I think it’s safe to say that everyone, or most everyone, would like to travel. I don’t know how many times I have heard people say, “I would love to travel but I can’t afford it.” But travel doesn’t have to be that expensive and it doesn’t have to break the bank.
There are a few things you can do to make your travel dreams a reality. These are just a few of the ways to help you get the best travel deals and travel on your terms.
Budgeting for travel
Before you even start booking, you need to make travel a priority. Just like that must have specialty coffee from down the road. It’s time to take stock of some of the things you currently spend your hard-earned money on. What if you stop getting that specialty coffee for a month and instead use that money towards your next adventure?
Think about it, one cup of coffee from a coffee shop could cost around $5 a day. Over a months’ time that’s $150. In 3 months, its $450. That, depending on where you are going, could be your plane ticket.
It’s all about priorities. What matters most to you? Summiting that mountain you have always dreamed of climbing or coffee shop coffee?
And it doesn’t have to be coffee, maybe there are other areas in your life where you can cut back on costs. Switching phone companies or plans or finding ways to save on gas for your car. If we want travel bad enough, trust me, you find ways to save for it. You just have to take that first step.
Where will you go
Once you have started saving, you need a goal. Where do you want to go? Is there one particular place you have always wanted to see, or a pilgrimage hike you always wanted to go on, or maybe one of the seven summits?
Whatever it is, start mapping it out. Get an approximate idea on how much each thing will cost, from flights to hotels to travel companies. This is just to get an idea of what it might cost and then in the topics below I will help you find ways to reduce that cost.
But first you need to have an idea of the amount of money you will need to save to achieve this travel dream of yours. Once you know you can calculate how many months it will take for you to save for this trip.
If we go back to the coffee scenario saving let’s say your trip is budgeted at $1500 and you are saving $150 a month it will take you 10 months to save for your trip. That’s less than a year!
Ok, now that we have all that established let’s see how we can make those travel costs as small as possible so you can unlock even more travel opportunities.
Deals from travel companies
If you are considering using a travel company there are some tricks to making it more budget friendly. Many of the adventure companies will have specials and deals over various holidays, such as black Friday deals, Christmas and summer.
This allows you to book an adventure at a steep discount and even though it might be well in advance it will be something you can look forward to. Just recently I saw a deal to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with Acanela for $1,900 down from close to $4,000.
These are not a scam. Though you should always read the fine print, as sometimes they give the discounts for times of the year that are less desirable, such as going to the Caribbean during hurricane season.
The bigger adventure companies, however, always have deals during the holidays and it’s worth checking out. Be spontaneous. Book the trip.
Credit cards
Once you have your discounted trip booked, then it’s time to get your accommodations and flights in order. Having a travel rewards credit card can help you get free or significantly discounted flights, hotels, and car rentals.
One of the top recommended travel credit cards is the Discover It Miles card, this is the one I have. In your first year Discover will match your rewards points, no matter how many you have, and you earn 1.5X on every purchase you make. The other plus is there is no annual fee.
I’m telling you; I pay for everything with that card (and then immediately pay it off with my bank card). I’m not making crazy purchases that are eating into my savings and making that trip a distance dream. I am using it for groceries, gas, hair appointments, my phone bill. You would be surprised how many points you can rack up just by paying for your normal everyday purchases with your credit card.
The other big credit card is the Capitol One Venture card. It is another of the always top-rated cards for travelers.
Credit card doesn’t have to be a bad word and it shouldn’t scare you thinking that you will just go further into debt and not live your travel dreams. It should be a tool that when used responsibly can give you some serious travel rewards.
Mode of travel
Depending on where you plan to go and how far away it is will help you decide what method of transportation you will use to get there. And if you are sustainably minded, make sure to check out my tips for traveling more sustainably.
Flights
Whenever we think of travel the first thing we think about is flying to our destination. It is well known that you will get cheaper flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the most expensive flights being on the weekends.
If you are flexible on time, you can check various sites for the best deals around a certain timeframe and click that you are flexible on dates. Depending on where you live, you can also be flexible on airports. Some airports offer cheaper flights than others depending on the destination.
My two go-to sites for flight deals are cheapoair.com and cheapflights.com. Though it is also important to check with actual airlines, because sometimes they offer better deals and more direct flights. Depending on how much it is I will often pay that little bit extra to get a direct flight than have to spend hours in airports because I chose the cheapest route that had 2 stopovers.
Also, some airlines have their own loyalty programs that give you discounted flights and sometimes a points system to get free flights down the road. I am a member of United’s loyalty program and they have a great app that keeps all your information in one place, including your tickets.
Trains and buses
Sometimes it’s cheaper to take a train or a bus to your destination, depending on where it is you are going. It also provides you with an opportunity to see more of a place along the way. It’s just more time consuming, so if you are short on time it might not be the best fit but it’s always worth considering.
Where to stay
Accommodations at your destination can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. It really depends on what you are into. If you are traveling with a company, your stay is often included in the cost. If you are going independent of a travel company you need to decide what type of stay you are looking for.
Hotels
Many hotels have their own rewards program, if you want to stay in a place that is similar to home, like a Marriott or Holiday Inn. Their rewards program also goes on a points system that opens up free stays. I have found this a bit of a challenge in my experience.
The one program I do like is Hotels.com. For every place you book on their site you earn a stamp and after 10 nights they give you a free night equivalent to the average cost of all the previous places you stayed. If you are staying somewhere for a week, that’s 7 days’ worth of stamps right there and you are already close to your free night.
Sometimes book last minute also gives you really good deals, particularly on booking.com. I used this app while travelling in Utah to visit the mighty 5 National Parks and got great deals on hotels for each night.
AirBnB
The creation of AirBnB has revolutionized travel for so many. It provides a more immersive experience in a place as you stay in someone’s home, either with them there or not. You can customize what you are looking for.
There are places that have an extra bedroom, which can be a great thing sharing the space with the owner for insight into the place you are visiting.
If that makes you uncomfortable, there are options to have places to yourself. There are also some really unique places on there, from treehouses to castles, the options are unlimited and for any budget.
Hostels
Many people think that hostels are just for 20-somethings and are just for partying and those things we did when we were younger. I stayed in my first hostel during my trip to Panama a couple years ago, in my 30s and it was a great experience.
Yes, some hostels have a party reputation, but others are just a great, cheap place to stay with clean beds and showers and a great way to meet new people. If you are not comfortable sharing a bunk space with several other people, many have the option to rent a private room.
You can pay under $20 a night at a hostel and I really think they are a great option. Just make sure to bring some earplugs.
Camping
If adventure travel is your thing, you definitely can’t go wrong with camping. If you follow this blog, adventure travel is your thing and your destinations likely include hiking and things that make you uncomfortable. So, camping would not be a crazy idea for you.
It is also super budget friendly. If you are staying at a designated campsite you may pay a bit for a night, but it’s going to be cheaper than a hotel. If you are back country camping you probably aren’t going to pay anything, which is even better.
So, don’t take camping off the list as a possibility.
Homestays
There are websites where you can book a homestay with a family or another person. This can be a great opportunity to meet local people and really immerse yourself in their culture and way of life. I personally feel that we can learn a lot from one another, and this is the perfect way to open up that communication.
I know it’s a scary idea for some, but the people on these sites are vetted and rated. And in some countries you are really doing a family a service by staying with them. Like in Mongolia, Bhutan, or Guam.
Couch surfing
Couch surfing is another option and is a growing trend among bloggers. It is another budget friendly option that allows you to meet locals and other travelers. If you are traveling solo, this is a great opportunity to make friends and meet new, like-minded people.
There are also dedicated websites to book your experience as well.
Housesitting
This is a great option if you are planning to stay somewhere for an extended period and are on a tight budget. When others are away, sometimes they look for people to stay in their homes and take care of their place. Some also include pet sitting.
What it gives you is a free place to stay and the opportunity to live like a local. You will, of course, need to be vetted before you can offer your services to house sit, but it’s a unique opportunity.
Avoid tourist traps
Once you are in country and at your destination it is tempting to stick to the tourist areas. In Barcelona for instance, that revolves around La Ramblas. The restaurants surrounding this stretch are overpriced and not going to give you authentic cuisine.
In places like Katmandu, taxicab drivers closer to the tourist center are harder to negotiate with and have severely inflated prices. But if you walk outside of that area you can negotiate much lower prices.
Concluding Thoughts
Don’t let the thought that “Travel is too expensive” deter you from having your dream adventures. I don’t know where that phrase came from but its wrong. Society has somehow engrained in us that travel is only for the rich when this is so far from the truth.
It really depends on what you want out of your travel experience. You are in control here, all you need to do is realize it’s possible and be willing to take the steps to get you there.
*I am not an affiliate for any of these companies, I feel that they are excellent options to get you thinking about finally going on that dream trip.
