While I try to focus on writing about how to travel more on a budget, and not letting finances prevent you from going on adventures (even if it’s in your own backyard), I would love to not have to worry about breaking the bank each time I check a new country off my list.
If I were to win a lottery, you can rest assured a large amount of that money would fund my travels. My dream destinations range across South America, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe. For a Canadian, a lot of these countries are very expensive to reach (as air travel is exceedingly expensive here).
While it is fun to image all of the travelling I could do, and the number of countries I could check off my bucket list, winning the lottery is not only extremely unlikely – it’s a terrible strategy for making things happen. So until I wake up one morning mysteriously rich, here are a few tips I live by in order to afford regular trips:
– A savings plan. Having a separate savings account dedicated to travel allows me to budget a big vacation over many months.
– Memberships for various airlines to get discounts and earn points. This is a slow strategy, but after time you can get a free, or cheap flight or hotel stay. You can also turn on alerts for big sales.
– Using Google Flights, Skyscanner, and other sites which show cheapest flight options and track prices. This can help you take advantage of a good deal and know when the prices are lower than usual.
– Travel outside of peak season. Whenever possible, travelling in the shoulder season or off season can provide better deals on flights, hotels, and experiences.
– Plan early. The earlier you plan, the better chance you have of finding a good discount for your destination.
– Flexibility. Sometimes the key to affordable travel is being flexible. You can be flexible with your dates, your destination or your experiences while you are there which can all save you money.
Travelling on a budget is about compromise. There are many ways to see your dream destination in a budget-friendly way, but you have to be willing to compromise to make it happen. Choose what is the most important to you: dates, location, accomodations, etc., and see what other areas you can compromise in to get your trip down to an afforable cost. While compromising may not sound like the most attractive option for some, I think it beats staying at home!