A lot of people don’t travel as much as they want because they think it’s beyond their budget. While it’s true that traveling in a certain way will cost a lot of money, it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to sell all your belongings or give up your apartment to embark on a long journey around the world. There are plenty of ways to travel without breaking the bank or even becoming a digital nomad.
Use Points For Flights
Let’s face it, flights can be the biggest hurdle in planning a trip. Yes, flights can be expensive, but you should always use points or miles. You should try opening a credit card (or two) that earns points. Look for those with very high joining bonuses and you’ll add to those points in no time. Try to get part of the OneWorld alliance so you can benefit from multiple airlines as well.
Get Creative With Your Lodging
You can earn hotel points by staying at the same hotel where you earned the free night. These include programs such as Hilton Honors in the US. You’ll also find off-the-beaten-track options like camping and Couchsurfing. If that’s not for you, look for hostels, which often have private rooms with shared showers for a fraction of the cost of a hotel. You usually only need to pay a 10% deposit before arrival, which gives you flexibility. Of course, you can always check out what Airbnb has to offer.
Think About Trip Length & Timing
If you only have two weeks of vacation a year, you won’t have much time to explore a lot unless you plan. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can explore multiple countries and cities in two weeks, especially if they’re close to each other and you spend 1-3 days each. Looking ahead, try to estimate how much there is to do in each city and plan accordingly.
Visit The Lesser Known Cities
It’s easy to get carried away by the glitz and glamor of the world’s most famous cities, but the truth is that these places are often more expensive because they are so popular and overturned. You can often find better deals in nearby towns that offer even more. Some of these are Calabria, Italy; Normandy, France; Ben Nevis, Scotland, Belgrade, Serbia, and many more.
Take Overnight, Middle the Week Flights
Overnight travel has one major advantage: Not only does it get you from point A to point B, but it also saves you the time of staying overnight. You also don’t “waste” time on the way to and from your destination, so you’re essentially buying more time there. Midweek flights are almost always cheaper than weekend flights. So if you dare, you’ll almost certainly save some serious money.
