The ultimate guide to budget travel: tips and ideas

Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, but airline tickets often are. 

Let us help you organize a truly affordable yet exciting journey by sharing some not-so-obvious ideas for budget travel and proven ways to get cheap international flights. 

How to travel cheap: basic tricks you should know about

• Cheap onward tickets with Fast Onward Tickets

As the majority of countries require you to show an onward ticket as proof of travel, Fast Onward Tickets provides you with the most convenient and cheapest way to do this. We offer instant, verifiable onward tickets that satisfy immigration requirements without having to buy a return flight. 

• Flexibility with dates

Airfare highly depends on the travel date, the day of the week, and the time. Always use tools such as Google Flights to compare prices and set alerts for fare drops.

• Public transportation

Rather than taking a taxi or renting a car, use public buses, trains, or subways. It’s typically the cheapest way to travel and allows you to reach literally any popular destination.

Affordable vacation ideas

• Explore national parks and other wild areas

There are many jaw-dropping places to go and relatively cheap camping grounds. Take, for example, a short trip where you can do all the hiking, fishing, and appreciate nature at a very low expense.

• Organize a road trip

Instead of flying, hit the road. Get a group of friends together and plan a trip with cool stops. You will save money while traveling and can check out hidden gems.

• Opt for house-sitting

Websites like TrustedHousesitters put you in touch with homeowners who need someone to watch their home while away. In exchange for being there and sometimes pets, you get free accommodation.

• Try volunteering abroad

Organizations like WWOOF or Workaway let you travel in exchange for volunteering. Farm, teach, or aid conservation efforts while seeing the world.

Budget travel tips and ideas

• Meal plan

Hit up grocery stores, local markets, or food stalls. If you have a kitchen in your hostel or rental, take advantage of it and save big to spend that money on other experiences, not meals.

• Travel off-peak

If you can, skip traveling to those top destinations during the high season. Traveling during off-shoulder/shoulder season is not only going to save you money on flights and accommodations, but it is also an opportune time to enjoy less crowded tourist sites.

• Fly budget airlines

Sometimes, the cheapest way to travel is to stick with the budget airlines. Watch out for fares from low-cost carriers, but watch for additional fees for baggage and even meals or services.

• Free walking tours

Many cities offer free or low-cost walking tours that allow you to walk around with a local guide. You are expected to tip, but it’s still an excellent way to see somewhere while traveling on a budget.

Accommodation hacks for budget travel

• Hostels and shared accommodations

Hostels are for more than just young, broke backpackers. Many provide private rooms at hotel rates, sometimes even lower. Besides, you will meet other tourists and exchange travel advice.

• Couchsurfing

It’s a free platform that connects travelers with hosts who provide accessible accommodations. Couchsurfing provides you with the perfect way to meet new people and experience local culture without spending a single cent.

• Home exchanges

If you own your home, someone in another city wants to trade with you for a week. You get a free place to stay and are in an entirely different environment.

• Special deals at hotels

There are some great apps like HotelTonight or sites like Hotwire where you can book nice hotels last minute if you’re a little bit flexible.

How to travel abroad for free: creative approaches

• Benefit from credit card points and rewards

If you have a travel rewards credit card, one way you can save points to redeem for flights, hotels, and more is through it. Just be sure to pay off your balance to avoid incurring interest charges.

• Keep an eye on promotional deals

Start looking up travel hacks that help you get flights and places to stay for little to no money. Like setting fare alerts, many agencies have promotional deals every so often, going through loyalty programs.

• Join travel communities

So many Facebook groups or even Reddit groups have budget travel tips and tricks on traveling for free overseas and the best places to find incredible deals or easy jobs for work exchange opportunities.

Conclusion

Just because you’re on a shoestring budget doesn’t mean you have to skip out on travel. Apply these budget travel tips and generate an onward flight ticket with fastonwardtickets.com to organize a truly memorable, still affordable trip.