Travelling doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. It can still be fun, adventurous, and exciting without breaking the bank.
This simple yet effective guide of how to travel when broke will be so helpful for those who want adventure! Find the challenge in it, immerse yourself in another culture and have the time of your life. Here are 13 lucky tips to make the most out of your travels.
Travel in off-peak seasons
Not only is it cheaper, but the weather isn’t usually as harsh and there are a lot fewer people around. This makes it much more enjoyable. The off-seasons are usually spring and autumn, and these are beautiful seasons themselves.
So don’t be put off! Be aware of where you want to travel, as some places are seasonal and most things will be closed. For places like cities, this won’t be a problem, and hostels won’t be full. Sometimes I would stay in a dorm and have the whole room to myself! There are definite advantages to travel in off-peak seasons.
Use hostels / Couchsurfing
Everyone knows that hostels are cheaper. And things have changed – there are some great hostels to stay in. They’re not grungy and run-down like they used to be!
There are some pretty unique and beautiful ones around which are nicer than hotels. They’re also a much more fun experience as you’re not confined to your hotel room. There’s communal spaces and kitchens to socialise.
Hostels often have free events and discounts for experiences around the town. The staff have a great knowledge of the area and can give you some great tips. Get as much information out of them as you can.
Couchsurfing is a fantastic way to stay local whilst on a budget, and to meet like-minded people.
Walk
Get to know a town slowly and intimately this way. It’s surprising how quickly you learn your way around! By the end, you will know the place like a local. And you will discover a lot of things along the way. It’s free and healthy. It will also lead you past street vendors and open up a realm of possibilities to discover new things. If you like to take photos whilst you travel, walking around is a must to capture those great shots.
If you’re outside a town, walking and hiking is a marvelous way to explore and experience the country.
Find out what’s free around you
This is a great tip on how to travel when broke. A lot of places offer free sample classes or walking tours. Some do expect a tip at the end, but it’s still cheap. For example in Mexico City, most evenings there is live dancing in Alameda Central park where anyone can join. Free dance lessons! It’s fun, you get to meet the locals. And we wouldn’t have found them if we weren’t exploring on foot.
This captures the essence of the city and allows you to immerse yourself in the culture. I’ve written some guides for things to do on a budget in London, Paris, Athens, and Mexico City.
Book as far in advance as you can
This will make transportation tickets cheaper, and if possible, select the seat you want. In London, I used to get the Megabus across the country; when I booked well in advance a ticket would only cost £1. But booking closer to the time would be upwards of £15. That’s a big difference!
For a lot of places, it’s also cheaper to buy tickets online in advance, rather than at the door. For example, the Paris Catacombs – an online ticket is €14, but same-day admission at the door is €24. There’s not even a guarantee that you will get in if you show up on the day! So it’s worth it to book in advance.
Travel light
This eliminates the cost of check-in luggage. This article on top tips to pack light will also help you. Not only does it save you flight fees, but it also saves you from dragging heavy luggage around everywhere! That is not a fun experience. Travelling light also means you won’t be tempted to buy more clothes and souvenirs because you have no space. It’s so easy when travelling to buy things from markets and shops that you know you won’t even use them later.
Sometimes when you travel broke, you may have to book flights with several layovers to make it cheaper. It’s then so much easier just to take carry-on luggage so you don’t have to re-check luggage in different airports…. Like travelling through America to Canada. And you don’t have to worry about the airline losing your luggage either.
Plus your carry-on makes a great pillow or seat if you’re waiting around in airports and train stations.
Workaway
Workaway is so amazing! It changed my life when I discovered it. I’ve done this in places like London, Demati, and Palairos in Greece, and France. It’s an excellent way to travel when broke because it enriches your life so much.
Sign up to their website https://www.workaway.info/ , create your profile, and explore the site. Travel to anywhere in the world, and volunteer with local people and small businesses for free food and accommodation. Not only does it save you a ton of money, you get so much local experience out of it. People teach you about their culture, language, food… They take you on trips to explore the area and welcome you into their family while you’re there.
There’s also the possibility of working for accommodation in hostels. This is what I did before Workaway when I was travelling broke. Some hostels require you to stay and work for a minimum period. But that just gives you more time to explore the area. And it’s usually just part-time work, it shouldn’t be a full-time job for free. So make sure you’re happy with the working conditions before you agree.
When I lived in Sydney, I would work a few hours housekeeping for accommodation in my hostel. Then I would be in a restaurant in the evenings. This allowed me to save some money before moving on again.
Shop locally
Go back to those markets you found whilst walking around! They’re usually so much cheaper than a big superstore, and it’s a more authentic experience. Markets are so intriguing, that you can spend hours wandering through the busy, colourful, and thriving aisles. Learning a few phrases to speak to the vendors is always fun, and can allow you to haggle. Buy food, drinks, and supplies in markets to cook at your hostel.
This saves so much money in comparison to eating in restaurants every day! Buying from markets is a more wholesome experience, and you’re supporting the locals. It’s so much more fun this way.
Don't buy junk
Resist the urge! Instead of buying lots of souvenirs or junk you’ll only throw away, get out and explore instead. It’s about experiences and memories! Buy tickets for the museums, exhibitions, and tours. That is a much better use for your money than something you will throw away again or forget about.
Just think about having to carry it around with you whilst you travel. You’ve only got a small bag if you’re travelling light! It’s good practice to be less materialistic in life and focus on experiences instead.
Travel overnight
This doubles up as transportation and accommodation. If you don’t mind sleeping on a coach or train! I travelled around Australia this way. It takes so long to get anywhere in Australia because it’s such a huge country. So when travelling I booked night coaches that I could sleep on.
The only downside to this is not seeing the country you drive through. But if the route isn’t that scenic anyway, and just highways, you won’t miss out on much. Don’t forget to book your tickets as early as you can to make it cheaper. During off-peak seasons it might not even be busy so you’ll have a whole row to yourself to stretch out. Use your hand luggage as that pillow!
Eat street food
This is often super cheap, so you can afford it even if you’re broke. You will be sitting amongst locals, eating the local food. Now that’s travelling. Some tips for eating street food – if it’s busy with locals, eat there; wash or disinfect your hands before eating; eat freshly-cooked food; if you’re worried about the water, eat hot food instead of food washed in water.
Buy a sim card
This is to avoid paying international rates with your current SIM card. If you don’t do this you can rack up your phone bill fast, trust me. Then your trip suddenly becomes a lot more expensive! These can be purchased at the airport, or a store like 7-Eleven, and they are usually cheap. In some countries, they might not give you a lot of internet, but it’s enough to get around.
Some people prefer not to use phone data at all, and use local free WiFi. It’s your choice, but I prefer to have it for safety and emergency reasons, as travelling can be unpredictable.
Be flexible
For flights especially, it’s best to be flexible on when you can travel. Sometimes there are hundreds of dollars/pounds between one day and the next. And cheaper flights may have longer layovers. This works well if you don’t mind travelling a little slower, and not on a strict schedule. For a flight I booked from Whitehorse, Canada to London, England, I saved $600 each way. This was because I have a long layover in Vancouver, but I’ll just spend a night in a hostel. Or stay in the airport. This still saves me a ton of money, but it’s a lot slower.
If you need help to start that backpacking trip, read my article on helpful tips for your first backpacking trip. Saving money might not always be the most comfortable option, but it does allow you to stretch your money further. Travelling when broke can be the best thing you do. It creates a challenge and allows you to focus on experiences and memories. It creates possibilities to do good things you wouldn’t normally do and allows you to immerse yourself in cultures.
They say “Buy local, be a local”. And you’re always guaranteed to get a story out of it, whatever happens!
