It always amazes me how many people think that traveling, especially international traveling, simply isn’t affordable. I mean, come on people- I’m a broke college graduate, with thousands in debt and I manage to fit it into my budget. You just need to start thinking outside the box of traditional travel expectations.
There are basically two reasons to budget travel:
- You are broke and can’t afford to travel any other way.
- You are semi-broke and want to be able to afford to get more out of your travelling (do and see more things).
If you are one of those lucky people who has plenty of money to travel however, whenever, and wherever you want then I’m not sure why you are reading this blog. Maybe you are a yuppie who wants the raw experience of budget traveling…
Tips for Budget Traveling
Find Affordable Housing–
Abandoning ideas about fancy resorts and hotels is the first step to traveling economically. Hostels are a budget traveler’s best friend. Hostel Bookers and Hostel World are my two primary resources for finding a good hostel.
A lot of people find the idea of a hostel really sketchy. But most of these people know little or nothing about hostels. Hostels are designed to provide the most basic needs for a night’s stay while cutting costs for customers as much as possible.
Let’s be honest, if what you care about on vacation is a big comfy bed, a big screen TV with cable, and a pool, then hostels aren’t for you. But if you plan to spend your time roaming the streets of Paris, visiting the Louvre, making day trips to medieval French villages, and then coming back and crashing–do you really need all of those luxuries? Or do you really just need a shower and some clean sheets?
Like I said before, if you can afford both, great, but a lot of us can’t- and we have to choose.
Hostels come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them actually end up being more like a hotel, some have pools, some don’t. Most hostels offer several room options:
- private rooms–these are the most expensive, but generally still cheaper than a normal hotel (remember, no big screen).
- gender segregated dorms– either all male or all female rooms.
- mixed gender dorms– mixed gender dorms are the cheapest because they are the easiest to fill–they can stick anyone in them.
These “dorms” are rooms of varying sizes with varying numbers of bunk beds and access to a bathroom. Sometimes it is just a set of bunk beds and you could fill the room if you had a group. As a female, I probably wouldn’t feel comfortable staying in a “mixed” dorm traveling solo, but since I normally travel with my husband I am fine with it to save a few bucks.
If you are concerned about ending up in a super sketchy, dirty hostel, have no fears–the sites I listed above are invaluable tools in finding the right hostel. They give detailed ratings and reviews from friendliness to cleanliness.
Most of the hostels I’ve stayed in (and I’ve been to quite a few) have greatly superseded my expectations and, in some ways, have offered more than a hotel could have. For example–I once stayed in a beautiful, old, half-timbered house in Austria which had been converted into a hostel. It was 12 USD for a night.
Another awesome experience was a “tent village” in Interlaken, Switzerland. These semi-permanent tents (with real bunk beds) were nestled in a field surrounded by the towering Alps. The village was complete with a hot-tub. 20 USD per night.
Hostels offer unique locations and experiences, the opportunity to meet interesting people, a comfortable stay, and all at an excellent price.
There are two other important things that hostels often have to offer: free breakfast, and a community kitchen. And those lead into the next key element of budget travel.
Eat Cheap–
Food probably isn’t the first place you think to cut spending–but it is one of the easiest ways to blow money while traveling. Even if you don’t go out to eat at a fancy restaurant every night, eating on the go adds up. And even worse, buying mediocre food on the go might hurt your budget to the point that you really can’t afford that nice, romantic, meal you were planning to share in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. So plan ahead and save up for something special.
Breakfast–
This is another huge way that hostels can save you money. Look for hostels that list having breakfast included. A lot do and often times a little looking can get you that free meal for little or no extra cost. These breakfasts usually aren’t anything fancy and some are better than others. Occasionally, they are awesome. I’ve had anything from toast and cereal, to artisan breads and marmalades (Paris), to a full breakfast buffet of hot and cold foods (Athens).
Not only does this save you the cost of the first meal of the day and allow you to jump straight to sight-seeing, but you can usually pocket a croissant, or a little cheese sandwich for a snack later on.
Lunch–
Depending where you are traveling, it may be reasonable and affordable to grab some street food for lunch. But even that $4-6 (or euro, or whatever) sandwich will add up over time (but also remember food is part of the experience–its all about balance). The worst situation to be in, however, is to be cold (or hot), tired, and really hungry, in a tourist destination without cheap food options available. This is when you will give in and buy something way too expensive and not nearly good enough. It is great to spend money on food when you decide to, but not when you have to.
One of my worst experiences of this type was in the tourist city of Rothenburg. We didn’t bring anything with us and everything was super expensive because it is a tourist town. Broke and starving, we gave in and bought a “kebab box” which seemed like a decent deal–6 euros. It ended up being a pile of crusty, greasy meat in a box. The meal ended with me sitting on a curb crying. PLAN AHEAD.
My go-to lunch preparation is to buy a loaf of local bread (in Europe you can usually get something delicious for pretty cheap), a wedge of cheese, and maybe a tomato. Be sure to carry a knife with you for this purpose.
These items are all relatively easy to transport and not super perishable. And while this is very frugal, it is substantial, delicious, and gives you taste of some local essentials. I have many memories (and pictures) of us enjoying a picnic lunch of brie and a baguette under the Eiffel Tower, or substitute a Swiss cheese and an Alp for the tower.
Dinner–
Another important hostel feature is the community kitchen. This is a very high priority for me when looking for a hostel. I’m willing to spend an extra buck or two for a decent kitchen. Why? Again, going out for dinner while traveling is great, but doing it every night drains the bank account. Instead, cook most of your meals at the hostel and save a ton of money.
This may seem like too much of a hassle–buying all the ingredients, preparation, etc. But if you do it right it is easy. I always keep a few non-perishable staples in my bag while I’m traveling. Pasta, rice, a handful of potatoes, corn meal, some bouillon cubes, and butter (if it is summer or a hot climate, go with a little oil).
Having these essentials always on hand prevents me from making a last minute decision to go out to eat because I’m too tired and hungry to go shopping.
When you first get to your hostel scout out the kitchen. Why? Because hostel kitchens can be a gold mine for food. People come, cook a meal, and then leave and don’t feel like taking along that half a stick of butter or that half a box of pasta. Sometimes there isn’t much, but always check–and then you can plan the evening’s meal while you travel and pick up any other ingredients on your way back in the evening.
I’ve found some crazy things in hostel kitchens–potatoes, pasta, rice (lots of rice), sauces and condiments, cheese, cold cuts, salamis, crackers, and even a half a box of wine! Half the time I didn’t even need to buy food, and I could almost always refill my staples stock from these leftovers. Simple easy recipes that you know by heart are essential. My basic list:
- Risotto– basic ingredients–rice, onion, bouillon. Dress it up with whatever else is on hand–wine, garlic, butter, cheese, veggies.
- Polenta–corn meal, water, butter, bouillon. Good on its own, but add some sauteed veggies and cheese and you have a gourmet meal. (I once made “polenta” in an airport using a free cup of hot water from a coffee shop.)
- Rice and beans–rice, beans, seasonings.
- Pasta– Pasta, butter or oil, seasonings. Add a tomato and you have a great meal.
Creativity is the key. Look at the resources available and use them. If I ever come upon a lot of leftover potatoes at a hostel, I rub them with butter or oil, salt and pepper, and then bake them. Let cool and then save for the next day’s breakfast of lunch on the go.
Find a Good Location and Walk Everywhere–
Another important thing to look for is a good central location to travel from. You may find a super cheap/nice hostel on the outskirts of the city, but always consider how that is going to impact your traveling in terms of cost and time. Sometimes it is worth it, but sometimes the hassle and cost of transportation isn’t. Again, a few bucks for the metro or a train might not seem like much once, but it adds up.
Be sure you have good walking shoes so that you can stay moving all day and see as much as possible without having to catch public transit. You see more and enjoy more this way anyways than if you just hop trains or buses from one popular location to the next. But, if you don’t prepare for a lot of walking, your feet will regret it.
The most important rule to go by when traveling on a budget is to spend money on what you want to spend money on and don’t get trapped into the mainstream mentality of what you should or need to spend money on. Be creative. And no matter what, don’t be pretentious–being pretentious is expensive.
Snapshots of a Traveler's Life 