Travel can be as expensive or cheap as you want it to be. You do not have to spend thousands of pounds to see the world and have a great experience. Here are some tips I have accumulated throughout my cheap travelling days travelling around South America and Europe.
1) Reside in an apartment or hostel
Sharing accommodation will always be a cheaper option, although you have to sacrifice your privacy if you are travelling solo, it is a great way to meet likeminded globetrotters like yourself. If you wish to have your private place then booking an apartment or apartment hotel will give you the liberty to cook your meals rather than spending much money in restaurants.
2) Buy food in supermarkets
Instead of buying small snacks you find along your way throughout your day, buy snacks for your trips by visiting the supermarket. I tend to buy biscuits and nuts mainly as they are tasty and give me plenty of energy to continue my exploring. Living like a local can ave you a bunch of money!
3) Research free tourist attractions
There are many free tourist attractions; you just need to look out for them. Do your research before visiting the country, and you will be amazed at the list that you have conjured.
4) Walk around the city
Is there anything better than wandering around aimlessly and admiring the city’s presence? I do not think so, and that is why I am addicted to it. For me walking on a new street, breathing in the city’s atmosphere and taking in all its unique beauty is the main reason to visit the place. Of course, visiting the landmarks which they are famous for is also an honour, but if you wish to see the authenticity of the city, just walk and take it easy.
5) Use travel apps/websites to get deals
There is an increasing amount of apps and websites that can help us to plan a great getaway. Apps such as Expedia, Kayak, Skyscanner, Kiwi can help us all to plan an affordable trip, alongside sites such as Trivago and Booking.com. If you wish to get deals on tourist attractions too, I recommend using ‘tiqets’ to book your attraction tickets in advance for less. Another great app I love to use in maps.me, as it navigates me without the need to use my data, which can become costly.
If you wish to save some money on your next booking via booking.com, click here so that we can both get a £15 discount from our stay!
6) Plan in advance
If you plan even a month prior to your trip, it can prove to be very beneficial to you when it comes to saving money. You are more exposed to better flight and hotel deals, therefore, you can save up your money to spend later.
7) Pack thoughtfully
Packing light means you do not have to pay for luggage fees at the airport. By many low-cost airlines, you are allowed to take a small suitcase and a carry on bag. Even for a week of travelling that is more than enough space for you to take clothing and toiletries. By carefully planning, you can decide which items of clothing to take and what to wear each day, in regards to the weather forecast.
8) Public transportation over taxis
It may be a bit more of a hassle to carry your luggage and squeeze yourself in a bus rather than taking a taxi, but at times it is worth it. Taxis are a more comfortable and relaxed manner to get from your airport to the hotel, but if you have a map then taking the bus or train from the airport into the city centre may be a good option that can also save you a large sum of money.
Although many of these tips may be common sense, I hope that you find some inspiration in this article to try budget travelling and see how far you can stretch your money on your next adventure. Being conscious about cash can help you realise some things are just not worth paying, and with the more money you save, the more you can travel the world! If you have any other tips for budgeting while travelling, please leave a comment, and as always I wish everybody happy travels!
Maria Hanako van Straaten 
Great list! Of course I’d love your list because this is the same stuff we do :-p Krep up the great work!
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These are definitely essentials – thanks for posting! I agree that for those that have the accessibility, public transport is a must – plus, navigating the new system is a great way to get a handle on the geography of a new place. I’d add that in many places getting fresh produce at the outdoor markets is even less expensive than the supermarket, and lets you connect with local farmers, sellers, and pedestrians in a natural environment.
I love staying in hostels and meeting other travelers, but lately whenever I travel alone I look for people to stay with in the Couchsurfing.com community first. It’s a wonderful community of globally-minded people who support each other traveling and host whenever we can. There is no money involved, and the idea is to make friends and learn from each other. Of course there are verification and review systems in place to make sure you stay safe (similar to AirBnB but no money), and it’s important to use common sense anywhere you travel – don’t stay with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, always have a backup plan, etc. If you’re not prepared to actually stay in someone’s home, Couchsurfing also hosts meetup events in many cities around the globe – I’ve met a lot of my closest friends this way 🙂 Check it out!
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Thank you so much for your comment! I’ve heard about coach surfing but never really knew how to get involved. Thanks for the advice I will most definitely check it out! 😁
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It’s a lot of fun 🙂 All you have to do is sign up for free on the website, fill out some details on your profile to help fellow travellers, guests, and hosts get to know you a bit, and they guide you from there 🙂 Best of luck! Tip: If you know anyone IRL who is already on the site and could leave you a personal recommendation, that helps a lot with trust building in the community.
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Thanks you so much for your help! Sounds like a lot of fun I think I want to try it out on one of my future travels 😁
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Wonderful list for traveling, Maria. Keep writing 🙂
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Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed reading the article 😊
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Yes, I did enjoy reading your travelogues. 🙂
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I’m glad you enjoy them 😊
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Thanks Maria. Awesome post!
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Thank you so much for reading the article! I’m glad you found it useful 😁
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I agree with all of your tips. While not strictly a budget tip, I would add another one for consideration. That is think about using private tours sometimes instead of group tours. A private tour will be more expensive ( by varying amounts) but it can be a great value. The value comes from pretty much setting your own itinerary and spending as much time as you want in a location as well as getting all of your questions answered. Private tours don’t stop at the souvenir tourist traps that waste so much time on group tours. Private tours are a good way to learn the maximum amount of what you want to know in a minimum amount of time.
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I completely agree with you and thank you for mentioning it! I think I will dedicate a whole article to the pros and cons of both private and group tours. I have only had the luxury of going on a private tour twice, but I agree they are well worth the extra spending money! 😊
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Totally agree with these. I think for us the easiest place to waste money when travelling is food and alcohol. It’s sooo easy to end up spending a whole days budget on a meal out! Planning to be at places where we can cook our own meals and not drink every night has saved us a fortune!
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I completely agree with you! That is where I was seeing the majority of my money going and I thought it’s ridiculous! I don’t need to eat out at every single meal to survive haha, I certainly don’t eat out at home if I’m saving for a trip and I’m the type of person who loves doing all sorts of activities so I prefer to cook my own meals, even though I’m a mediocre chef 😂
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Will be doing these, or most of them, when I travel to Norway soon. Great pointers!
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Thank you very much! Glad you find them useful. Hope you have an amazing time in Norway. 😀
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