10 ways you can travel the world for cheap

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My favorite question to ask people is this: If you could do one thing with your life, and time, money and talent were not obstacles, what would you do? and I would say that 99 percent of the people I’ve asked said they would just drop everything and travel. So many people long to see the world, but think that they are restricted by their budgets. There’s this misconception floating around, I think mainly due to instagram travel accounts showcasing boujee hotels and pricey restaurants, that travel is unattainable for the average person. Never fear - I’m here to tell you than you CAN travel, no matter how small your budget. I present to you: the Ultimate guide on how to travel the world for cheap.

A little background on why I’m qualified to be your cheap travel guru: I’m 22 years old, I come from a very middle class family, and have managed to see 5 continents and 23 countries, all while balling on an absolute BUDGET. I’m currently living abroad, still paying off hefty student loans, and having adventures every weekend. When it comes to traveling the world for cheap, I’m your GIRL.

10 ways to travel the world for cheap:

1.The first tip I have for you is pretty simple. If your dream is to travel the world, you have to make it your priority. Chances are, you aren’t traveling long term, and are planning on using your two weeks of vacation to see the world, but if you’re using the two weeks your job gives you, travel is usually out of sight and out of mind. It’s easy to not make it a priority when it’s not coming up in the immediate future, and as a result you go to Starbucks every day, spend all your extra money on clothes, eat out all the time, etc. You really have to keep it at the forefront of your mind so that you can start saving and finding opportunities to travel! I would 1000x rather spend my money on travel, and I’m a clothes FANATIC. To keep myself on track, I have a little “vision board” on the front page of my planner with all the destinations I’m planning on visiting once travel opens up, and it keeps me from impulse spending and gives me something to look forward to.

Analyze your life, and see where you can cut spending. It’s going to take work, but soon enough you’ll have a sizable travel fund ready to go for when you do take vacation days. Or maybe you need to save more money in order to do longer term travel. Making travel your main priority will help you reach your goal of traveling the world so much faster. You can travel the world for cheap, but it still costs money! Keep your eyes on the prize okay?

2. The next tip that can make travel so much more attainable is by using credit card points! I know that I was terrified of Credit cards initially; the idea of potentially falling into credit card debt is HORRIFYING. But, I knew that the key to cheap travel was to start racking up points. One of the most expensive aspects of travel, that no one can really hide from, is flights. So, when I knew that I had one big bill coming up that would be reimbursed, as well as the cost of a two week quarantine in a hotel in South Korea to pay, I applied for a Capital One Venture card. They promised me 60,000 points if I spent 3k in 3 months, and while that’s not something that I would normally ever do, I knew that these were expenses I would have to pay either way. It was the perfect time to sign up, and now I put any purchase over 50 dollars on my credit card. I set it up to make payments automatically, and I keep track of everything I’m spending to make sure that I never spend more than I should. Now, 3 months later, I have over 800 dollars in flights that I can use whenever. Using credit card points is essential if you want to travel the world for cheap - these free flights are going to come in handy, because it’s often the destinations that are much farther away, like Southeast Asia or Africa, that are much cheaper to travel in. If you can get the flights covered with points and get dropped off in a destination where your money will take you so much farther, you will be able to stretch your money, travel for longer, or even make some small splurges. Which leads me to the next point:

3. If you’re wanting to travel the world for cheap, your best bet is to go to cheaper destinations. It seems like the most obvious point, but often times we write them off because the cheaper destinations are also the farthest - and the ones with the most expensive plane tickets - which we’ve already covered! With discounted or free flights, the world is yours! Spend 20 dollars a day living large in Bali, or explore the pyramids while paying 5 dollars for an excellent meal. Europe, while absolutely beautiful, is just simply going to cost you so much more than if you were off in the tropics swimming in the ocean every day. If you’re planning on taking your two weeks of vacation, I’m sure that Europe is totally attainable, (I know it is, actually) but if you really want to spend extended time traveling the world on your small budget, research where your money will go the farthest. Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America are the key to traveling the world for on a budget, and while they aren’t as mainstream, they will be an amazing adventure.

4. If you do have your heart set on seeing Big Ben and the Eiffel tower, however, there are options that will keep your cost of travel significantly lower than what most people do while traveling in Europe. Two big expenses while traveling are food and accommodation, but with a little bit of flexibility and creativity, you can work your way around these as well. Can you stay with friends? Great. If not, try a hostel! It’s a great way to meet people and only spend 20 dollars (or even less!) a night. Or, if you’re in a bigger group, Airbnbs can be a really good deal when split between a few people. My family always uses Airbnb when we travel, and with access to a kitchen (also available in most hostels) we are able to grocery shop and cook super simple and cheap dinners. For lunch, buy a loaf of bread, and a jar of that peanut butter and jelly swirl situation, and have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch every day. Yeah, it’s not ideal, but I’d rather be eating a PB&J under the Eiffel tower than thinking I couldn’t afford Paris and not going at all. Splurge on one or two fabulous meals, but spend the rest of your time and money exploring the city and all that it has to offer. Sometimes travel isn’t glamorous, but boy, is it exhilarating and so so rewarding. You won’t remember the PB&J sandwich when you’re thinking back on all the memories you make - trust me.

5. One amazing way to see the world is by Studying Abroad! This definitely only applies to the younger crowd, but if you’re considering grad schools as well don’t rule out all the amazing international schools that you could attend while exploring another corner of the globe. A common misconception is that studying abroad is only for those with lots of money, but if you find the right program and apply for scholarships, it can actually SAVE you money. Me studying abroad in SPAIN saved me almost 9k in tuition fees, and once you’re over in Europe and being forced to ball on a students budget, you can get really creative during weekend trips with Ryanair flights and bunk hostels and cheap meals. I have friends who have studied in Australia, Thailand, Ecuador, and all over the world. Take advantage of this opportunity!

You can study abroad no matter your major or what year you’re in. it was the best decision I ever made, and let me see a grand total of 8 countries in one semester. It was the time of my life, and I SAVED MONEY OKAY!!

And that’s the first 5 tips I have for you, but wait!! I have 5 more awesome tips on how you can travel the world for cheap. I’m so passionate about this topic and showing you all that travel is not an elite thing that is out of reach for you. The world should be accessible to everyone. So, I created a little freebie with these 5 tips as well as 5 more tips that will open your eyes to just how realistic travel can be for you.

I know you’re dying to see the world, and I’m dying to see you live out your dreams. Get this guide with the 5 additional tips and tricks delivered right to your inbox - Just click HERE or fill out the form below.

If you end up using one of these tips or learn something new, tag me on social media, I’d love to repost you! Go out there and SEE! THE! WORLD! It is yours for the taking; it’s not just for rich people to flex okay? Follow your dreams, take a risk, make travel your priority. Throwing all my time, energy, and resources into traveling was the best thing I’ve ever done.

Where are you going on your next trip? (Even if it’s just in your dreams rn - I want to know!!)

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