10 Affordable Ways to Travel The World If You Are a Wanderlust

Who doesn’t want to travel the world? Traveling the world whole year seems like a dream come true, right? Seeing the scenery, meeting new people, and just exploring the culture seem like something everyone loves to do. But you know what comes along the way when traveling? Money! You need money to do whatever you want these days. 

Many people find traveling expensive, which holds them back from taking the first step. With everything being pricey, it’s hard to budget. According to Skift, a third of America cut back on traveling this year. However, this shouldn’t stop you because the truth is traveling can be for everyone if you plan ahead and find a few savvy strategies. 

Don’t let the price stop you from seeing the world because you only have one life to live, so make it the best. Life is all about exploring and experiencing life. You don’t want to be tied down forever and never explore the world. 

If you struggle to travel on a budget, here are some travel hacks to help you. 

Prepare to Travel the World

Planning Ahead

The first step to a budget is to plan your traveling ahead of time. It makes no sense to travel the world with no game plan. You need to have something written out. Where are you going? What are your travel goals? What is the budget you are willing to spend? When do you want to go? 

Asking yourself questions helps you outline things and see your traveling plans in perspective. You can determine your trip’s cost by prioritizing your destination and financial capabilities. You don’t need to go somewhere extravagant or luxurious. You can make it happen if it’s just a small getaway to relax. You don’t want to book a trip blindly because of the expensive things. 

Setting a Budget 

Do you have enough money in savings? How much more do you need to save to afford your trip? Everyone has bills and other necessities that need to be paid. You don’t want to start swiping your credit card on traveling things when you don’t have a clear idea of your budget.

It’s better to start saving or make more money on the side to afford your trips than collecting debt. You’ll feel at ease when you have the money you can spend. Going on a trip can be pricey if you don’t have a clear budget. 

Choosing your Destination 

Some destinations are cheaper than others if you plan to travel the world. You can go to multiple places, but pick one that aligns with your goals and values. Every place has unique attractions, but you should pick the places you want to go.

Do you like to hike? What about relaxing on the sandy beach? Maybe it’s the city you want to explore. Each destination has pros and cons, so you want to research what you want to do. 

Picking Dates 

Depending on the season, certain destinations can be more expensive than others. For example, the beach would be expensive during the summer since everyone is going there.

Traveling during the off-season or mid-week can help reduce expenses tremendously. You can utilize websites and apps to find the best deals. You don’t want to pay over $1000 for just the flight because you can use some money for a hotel or Airbnb. 

Travel with a Group 

Solo traveling can be expensive and lonely, so going with a traveling group, friends, or family can help with the cost. When planning, you want to ensure everyone is on the same page. Not everyone likes the same thing, so having alternatives for people can make the trip more fun. 

You can have two separate activities if one group prefers one over the other. You don’t want anyone to be left out on a group trip or have trouble paying for activities. Activities and prices should align with everyone. Communication is key to making a group trip successful. 

If none of your friends or family are interested, you can try group travel companies like TravelPerk or G Adventures.  

Accommodation Hacks

You must think about where you want to stay when traveling the world. You can stay in hostels, Airbnb, guesthouses, or vacation rentals for affordable prices rather than hotels. You also always want to double-check whether the location and surroundings are safe because not all places are safe. Safety should always be a priority when traveling somewhere new because you don’t want to run into problems. 

You also want to think about places or attractions surrounding the area. You don’t want to book somewhere that is an hour away because that’s not convenient. Always check the map to see if you must travel into the city, suburban, or countryside. When you travel, timing is everything. 

Transportation Cost 

Every city and country is different, so understanding what transportation system is available or what system you’ll be using can help reduce the cost. You might have many options like bus, train, subways, Uber, walking, or carpooling.

While many like to walk to save cost, you must think about what you want to do the whole day. To cut transportation costs, you should have a place to explore every day so you don’t go back and forth between locations. Making an itinerary gives you an idea of what to do every day of the week. 

You also opt to budget for transportation, especially if renting a car, consider setting aside a small portion for contingencies like a touchup paint kit. This practical addition can help you avoid unexpected charges for minor scratch repairs on rental vehicles during your global adventures, ensuring a smoother and more budget-friendly journey.

Eating out 

When you travel the world, most of your money will probably be on food. You have coffee shops, restaurants, bars, street foods, dessert places, and more to try. When you are in a new country or city, there are well-known places you must try since you don’t know when you’ll be back or ever come back.

Find a few nice restaurants or bars you want to try and budget the rest of the money on street food or shared dining. You want to save a lot of money for food since 3 meals for a person can cost up to $46 per day.

As much as you want to try different food, you also want to watch your wallet. Eating different foods is necessary, but you shouldn’t just splurge on food. 

Entertainment and Activities

Entertainment and activities are usually the most expensive expense, along with food. People who travel often tend to spend 9% of their budget on entertainment, which can be around $52 for domestic trips and $293 while abroad. You want to make sure you do your research. 

Depending on the destination, there might be fun, free, or low-cost attractions. There are parks or public gardens that are often great to see since they are free. Some museums offer free admission on certain days of the week or month, so you might want to check that out.

If you plan to explore all the main attractions, consider purchasing a city pass because that can lower the cost. Many often purchase city passes instead of individual tickets since you can save more in the long run. 

Souvenirs and Miscellaneous 

Of course, some people like to purchase things to bring back home, depending on where they visit. Whether you are buying souvenirs or not, you want to have money saved on the side that can be used for this purpose.

Some people buy more things than others. Depending on how much you save, you should watch how much you are spending. You can also shop and save at stores offering discounts or sales.

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ARe you ready to travel the world?

Traveling on a budget does not mean you have to sacrifice quality experiences. With careful planning and smart choices, you can explore the world without emptying your wallet. It might sound impossible to travel since everything is so costly, but with the right strategies and planning, you can go on a trip that is worth the money. So, if you want to travel the world, you must decide today!