Traveling on a budget is a skill.
It’s something you acquire when you’ve done it so many times and made way too many mistakes.
And sometimes, they’re mistakes you make more than once because it’s a travel day and travel days are stressful (and exhausting).
But after having been a full-time traveler for a while, I decided to share some of my best pieces of advice for traveling on a budget.
You can actually avoid all of the mistakes I’ve made, and know all of the cool hacks I’ve learned without having to travel full-time yourself!
Oh, and if you have any budget travel tips yourself, then let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear about them!
1. Pick a Location in the Opposite Hemisphere
Photo Above: The view from the place we stayed in Mauritius. That island has some of the most beautiful sunsets!
When it’s summer for those in the northern hemisphere, it’s winter for those in the southern hemisphere, and vice versa.
And as someone who primarily lives in the northern hemisphere, I’ve found that there are so many beautiful locations to visit in the southern hemisphere with great weather when it’s hot and uncomfortable where I live.
And here are all the reasons why this is one of the best things you can do:
1. Last year, I traveled to Mauritius, a country in the southern hemisphere, during their winter and off-season. It’s a tropical island with beautiful beaches and their winters are perfect! Weather in the 70s for many of the days. So if you’re looking for a destination that isn’t hot and muggy, then this is a great idea.
2. You can haggle and get some amazing accommodations (among other things) for a much cheaper price because it’s their off-season.
Side Note: Traveling to a country in the opposite hemisphere isn’t always budget-friendly. But if you’re flexible about your time, then you can find flights that have a pretty good price!
2. Plan Your Outings Before You Arrive
So many times, people will head to a location but have no plans for what they want to do.
They’ll gather a whole bunch of brochures in the lobby of the hotel and then pick whatever works for them.
But planning the activities you want to do ahead can give you some great deals (+ experiences) you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
3. Use Couchsurfer.net (It’s a Lot Better Than You Think)
Photo Above: A boulangerie our Parisian host took us to for breakfast.
I know this one sounds questionable, but it was how my husband and I had an incredible time in Paris.
We could have stayed in a hotel or Airbnb but we had heard about the site, Couchsurfer, where people who want to meet travelers will open up their homes for free. So we decided to give it a try.
Now you could sleep on their couch, but our experience has only ever been sleeping in the guest bedroom.
I’m honestly so glad we took this option, and here’s why:
We met a very kind person who opened up his place to us, took us out for great meals, and showed us some beautiful locations in Paris.
It was so much more than we expected.
Side Note: It might take a bit of work to find the right person, and you might need to send out a good number of requests, but when you do get the right person, it can be an awesome experience!
4. Plan Your Restaurant Experiences
I think one of the main costs of travel that a lot of people might not think about are restaurant experiences.
So if you want to be a bit careful about how much you’re spending on food while traveling, then here are some steps you can take to save money:
- Step 1: Plan out the restaurants you’ll want to visit near and far away from your accommodations. Figure out how many times you’ll want to eat at those locations.
- Step 2: Once you have your restaurant dining planned out, look up the local grocery stores and markets near your hotel or Airbnb. Do they have tasty pre-made meals or simple delicious ingredients that can be quickly whipped up into a meal?
- Step 3: If you decide to do step 2, then meal plan easy meals you can make that would be satisfying. Think sandwiches or salads, paired with tasty snacks and drinks local to the destination your visiting. Also, take into consideration the local dishes and ingredients; are there simple quick meals you could make with them that would taste great?
- Step 4: For the meals that aren’t going to be special outings, if you choose not to go with step 2 and 3, then figure out where the locals are eating for lunch. These are going to be dining spaces that aren’t very expensive because people need a quick and cheap meal during their lunch break. And lot of the time, you’re gonna get some great dishes at places like this!
5. Limit Yourself to a Carry-On
I know this one might seem hard, but I promise you, you can do it!
After having traveled full-time for almost 8 years, I have found that it was never worth it to overpack things I knew I would probably never wear (or wear just once).
It’s so easy to say, “Well, I just like having variety!” Or, “You never know, I might need this!” Those are the items you leave behind.
If you’re 99% sure that those outfits or gear won’t be used, then leave it behind.
Not only is this going to save you money, but it will get rid of extra travel stress as well!
Side Note: You can also feel pretty cool when others are packing 4 huge check-in bags and you don’t have that huge load. You’re just in and out of the airport so much fast.
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Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.