How many times have you heard, “Oh I’d love to travel, but I just don’t have the money. Maybe someday when I’m a millionaire!” But, in reality travel is not only for the wealthy – travel is for everyone, and it is possible no matter what type of budget you have. But, the only way you’ll be able to make this happen is if you make travel a priority.
What does that mean?
If traveling is important to you then you need to take steps to make it happen. Don’t buy the brand new car that you’ll be paying a loan on for years. Cut back on your disposable income and put as much as you can into a travel savings account. Look into options that allow you to travel while still making an income. The internet has opened up a whole host of new opportunities for careers that are fully or partially location independent.
You Want to Take More Long Weekends
If you’re simply hoping to get away a week or two a year, then this may not be as important. For this type of travel, start at home. Begin exploring the areas nearby, that you can drive to because transportation is one of the biggest costs associated with traveling. Get away for a weekend, and do it as often as possible. Staying local you’ll learn how to interact with people who call that place home, and discover activities, deals, and the process of traveling in a familiar and comfortable way. It’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes.
You’re Ready to Dig in and Travel Far
Travel takes planning, and when you’re doing it on a budget you will need to add in some extra time for this. Make a list of all the places you would like to go and set up fare alerts on airfare aggregators like Orbitz or Kayak for the dates you would like to travel. When a deal pops up you will find out right away and be able to make reservations. Instead of staying in a luxury resort or expensive hotel, look for apartment rentals, housesitting, or even Couchsurfing for lower priced accommodation.
Many cities have free walking tours and other activities for visitors. Look into visit cards that allow you access to multiple attractions for a single, often highly discounted, fee. You will also want to check out what the free attractions are. You will not want to depend on eating 3 meals a day in a restaurant – it will break your budget fast. Take away meals from delis or picking up the fixings for sandwiches is much more affordable and you will still be able to try local foods!
You Know How to Look for Discounts
Finally, look into discounts. Many places of employment, credit cards, and student organizations offer partnership discounts with airlines, train lines, and attractions. There are potentially dozens of discounts you have access to and you don’t even know it!
It is possible to travel without being wealthy and chances are you’ll have an even more meaningful and enlightening experience when you travel this way. Enjoy your next trip!
These are some awesome tips. I really would love to travel but I live on a fixed income. I am really going to be working on these suggestions. God Bless