The Goodness Blog

Living & Enjoying Life

      A Beginner Guide To Travelling On The Cheap

      Travelling is truly one of the greatest pastimes of the modern age, where international flights have given us the gift of being able to go just about anywhere in the world that our hearts desire.

      That does come at a cost, however, and there is only a small percentage of people in the world that are able to fly whenever they want, usually due to the cost of tickets, the cost of hotels, and more. And the high costs are usually enough to put off most people, forcing them to stay at home.

      It’s a huge misconception that actually travelling isn’t just not incredibly expensive, but that it can be very cheap when done right.

      Being Flexible

      Flexibility is perhaps the best tool that a shoestring traveller can develop, as it allows them to find good deals that are much cheaper, even if they aren’t really that convenient. One of the best ways of doing this is by being extremely flexible when it comes to air ticket flight times.

      Instead of booking for times that are convenient, rather opt for ones that may be late at night or very early in the morning. This might mean having a chaotic schedule, but it also means that tickets will always be affordable, allowing the traveller to get around the world without paying too much. This obviously won’t work for everyone, especially those that might have strict work deadlines, but for everyone else, it’s a great way of travelling.

      Skipping The Hotels

      Hotels are one of the biggest money sinks in the world and can quickly end up bankrupting the traveller that’s trying to do it long-term. Fortunately, there are better – and cheaper – ways of doing things. WWOOF is a great example, which is a global network of farmers that will provide bread and board for anyone that’s willing to put in an honest day’s work.

      There are plenty of others, such as HelpX, that offer similar services, giving travellers a safe place to sleep in exchange for basic labour and other services. The work itself is not always glamorous, and due to the nature of countries and work, a traveller might not be able to make any money from it, but it’s a fantastic way of getting around as cheaply as possible, and there will always be plenty of entertainment for you along the way.

      Another option is to use the CouchSurfing service, where people from around the world will allow travellers free accommodation in a safe place while they’re on the road.

      Avoiding Expensive Meals

      Eating at restaurants is a close second to living at hotels when it comes to burning through money, but like the aforementioned entry, it’s just as easy to cut down on meal costs. This can be done simply by buying local, cheap ingredients and cooking simple but healthy meals. Not only will this mean that the food will be overall healthier, but the overall costs will be significantly less.

      Travelling doesn’t need to be an expensive as long as the traveller is willing to make a few sacrifices and to learn to be as flexible as possible.