Travel cheap, but how?

Published 29 November 2020

Perhaps you know the situation of returning from a trip and seeing a big red number on your bank statements. Although most people plan ahead with a travel budget, additional costs often arise. But many of these costs could be greatly reduced. In other cases, you simply want to go somewhere else but don’t have much money to spend. If you want to go somewhere else and would like to know how to travel cheaply, read my tips on it!

1. Be Flexible

Years ago, travelers only had 1- or 2-week offers when booking their trips, but this has changed. Today, customers have much more control and flexibility, allowing you to book almost any trip for any length of stay. If you can be flexible with the number of days and dates when searching for travel packages, flights, and hotels, a 9-day stay can often be cheaper than a 7-day stay.

2. Cooking at Home

Dining out consumes a large portion of your vacation budget, but there are actually many ways to cook while traveling. Simply book an apartment with a small kitchenette instead of a hotel room, which often makes no difference in price. Private apartments are an alternative to commercial accommodations: for example, on Airbnb, millions of users worldwide offer their homes for subletting.

3. Consider Alternative Departure Points

It can be very rewarding to look at prices for different departure locations – this doesn’t necessarily mean you should only look at the second nearest airport or train station. You might want to fly out of Barcelona, but the flight from Madrid is much cheaper!

4. Avoid Shops on Main Tourist Streets

It is obvious that tourist areas are the most expensive, but somehow many people still spend a lot of money on souvenirs and food there. You might want to buy a souvenir to take home, but for food and drinks, there are usually better and cheaper alternatives not too far from the main attractions.

5. Eat Where the Locals Eat

If you want to know how to travel cheaply, you should blend in with the locals. Before your trip begins, it is recommended to research online and get an idea of the country, its people, and local prices. In most major cities, there are local food forums where tourists sometimes post, but if you dig deeper, you’ll find plenty of local posts and tips.

6. Travel with Carry-On Luggage Only

Depending on where you are going and for how long, you may not necessarily need a large suitcase. So think about how you can make optimal use of space in your backpack before booking your flight tickets! Low-cost airlines in particular make a lot of money from baggage fees, and you can often avoid this by packing carefully. Just make sure you don’t exceed the weight limit.

7. Book as Many Travel Services Locally as Possible

With the exception of major events, you can usually expect your destination not to be fully booked. When you book on-site, you save travel agency and booking platform commissions and have more room to negotiate. Almost everywhere you will find local accommodations or tours that don’t have excessive advertising budgets and offer good, yet much cheaper service.

8. Avoid Peak Season

If you can plan ahead, it is advisable to look for major holidays in the country and peak travel times. Once you have discovered the most popular periods, avoid them and book at least two to six weeks before or after. Not only does this save you a lot of money, but you will also experience local life and less crowded streets.

Traveling can be costly. If you want to use your money more effectively, you should keep the above tips for budget travel in mind. However, the best tips don’t come from the internet or a guidebook. First, ask your friends and acquaintances. Who has been there before, or who has local friends?

A simple post on Twitter or Facebook is often enough to get valuable information about a destination. Local connections and tips on good, affordable accommodations, restaurants, and shops are therefore invaluable.