How To Travel Cheap For The Summer
Summer is the time everyone wants to get away, go on vacation, and pretend we don’t have any real responsibilities to deal with. Or is that just us? Whether you’re spending the summer with friends, family, or your partner, there are so many ways you can travel and not break the bank. You’ll be surprised by the experiences you can have when you really plan out the vacation of your dreams. It CAN happen, and you CAN see Rome in a day. Wanna know how? Of course, you do. Keep reading, and take notes!
Affordable Flights
There are so many affordable airlines that have deals, membership perks, and even special days of the week that tickets aren’t too bad. Spirit, Allegiant Jetblue, are just some to name a few. If you have never flown on any of these airlines and feel a bit skeptical, no worries. Just ask around on social media for experiences from your friends or family who have. You may have to pay for food on the flight and your bags separately (not with JetBlue), but when the tickets are that low. You can’t complain. Looking for even more deals on flights? Check out Skyscanner!
Free + Affordable Places To Stay
Your flight and your lodging will take the bulk of your travel budget, and if that’s the case, why not make them as affordable as possible…or even free? Yes, you read that right, free! You can stay in a hotel, hostel, or even someone’s home for free in exchange for work or service. Work Away is an amazing website that allows hosts to open their home with travelers in exchange for work or service. You can create a profile, search by country, date of travel, or length of stay and find hosts everywhere. You can even make extra money while you’re at it to spend on your trip! Viola. Most of the time it is part-time work, and you’ll still have a TON of time to travel around and learn about the culture.
Pay In Advance
An overlooked piece of advice on affordable travel is planning in advance. It not only gives you the time to make the trip the best it can be, but you can pay in advance for most of the things you plan on doing. Pay for your flight months in advance, your lodging in advance, and now you still have time to save for activities, food, and even shopping. Giving yourself time to save, and pay for the bulk of your trip allows you to bring more money with you. So get the dessert at dinner, walk into that fancy store, and go for the upgraded museum tour. You deserve it!
Do What The Locals Do
One amazing way to see the world, experience the culture, and learn more about the people around you, is to do what the locals do. Yes, of course, sign up for that tour, and plan to see that amazing landmark you probably will never see again, but once that’s over – ask around. At a local cafe or museum, you may be surprised what the locals say about what to do or where to go. You may even see more than you planned, and have memories no one else will. How amazing is that?
Local Commuting
Wherever you may be traveling you will have to commute to and from your hotel/hostel to the places you want to see. You may have it in your budget to rent a car or take a cab everywhere, but if you don’t that’s okay too. Not many people do. So do what the locals do and take local transportation. In countries like Europe, you will have the train and those are pretty easy to get around. If ever you’re confused to download some GPS apps or ask around. You may make a friend or two. Taking the train, bus, or any other form of public transportation shows you the city for what it really is, and your wallet will thank you.
An even better way to travel across the country on a budget is with our 10% discount to Motel 6 Nationwide! With over 1,400 locations, Motel 6 is ideal for the budget minded traveler; you can count on Motel 6 to provide clean, comfortable rooms at a great price. This discount will save you even more! When making reservations, you must reference CPN02GNG to obtain the 10% discount. To book over the phone, call this toll free number 800-466-8356 and reference the promo code. To book online, copy the code and use it through the Motel 6 website.
If you implement any or all of these tips to travel cheap this summer, you’ll be able to see and do more with what money you do have. Bring your friends or family along for the adventure and make memories that will last a lifetime. Don’t forget to plan ahead and save as much as you can, so you don’t have to worry about that on your trip. If you have any trips you’re planning, let us know in the comments below. If not, what are some of the places you would love to travel to? We want to hear from you!
Featured Image: Unplash
Amanda Smith is a freelance writer, social media + branding specialist, and all around fashionista. She loves writing about fashion, beauty, wellness, and career advice. Her dream is to turn her own personal brand into a fulltime business where she can create content, products, and all sorts of media that inspires young women around the world. In her free time she loves to thrift, drink coffee, practice film photography, travel, get outside, and make content for her blog. You can usually find her staying in on a Friday night with a face mask, cuddling up to a puppy she's sitting, and watching Youtube videos.