50 Useful Tips to Travel the World Cheap in 2021 (by Bloggers)

How to travel the world cheaply?

It is a very popular question, as money is the main reason, why many people don’t travel.

 It is possible to travel the world having little money.

Here are the best budget travel tips from me and the most experienced travel bloggers that contributed to the writing of this ultimate guide to traveling on a budget.

Budget traveling

Budget traveling is art. It is also my hobby. What can be more exciting than finding a 30-euro return flight from Poland to Norway or a 200-euro return flight from Germany to Mexico?

There are many hacks that you need to know to travel the world cheaply. Here is a breakdown of the topics that we will cover in this article:

• Best time to travel on a budget
• How to find the cheapest flights?
• Ways to save money on transportation
• How to spend less money on accommodation?
• Spending less on visiting attractions
• Eating good and cheap
• How to enjoy the most of your budget travel?
• How to earn money while you travel

Best time to travel on a budget

 It is important to choose the right time to travel. Traveling off-season can be 3-4 times cheaper than in the time when everybody has holidays. Many of our contributing travel bloggers emphasized this fact. Here are the budget travel tips concerning travel timing:

 Tip #1 “Being flexible with your destination or the timing of your vacation is the biggest money saver of all. Many people only want to travel to a destination during high season, but choosing to travel on shoulder season instead is a much better budgeting decision.”     #flexibletravel

Budget travel tip from savoredjourneys.com

 Tip #2 «Travel out-of-season. Not only will you avoid peak airfare costs but hotel prices will be more competitive and places will be less crowded.» #traveloffseason

Budget travel tip from aluxurytravelblog.com

Tip #3.1 “Obviously avoid peak season. Spring is usually a good time to travel in most of the places.” #avoidpeakseason

Tip #3.2 Be ready to change your plans once you get to your destinations. Most of the time the best way to find new places (that are also quite cheap) is to ask local people. So you need some flexibility.    #flexibility

Last 2 budget travel tips are from fabionodariphoto.com

 Tip #4 “Travel off season — not only will you stay away from the crowds but you will also minimize your travel expenses.”  #traveloffseason

Budget travel tip by Sonal and Sandro from Drifter Planet

Tip #5 Plan your travel in such a way that you visit places during the off season. This way you can save a lot on flights and hotels as you are sure to get off season discounts. The icing on the cake is that you can have an enjoyable travel experience minus the crowds. You can leisurely spend time and it can be an immersive experience.
Budget travel tip by Sandy & Vyjay from imvoyager.com

 Tip #6 Book everything in advance or at the last moment (last-minute and first-minute), as the prices then are the lowest. Some tours from big travel agencies have great discounts if you book at the last day. #lastminurebooking

RomanRoams tip

Learn how to save money for your trips

How to find the cheapest flights

The largest travel expenses are usually transportation and accommodation. We will help you to save money on both. Here are the travel tips on finding cheap flights:

Tip #7 Watch out for ‘error fares’, flight deals, and vacation package deals: you could sign-up to e-mail alerts on flight search websites such as Skyscanner so you’ll be notified when the price becomes cheaper for your particular trip. Try to also research for the local budget airlines that are well-known in your destination since they often have added promos on top of their cheap fares. Otherwise, you could also subscribe to websites that regularly post error fares and crazy flight deals for any given time period. My favorite would be SecretFlying.com — I once scored a roundtrip ticket from Europe to Japan for only $300! That was a real steal!  #watchfordeals

Budget travel tip from www.iAmAileen.com

Tip #8 “Best airfare search engine is still ITA Matrix. Why? Because it gives you more options to search for lower fares than any other site. The radius option, in particular, is invaluable in allowing you to check flights to or from a range of airports. The advanced codes options allow you to tailor your search in ways that often result in better flight results.”    #airfaresearchengine

Budget travel tip from bonvoyageurs.com

Tip #9 “Also know that studies have shown that on average 6 weeks ahead is the time you will get the best deals on flights. But, book much earlier if you plan to pay with frequent flyer miles as flights fill up.”      #bookingtips

 Tip #10 “When booking flights, I suggest using a meta search engine (a site that searches multiple sites) like Kayak or TripAdvisor Flights to find the best flight deals.”  #metasearchengine

Last 2 budget travel tips are from amateurtraveler.com

Tip #11 I recommend using Skyscanner. Here, you can choose several destinations, choose a whole country, or even a continent, choose a particular date, particular month or choose the “cheapest month” option. Great when you have flexibility, but useful in any case.  #flexiblesearch

RomanRoams tip

Tip #12 Flight search results can be different depending on user ip, location, age, or other information available with tracking cookies. Use good VPN providers to hide your IP and change location and find the cheapest prices available. #usevpn

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Ways to save money on transportation

Transportation is also a big travel expense. If you’re not planning to stay in one place for a long time, or even if you want to visit another part of the city, these tips will help you to travel cheap:

 Tip #13 If you want to travel to a different city for free, go hitch-hiking. In many countries, it is allowed and is not dangerous. But, don’t hitch-hike alone, better go with your friend. #hitchhiking

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Tip #14 If you are afraid of hitch-hiking, you can use carsharing services like BlaBlaCar, ZipCar, Car2Go and many others working internationally or just within 1 country. Special about carsharing is that it is safer than hitch-hiking, as you see reviews and other information about the driver, and easier to plan, as there is always a particular time when the driver comes to a particular place.  #carsharing

RomanRoams tip

Tip #15 In EU and the US, there are big budget bus chains that sometimes have rides for $1-2. They are Megabus, Flixbus, Easybus and many other international and local companies. #cheapbuses

RomanRoams tip

Tip #16 Trains are usually more expensive than the above-listed options, but there are opportunities to spend less on them. In Germany, there is a weekend ticket for 40 Euros if you travel alone + 4 Euros for each next person (up to 4) to travel through whole Germany using regional trains. Eurail is another story. It is a system, where you can buy a pass to travel through any number of European countries on trains, you can even sleep in trains if it is ok for you.  #trainfares

RomanRoams tip

Also check the guide to Backpacking in Europe.

Tip #17 To choose the best travel option from one point to another, I suggest using GoEuro or Rome2Rio, where you can compare several options from carsharing to flights. #alltraveloptions

RomanRoams tip

Tip #18 “Spending just a few minutes familiarizing yourself with public transportation options can save a lot of money over taking taxis, but we also recommend researching the best location to stay so you can walk more. It’s free!”   #knowpublictransportation

Budget travel tip from savoredjourneys.com

 Tip #19 If you want to spend less money on public transportation, you can find a good accommodation in the city center to be able to go to the main attractions by foot. It is not necessarily expensive, there are usually many cheap hostels in the center. #centralaccomodation

RomanRoams tip

How to spend less money on accommodation

Staying in hotels can be very expensive. Still, there are many other options to stay while you travel. Here are the budget accommodation options:

 Tip #20 “Instead of staying in hotels, try Couchsurfing & enjoy the hospitality of local people and live their culture first hand. I have personally hosted people from around the world and stayed a few times with hosts — it has been one of the most enriching experiences in my life.” #staywithlocals

Budget travel tip from IndiTales

Tip #21 “When booking your accommodation, make sure to check carefully as different web browsers and different computers will yield very different results if you are booking accommodation online or even flights.”   #cookieswhilebooking

Budget travel tip from contentedtraveller.com

Tip #22 “Budget travelers can save money on lodging in various ways. Of course, there are hostels, camping (while camping in winter; don’t forget to take your best heated jacket), and a wide variety of paid lodging (inns, hotels, etc). Couchsurfing is a wonderful opportunity to see the world and meet amazing people—with no cost for lodging. Other free lodging opportunities include housesitting, house swapping (if you own property), and being a caretaker (repairing/cleaning properties)..”  #FreeLodging

Budget travel tip from McCoolTravel.com

 Tip #23 Hostels are a great option for traveling the world cheap. You can stay in the biggest Western cities sharing a room with other people for just 8-15 Euros. Once, I even spent mere 5 Euros for a bed. Hostels are also a great option for solo travelers, as you can easily meet new people and continue traveling together. (Get a 15 Euros return on booking if you use this link) #stayathostels

RomanRoams tip

Tip #24 Airbnb is also a great and inexpensive option to stay in a new place living like a local. When I visited Rome, we spent just 32 Euros per night for a new 3-room apartment, and the owner was very hospitable and helpful, giving us a map and showing places to visit during our short stay. Here is a link that you can use to get 24 Euros off your first booking.  #usingairbnb

If you are staying in one place for a long time, you should consider renting an apartment for a month. It can be cheaper than 2 weeks in a hotel. #monthlyrent

RomanRoams tip

Tip #25 Always look for voucher code when you book hotel, ski holidays, cottage booking or flight booking. #vouchercode

[bctt tweet=”Stay with locals, try Couchsurfing, housesitting, house swapping or stay in a hostel to #travelcheap! #romanroams #traveltip” username=”roman_roams”]

Spending less on visiting attractions

When you visit a new place, you don’t want to stay in your hotel room, you want to visit the main attractions. In popular touristic cities, most famous attractions are often very crowded and very expensive. Here is how you can save money on visiting attractions:

 Tip #26 “My top tip for traveling on a budget is to ask locals for advice. They should be able to direct you to moderately priced authentic restaurants. They can also send you to destinations that are not as well known. My favorite place that I visited in England was the Cotswolds, which I had not heard of until a native told me about it.”     #asklocals

Budget travel tip from thedailyadventuresofme.com

Tip #27 “Contact the local Tourism Bureau and ask for some information about places that are off-the-beaten-path. This will help to visit new interesting locations not known by many people and usually the accommodation will be cheaper.”     #asktourismbureau

Tip #28 “Be ready to change your plans once you get to your destinations. Most of the time the best way to find new places (that are also quite cheap) is to ask local people. So you need some flexibility.”    #asklocals

Last 2 budget travel tips are from fabionodariphoto.com/

 Tip #29 “Research for the FREE stuff that you can do: city passes are often a great bundled deal that not only gives you free and discounted access to various activities but it could also give you free rides for your destination’s public transportation. But other than city passes, make sure that you research online the FREE things that you can do for your trip or you could also simply talk to the locals to ask for tips. Some of the many things you can experience: free walking tours, free festivals, free concerts, free museum days, etc.” #freethingstodo

Budget travel tip from iAmAileen.com

Tip #30 Most of the museums and some other attractions either have days with free entry or are free for students or EU residents. Once, using those free days I visited main Madrid museums, Royal palace and went for a free walking tour spending just pennies on the hostel in the city center and food. I recommend checking this in advance. #freeentry

RomanRoams tip

 Ask locals or local Tourism Bureau for advice, check for free places and things to do to #travel cheap! Твитнуть

Eating good and cheap

When you travel, you just dream of dining near the main attractions enjoying the view. Still, we don’t recommend doing so, as the prices can be very high and the quality of food low. Here are our culinary tips on how to travel the world cheap:

Tip #31 “For traveling on a budget, we recommend doing as the locals do. Rather than going to tourist-filled restaurants that serve up mediocre Western food, go to the local spots that serve up authentic meals. The restaurants will be busier and therefore the food will be fresher. But also, typically local cuisine is much cheaper.”  #doaslocals

Budget travel tip from http://www.goatsontheroad.com

Tip #32 “Eat locally whenever and wherever you can. It is inevitably cheaper, not to mention a much more authentic experience.”  #eatlocally

Budget travel tip from contentedtraveller.com

Tip #33 “Eat simple is another tip I have — it not only saves money but also ensures you stay fit during travel — as sickness is the worst enemy of travel.”  #eatsimple

Budget travel tip from IndiTales

Tip #34 “Cook your own meals — you don’t have to cook every meal because it is good to enjoy local delicacies, but cooking even one meal a day and save you a lot of expenditure.”  #CookOnYourOwn

Tip #35 “Don’t eat food near famous tourist attractions because everything will be expensive there. Find a few locals and tell them to suggest you where to eat. Eating where the locals eat is always cheaper.”     #EatWhereLocalsEat

Last 2 budget travel tips by Sonal and Sandro from Drifter Planet

Tip #36 «Get off-the-beaten-track. Restaurants on the main thoroughfare will always tend to be more expensive and more touristy. Get off-the-beaten-track and find where the locals eat, not the tourists.» #GetOffTheBeatenTrack

Budget travel tip from aluxurytravelblog.com

Tip #37 “We never pay for breakfast at the hotel, which can be very expensive. Instead, we buy a bag of bagels, croissants or similar from a nearby grocery and make our own breakfast. Even just a piece of fruit can hold you over until an early lunch and will save a tremendous amount of money. “     #BuyFoodOnYourOwn

Budget travel tip from savoredjourneys.com

Tip #38 If you stay in a hostel or an apartment, you have a kitchen to cook your own meals. You can enjoy local cuisine and wine bought from a nearby supermarket, which will save you lots of money. You can bring some canned food to cook by yourself. #cooklocalfood

RomanRoams tip

Don’t pay for hotel breakfast, eat where locals eat or cook on your own to travel cheap! Твитнуть

How to enjoy the most of your budget travel?

If you want to travel the world cheap, you should not try to save every penny, but don’t forget to enjoy your budget travel experience. Here are the ways to do the most of it:

Tip #39 “My biggest tip for traveling on a budget is to go slow. You can save so much money by taking your time. This doesn’t just save money on transport costs, but you can get better accommodation deals when you stay somewhere longer and you also get better at working out the cheap eating deals and have time to self-cater.”        #goslow

Budget travel tips from wheressharon.com

Tip #40 Even if you don’t stay with locals, you can meet locals. Couchsurfing app can help you with it. That is how I met lots of great people (not only locals) in Stockholm. Meeting locals can help you to better experience the local culture and traditions. #meetlocals

RomanRoams tip

Tip #41 Find the best panoramic points and stay there to relax or meditate. It is a mandatory stop during all of my trips, like the one to Norway.   #panoramicview

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Tip #42 Search in forums for the best places to visit apart from most popular tourist attractions. You can also ask for some local bars or restaurants in hostels. Search for interesting and less touristy attractions on websites like TripAdvisor, WikiTravel, LonelyPlanet. #searchforumsandsites

RomanRoams tip

Tip #43 My favourite budget tip is not to take organised tours to attractions you can otherwise visit independently. Working out how to get to a location on public transport can be an awesome adventure and once you get there trying to navigate a place or source a guide yourself can be a lot of fun and a big money saver! #GoAloneNotOnTour

Budget travel tips from bigworldsmallpockets.com

RomanRoams tip

Search forums for unknown places, meet locals, find panoramic points and #goslow to enjoy your travel! Твитнуть

How to earn money while you travel

If you are not just traveling for a weekend like I usually do, but travel for a long time, you can search for ways to work during your travel. It can be a really fun experience. Here are the ways to earn money while you travel:

Tip #44 You can work in hostels. Many hostels are searching for people to work for food and accommodation or a small salary. Here is a website to search for Hostel jobs. You can work on the reception, as a barman, waitress, you can organize different events. #workinhostels

RomanRoams tip

Tip #45 Another way to earn money while you travel is to work with some walking tour company. You go to hostels, ask people if they wanna go on a free walking tour, pay a fixed amount for each person and get tips at the end of the tour. Such companies also organize pub crawls, when you visit several bars/clubs for a fixed price. #walkingtours

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Tip #46 “Volunteer while you travel to save money on your living costs. This is only possible if you’re traveling long term.”  #VolunteerWhileYouTravel

Budget travel tip by Sonal and Sandro from Drifter Planet

Tip #47 Today, in the Internet era, it is not a problem to work from any place in the world having just your laptop and internet connection. There are freelancer villages in cheap and exotic countries. Freelancers earn good money for their work and spend less than in their home countries. Here are the most popular freelance websites: Upwork.com, Fiverr.com, Freelancer.com #freelance

RomanRoams tip

Learn more on becoming a digital nomad

Tip #48 I also recommend reading the “4-hour work week” book. It is a great book about managing an international company while traveling the world cheap. It is really motivating and has lots of great tips on delegating, automatization and prioritization. #managecompany

RomanRoams tip

Tip #49 There are lots of opportunities to work and travel: summer camps, farms, resorts, and online TEFL courses that you can find on the internet that allow you to teach English abroad.

RomanRoams tip

Work as a freelancer, organize walking tours, work in a hostel or a resort to #travel cheap! Твитнуть

Bonus tip

Tip #50 Keep money in different currencies and different forms: credit and debit cards, cash, online wallets like Paypal or Webmoney. And, check the exchange rates in the country you are going to visit in forums or wikitravel.org (my favourite site with travel tips on particular destinations).

RomanRoams tip

It was our full list of budget travel tips on how to travel the world cheap. Many thanks to the contributors! I hope, you liked this article. If yes, please, share it with your friends and read about my great road trip through Norway fjords spending just 200 Euros. Have a great day!