Travel Hacks: How To Travel Cheap
The advice people ask me for the most is how to travel cheap. Yes, I am a master at traveling cheaply. You really don’t need thousands of dollars to take the trip of a lifetime. By using a few travel hacks, you can get great deals on your travel. I am here to share my travel tips with you, so you can know how to travel with less money, too.
Travel Hacks: How To Travel Cheap
1. Travel On Cheap Airlines
You can save a lot of money by traveling on discount airlines. I used Ryanair, Monarch, and easyJet in Europe. Air Asia is always great to fly on in Asia, and Lion Air is great in Indonesia. Spirit Airlines gives great deals in the US, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Latin America. JetBlue, Frontier, and Allegiant are other great airlines to use in the US. Interjet is the cheapest airline to fly throughout Mexico. The Cheapflights newsletter does a good job of keeping you informed of great flight deals.
2. Get A Job Where You Get To Travel
There are plenty of jobs where you can get paid to travel. Of course, everyone thinks of being a flight attendant, but there are plenty of other travel jobs, too. You could look at being a retail buyer, a destination wedding photographer, or a tour guide. You can easily find work overseas as a bartender or by waiting tables. This is one of the travel hacks that won’t just save you money, but where you can make money, too.
3. Work In Exchange For A Place To Stay
Many people who know how to travel cheaply, work in exchange for free accommodations. Some of the sites that let you find work in exchange for a room are:
- WWOOF
- Grow Food
- PayAway
- The Caretaker Gazette
- Help Exchange
4. Search For Flights With Private Browsing
In Google Chrome, click on “New Incognito Window”. Airline websites track your visits, and they will often raise the price if you have visited before, so that you will book the ticket. Use private browsing to get the best prices.
5. Use Credit Cards To Get Points For Free Flights
One of the easiest travel hacks is by using credit cards for free flights. There are plenty of credit cards that offer sign-up bonuses where you can get a free flight just for signing up. Then, when you build up frequent flier miles, you can exchange them for more free flights. This is one of the easiest ways to save money on travel.
6. Learn How To Haggle
I never pay the full price when I travel. I ask hotels for lower rates, along with taxis and tour guides, and items that I would like to buy. Often just explain to the vendor that you are traveling long-term and cheaply, and they will be glad to work with you on price. Also, remember to be polite when bargaining. A smile goes a long way.
7. Travel To See Friends Or Travel With Friends
If you visit friends that have room for you to stay with them, you won’t have to spend money on a hotel room. If you don’t have friends in places you want to travel to, travel with your friends and split the cost of travel. Also, don’t forget Couchsurfing as a resource, where you can stay with locals for free, plus make a new friend in the process.
8. Travel Slowly
One of my favorite travel hacks is to travel slowly. If you spend more time in one area, you can rent a place for a month which is always cheaper than renting a place by the night. You can cook for yourself, and even buy a cheap used car rather which can be cheaper than renting one. You can even look at house sitting in the area you want to travel to, so that you save even more money. My favorite house sitting website is Trusted House Sitters. Also, check out housecarers.com and mindmyhouse.com.
9. Look For Free Things To Do
One of my suggestions for how to travel cheaply in an area is to look for free things to do. My favorite free thing to do while traveling is to get out and enjoy nature, but every area has something you can do for free. Save money on a gym membership and go on free walking tours, go to the beach, or just sit and people watch. Go to free festival or look for free entrance days at the local museums.
10. Use Public Transportation Or Rent A Bike
By renting a bike or using public transportation, you won’t just save a lot of money, you will also help protect the environment. This is a great way to travel cheap.
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These are some great suggestions, especially slow travel, using public transportation, learning to haggle, and looking for free activities. A little bit of savings can go a long way while traveling!
Mary @ Green Global Travel recently posted…The Chicken Bus: Guatemala’s Unusual Mode of Transport
All 10 tips are so helpful. I never thought that we can work for our accommodation. It’s nice knowing that travelling doesn’t only need you to expense, but you also can earn a living. Great!
Marie recently posted…Inspiration Friday ~ Crete, Greece’s Largest City
Excellent tips – my favorite is to travel slowly. 🙂
Good to know about the working-for-travel links–thank you!
Shelly Rivoli recently posted…How to pack 1 checked bag for 3 kids (without losing your mind)
Great tips. I love browsing the incognito mode Shen I buy tickets due to tracking cookies most websites use.
Marc recently posted…A Stroll along Cannery Row
Great tips! We definitely use an airline credit card to help earn miles and tickets as our major strategy. I’d never tried browsing with incognito mode…need to try that!
Elena recently posted…A One Day Walking Adventure in Santiago
Great point No. 4 on private browsing – I personally do so and it works. Thanks for sharing and have a Happy New Year
These are great tips. And YES to #4! I clear my cookies and use private browsing every time I look at flights.
Renne recently posted…Favorite Zen Moments in Bali
LOVE these tips!
I didnt realise just how much of my travel budget was getting eaten away when I was dashing from place to place! won#t be doing that again!
Graet tips. I can add to your list booking hotels, flights in advance during promotons 🙂
Patryk recently posted…El Nido Palawan! Philippine heaven on Earth.
I love travelling slowly, it really saves you money. I usually co share apartments with locals, its the cheapest. My cost of Zanzibar co sharing house was 200 USD per month – all included, from water, electricity, night guards.
Nina recently posted…How Safe is Zanzibar for Solo Female Traveller
Wow, that’s so cheap!! I want to go do that!!
I think that if you plan ahead you can also save a tone of money, specially regarding transportation and so. Anyway, very nice post! thanks!
Jenn recently posted…Thailand Alone, first thoughts
I’ve been looking for a way to travel on a budget. I’ll definitely try these tips!
These are some awesome suggestions, especially slow travel. Mostly new traveller trraveling very quick, to see more countries. That makes trip more expensive.
Glad these suggestions helped!
These are great tips. I love browsing the incognito mode also when I buy tickets.
Some sound advice for traveling on the cheap! Just returned from travels to India and home stayed a great deal, saves a ton and a chance to really feel local life and meet wonderful people. Use credit cards at home for everything for air mile points for travel. 🙂
Robert recently posted…Experience British Columbia Ferry Travel
Great suggestions. Another HUGE savings for us when we were in the Caribbean such as St. John’s is renting a scooter instead of a car. It gave us the flexibility of getting everywhere like a car but saved a TON of money AND it was easy to find parking for a scooter.
Yes, that’s a great tip!
Thank you!!! I am just beginning my budget travel adventures and am gathering all the tips 🙂 Super helpful!