How to Travel on a Budget – Smart Budget Travel Tips!

When it comes to experiencing different parts of the world, you don’t necessarily need to be living on 6 figures a year to do it right. In fact, learning how to travel on a budget can unlock an entirely new perspective of the world and show you different places and experiences you otherwise might not have. No matter what your financial situation, it’s always good to ensure you aren’t wasting money. Let’s take a look at different ways to travel on a budget!

Create a Dedicated Savings Account

One of the easiest ways to ease the financial stress of traveling is to set up a savings account dedicated to it. Throughout the year, put aside 10% of your monthly income into a savings account with your bank. It’s best to use an account that is separate from your emergency fund or future savings. In this case, the smartest thing you can do is set up a brand new account with your bank and create automatic transfers every month to that account. It really is that easy.

Related Article: How to Start Saving $1,000 Per Month by Achievable Finance

If your income is $2,400 per month, you would be placing $240 each month into the account. After the course of a year, you would have $2,880 saved up for a trip. While that doesn’t have to be the entire budget for the trip, it certainly does help offset the up-front cost. Being financially prepared will always be the smoothest way to travel. No matter what type of trip you’re planning to take, having money put aside for the lodging and travel will tremendously help you travel on a budget.

Deals on Hotels & Airbnbs

When it comes to trying to travel on a budget, you’ll be tempted to look for different deals across an array of sites. However, there are times this can cause more issues than its worth. Sure, you may save a little bit by going with Site B over Site A. However, most deal sites come within a few dollars of each other. I would personally recommend trying to find the best value with the nicest amenities for your budget. Trying to find the cheapest room possible could potentially ruin your stay.

There’s also the topic of Airbnb. At its start, it was thought to be an affordable alternative to expensive resorts and hotels. Over time, though, the industry has started to compete more closely with Airbnb prices. Now you can find Airbnbs and Hotels/Resorts around the same price. If you want the privacy, go for Airbnb. If you want to guarantee customer service, a resort/hotel may be the best option.

Ultimately, find the best value you can in your budget. There’s never a clear winner on vacation rentals vs. hotels. So don’t think you’ll only find a good deal searching on one site. In fact, one of the most forgotten advantages of hotels is the daily housekeeping and breakfast. Saving money on breakfast could easily make up some of the cost of a cheap Airbnb.

If you’re going on a quick weekend getaway or booking your hotel a day or two in advance, check out Hotels Tonight. It’s by far one of the best deal apps I’ve found for booking hotel stays. I was able to book a beachfront room at the Hilton in Daytona Beach for less than $100 on the weekend.

Finding Deals on Flights

Flights are a bit trickier. Their prices change constantly, and no matter what advice someone gives you about the best time to book, your schedule may not allow for it. Sure, there are little hacks here and there to save you money, but you waste so much effort and time trying to do so, it feels worthless to begin with. Here are some of the practical tips that we know have worked for us in the past.

Book Your Flight on A Tuesday

Fights are cheaper in the middle of the week, as less people are traveling. Take advantage of that opportunity to save some money on your vacation. Odds are, if you’re planning a trip like this, you plan to be there on a Tuesday anywhere. Why not start your vacation on it?

Fly Economy

Sure, this advice isn’t the most luxurious route to take. However, flying economy can save you a substantial amount of money on your flights over the years. Most of the time, Economy Plus seats aren’t worth the upgrade for a short flight. You can make it an hour or two with some discomfort, especially if you’re sitting next to your travel partner. Save the money and bite the bullet.

Book Flights in Advance

Most of the time, the later you wait to book a flight, the more expensive it will become. Yes, you can find last-minute deals on flights that have room, but why risk it? If you’ve taken the time to book your room and possibly a rental car for your trip, book the flight as early as possible. Don’t risk missing your trip trying to save a dollar. You’ll quite possibly waste more than you could ever save.

Check Outside Your Local Airport

Daytona Beach (where we reside) has a decent airport. With that said, though, it only flies direct to two cities. This means if you want to fly from Daytona Beach to The Bahamas, you’re going to have to fly to Atlanta or Charlotte first. Because of that strange route, you end up paying over $500 for a flight due to flying in the opposite direction. If we drove an hour to Orlando, the flight cost cuts in half.

The point is simple. Sometimes your local airport doesn’t have the best option for flights. Drive a couple of hours if you can. If possible, have someone drop you off or simply pay for parking. It may end up being cheaper than trying to fly out of the closest airport.

Split the Cost

One of the easiest ways to travel on a budget is to offset the cost of your trip by splitting it with a friend or family member. It’s much cheaper to book a nice room for a week if someone is there to split it with you. Better yet, it provides someone to experience these places with and share those memories. If you’re traveling on a budget, specifically a tight budget, consider having a friend tag along and split the cost.

Travel in the Off-Season

Having grown up near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN, I quickly learned the best time for a weekend getaway was the off-season. The cabins in the mountains were half their normal price in the busy season, and your money went a lot further. The same applies to living in Daytona Beach. Before tourist season begins, hotels are half the price they normally are with the exact same amenities. Their goal is to book as many rooms as possible, so if demand is down, prices go with them.

This is by far, one of the biggest ways to travel on a budget and save money. I can’t stress it enough to people when they ask the best time to go on a trip. Travel when other people aren’t. The attractions are less crowded, the prices are cheaper, and odds are, the weather is just as nice if you time it right.

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In Summary

It’s extremely easy to find practical ways to save money when traveling. Just because you might be on a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the world for what it’s meant to be seen for. You can do it right without breaking the bank. In some cases, you’ll save enough to be able to extend your trip or take another one much sooner than you expected.

Let us know what budgeting tips you’ve found useful for yourself in the past!