Are you suffering from a severe case of wanderlust? If so, you’re not alone. Having spent much of the pandemic locked inside, almost half of us plan to catch up on missed travel opportunities. But with rising costs in just about every area of life right now, it’s natural to feel worried about money.
This is especially true if you’re planning to travel long-term. But even if it’s just a week in the sun or 48 hours in a city, there are many ways to stop costs from spiralling out of control.
Below, read proven tips on saving money while travelling to help you fund your adventures.
Book shared accommodation
Are you prepared to stay in hostels? If so, you’ll usually save lots of money compared to hotels. It can be a great way to meet new people too, especially if you’re travelling alone in a place you’re unfamiliar with.
Another option is to book a private room in someone’s Airbnb home. You’ll enjoy a private space to sleep in but might share bathroom and kitchen facilities. Does it matter if you’re going to be out most of the time anyway?
Be smart about booking flights
Many are predicting flight prices to go up due to rising fuel costs. There are still lots of ways to find them cheaper, though.
If your schedule is flexible, look for the cheapest days and times to travel on a flight search engine like Skyscanner. But one lesser-known tip is to use a virtual private network (VPN) for your device, like a VPN app for Apple.
VPNs hide your IP address, which is great for privacy and data protection. But they also allow you to access cheaper flight prices only available in certain regions.
Travel outside peak seasons
Unless you’re bound to certain time limits, you could save a fortune by simply travelling outside of peak season. This often boils down to avoiding school holidays, as well as the popular bank holiday weekends.
With fewer crowds to contend with, you might just enjoy your destination more too.
Look for cheap activities
Activities can quickly increase your total spending, depending on your chosen destination. But you might just be able to find cheaper options that still offer positive experiences.
Walking tours are often free or inexpensive, for example. Another smart move is to eat where the locals eat rather than getting suckered in by overpriced tourist restaurants. Or why not cook the odd meal for yourself with ingredients from a local market?
Work on the move
Finally, are there ways you could keep earning on the move? If it’s a shorter trip and your employer is flexible, you could work remotely during the day to avoid using annual leave. Or, if you’re in it for the long haul, various pursuits lend themselves to travelling.
That includes freelance writing, graphic design, web development, and ad-hoc hospitality work.
Could any of these tips help you get away for less?
