The Best Ways To Travel on A Budget
Wanderlust (n) a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world
The world is enormously big. In fact, it’s so big that there are places that us as humans haven’t even touched or seen yet. If I’m being honest, sometimes I feel we spend too much time longing for the future to happen faster than it already is, that we neglect living in the present. Perhaps that is because we have a tendency to believe that the future is going to be greater that what our lives are like right now; nonetheless it still makes me question how our lives would turn out if we learned to leave in the now a little bit more often.
Traveling is important. Not only do we learn about new places, but we see the world in different perspectives. It keeps us alert. I think that’s why I constantly have to keep moving or else I’ll go insane. My mind has to constantly be like a 5 year olds seeing mountains for the very first time or like a baby when they touch grains of sand and you see their faces be in complete awe. That’s me. Truth is, the routine terrifies me. Having that 9-5 job for the rest of my life is just something I cannot and will not do and I have learned that if you are terrified of the routine, than travel is your solution. It’s my solution. Even if you prefer that routine, it’s still important to travel somewhere new every once in a while. Let’s be real, we’re only on this earth once and what we do with it is entirely up to us. I hope you live it well, I know I’m trying my hardest to do that.
Now that summer is here, people all around the world are traveling the globe 24/7. If you’re stressing out about flights, money or places to travel too, relax, sit down and read this article because I have some of the best ways to Travel on A Budget.
Book flights in advance
The first step in how to Travel on A budget is to book flights in advance. The general rule is to book domestic flights one to 4 months in advance and international flights about 6 months prior to when your trip is. Whether you’re traveling in the states or abroad, I personally like to monitor the flights about 10 months a head so that I can get a decent estimate on what the prices are going to be for the flights when I book them. The app that I like to use is Hopper. This app analyzes billions of flight prices daily and predicts how and when they will change. Purchase your flight or wait, it’s entirely up to you. Hopper will also let you hold your chosen flight for a certain period of time just in cause you want to look elsewhere. Another website that I like to use is Skyscanner which has a similar process.
Come up with a plan
Next on the list of how to Travel on A Budget is planning. If you know that you’re going to be traveling to numerous places, then you must plan ahead. Planning helps you prioritise and maximise your time. Instead of sitting in your hostel for an hour deciding on what to do next or how to get there, planning ahead will save you that extra hour so that you can go out and explore. You will also be able to recognize what experiences are important to do and some that are just… not.
Don’t book luxurious hotels
Want to really Travel on A Budget? Don’t book at luxurious hotels or simply anywhere expensive. It’s going to drain your bank account quickly. Instead of staying in a hotel room, book your stay at a hostel. Or if you’re going to stay at hotel, especially if you’re with your boyfriend and another couple, stay together in one room. Let’s be real, you’re only there to sleep for a few hours then get back out and explore. AirBnB is another way to live on the cheap side while traveling. Many cities all around the world have rooms for you to stay in. Not only is it a cheap way to travel, but you also get to meet people and exchange one another cultures. And who knows, maybe when you’re staying at that AirBnB, you will make a new forever friend.
Pack light
Packing light. I don’t think those two words are any travels favorite words in the human dictionary, but it’s true. If you’re traveling for a long period time (2 months) and you know that you’re going to be visiting 10 cities all together, you don’t want to be carrying around a large suitcase. If you can, just bring a carry on and a backpack and I promise you that you’re life will be much easier. You will also be less stressed. Use packing cubes, bring neutral colors that you can mix and max with your jeans and skirts, and only pack a couple pairs of shoes. I promise you, you will thank me.
Don’t Uber/Taxi
I know, I know. We all live in a world where Uber and Lyft are the new taxi’s. But, let’s be real (again) they’re expensive and so are your average everyday city taxis, too. Want to know of a way to Travel on A Budget? Use your public transport. Take advantage of it. Yes, it might take a bit longer than your Uber, but you are going to save money and you’re going to experience the way people in the new city you are visiting in live. So why not take advantage of it? Who knows when you will be back in the same places again?
Earn money while you travel
Lastly, another great way to Travel on A budget is to work where you’re exploring (if you can at least) is a great way to earn money and save money while you’re traveling the world. Why not spend a couple days at a farm helping the owners out with cattle? Why not spend a couple hours a day for a week working at a bed and breakfast? I have some friends who have taught skiing in the winter season to earn a little more cash and they had a free place to stay, too. This is also a great way to meet people and truly explore the place that you are living in. Talk to people, make some money, make more friends and soon you will know what it’s truly like to live on this beautiful planet we all call home.
Where are you traveling to this summer? Tell us below in the comments.
