If you ask most people nowadays what’s the one thing they’d like to do, it’s likely that the majority of them will say they’d like to travel more. However, besides work and family commitments, money seems to be the biggest restrictive factor in why a lot of people will never head off on their trip of a lifetime. But there are loads of great ways to travel smart, save money and make your dream a reality.
With some careful planning and forethought, you should be able see all the places you want without breaking the bank. Obviously it’ll take some saving before you make your trip of a lifetime, but once you know how much you have to play with, you should come up with a budget and try as much as possible to stick to it. Depending on your chosen destinations, you can plan how much you want to spend each day on food, attractions and souvenirs to make your money last a lot longer.
There are a lot of inexpensive package holidays available if you’re savvy with internet shopping. Anyone willing to invest some time in finding the right holiday should be able to come up trumps in terms of flights and accommodation. Where to stay can be a big stress before you head off, so where possible, try to book in advance. To cut costs, consider staying in hostels, particularly in Europe where many are as nice as smaller, boutique budget hotels. They can be a great way to meet new people and you may just end up finding a travel buddy to keep you company along the way if you’re traveling solo.
If you can, choose to eat street food, rather than dining in fancy bars and restaurants every day. Somewhere like Thailand offers fantastic street food and it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the “real” country. Be sure to head for vendors that are busy, to make sure they’re constantly refreshing their food – the last thing you want is an upset stomach when you’re so far from home!
Another thing to try and book in advance is your overland travel. Sleeper trains and night buses are a great way to get around and make the most of your days and almost always work out cheaper if you book ahead of time – another reason why it’s important to be organised and plan your trip route ahead! Other options include carpooling and hitchhiking, though obviously these aren’t for everyone and you need to be completely comfortable with the prospect of riding with strangers.
Finally, depending on the type of holiday you want to have, you might want to consider getting a working visa to cover your period of travel. This way you can earn money picking up seasonal work or bar jobs and still enjoy the travelling lifestyle. There are certain companies that offer working holiday packages that might be worth checking out should you feel this is the plan for you. There are tons of travel companies offering great deals.
Photo credits: Street Food by David Hwang on flickr (Creative Commons) and Beach image is by Bert Knott on flickr (Creative Commons).
This post was made possible by our partner sponsor Holiday Hypermarket.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
