It’s no secret that journey has gotten costlier over the previous few years. Post-COVID, the whole lot feels prefer it has gotten costlier. And, with the demand for journey surpassing even pre-pandemic ranges, costs aren’t going to go down any time quickly.
Besides making issues costlier, COVID modified find out how to journey. Numerous corporations/accommodations/hostels closed through the pandemic whereas previous strategies of saving cash grew to become out of date and new strategies got here into being.
So a lot of journey has modified that I made a decision to put in writing a e book it referred to as How to Travel the World on $75 a Day, a large, large replace to my previous $50 a Day version. The e book incorporates the whole lot you should know on how to economize on journey and have extra genuine, native experiences.
Ultimate Guide to Cheap Travel and Authentic Experiences in 2025
Today, I need to share 10 issues you are able to do to economize in your subsequent journey – whether or not you’re going away for 2 weeks, two months, or two years!
1. Collect factors without cost journey
Collecting factors and miles is a good way to journey on a finances. By getting point-yielding bank cards and utilizing just a few easy methods, you may get tons of of 1000’s of miles — with none further spending (you’ll be able to even earn factors simply by paying your lease!). These factors can then be cashed in without cost flights, free lodge stays, and different journey rewards.
I’ve earned numerous free flights, upgrades, and lodge stays from my factors and miles. By optimizing my spending and listening to which playing cards earn probably the most factors the place, I’ve saved 1000’s of {dollars} — and you’ll too! This put up may help get you began!
2. Use the Sharing Economy
The sharing economic system has led to a plethora of recent money-saving and community-building platforms which have made journey much more inexpensive, private, and accessible. It’s by no means been simpler to get off the vacationer path, join with locals, and expertise their tempo of life. I reside by these web sites after I journey! There’s no facet of journey that isn’t doable with these web sites. Some of my favourite providers are:
3. Find the Free
The world is awash with wonderful free journey assets that may assist you to journey on a finances. No matter the place you’re going, there’s in all probability a weblog put up on what to do and see there without cost or cheaply. Someone has been there, they usually’ve written about it! Make the perfect use of all of them that can assist you plan your journey. My favourite search time period is “free things to do in X.” You’ll at all times get a end result!
Additionally, don’t be afraid to stroll right into a hostel — even in the event you aren’t staying there — and ask them what to do for reasonable. Their clientele is budget-sensitive, in order that they at all times know what to do and the place to go for little cash.
4. Stick to Public Transportation
If you’re on a finances, skip the taxis and rideshares. Unless you’ll be able to decrease your value by sharing a trip with different passengers, public transportation goes to be probably the most cost-effective solution to get round. Not solely will it prevent cash however you’ll get to see how the locals journey too.
Google Maps normally can provide you a primary overview of the general public transportation choices and costs out there. You can discover details about day passes and/or multi-day passes out of your native hostel/lodge workers (in addition to from native tourism workplaces).
5. Visit the Local Tourism Office and Get a Tourism Card
Local vacationer workplaces are a wealth of data. They exist solely to give you info on what to see and do. They usually have tons of reductions not discovered wherever else and can even maintain you up to date on native occasions, free excursions, and the perfect spots to eat. After all, they’re staffed by individuals who reside within the vacation spot to allow them to provide you with a variety of recommendations on find out how to get off the vacationer path.
Moreover, most of them supply metropolis tourism playing cards that may assist you to get you admittance into the foremost sights for one low worth. They are a useful means to economize in the event you plan to do a number of sightseeing.
6. Get Cheap Accommodation
Accommodation is likely one of the greatest fastened prices vacationers have, so decreasing that value can result in large financial savings on the street. I’m positive many backpackers would sleep in a barn if it have been the most cost effective lodging they might discover!
Since it’s important to keep someplace each night time, decreasing this expense can prevent some huge cash off the whole value of your journey. Stay in hostels, use Couchsurfing, keep in empty college dorms, camp, or attempt an Airbnb.
7. Follow the Five Block Rule
Use the five-block rule. There appears to be this magical wall that surrounds vacationer areas. Most folks don’t go previous it. It’s been my expertise that in the event you stroll 5 blocks in any path from a significant vacationer space, you find yourself shedding the crowds and discovering the native eating places.
In my expertise, vacationer eating places don’t care about high quality since these vacationers aren’t coming again. Residents do care so locations catering to them have to be higher — and extra inexpensive – or they exit of enterprise. Those are the locations you need to eat at. Use the above assets to seek out the place the locals eat and keep away from crappy meals!
8. Travel Like You Live
The majority of individuals in your locations don’t spend a number of cash per day like vacationers do. Neither do you in your day-to-day life. Take that mentality with you. Walk, take public transportation, grocery store, spend a day in a park, and search for offers. Do the belongings you do at house each day to maintain your prices down.
Too many individuals get into this mindset that once they go on the street, they simply should spend, spend, spend, spend. That’s not true in any respect. There’s no legislation that claims it’s important to spend extra. Be sensible along with your finances — similar to you’re at house. That will assist you to get monetary savings and stop you from going house early (and broke).
9. Take Free Walking Tours
Want to be taught concerning the metropolis, get your bearings, and see the foremost sights? Take a free strolling tour. You can discover them in most main cities — simply ask the native vacationer workplace, your hostel workers, or Google “free walking tour (city name).”
You’ll get a stable introduction to the town whereas additionally having access to a neighborhood information you’ll be able to ask inquiries to. I at all times begin my visits to a brand new metropolis with one. Just make sure you tip your information on the finish (that’s how they receives a commission). Here’s a listing of all my favourite strolling excursions world wide (organized by metropolis).
10 Become a Housesitter!
If you’re on a decent finances, you’ll be able to pet and home sit for fellow journey lovers once they go on their very own holidays! In alternate, you’ll get free lodging whilst you’re watching their house and pets (animal care is concerned 99% of the time).
This is a good way to journey long-term, with an vital added bonus: you get a kitchen to prepare dinner your meals (which saves you much more cash!).
You may even usually get entry to a car and typically might be left a tip or free groceries. It’s typically people who find themselves effectively sufficient off that they’ll afford multi-month holidays, so that you’re normally in fairly good houses and flats too! The finest website for that is Trusted Housesitters.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
It could also be quite a bit more durable to journey on a finances however by being versatile, getting inventive, and embracing the proper mindset, you’ll be capable to journey with out spending a fortune. (And you’ll be able to try my e book for much more ideas!)
Read Next: Best Travel Jobs – Ideas for Your Future Career