Travelling and saving money whilst travelling is a very possible option. We all know how easy it is to cave into the luxury lifestyle whilst abroad, but you could save yourself a ton of money by thinking outside the box. And it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun stuff either.

After travelling South East Asia myself for 4 months I’ve learnt a lot from my mistakes. I’m here to make sure you don’t make the same ones.

Getting There

Whatever mode of transport it is you are looking to use, be it aeroplane/boat/bus there is always a way to get a cheaper price. For my own flights I used a travel agent back in England and I ended up paying maybe double the price.

SkyScanner is a great website which allows you to compare flights to various destinations around the world.

Apparently flying mid week can save you a lot of money whilst travelling but personally I think this is an urban myth.

Time is money but if you have the time, why not wait in an airport for some hours to save yourself a couple of hundred pounds / dollars / euros?

There are always ways to pass time while travelling; catching up on lost sleep, listening to music or just socialising with other random travellers.

This way of thinking will save you a lot of money.

Use public transport: Local buses to the city centre can save you a lot of money instead of using taxis, the amount of tourists who take taxis everywhere is crazy. Get used to being the only foreigner using the public buses, it might feel strange but you are the one saving the money.

Accommodation

Retro classic road side Motel sign route 66, USA

Sure we all would rather stay in a 5* Hotel with an en-suite, but they are very expensive.

When you are on a budget it’s not worth spending those amounts on accommodation.

Hostels and budget hotels are the way forward. So what if you have to share a room with 7 other people, or share a bathroom between 10 people. Doing so will give you more time (and money) to travel those beautiful countries.

I’ve had my fair share of sleeping in the same room with strangers but at the end of the day, it’s just somewhere to lay your head at night.

If you did pay for a hotel room when would you find the time to enjoy it? I know I’d much rather be down at the beach all day or trekking up a mountain somewhere.

One thing I never did was book accommodation in advance, they often ask for booking fees, and on a lot of websites, if you are booking a double room and you are travelling alone they ask you to pay for two people.

Just turning up saves you money on this. There is always accommodation available so ignore the rumours of other travellers.

My favourite way to save money on accommodation is to ‘Couchsurf’.

Couchsurfing has many pros and very little cons; free accommodation and a local to take you around and show you the local lifestyle. I couchsurfed many times whilst travelling; Not only do you gain a more authentic experience but you also gain friends for life this way.

Sign up online for free at www.couchsurfing.org and get looking for hosts!

Food and Drinks

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - JANUARY 12: Pedestrians at a night Market at Guangzhou Street January 12, 2013 in T

Easiest way to save money on food is to eat street food; it comes at a fraction of the price of restaurant food and often tastes way better.

Just make sure you go to a street vendor who is busy and always ask how long the food has been sitting there for. If you want a sit down meal there are often deals that serve anywhere between 2 and 8 people.

Find out where the locals eat, they often go to the best places and are always cheap.

If you’re an avid drinker of alcohol and you’re going out to part, its always best to pre-drink before you leave your accommodation, you will only need to pay for a couple of drinks in the bars or clubs.

Trips and Tours

Eiffel Tower middle section, the city in the background, Paris, France. Vintage, retro style

What I’ve noticed whilst travelling is a lot of hostels and hotels sell tours and trips from their lobby, it’s always best to double check prices around the area before going ahead and booking.

There has been a lot of times where I have paid extra money for tours and trips.

Sometimes you come across a trip or a tour where the more people there are, the cheaper the cost per person.

If this is the case don’t be afraid to ask strangers if they would fancy doing a tour with you. More often than not they would be willing to do the same thing as you.

Some Other Tips Whilst Travelling

Look for local knowledge, what I mean by this is talk to locals and ask them for advice like:

  • How much should I pay to get here?
  • What / where should I avoid?
  • What is there to do around here?

Also packing light will save you money on baggage fees and give you more of a chance at squashing yourself onto local transport.

Take advantage of free things, free maps, free tours, free shooters, anything FREE! Just enjoy the world!

You Got Any Tips For Me?  

Hopefully my tips will give you an idea of ways to save yourself money here and there. If you have any other ideas feel free to comment below, I’d love to gain some more so I can use them the next time I travel.

Thank you for reading and don’t forget to stop by Matthew Around The World to read some of my personal travel stories.


*This has been a guest post for GetToSaving.com by Matthew Eastwood. Matt is a travel blogger and you can find out more about him and his blog here.

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