How to Travel on a Budget

Travelling can be a pricey endeavour – initial cost estimations always have the ability to slowly creep up during your adventures, which can cause final costs to spiral. By keeping a few money-saving tips in mind, you’ll be able to effectively manage your budget without it. Here are our tips on to how to travel on a budget.

Choose the right destination for you

If you are thinking about how to travel on a budget and still have a good time, you might need to consider your destination first. Although you may have dreamed of travelling somewhere like Norway or Las Vegas, you’re going to need a bigger budget to back this up. These locations are still very much doable, but you’ll need to adjust your time spent abroad accordingly. For example, travelling to Vietnam from Australia could be for a much longer stretch of time than somewhere in Europe, factoring in cheaper flights, accommodation and food.

Choosing accommodation carefully

Choosing the right accommodation is crucial when considering how to travel on a budget. Hostels are not strictly for youthful party types. Travellers might not realise how many different kinds of hostels are out there, all of which offer same (usually) affordable rates. With so many kinds of people, there are a variety of hostels to match. Party hostels, relaxed hostels, and hostels found out of the way in rural areas are among the choices for travellers, and if you don’t want to share a room, double check to see if there are private rooms.

Hostels offer a suite of great benefits for travellers: many have free breakfasts that are excellent to take advantage of, and there is also the potential for travellers to work in hostels for however long they want, receiving free accommodation while they explore surrounding areas.

Hostels are not always the cheapest option, however. Finding excellent last-minute deals on hotels can be even cheaper than staying in a hostel. You also enjoy having your own space and amenities. Airbnbs are also a good option if you’re travelling with several companions. Being willing to split a room or private apartment will save you big dollars.

Travel during off-peak holiday times

Want to know the best tip on how to travel on a budget? Peak and off-peak times are well acknowledged by travellers as important when factoring in travel plans. Even with this in mind, it’s important to remember that different destinations have different tourist seasons. This is completely dependent on their climate and what the respective countries offer.

By doing a bit of research, you can find what the off-peak months are for the country you wish to visit. This can save you significant amounts of money on accommodation. Plus you’ll have the added benefit of missing swarms of tourists! Applying this tactic to countries that are already cheaper to travel to can stretch out your trip even longer.

Airfares are also usually factored into peak and off-peak durations during the year. Waiting until airfares come on sale is also a good idea. By biding your time, you’ll be able to save several hundred dollars! As long as you are willing to fly certain months of the year.

Find things to do for free

Cities around the world are full of fantastic attractions and landmarks that have the power to leave travellers spellbound. The issue with many of these hotspots is that they regularly demand often steep entry fees. Many travellers might feel compelled to do and see these things regardless, but for those wanting to experience a place on a budget, keep an eye out for free, or at least cheap, experiences.

Free organised walking tours offered by locals are a perfect way to learn about a new city. They can also lead you to other free sights you can return to, like markets and historically significant areas. Some cities also have free museums, art galleries, and other attractions. So keep this in mind to save some money while absorbing culture.

Ready to start your adventure?

If you’re looking to make your budget that little bit bigger to experience more of what the world has to offer, Swoosh can help. We offer fixed-term loans with scheduled repayments to ensure that planning for your trip is easier than ever – get in touch today.