Traveling Doesn't Have to be Expensive.
Most people of dream of visiting exotic locations around world, but very few people actual follow through on this dream. Why? Some people might say they can't travel because they have children, some may not want to take time off from work, but most people all have one thing in common that is holding back. Money. Too many people use the excuse that traveling is too expensive. It doesn't have to be and I'm going to tell you about some tips that you can use to make travel a reality and help save you money.
One of the easiest things you can start with is by cutting out unnecessary expenses. For example, make your morning coffee and lunches at home instead of going to a coffee shop in the morning or eating out for lunch. If you cut out your $3 coffee during the week for one year, you would save $780. That everyday $3 coffee could easily buy you a plane ticket anywhere in the United States and many places in Central and South America. You could also easily fly to Europe with $780 by looking for deals and flying on budget airlines. If you eliminate eating out for lunch or dinner every day during the week, you can save $2,600 a year, if you spend an average of $10 per meal. That's a total of $3,380. That can easily pay for your entire vacation.
The flight to your destination will likely be the most expensive part of your trip, but there are a few things you can do to decrease your cost. Depending on you spending habits, financial stability, and how much you travel (either work or leisure), it may be beneficial to get a credit card with travel perks, such as an airline credit card. Put all your purchases on your rewards credit card in order to get the maximum number of points, just make sure you pay off the entire balance each month. You can also sign up for a frequent flyer rewards program for any of the major airlines and earn points. Many of the airlines are within the same alliance, so you can fly on one airline, but still earn points to use on another. For example, Delta and KLM are a part of the same alliance. You can use points earned on a KLM flight towards a Delta flight in the future. There are also websites where you can sign up for alerts on sales and specials for flights based on where your home airport is.
Next, the destination you choose will also depend on how much money you will spend. In Europe, Western Europe (Germany, England, Switzerland, France) can be very expensive and you may have some limitations if you are traveling on a budget. However, if you go to Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary), you will find that accommodations and entertainment will be significantly less expensive. The Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway) are the most expensive countries in Europe and may be quite difficult to travel in this region for less. Australia and New Zealand are one of the most expensive countries you can travel to, especially if you want to take part of all the wonderful adventure activities. Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia) is one of the most beautiful places in the world, full of history and culture, and one of the cheapest. Your dollar will go a long way here. The most expensive part of traveling to Southeast Asian, and it will be quite pricey, is the flight there. Central America is very accessible for Americans and flights are generally cheap. The beaches are beautiful and relaxing, the history and culture are plentiful, and there are adventures of every type of traveler. South America can be both sides of the spectrum, some areas such as Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires are the more expensive destinations in South America, but Bolivia, Peru, and Bolivia are very affordable. However, trips to the Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, and Machu Picchu can be quite costly.
Another large cost while traveling will be your accommodations. Staying in hotels will be a more expensive option but depending on your travel style and what you are comfortable with, there are other affordable places to stay throughout the world. There are ways and websites that can help you find low costs for hotels, such as Hotel Tonight, which will give low prices for hotels booked at the last minute. Hospitality exchanges, such as couchsurfing, is a great way to get free accommodations and to meet locals. Websites like AirBnB and VRBO have gained a lot of popularity in recent years and have a wide range of options. These types of websites can be a great place to find affordable accommodations. Another option is hostels. Hostels have had a bad reputation, but they offer some of the nicest rooms and amenities that can be even better than budget hotels for a fraction of the cost. Hostels are also a great way to meet friends and get other tips from experienced travelers.
No matter where you dream of going, traveling is a very attainable dream. It may take some time to save the ideal amount of money for your dream trip, some research, and some patience, but it is possible to travel all around the world on a budget.
Martin Wynn
