10 Tips on How to Travel on a Budget

We all want to travel the world but often worry about our finances. Well, the truth is, you should travel because life is short. While you're probably picturing yourself ride first class and staying at luxurious hotels, you don't have to stop dreaming, that will just come later.

For now, let me share with you the ten tips to travel on a budget and still enjoy your vacation.

Tip #1 - Sign up for Scott's Cheap Flights

When you sign up on Scott's Cheap Flights, you will get email alerts on the lowest airfares. I have a friend who literally goes on trips based on the email alerts she gets. That's one way to travel on a budget and be spontaneous. Most deals are 40-90% off normal prices. It will also let you know how long they think that deal may last whether it's two days or a week. They basically do all the hard work for you. If you choose to sign up for the premium, you will get more special deals and mistake fares which is when airlines accidentally publish the wrong prices (which is great for us because they may have to honor that!).

Tip #2 - Use Travel Apps

I currently use Google Flights, Hopper, Travel Pirates, and Sky Scanner to set alerts and see which months/days are the best to travel. I like to set my filters to direct flights only, or one way and set the budget to $500 and under. I will play with price points to get an idea of what I can afford. Don't forget to clear your data/cookies on your internet browsers after a few hours of nonstop searching because airlines and travel websites will use your search history against you.

Tip #3 - Define Your Priorities

Sometimes you can't have it all, but that's okay! You have to decide what's more important to you on how you should spend your money. Would you want to splurge on food? Are you open to staying at AirBnBs or hostels? Are you planning to do some major shopping? Personally, I love spending my money on food. I see it, I buy it kind of thing. However, my fiance loves staying in nice hotels with pretty views. This is the time you sit down and talk about what you're aiming to see, do, and must eat.

Tip #4 - Go With a Group of Friends

The more the merrier! Find your travel buddies and split the costs! I went to Hawaii with a group of friends and we rented out a house on AirBnB, rented a van and ate everything we wanted to eat. Going with a group definitely saved money and also made our friendship stronger. Those memories will never be forgotten!

Tip #5 - Travel During Off-Season

Another great way to really save money is to travel during the off-season when tourists aren't flooding the streets. Do your research and find out which months are less busy for the destination you are traveling to. The most important thing for me is the weather. I try to stay clear from the rainy seasons.

Tip #6 - Don't EAT Away Your Money

It's perfectly fine to splurge on food, but do your research on where you should eat. Don't just stop by the first restaurant you see! I've totally done this! When my family and I went to Prague, we went to the first restaurant we saw and it happened to be a very expensive place where the portions were very small. We felt embarrassed to just walk out after being seated. I kept converting the menu prices from Euros to dollars and man did we order the "cheapest" foods. We left still hungry, but it was an experience. If Yelp doesn't exist where you're going, try using Trip Advisor to view ratings and reviews. Before going on a trip, I always pack snacks such as almonds, a granola bar, beef jerky for moments I start to feel hangry.

Tip #7 - Be Open to Taking Public Transportation

Taking trains and buses could save you a lot of money. Sometimes taking a Lyft or something similar to a Lyft can be fine for short distances, but sometimes it's not worth it. (If you don't mind walking the long-distance, do it, you'll burn those calories.) For sure, avoid a Taxi if you can! Make sure to talk to someone if you need help figuring out how to take public transportation if you're in other countries. While my fiance, my mom and I were in Budapest, we were fined about 9,000 Hungarian Forints EACH (30 USD) when we took the train. We purchased our tickets from a kiosk and had no idea we were supposed to go to another machine after that to get it stamped. There were strict workers who really are out to catch you because they know you're not from the area so they take advantage. I didn't have enough Euros, so I just had to charge it to my card...sadly. Lesson learned!

Tip #8 - Pack Smart

Travel light! I know this can be hard...I'm someone who overpacks for a weekend trip. Plan out your outfits and bring clothes that you can mix and match. The most recent vacation my family and I went to was last November to Europe and from there, we went straight to Dubai! We went from cold, rainy weather to desert heat! It was a struggle to pack sweaters, boots and also summer clothes! Avoid baggage fees by planning out what to bring. Don't forget to consider the things you buy on your trip to bring back.

Tip #9 - Speak to the Locals

Wherever you're traveling to, make some friends along the way! No one knows the best food places and the greatest attractions to visit than the ones who live there. Don't be shy to speak to the front desk people of where you're staying for recommendations, trust me, you're not the first to ask!

Tip #10 - Look for the Tax-Free Logos

Di you know when you travel to some countries, you can get traveler discounts or claim your tax back? While I was in Dubai, I purchased a Louis Vuitton handbag. You will need to show them your passport so they can give you the paperwork that you will then bring to the airport before you leave the country. You have the option of getting your tax back through mail or straight into your bank account after processing. Cool right?

I hope you found these tips to be helpful! If you have tips on how to travel on a budget, I'd love to hear them! Comment them below! :)