Have you always dreamed of traveling to new exotic places? What’s holding you back?
For most people, the hardest part about traveling is fiscal responsibility.
Let’s face it, traveling is expensive! Between plane tickets, train tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and basically anything fun you want to do, you’re gonna break the bank.
So what’s the best way to save money while budget traveling?
The answer is simple: knowledge.
The more you know about budget traveling, the more you can use it to your advantage.
Did you know you can find plane tickets to and from multiple countries in Europe for less than $10?
If budget traveling is your dream, read on to learn so much more.
Table of Contents
Travel Light
OK, the first budget traveling tip is to travel light. Do you really need that many pairs of pants? How many jackets can you wear at once?
Yes, it’s great to have a whole wardrobe on you while you’re vacationing, so you can take 1 million Instagram-perfect pictures. But, traveling with your wardrobe can get pricey.
Most of the time, this is how airlines get you for more money. They sell you a cheap ticket but charge you $100 for one carry-on.
Thinking of taking it Uber? You might have to splurge a few dollars on the Uber XL because your luggage doesn’t fit.
Backpacking is always the best way to go. Find a small backpack that most airlines would consider a personal item (so they can’t charge you extra) and carry only the things that fit in that backpack.
Pro tip: if you are trying to squeeze a lot of things into a small backpack, try using the army roll technique on your clothes.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
As we said, airlines love to charge you very cheap prices for the tickets, but then charge you extra for your carry-ons.
Let’s look at RyanAir airlines, for example.
During the right seasons, you can find plane tickets for around $10. But what they don’t tell you is that if you don’t check in 48 hours prior to your flight using their app or website, they will charge you a $40, per-ticket, check-in/boarding pass printing fee.
On top of this, they have extra small perimeters for their luggage sizes.
They also encourage you to pay an extra $10 (which in some cases is more than the actual flight ticket) to select a seat, especially if you’re traveling with other people. They intentionally split up your seats as far as possible when you check-in, to encourage you to pay their seat selection fee.
Our point here is that you should always research your airline, train company, or taxi company as thoroughly as possible before blindly buying a ticket.
Use Credit Card Rewards
And finally, use your credit card rewards to your advantage.
Credit card companies offer fun rewards all the time to encourage you to use their company. But they don’t actually want you to use these rewards, because that would mean they would lose money.
So, they make it hard for you to reap the full benefits of what they offer. In this scenario, your best option is to do thorough research on the credit card before applying.
Remember that the more you apply, the more hits on your credit you’ll get it, which can lower your score. A lower score means fewer rewards and higher interest rates.
Pro tip: if you already have a less than favorable credit score, try using tradelines to boost your score. There are tons of credit tradelines for sale.
Budget Traveling Is Easy
Like we said, budget traveling is easy once you know how.
If you’re ready to get your vacation on, check out our travel and entertainment section for more travel tips and tricks.
And remember, keep your head up, your adventures full, and your budget low.
