10 Budget-Friendly Travel Tips

It’s no secret that traveling can be expensive. I’ve heard many people say money is the reason that they cannot travel as much as they would like.

Well, I’m here to help. I started traveling as a broke college student and, even now, I always look out for how I can get more value for my money so I can travel more.

Here are 10 of my budget-friendly travel tips:

1. Travel in the off-season

Most destinations have a peak season where many tourists are visiting. Unsurprisingly, prices are high because demand is high. For example, if you want to visit Paris, France you’ll get much better prices in February (off-season) than in July (peak season).

2. Start searching for flights early

The later you wait to book your flights, the more expensive they are likely to be. Use apps like Google Flights and Hopper to track your flights and get insights and predictions on the best time to book.

If possible, be flexible with travel dates and avoid traveling on the weekend when flights are likely to be more expensive.

Of course, flight deals are the exception to this but it is impossible to predict a flight deal to the destination you’re interested in. If you’re open location-wise, then definitely follow the flight deals!

3. Consider multiple accommodations options

Sure hotels can be pricy and Airbnbs are not much better these days. But even on Airbnb, you can rent a room in a house at an affordable price. Hostels are another option that many don’t even consider. There are unique hostels at different price points that could work for you, so look into that too!

4. Choose your destination(s) carefully

Some destinations are simply more expensive than others. You may want to think about locations that are easy to get to from you (and thus cheaper), places with lower cost of living, and countries with favourable exchange rates to your local currency.

Surprisingly, bundling destinations could ultimately make your trip less expensive, especially if you pair an expensive destination with a cheaper one (e.g. Singapore + Bali). You’d already be spending the cost of the flight to get to the region so by spending a shorter time in the expensive area, you can save money while seeing multiple countries.

5. Eat like a local

Avoid the tourist traps and eat where the locals do. I love street food, and they are usually authentic so I make sure to have street food in the places I can.

6. Enjoy free tours and activities

There are free things to do everywhere. You can see many tourist attraction without choosing to pay the fee to enter or have a tour guide talk you through it or whatever add-ons they try to sell you.

One of my favourite ways to explore a new city is to take a walking tour and many places offer free walking tours, where you tip the guide at the end based on your perceived value of the tour.

7. Use public transportation or walk

I enjoy walking when I’m in a new place! It’s a great way to discover the city and also stay active without trying. It’s also free!

Not every city is walkable and walking is not always feasible, so when you can’t, consider using public transportation. It will save you so much more than getting around by taxi or ride share.

8. Explore places close to you

Traveling doesn’t have to mean going to another country or somewhere faraway. I am certain your city/ state/country have a lot to offer that you probably haven’t seen. So take a day trip somewhere new or a weekend staycation or getaway somewhere nearby and see your home city/state/country with fresh eyes. There’s a lot of beauty there for you to enjoy.

9. Get travel insurance

Of course this is on the list! I am a huge proponent of travel insurance. Yes, it is an additional expense but what it ultimately saves you in the long run could be massive. There’s no need to worry about cancelled flights, lost or delayed luggage, getting sick while traveling and so many of the other mishaps that can happen when you’re insured.

I had to file travel insurance claims twice within a recent 6-month period – once for medical expenses for a mysterious ear illness that I developed while traveling and the second for expenses due to a delayed flight. The biggest benefit, for me, of having insurance was not needing to worry about the expense while dealing with these already stressful events. I knew that no matter how much I had to spend, I would recoup my money.

10. Fund your travel with your daily activities

Let me explain: there are many airlines that have partnerships with key retailers. So for example, you could earn Emirates miles by shopping on Macy’s website. So if you’re going to be online shopping (and who isn’t?), then it’s worth checking to see what other travel rewards you could be getting. Cashback Monitor is my favourite way to check this.

If you use Uber, you could be earning Air Canada Aeroplan points AND Marriott Bonvoy hotel points just by taking rides or ordering food as you normally would. Lyft has a similar program where you can earn Delta SkyMiles OR Hilton Honors hotel points for the rides you take. And speaking of Delta, you can earn SkyMiles on your Starbucks orders and on some Airbnb bookings.

These are just a few options. Admittedly, it takes some research but think of the benefits! I, personally, think they are worth it because you’re earning travel rewards for the things you were going to do anyway.

Which of these 10 tips did you find most helpful? Also, what’s your top budget-friendly tip that isn’t on the list?