Travel enriches the mind and feeds the soul. Whether it’s exploring a new area, adventuring to interesting places, or revisiting an old favorite, travel is something everyone should have a right to do. We have had some amazing guests on the podcast like Liz Schaffer who runs Lodestar Anthology a travel magazine, to Kirsty Lamour and her globe trotting family who live a more nomadic lifestyle on the road, to Annapurna Mellor and Aaron Teasdale, travel and adventure photographers and writers who’s job it is to travel and showcase those adventures to others. But for those of us who don’t have a job that involves travel, exploring the world can get really expensive, really quick.

Flights, attraction tickets, food, and accommodations can add up quickly, limiting your travel time and frequency. Now this doesn’t have to be the case. Armed with a few tips and tricks to stretch your money as far as it can go, there are ways to travel anywhere on a budget. Isn’t that what everyone who loves to travel wants to know about – how to travel on a budget so as to experience more but spend less?

Here are some ways to save before and during your travel adventure so as to make the most of your time away.

#1 Use low-cost airfare where ever possible

The first and most obvious way to save money is by flying with low-cost airlines if that is the only way for you to get to your destination. They might not offer any luxuries of big airlines but the money saved on flights is usually quite substantial to use in other areas of the trip.

With that said, be careful of restrictions and rules with low-cost airlines. They make up a lot of their costs by way of very strict rules around checked luggage, cancellations and changes to the flight and even on board meals. Unless you want to pay unnecessary fees, respect the weight limit imposed on luggage by packing light. Also look to bringing your own food and snacks to avoid unnecessary purchases in the airport or on the flight.

#2 Choose accommodations wisely

These days there are various websites like Airbnb, VRBO, Craigs List, House-sitters and many others that you can use to rent accommodation. There are so many advantages that a rented apartment can give you over a hotel. The convenience of a larger space (in most cases), ability to cook your own meals and save money on eating at restaurants and many more. If the place you are renting has a washing machine then packing light is another bonus and can sometimes help in saving money on baggage fees and excess luggage at the airport.

Renting a place with a kitchen also means more home-cooked meals and less money spent at restaurants. The first thing to do upon landing at your destination is stocking up the fridge with food which will allow you to put together a few quick and healthy meals. Another thing about a rented accommodation is the fact that most hosts will go out of their way to recommend local attractions which are not as touristy as the ones listed on travel guides. This will usually save you time researching and will help you avoid places that are overcrowded, less authentic and more expensive.

#3 Use public transport

If traveling to a city, try and use public transport as much as possible. It is usually a lot cheaper than using a taxi. Typically most budget travelers will look at using taxis only for trips to and from the airport if they have a lot of luggage. These days Uber is a cheaper option to taking a taxi. Within the city, buses, trains and walking to get around the places is a good option to save on transportation. One of the first things to do before leaving the airport upon arrival is to buy prepaid tickets that will save you time looking for a station selling them.

If, on the other hand, you are traveling to a rural area, rent a car. This makes sense especially when traveling in a group or with family. Whenever possible, walk. There is so much to notice and explore if you are on your own two feet.

#4 Spend smartly on entertainment 

Many places around the world have fantastic museums that are informative. If visiting museums and public monuments is your thing, it’s worth buying a pass for a few days and saving yourself a lot of money in admission tickets. Many cities also offer free or relatively inexpensive events for families and kids. Look into those if you are traveling with kids or even in a large group where cost of admission to museums and monuments can add it quickly. Walking around the streets of a foreign city remains the best way to see a new place. Local markets are excellent places to buy fresh produce for snacks, exchange a few words with the locals and really get a taste of their daily life. Don’t be afraid to ask locals for recommendations of places to visit, things to do and foods to try. Not everything is listed in a guide book and things keep changing at the time.

Practical tips from travelers around the world

We asked the community on ways they keep costs down and travel on a budget and here are some practical ways they shared with the group.

• Emma Baru Tyunpe Skyba – Eat where the locals do.
• Smita Bhattacharya – Supermarkets, transport passes, local SIM card, hostels or B&B with rooms in apartments, free walking tours.
• Emma Stancliffe – I eat from market stalls or cook for myself generally, although I do treat myself to a local specialty from time to time. I drive on a lot of my trips and for the long boring bits I car share so part of my costs are covered. I also book the cheapest accommodation possible (usually Airbnb if it isn’t camping weather). By booking far in advance you can get some really nice places for very little (always read all the comments before booking so you know what to expect). I rarely pay more than 15€ per night and often far less so far I have never had a bad experience.
• Jud Foster – Clean basic accommodates. I save mostly though food. Small breakfast and lunch from delis or supermarket. I have one meal out and I use local transit system.
• Anneliese-Marie Lewyckyj – I travel to cheap destinations. Other than that, I tend to eat local; look into DIY tours, rather than paying for one; using public transport or walking over taking taxis.
• Brenda Jerger Kluemper – Use points earning credit cards as often as possible and pay in full every month.
• Kath O’Neil – Book hotels with free breakfast & pack a sandwich/fruit for lunch or snack
• Leanne Pollard – Buy seasonal fruits and vegetables , cheese and crusty bread…then go out and enjoy some local wine.
• Mandy Graves – Flexibility on dates (book ahead), use hostels (with breakfast included), take pack ups, walk
• Shara Allison-Jones – I am a budget traveler who prefers to spend money on food/alcohol/experiences over 5* lodging. I do most of what is listed but I also do things like google “free things to do in XYZ.” I go the tourism or chamber of commerce sites and see what there is to do for free or cheap. I do a lot of research on the area ahead of time which helps eliminate backtracking and overpriced
• Heidi Dezell – Always book a place with free breakfast and pig out. Then look for lunch specials and eat later in
• Chrys Tremththanmor – I stay in youth hostels and cook for myself.
• Kimberly Leisure – I love airbnb. Having a kitchen saves so much. Buy local produce ,eat breakfast in, pack a lunch, and you’ve saved enough to treat yourself out for dinner.
• Pat Bunyard – Having the right credit and debit cards. I save hundreds avoiding foreign exchange fees
• Janine Symons – Check whether your bank has a travel money card. they tend to be fee free on card transactions because your money is already on the card. There’s usually a charge for withdrawing cash, but you can minimize by taking out large sums occasionally rather than small sums regularly. If you are going on a shortish trip to a country where it is easy to exchange your currency, consider taking a wad of cash.
• Gina Jansheski – Book far in advance and travel out of season, stay at least a month (good discount on Air BnB), use a credit card that collects points, cook my own plants-only meals, no alcohol, try not to have to rent a car, and housesit when possible.
• Debbie Lipsey – Fill water bottles with restaurants. They throw out water that isn’t used at the table anyway so might as well fill up your reusable waterbottle and skip buying bottled water.

What are your tips for keeping costs low while you travel?

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