Is Cheap Travel Possible?
The short answer is yes!
And no, you don’t have to stay in dirty hotels or eat ramen every night to make it happen. Although, we would’ve done that in our earlier twenties, we’ve turned a new leaf. We’re here to help you understand the cost of travel and to have nice, affordable trips. Our credentials? We rarely spend more than $300 night or stay in places rated less than 8.0 on booking.com. Ash and I have kept nearly every trip under $2,000 per person, including a safari + resort experience in Tanzania, 2-weeks in Salta, Argentina, and a southern New Zealand road trip. Travel is and can be affordable with research and intention. But you still need to be able to afford to travel, even cheaply.
How to Afford to Travel?
Budgeting. First, incorporate travel into your budget. Make the decision to spend your money on travel. Because travel requires not just time, but the choice to spend what’s left after life’s expenses on experiences instead of things. A $100 Amazon order, is equivalent to 2 nights in Costa Rica. Think of the trade off the next time you’re shopping. Now unless you’re rich rich, you’re going to need to save your extra money to travel. Put that money in a high yield savings account specifically for travel. How long it will take you to save up for a 7-day trip is dependent on your income and expenses. It will be different for everyone since we all have different financial situations.
Start a Budget
Personally, I list in excel my income and then all my expenses to get my true income. Then, I automate everything. After paying my mortgage, utilities, insurance, a set amount per paycheck goes into my emergency savings account, fun savings, retirement account, etc. It’s a lot harder to spend money when you check your balance and it’s dropped. I think twice before buying something I don’t need. And it’s about balance! Yes, I buy things but not as much as my friends who don’t travel. I’d rather have meaningful life experiences than an overflowing closet.
How to travel cheap?
Research. The destination and timing make the biggest impact on whether or not you’ll be able to travel cheaply. Choose a destination where your currency is worth more than the local currency and is known for affordability. Which you’ll only find out through detailed research. Or if you really want to go somewhere a bit more expensive, visit during the shoulder season. Travel to popular destinations when school is in session. This is a great guideline to follow because less people will be traveling then, thus your trip will be cheaper. In addition to researching cost estimates, research where to stay and where to go that’s cheap. The cost of a trip will vary greatly even within the same country depending on where you travel to. Think NYC vs New Jersey. The minute you step foot in NYC, the price goes up and you end up spending more than if you were in New Jersey. Balance your time in the New York Cities with the New Jerseys of the country.
To recap, research destinations to find out the currency advantage, shoulder season, expensive cities, and cheaper cities. Then balance your trip!
Cheap Travel Hack
Work in the industry. Or find friends who do. There’s tons of great perks and savings that come with working in the travel industry. These perks usually apply to friends and family too! The benefits of being employed by the travel industry range from discounted to free. Keep an eye on jobs within travel oriented companies like hotels, airlines, and cruises.
