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How to Travel for Cheap

Some people think that traveling is a recreational activity for the rich and those with paid holidays on their jobs. Others perceive tours as one way of wasting time and resources that they could invest in various mini-projects. But, the reality is that traveling is necessary for your well being and recreation. 

Apart from improving your work performance and personality, travel can help you improve your mental health. You can plan a trip and achieve your goals without having to break your bank. Whether you have a tight budget or you have other things to achieve, you can still travel the world and spend less than what you thought. 

In this post, you will learn various ways to travel cheap and achieve your #travelgoals. Here are the things you can do to reach various destinations with minimal expenses.

1. Choose Affordable Destinations

Some people think that if the price is low then the quality is poor as well. This notion has hindered many from achieving their dreams. The reality is far from common perceptions. You can visit many countries around the world while being on a budget.

Thankfully, there are tons of budget-friendly travel destinations around the world. For the most part, you will still see amazing landscapes and wildlife like in other places where you have to spend a fortune. Affordable travel destinations also offer a wide range of recreational activities you can participate in. For example, the Spivo team was recently traveling in Vietnam where we took a full day boat trip including kayaking, snorkeling, swimming on beautiful beaches and lunch for only $13 per person. 

 

One great way to find budget destinations is to search on NomadList. This site compares the costs of living for digital nomads in many areas throughout the world so you can get an idea of how expensive or cheap a Destination can be. To better compare the prices, search your home city or a travel destination you're familiar with to see if the prices listed on Nomadlist are accurate and adjust from there. For the most part, we've found them to be accurate throughout South East Asia. 

Government policies and economic stability are some of the factors that determine the cost of spending a holiday in the region. Find a country with cheap food, accommodation, and activities to visit on a budget.

2. Plan Your Travel Dates Well

Travel planning always plays off

Flight prices vary almost all the time. The summer holidays and student semester dates determine the need for flights and the cost of traveling by airplane. You, therefore, need to be flexible with your travel preferences to fly cheaply.

Setting up a date for traveling is essential for a cost-friendly flight to your preferred destination. This means that planning earlier is ideal. Ensure that you request for your work holiday when the flights are more affordable.

A great way to find out when it's cheaper to fly is to use the date grid on Google Flights. With a little flexibility, you can likely save yourself a few hundred bucks by flying on a different day of the week. From my experience, Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be the most affordable days to fly.

When picking your dates, it is ideal to travel when the colleges and universities are busy with classes. Try not to make it at the beginning and end of semesters because students have to fly and the prices can hike. 

3. Reserve Affordable Rooms Upfront (Or Really Late)

The price of accommodations in various destinations vary at different times of the year. You have to find affordable hotel rooms or hostels to ensure that you stay on or below budget. 

Some hotels offer discounts for people who book early. Booking early also allows you to have sufficient time to check room availability in various parts of the city and compare the prices. 

Last minute hotel booking in Bali for only $25/night

Another option is to book your accommodation really last minute. The hotel room with the view above cost only $25 per night in Bali, Indonesia. We scored this deal by simply showing up late a night. Similarly, on a recent road trip through Taiwan, we found incredible deals using Booking.com and Agoda.com by reserving on the day of check-in. We found it was best to reserve around 6-9pm when the hotel's prices had significantly dropped as most guests had already checked in by then. While this method can be a little risky, it can be pretty rewarding. One night in Taiwan, we managed to score a 4-star hotel that usually costs $350/night for only $75. However, we wouldn't recommend this method if there's a large event or gathering happening in that destination.

Once you have your room ready with fixed check-in and check-out dates, you can book your flight ticket. As soon as you arrive at your destination, get a cab or Uber, and head straight to your hotel to get comfy.

4. Use a Flight Deal Site or Facebook Group

Flights deal sites are a great way to find some crazy cheap flight deals. Many times these travel sites share short-lived deals where airlines either made fair rate mistakes or they have way too much space on flights they need to fill.

Some of our favorites sites are NextVacay and Scott's Cheap Flights. While the later will attempt to sell you a premium paid membership, it's not necessary to sign up as they do share deals to their non-paid subscribers via email.

There are also many Facebook groups dedicated to finding cheap flights. Try searching "your city cheap flights" or "your city flight deals". For example, if you live in Toronto, you'll find a group called YYZ Deals - Toronto Flight Deals & Travel Specials. These groups are a great way to save on flights and are super convenient as you know the flights are departing from your home city.

5. Travel Light

People tend to think that you need to carry all the clothes and accessories you have to make your tour a satisfying one. But the reality is that carrying heavy loads for your journey will only make it hectic and costlier. Packing too much can attract more fees for carrying luggage.

When planning your tour, carry only the clothes you will need and some gear for the activities you will engage in. You can carry with you or wear some bigger clothes to reduce the luggage if you're worried about busting the scale when checking in. Try packing neutral-colored clothes (black, grey, navy, white, khaki) as these will be easier to mix and match while traveling and you might not need to bring as many clothes.

Destination 22L Packable Backpack

A packable backpack like the Destination 22L is a great way to save on space and still bring a day bag with you. The backpack fits in a small travel pouch about the size of a few bananas and easily unpacks once you get to your destination. The Destination 22L is packed with travel features and is so organized you'll probably forget that it's a packable backpack. 

6. Think of Camping

Camping in Iceland

Hotels and Airbnbs are one of the biggest expenses while traveling. You can, therefore, save a lot by pitching a tent and spending your nights out in the open.  The funds you need for hotel rooms can help you to pay for another tour or buy some quality gear for your activities. Camping is even more beneficial when traveling to more expensive locations like Iceland pictured above. If you are planning to have a road trip, make sure you have a sturdy roof rack on your vehicle. This will ensure that you carry your camping gear comfortably without compromising on the seating space inside the car.

Before you plan to camp, you may want to confirm if it is legal in the country you are visiting. The laws in various destinations prevent people from pitching tents in public parks except for designated campsites. Camping is an awesome adventurous activity you can involve yourself in while saving some cash during your trip. 

Summing Up

Traveling around the world should not be a problem because of money. All it takes is the spirit and readiness to explore. If you can save enough to pay for your plane ticket and to last you for some days, you are good to go provided you picked a good budget destination. Set off your journey and experience the world out there without spending a fortune. It'll probably be more rewarding that you think!

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Author Bio -

Rebecca has been closely studying the travel industry trends from quite some time. Intrigued by the booming growth of this sector, she takes interest in penning down her views providing quality insight on current travel trends and also likes to write about food and beverages, particularly wine.

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Want to write for Spivo? Email us your ideas at support@spivo.com!

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2 comments

Sep 20, 2020 • Posted by BernardFap

Thank you very much for the information provided
I’m very impressed

Sep 20, 2020 • Posted by TerryRerie

Very interesting to read you
Good luck to you

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