Ideas on How to Travel on a Budget

A few VERY common questions I’ve gotten recently are “How do you get to travel so much?” “Where do you find the time?” “Are you actually in school?” My response EVERY TIME is saving and budgeting!!! I budget basically my life and I’m grateful I was able to learn that technique at an early age. Budgeting is not everyone’s best friend, but it should be; with a side of Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets knowledge.

Trust me, if you want to do something, you’ll jump through hoops to get it. That’s what I do for traveling.

I want to help you out in terms of offering tips or how I budget for trips. So here I go!!

1. 98% of the time, I travel during low season. I looove traveling and visiting every type of place. It’s exciting to me to experience new cultures and visualize a life in another perspective. Traveling during low season makes it more affordable and it’s easier to get around! The weather might be a little rough but you win some and you lose some. You have to take your chances and plan accordingly. It also helps to travel when kids are in school, explore during the day rather than rush hours and visit the less touristy areas on the weekends.

2. I budget EVERYTHING. But I live in the moment too. I think Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings are the best time to look for flights. And TIP: use the privacy/incognito screen in safari to find information without using cookies/cache. Domestic flights are relatively more affordable and depending on the circumstances abroad, it’ll be a little more. But for example, Paris in March is about $400 round trip. So you just have to be patient!

3. Thursday to Tuesday trips. The absolute best days to travel domestic are Thursday to Tuesday trips. I’ve learned that traveling on those days makes a huge difference in price. If you have the option of working remotely, life works in your favor. Even then Thursday night to Tuesday morning (rushing to work right after your flight) is VERY affordable!

4. Loyal to American Airlines. I know, I know… American might sometimes not be the cheapest. But the miles!!! I have an American Advantage number and it’s just an obsession to rack them up. When you’re loyal to an airline, you get the good benefits! I used to travel with different airlines for more affordability, but I learned to look at the long term goal and for me, American Airlines is where my heart lies.

5. I’m a HUGE snacker. Lately, I’ve had more real meals because I wanted to change my lifestyle to a more healthy one; which you can read more about here. But when I travel, I snack all day. Unless there’s a dire need for some type of meal or restaurant because it was either recommended or the hype was unreal, I’ll eat a meal. In reality, sitting down to eat takes up time from your short trip. So if you’re anything like me, snacking or having small portions all day will save so much time to venture out into something else!

6. Find the right travel partner. Trying to find someone who budgets trips or is willing to, like you, can be VERY helpful once you’re traveling. When you’re on a college budget, like me, it’s a little more challenging but that’s where your social life gets sacrificed a little. You have to find the right partner for you because that can make or break your trip- in terms of if you wake up early or late, how much walking you’ll be doing versus riding in a car, what attractions you both can do, and all that good stuff. TRUST ME. The experience is a whole other level with both extremes.

7. No gym during a trip. HELLO PEOPLE, YOU ARE ON A TRIP. Go explore until you get lost and need to find transportation to get back. Go eat until you drop on the floor. Go have a drink with a stranger because YOLO, but pick the stranger wisely (don’t tell my mom). (Even though she probably will read this, HI MOM!). Make friends!!! There are some really nice people out there but please be careful and have your bag tucked in the front. Gym during trip is a no go. HAVE FUN!

8. Wake up and go. But wake up leave the hotel, airbnb, motel, hostel, house, wherever the heck you’re staying and leave early!!! And then just come home late because YOU ARE ON A TRIP. You probably don’t come to this location often. If you do, props to you… but it’s not a real vacation. Just wake up early, eat breakfast “because it’s most important meal of the day,” visit, people-watch, eat, walk, everywhere and enjoy life!

9. Rest day after vacation. I absolutely never do this because I love traveling so much, but I feel like if you manifest it in writing and say it out loud after every trip; maybe one day, it’ll come true. For now, if you’re young and poppin’ like me, you don’t need to have less of a day in your travel experience.

10. Be flexible for flight changes. Something I learned when I moved to the Midwest was that snow is a real situation in it of itself. I had never thought it would happen to me but I was stuck in my destination because flights weren’t available due to the weather conditions. So some MAJOR advice: 1) Always bring either a laptop or ipad or kindle or whatever electronic aside from your phone for some entertainment. Or if you’re anything like me, I made the most of it and called all family members to catch up. 2) Let your boss know of the situation. Gratefully mine were really understanding. It was also the first time it ever happened to me, so I was freaking out a little inside. 3) Always have an extra set of clothes, or at least undies!! Don’t be nasty please!

11. Write your goals. What do you want to do before, during or after a trip to make it worthwhile? How much do you want to spend? What is the best time to travel to certain locations? It sounds like so many questions but there’s always a place to start! I have a huge goal of traveling to all 50 states before I turn 50 and it gets me hyped every time I think of it!! So grab a pen and paper, and LET’S GO!

I really hope these tips helped in some sort of way. I tried being as transparent as possible because I honestly want you to have the best experiences possible. If you have any questions, I’m always here to help! Let me know in the comments below.