Travelling can be expensive, especially if you want to visit those far-flung destinations you have been dreaming about. Of course, just because traveling can be expensive it doesn’t mean it has to be. There are lots of ideas and opportunities out there that will enable you to see the world even on a limited budget, all you have to do is open your eyes and embrace them.
Why you Should Explore the World
Traveling opens your eyes to new possibilities and new opportunities. When you travel you learn to embrace change and you even learn to welcome it. Travelling builds resilience which you can then use in your everyday life for work, or in relationships. Exploring and traveling is exciting, and for years to come, you will have plenty of stories to tell and share with others. With lots of cultures and ways of life going on all the time, how could you not want to discover and explore what you are missing out on. So, how exactly can you see the world on a small budget, or perhaps no budget at all?
Backpacking
Backpacking is super cheap as it is just you and a backpack. You are not held down by transport or even my luggage which means you can just go anywhere you like with all of your worldly possessions strapped to your back. The key to successful backpacking is to only carry what you need. It can be hard to limit your possessions and clothing, but, it is important to keep your backpack as light and functional as possible.
Voluntary Work
Volunteering can open up so many doors to you. One month you could be in Argentina, the next month you could be in Borneo. There are lots of charitable and non charitable organizations that require help but just don’t have the budgets for it. So, instead of paying people to work for them, they provide accommodation, and possibly even food (you may have to contribute to this) in return for you working a set number of hours on a daily or weekly basis.
Voluntary work can help you meet so many people from all over the world, and it can help you decide where you want to focus your time and efforts – as you will literally be doing everything and anything, from cleaning to teaching and gardening – so when you return home after backpacking, you will most likely have a better idea of what direction you want your life to go in next.
Work as you play
Just like volunteering but this time you get paid for your efforts. Although the pay might not be brilliant, it might just enable you to travel to someone else, maybe more far-flung, using another mode of transport such as airplane or train. The best place to find out about paid placements in other countries is usually through social media, whereby you can quickly and easily talk to any potential employers. If working in other countries it is always worth finding out what visas you will need and if/when you should be paying tax on any earnings you receive.
Live in a trailer
Trailers allow you to literally just hit the road and see where you end up. Hiring a trailer gives you the luxury of knowing where you will be sleeping each night, but not where you will be heading the next day. The experts behind https://www.thewanderingrv.com/travel-trailer-rentals/ say that you need to determine if a trailer is right for you and your travelling plans. You can weigh up the pros and cons before committing any money. Once you’ve ascertained how that will go, you can go ahead and get a trailer.
House Sitting
Looking after people’s homes, pets and possessions while they go off and do whatever it is they are doing. This is great as you don’t have to worry about finding accommodation, and some house sits last anywhere from 1 week to 1 year (which gives you plenty of time to explore your chosen destination). When applying to be a housesitter always use a reputable website and ensure that you have adequate insurance to cover both your and the homeowner should any accidents occur.
Stay with locals
Stay with local families in your chosen destinations, this way you can get a real feel and taste for what life is really like, and not the watered-down or heavily sweetened tourist version. There are local families that would benefit from help or assistance around their home, or help learning a new language in return for free or discounted lodgings.
Join other travelers on their journey to split costs
Chances are there are like-minded people heading to the destinations you want to get to, so to save money why not join up with a group to split travel costs and accommodation costs. Everything from hiring a car to hiring an apartment will be cheaper if it is split between say 4 or 5 of you. Social media is a good place to find people who are interested in sharing traveling and living costs.
There is a common misconception of traveling on a budget, and this is that you have to rough it to get where you want to go – well you don’t! You have to be savvy to make your money go as far as possible, and you have to be knowledgeable about what is on offer and when. For example, traveling during peak times is going to cost more, so plan your journeys around off-peak times. Use cheap methods of transport, walk where you can, cycle, get a car share, use trains, and even make use of last-minute airline cancellations at the airport to make your traveling budget go even further.
When traveling it is super important that your safety comes first, if your gut feeling tells you something is off then don’t risk it. Just move onto something else. Accidents can and do happen when traveling, so make sure you have adequate travel insurance and make sure that your friends and family have correct and up to date contact information for you. Be aware of scams and schemes operating within travel groups and in local places you choose to stay. Remember it is better to be safe than sorry, so don’t part with any cash upfront and if something sounds too good to be true, then chances are it is.
