don't Be Afraid to Rent a Car or a Moped

Want to visit Borobudur Temple in Yogyakarta?  Don't feel like paying that overpriced fee to do a tour?  Well, now's your chance to woman up and rent a moped from the bike shop across the street.

Don't be afraid make your own tour.  That's part of the fun in traveling.  Seizing the day and doing things you might not normally do back home.  So rent a car or a bike and go for it!  At least by doing so, you will have control over where you eat lunch and how long you can mosey around that temple.

Take Out Cash With Your ATM Card

If you are looking to get more bang for your buck, do NOT exchange your money before you travel nor do so at the airport.  These banks and exchange companies have the worst exchange rates.  On top of that, they will charge you additional fees for changing your money.

Instead, take a debit card that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee with you and use the ATMs to take out the cash you need.  This will save you on those hefty fees plus give you the best exchange rate possible.

However, you'll want to make as few withdrawals as possible though so that those withdrawal fees (if your card charges them) don't rack up too much.  

Also, you'll have to be vigilant for card readers that can take your card info.  And never let anyone scan your card in a place where you can't see what they are doing.

Use Skyscanner's "Everywhere" Option

The number one thing that has honestly helped me save loads and be able to explore so many countries is this:  Skyscanner's "everywhere" option.  I'm telling you this option saved my life.  And before now, I've only told my family about this secret.

You  can use the "everywhere" option to find the cheapest places to travel to.  Seriously, you can't go wrong with this option, especially if you are just starting out on your traveling journey.  

How to Use It

Put in your desired dates, your departure location, and then type in "everywhere" for your destination.  And this site will give you a listing of ALL the places you can fly to starting with the cheapest.

That way, you can choose the  country you want to go to that is in your price range.  Then, to narrow down your options even further, look up the cost of accommodation/food/ transportation etc. for that destination and see just how much a trip there might run you.

From there you can choose the cheapest and best option for you and your budget.  I have found this to be the BEST way to fly to different countries for cheap!  All you need is a little bit of flexibility and the world is the limit.

All in All

Traveling is one of the best uses of your time and money.  It gives you the opportunity to have amazing experiences and make great memories.

But to ensure you are getting the biggest bang for your buck, and to ensure you can go on many more trips in the future, it is best to use your money wisely.  Use the tips above to save you some cash on your next adventure.  Then use your savings from it to plan another one!

Happy Travels!

Got any good tips for traveling on a budget?  Let me know in the comments below!