How To Travel Cheap: Secret Strategies to Spend Less and Do More

Lots of people want to travel and explore the world but don’t because they think they can’t afford it. But the truth is, traveling doesn’t have to be expensive, and you don’t need to be rich to get stamps in your passport! If you want to know how to travel cheap, you’re in the right place…

I’m going to let you in on secret strategies that work and will help you spend less and do more. Here’s a sneak peek of what we’ll cover in this post:

• How to find cheap flights and hotel deals
• Affordable things to do on your trip
• Budgeting tips and tricks
• Ideas for increasing your income
• Finding the best time of year to travel cheap
• Jobs that let you travel more

Don’t Let Money Be An Obstacle

While it’s true that the average American spends over $6,000 on an international trip (Squaremouth, 2018), there are tons of ways to significantly cut travel expenses, see the world affordably, and travel cheap.

“Twenty years from now you’ll be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did”

Mark Twain

What’s on your bucket list?

What’s keeping you from it?

Don’t wait until you have the money or hold off because you don’t have time. 

 The truth is, if you wait until everything is perfectly aligned, that moment may never come and life will pass you by. This rings true in so many areas of life, whether you’re deciding when to start a family, change your career, or take a big risk that you aren’t sure will actually pay off. Just go for it!

How To Travel Cheap

Let’s make dreams happen! I’m going to take you through lots of creative (but also relatively easy) ways to travel on a budget. Keep in mind: it won’t be free, and it won’t come without some effort. But the memories you make will be worth it.

Don’t worry, these cheap travel strategies don’t involve you going into major credit card debt or doing anything crazy. This list contains real-life tactics that anyone can use to make their travel dreams a reality. Some are a little outside the box but will inspire you to look at travel through a new lens.

Evaluate Your Current Situation

In order to travel cheap, you have two choices: 1) cut costs or 2) increase income. In some cases, it might be necessary to do both. Start by taking inventory of your current cash flow so you have a clear picture of where you stand:

• List all sources of income: job salary, side hustle earnings, tax refund, capital gains, savings account, inheritance, etc.
• List all expenses: car payment, utilities, food, clothing, education, healthcare and so forth
• Calculate what’s leftover: also known as your “net” (income – expenses = net)
• Identify 1-3 expenses you can eliminate or decrease: (do you really need Netflix and Hulu? Are bi-monthly manicures an absolute necessity? Can you eat out less on the weekends?)
• Identify at least one way you can boost your income: (any hobbies you can make money from? service you can provide to others? shifts or overtime you can pick up at work?) Need ideas? Keep reading and come back to this one

17 Ways To Travel Cheap:

Now that you know what your unique needs are, let’s examine different ways to travel cheap, how to budget, tips for increasing income, and clever hacks. You can pick and choose what works for you! There’s no need to include each and every idea (although you certainly could). They’re listed in no particular order, so scroll through and get inspired!

1. Find A Side Hustle

A great way to build your travel fund is to supplement your income with a side hustle. Love dogs? Create a profile on Rover to watch dogs while their owners are away. I did this for about a year while my husband was deployed to keep me busy and give me something to do. I ended up making a little extra pocket money and it was relatively easy. Give Rover a try here.

Another option is Poshmark, an app to buy and sell clothes and accessories. I started on Posh about seven years ago after a friend told me about it, and I love it! It’s fun and a good way to recoup money from clothes you don’t wear anymore. If you want to sign up, click here and enter invite code “kellihogan” for $5 to get you started.

The sky’s the limit… Is there a hobby you can monetize? A handmade product you could sell on Etsy or Craigslist? Maybe you’re great at cleaning or assembling furniture and could sign up with TaskRabbit.

If you’re skilled in design, IT, legal, administrative tasks or customer service, check out Upwork. For flexibility to work around an already-busy schedule, become a driver for Uber, Lyft, or a food delivery service like DoorDash.

2. Join A Travel Rewards Program

Every major hotel chain and airline has a travel rewards program, and almost all of them are free to sign up. You don’t need to travel a ton to benefit from these programs, but you will notice that with frequency comes more perks. You can earn things like free nights, free upgraded wifi, early check-in, late check-out, and more!

When I travel for my job, I stay in a hotel on average 1-2 nights per month (and try to stick to one hotel chain). I rack up enough points during a year to pay for 1-2 free nights at a nice hotel. I’ve cashed in points for a free stay a few times for a fun weekend getaway and it’s awesome.

Many hotels and airlines are “partners”, meaning you can transfer points or share them between two companies. This allows for even greater flexibility. For example, I used to fly a lot with Alaska Airlines and don’t anymore. I had lots of points sitting inactive (and not enough to pay for a flight). Luckily (like many other airlines) Alaska lets you use points multiple ways, including booking hotels. Awesome, right?

Before staying at a hotel or booking a flight, sign up for their rewards program. It’s a no-brainer. Another cool resource to check out is the Travel Hacking Cartel. It’s a website that helps you maximize frequent flier miles. This one intrigues me but I haven’t tried it yet. Comment below if you have!

3. Choose Your Destination Wisely

I’ll admit, Paris is dreamy. But zillions of other people think so too, which means the city is prone to being overpriced and overcrowded. When choosing your travel destination, keep in mind that cheaper (and still great) places can be found off the beaten path.

This is actually one of my favorite tips to share for how to travel cheap! There are so many less-explored areas around the world that are great.

And you’re more likely to find affordable flights and accommodations in a nearby city rather than the one everyone else is traveling to. Just because those places are less frequented doesn’t mean they aren’t worth going to. They’re simply undiscovered, “hidden gems”. For some inspiration, read this and click here.

4. Timing Is Everything

If the destination isn’t negotiable (I don’t blame you, sometimes it’s not), you have other options to save money on your travels. Do some research and find out when the “peak” season is and avoid it. Everything costs more due to supply and demand and companies raise their prices to capitalize.

Traveling during the “off” season can save a ton of money and is a great strategy to travel cheap. This varies by season and might mean you visit Paris in the winter versus springtime. Keep in mind that sometimes the “off” season is rainier or colder, so decide what’s most important to you and what activities or sights you want to do on your trip. Intrigued? Check out my post The Secret To Affordable Travel: Shoulder Season to learn more.

5. Find Cheaper Flights

How to find cheaper flights is typically at the top of everyone’s list, and for good reason. Flights normally account for a big chunk of your travel spending. To find the absolute best deal, start by reading this post by fellow travel blogger Nomadic Matt. It’s filled with great insight into all the factors that affect the price of a flight.

To start your flight search: Google Flights, Momondo, and Skyscanner.

To be in the know about special deals: Scott’s Cheap Flights, The Flight Deal, Secret Flying, and WhichBudget are great resources.

And speaking of flights, be sure to read my post Keeping Your Sanity on Long Flights. It’s full of great tips!

6. Avoid Unnecessary Fees

Fees can seem inevitable, or they might seem insignificant when you consider your travel budget as a whole. But don’t underestimate fees! ATM fees, bag fees, hotel resort fees…. they add up quickly and can be a drag.

To avoid airline fees, do your research and find out how much the airline charges for checked bags and carry-on bags. In most cases, it will really benefit you to travel light and use a carry-on bag only. For packing hacks and space-saving tips, check out my post What To Pack: The Genius Method You Need To Try.

Other fees to be aware of include overweight bag fees, reservation change fees, cancellation fees, boarding or upgraded seating fees, as well as things like in-flight wifi and snacks. Know what you’re being charged before you book, and what flexibility you have in case your plans change.

Bank fees are another big one to look out for. Many credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee, so choose your card wisely. It may be a good idea to get a travel credit card. ATM fees can also add up, so look for a bank or credit union that reimburses ATM fees.

Many hotels in nice areas charge resort fees, which can include amenities like a pool, restaurants, spas, etc. Resort fees can really add up quickly and are often added on top of quoted nightly rates. They can significantly increase the cost of your hotel stay, so read the fine print when booking.

As much as we use our phones these days, it’s no doubt you’ll be traveling with yours. Get in touch with your service provider before you travel to find out what international plans they have. Sometimes you can temporarily add coverage for a short length of time, like a month or so, to avoid costly “roaming” fees. If you don’t want to add an international plan, only use your phone when you have access to wifi.

7. Consider Hotel Alternatives

You’ll need somewhere to stay, but who says it has to be a hotel? There are so many great hotel alternatives that are often cheaper and still awesome.

While traveling Italy, my husband and I stayed some nights in hotels and other nights in an Airbnb. By far our favorite places were the Airbnb stays! We felt like we were among locals, had access to a full kitchen, and often the space was much larger and more comfortable. If you haven’t tried Airbnb before, what are you waiting for? Read my post Finding The Best Airbnb for more information.

For free accommodation (and a unique, adventurous stay) Couchsurfing is an option. It’s free and it involves you crashing on someone’s couch in lieu of staying at a hotel. While it may not work for everyone, if you like making friends this could be a great opportunity to meet locals. My advice is to research and decide for yourself. Here’s a starting point. Other free options are The Hospitality Club, Global Freeloaders, and Servas.

In addition to Airbnb and free accommodation, a few other hotel alternatives are camping, hostels, and dorms.

8. Find Cheap Things to Do

Once you’ve arrived, the fun begins! But costs can quickly pile up depending on what activities you want to do. Don’t worry! There are all kinds of free or cheap things to explore your destination. Free walking tours, markets, and historical sites are just a few examples. Many museums also offer free or discounted admission one or two days a month – check their websites before you go. Want over 100 free things to do across the U.S.? Read this.

If you have a big list of things you want to do, consider a city card. Offered in most major cities, it bundles attractions together for one price instead of paying individual admissions each time.

9. Eat Cheap

After transportation and accommodation, food is typically a big expense on any trip, especially if you’re traveling with a family (or just really appreciate a great meal!) But it’s completely doable to save money on food and still eat well.

First and foremost, get away from the touristy areas. It might seem convenient (and it is) but I guarantee you the restaurants located in a high traffic tourist area will charge more. Keep walking, get some distance, and even ask locals what they recommend. A few other tips are to look for cafes instead of fancier restaurants, and when abroad avoid menus in English (that’s your hint that they mostly serve tourists $$$).

Use Groupon to find local deals nearby, or look for street vendors. Both are great alternatives to a costlier sit-down meal. If you want to indulge and eat at a really nice restaurant, try lunch instead of dinner to save money.

Lastly, get groceries and cook your own food! This is typically your best bet to save major cash. Even if you don’t cook every single meal, making breakfast, for example, will still cut back your food expenditure. Don’t forget snacks – throw a few in your bag and you won’t fall victim to buying pricy snacks while out exploring.

10. Find Cheap Transportation

How will you get from point A to point B during your trip? Start by considering where you’re spending the night (hotel, Airbnb, etc.). How far away are the things you want to do? When possible, walk or bike! Not only is it free but you’ll get some exercise too.

Skip taxis and take an Uber or Lyft. Rental cars are always an option as well, and TransferCar is a great free option. For longer commutes, ride the bus or take the train with a rail pass. Especially if you’re exploring Europe, rail passes are a great option.

11. Make Money While Traveling

What could be better than doing something easy to fund your travel dreams? Make money by housesitting!  HouseCarers, Mind My House, Trusted Housesitters, and House Sitters America are all great resources to check out.

Another similar way to make money while traveling is to do a home “swap”. Check out Home Exchange , Home Link, Intervac and Love Home Swap to see how it works.

If you’re willing to work on a farm, ranch, or similar, consider trading your time for free housing and meals. Help Exchange and WWOOF will help you make it happen.

12. Jobs That Help You Travel

To make travel an even bigger part of your life, there are lots of different ways to live and work abroad. Choose from things like teaching, volunteering, nannying, interning…. the list is endless! There are also options for working professionals. Global Work & Travel, Alliance Abroad, and Workaway are just a few of the sites that can help you find employment and provide relocation assistance.

Job inspiration for travel seekers :

• Work for a cruise line: Crewseekers, All Cruise Jobs
• Become an au pair: Go Overseas, AuPair
• Teach English: TEFL online, CIEE, JET programme, AEON, ESL Cafe
• Need ideas? Escape Normal, Cool Works

13. Travel With Others to Share Costs

Traveling with a group can be a great solution and way to cost share on a trip. For example, instead of traveling solo, invite three friends to join you and you can split expenses four ways. This would be an ideal solution for things like hotel rooms, rental cars, etc. Traveling with friends or family is such a blast!

14. Take Advantage of Last-Minute Deals

Hotels and airlines often give special discounts to fill empty rooms and seats. If you have some flexibility and are willing to take the plunge, booking last minute might be for you!

You can snag some amazing deals when booking on short notice. Check out Last Minute Travel, Hotel Tonight, and Jetsetter, and be sure to sign up for alerts!

15. Seek Out Discounts

Sometimes it pays to just ask for a discount. A few common ones to keep in mind:

• Senior and AARP
• Student
• Government and Military
• Teachers
• Young Adults

16. Take A Road Trip

You don’t have to travel far to have a great trip. Road trips are also great if you’re not a fan of flying, want to get to know someone better, or just have a new and different experienced. Click here for some epic American road trip inspiration. Want a free ride? Check out TransferCar. Thinking maybe an RV? Cruise America is a great rental option and RV Share connects you directly with RV owners.

17. Explore Your Local Area

Last but certainly not least, why not explore your local area? We often move somewhere new (or have lived there a long time) and overlook what’s in our own backyard. Discover nearby historical sites, farmer’s markets, art galleries, new restaurants, guided tours….  To gather ideas, here’s a list of apps to help you find local events.

Find out what your city is known for, and try to see it with fresh eyes. This is one of the cheapest options of all and a great way to stay curious and adventurous. Isn’t that what travel is all about?

How will you travel cheap?

Whew! That was a long list! I hope you’re overflowing with ideas and excited about all the options for how to travel cheap. You don’t need tons of money, time, or travel experience to start seeing the world. Go for it! You’ll be so glad you did.

Comment below and let me know which of these ideas you plan to try – I’d love to hear from you!