Have you ever wanted to travel, but it always seemed like an expensive luxury? Have you spent hundreds of dollars to see one place for only a week? Well, now is the time to change your mindset. We have been traveling nonstop for over 10 months and have visited 10 countries since.
Now I know what you think: “Relying on your parents to pay for everything doesn’t count as cheap.” Many people we have met assume that. And one: that’s kinda rude. Two: that is far from the truth. We have been lucky and resourceful enough to travel on such a low budget that it seems impossible! It is not though.
In this article, I will teach you how to follow your dreams of seeing the world without breaking the bank.
Accommodation
To start things off, we will discuss accommodation. Finding a place to sleep can sometimes be daunting and seemingly very expensive. While sometimes it can be, if you have the right resources then it can be completely free! I am going to give you a couple of options that you can use to bring accommodation costs to $0!
Worldpackers: Work Exchange
The first option is the one that we use. Worldpackers is a lovely website where you can sign up to find work exchanges. A work exchange involves providing a service and in exchange, you are giving accommodation, and sometimes even free meals, tours, and other things. There are so many different choices from cleaning and reception at a hostel or hotel, to taking care of gardening and animals and even teaching English or teaching children other subjects or sports. There are hundreds of choices in many countries around the globe.
So far we have done 5 different work exchanges that have all been inside hotels/hostels. Our jobs so far have been cooking, bartending, cleaning, painting, and working at reception.
The website is very easy to navigate but requires a subscription fee. We pay close to $60 a year for the two of us. The work usually ranges from 15 to 30 hours per week. The work can be really easy or daunting depending on your tasks. There are filters and other things to help you find the perfect pick.
Worldpackers has been our savior. Thanks to this we have been able to save money and visit more countries. This site is mainly used in South America, Africa, and Asia. While it is easier to find work exchanges in these continents, you can find a good amount in the other continents as well. (Well, unfortunately, not Antarctica. No penguin sledding for you)
Housesitting & Couchsurfing
These two options are ones we have heard of but have yet to try. They are more commonly found in North America, Europe, and Australia. You also need a subscription to these sights. Trustedhousesitters subscriptions range from $129 – $259 while Couchsurfing subscriptions range from $2.39/month or $14.29 if you purchase the yearly pan.
Couchsurfing is a website that allows you to sleep in people’s homes. It may not be the right choice if you are introverted, as you will be sleeping either on someone’s couch or in a guest room. If you are a social butterfly and love to meet new people, then maybe choose this one.
Trustedhousesitters is a website where a person who is on vacation or something similar, can list their house for someone to choose and come to. Your tasks usually involve watching over their home and taking care of their pets for a set amount of time while they are on vacation. This is a good choice as you get a whole home to yourself and get the company of some animals! It is lovely but can be pricey compared to other options..
Getting Paid
Another way of traveling for long periods is getting a job! I know, you left home to see the world, not to be stuck working. Too bad. That’s life. Capitalism rules supreme. The best thing about this is that you can travel and work. Depending on what you choose to do, you can be your boss and even set your schedules to fit your travels! There are so many options to choose from. For now, we will just name a few.
Teaching a Language
This is the option we chose to do. It is fairly easy. You can teach any language that you can speak. We teach English. For English, you can take a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course to get a certificate, or you can dive right in.
With this job, we can schedule based on what works best for us. There are many platforms available for this such as Preply, Cambly and Cambly Kids, iTalki and so many more. If you are ever interested in learning English or know someone who is, then feel free to contact us!
Travel Planner
Yes, this is an actual thing. You plan people’s trips for them and get paid to do it. This is easy for people who obsess over details or love organizing and planning. You are hired by people who need a trip planned but either don’t have the time or the resources to do it themself. They give you the basis such as budget, vibe, destination, and so on. From there, you plan everything out for them, and voila, everyone is content.
Other options
These are just two that we looked into a lot because we felt like they were doable for us but there are so many more options. From content writer to translator or graphic designer, the options are endless.
If you want to work for yourself think about the skills you have and how they could be useful to other people, then put yourself out there and sell your skills, on social media, on websites like Fiverr or UpWork or look for platforms that people like you use. For example, when I decided I was going to teach English I looked up other online teachers and learned how they marketed themselves. Thanks to that I found the website I am currently teaching on.
If you prefer the security of working for someone else you can still find remote work positions. For this you can use Google Jobs, Indeed or other platforms like these and search for fully remote positions. You’ll be surprised to see how many there are!
Cheap Meals
One thing you should know while traveling is, that you cannot eat out every day. I know that when you travel, you want to eat at nice restaurants and try new foods and go out for drinks and things like that. However, if you are traveling for long periods then not only is this not smart, it just isn’t doable. You live like this and you’ll run out of money in a week.
Street Foods and Markets
It is part of the adventure to eat the local cuisine. It is essential to learning the culture. There are many cheap ways to do this without spending a fortune on a touristy restaurant. The two best choices for this are eating at a local market or trying street food. This food is usually local cuisine and is super affordable.
For example, in Cusco, Peru, we were able to get a 2-course meal for s/ 8 ($2.11). This included soup for an entree, a main course containing protein, rice, fries, and a salad, as well as a beverage. It was delicious, local, and best of all, affordable. Then, of course, the street food! In NYC you would find hot dogs and burgers. In South America you can find that too, but also arepas, empanadas, tamales, anticuchos and so much more for a reasonable price!
If you can, try food shopping at the markets instead of the grocery store. The markets usually have everything you could need but for a significantly cheaper price. We love shopping at the markets. They are easy to navigate, culturally rich, and what’s not to love about cheap vegetables?!
Cook at Home
While eating at markets and in the street is cheaper than most restaurants, nothing beats a home-cooked meal. Put those cheap veggies to use and whip up something tasty. Nothing tastes better than affordability. Cooking at home is affordable, and tasty and you don’t have to put shoes on. You should eat inside most of the days and use street food and the market as treats. It may seem boring and hard, but it’s the smartest choice if you are on a budget!
Transportation
When first entering a new and unfamiliar country, you may be nervous getting around the city. It may be because you don’t know how to navigate it, or are too scared to even try to navigate it. While at first, new places can be overwhelming and scary, once you dive in then you’ll see that it is rather easy to get around a city or country without spending too much.
Walk
The cheapest option for getting around is walking! Walking is free and good for your health and the environment. If you are in a city, things can be pretty far apart but it usually isn’t too bad. It lets you avoid the metro if that makes you anxious and you save some cash as well. Walking can be great but also very tiring and sometimes not possible. So this may not be for you.
Buses
Buses are everywhere. There are inter-city buses and even ones that go around the country or to other countries as well. The ones around the city are very cheap and easy to find and navigate. The bigger buses for different places in the country or across borders are usually more expensive but far cheaper than renting a car or flying.
The Metro
I know what you’re thinking. “The metro is a scary mystical place of danger. I cannot do it”. Trust me, it is not bad. It can be a lot if you do not like crowds or the noise, but the metro is far easier to handle than a bus (for us at least). The metro is affordable, quick, and very accessible throughout the city. At first, it took us days to get comfortable using the metro. Now we can use it on our first day. All it takes is practice and repetition.
Uber / Taxi
Ubers and taxis are more expensive than buses or the metro. However, they are straightforward and more comfortable for newer travelers. We usually use Uber and taxis only when we are arriving at a new place. That’s because our bags are larger and harder to manage in public forms of transportation. Other than that, we try to avoid using them as the prices can stack up. Regular taxis may charge you more if they notice you are a foreigner. Ubers are easier and transparent pricing, yet can be illegal in some countries so be aware of this beforehand.
Sightseeing
One of, if not the main reasons people travel is to see what the country has to offer. Sightseeing is sometimes very expensive and depending on what you want to see, can be what you spend most of your money doing while there. Luckily sightseeing doesn’t have to be as pricey if you know what you’re doing and research well.
Free Walking Tours
If you are in a new city, search online for free walking tours. They aren’t everywhere but some places do have them. For instance, Sao Paolo, Brazil, had so many! We did two which were a tour of the famous graffiti and one that was about the most popular neighborhood in the city. While those were the ones we did, there were many more options. These tours are free, informative, and fun! The only thing you pay is an optional tip for the tour guide. A quick search will show you your options. You may be surprised by what they offer.
Free Views
Every city has many things to marvel at. Some of them are even free! There are usually many historical and beautiful places throughout the city. There are churches, parks, markets, events, and so much more. All of these places you can find and see for free. You will just have to look around or search online to find them. You will be your own tour guide! Except no tips for you.
Discounted Tours
If you are staying in a hotel or hostel, ask about tours. The tours offered in person are usually cheaper than what you can find online! If you are volunteering somewhere, they might offer a discount on all tours. It is always nice to save a dollar or two, and these ways are a great and affordable way to see the city and country you are in. Try it. Don’t be scared.
When it is all said and done, traveling doesn’t have to break the bank just to have a good time. If you do your research then traveling can be much more affordable than living in one place (especially in the U.S.). There are many things you can do to make everything affordable, these are the methods that we have used to help us.