The world is full of fantastic destinations. It’s no surprise then that so many people have a page-long bucket list of exotic places to visit. For most tourists, travel is a question of time and money. The quandary is that you will always be looking for more of one or the other. With a little bit of inspiration and creativity, you can still tour the world on a budget.
There are many hospitable people across the world. The trick is to adopt a proactive strategy. Explore out of the box ideas, plan your trip to the last detail and build some enthusiasm to keep you motivated. Ask for what you need including advice, assistance, and guidance. Let us look at creative ways to save big money while traveling the world.
- Benefit from your home
You can save your accommodation costs by swapping your house with like minded travelers coming to your area. Many online agencies such as homeexchange and Homebase are catering to the unique needs of this niche market including screening, introductions, and insurance. A home offers exclusive benefits such as a fully fitted private kitchen and broadband internet.
If you are traveling for extended periods, you can rent out your house. This boosts your travel kitty enabling you to offset your accommodation bill easily.
- Blend in with the locals
Locals don’t party every night. Adopt a local attitude to keep your living costs down. Dine at local eateries. Buy seasonal produce on offer and make your own meals. Strike a rapport with the locals and find the best spots with fantastic deals on meals. Look for delicious and cheap street eats. Do some research on the best foreign currency rates.
Find a reputable agency and secure an exchange rate before you get there and lock it down. Similarly, locals can point you to budget-friendly private rooms and alternative accommodation options.
- Join an international volunteer group
Social responsibility as a corporate buzzword is still in vogue. Some travelers have a passion for helping the less fortunate. This also gives you an excellent opportunity to pay for your travel with your time and expertise. Volunteer friendly non-profits such as Habitat For Humanity have exciting opportunities in choice destinations.
Achieve your travel goals and positively transform local communities by participating in their causes. Take time to choose the right fit of organization and projects. There are also global vehicle movement firms. Get paid to drive to a foreign country to deliver a car. This includes car hire and relocation services. In like manner, owners are looking for drivers to help them move their vehicles.
- Get creative about cheap travel
You can get great bargains on overnight travel on trains, ferries, and buses. Traveling coach is less expensive than deluxe. Pack your own meals when you travel. If you are in for a no-frills thrill, ask about temporary crew and service opportunities on a boat, yacht or cruise ship. This allows you to pay for your trip through work.
Services such as Skyscanner let you compare travel prices. These vary across various times. Did you know you can travel for cheaper on certain days of the week? Similarly, flights with stop-overs usually are less expensive than direct flights. Use budget hotels when on a layover and book them in advance if possible. This lowers your accommodation budget. Redeem loyalty rewards such as miles to offset airfares.
- Follow the experts
Hear from the people who have been where you want to go. I have been to countless destinations around the world. There are some tips and tricks that only a person who has gone through the experience can explain best. I am a frequent traveler. Travel operators are always looking to entice us with seasonal offers, discounted packages and multiple incentives to travel.
Follow your favorite influential travel sleuths on social media for niche updates. Join their mailing lists, read their travel blogs and sign up for periodical newsletters to stay abreast of new information they discover.
- Have a flexible travel plan
Being flexible about your travel times empowers you to beat high prices. Do some research. Numerous destinations offer discounted low season deals. Figure out the low season for your favorite destinations. For example, attractions such as Disney and Ibiza have dead breaks just before and after the big holidays such as Christmas. A flexible attitude also empowers you to hunt for last minute deals.
Additionally, there are time-based savings in hotels, discounted vacation packages and subsidized bookings. Similarly, if you have time, you can mix and match flights from multiple airlines to cut on airfares.
- Compare bargains and deals
Numerous travel apps and websites offer price comparisons for various destinations. This includes airfare, car hire, hotel accommodation, package holidays as well as travel insurance. Operators featured on price comparison sites try to quote their lowest rates. Compare base rates and look out for extra charges for various services.
This gives you significant savings. Look for bargains. Use time-sensitive advantages to negotiate quoted prices with various providers. For example, bargain the prices of last minute bookings with tour operators and hotels. Confirm the rates of associated services such as car hire, business services, Wi-Fi, in-suite bar and room service before effecting a booking.
Conclusion
You don’t have to blow a fortune to see the world. An inspired attitude and a proactive strategy can save you big money. This enables you to see more and get value for money. Save money on planning your trip, during travel, accommodation, cost of living and activities such as sightseeing and shopping.
Some of the ways to save when you travel include house swapping, renting out your house and joining a global volunteer team. It helps to be adaptable with dates and times of travel as well as having a keen eye for detail and an open ear for bargains. Use technology such as price comparison sites, travel apps, and home swap portals to find the best deals.
About the author
I am D Scott Carruthers. I am an avid blogger and a gifted photographer. I like to tour the world, take intense photos and sample exotic cuisines. I graduated from Western State University and am a licensed attorney. My specialty is business law.
