Learning how to travel on a budget can feel a bit daunting. You may think you don’t get the full experience or have to skip out on certain opportunities. But, that could be further from the truth. In this blog post, I’ll teach you small ways to start learning how to travel on a budget while enjoying your trip to the fullest.
How to Travel on a Budget
The best way to learn how to travel on a budget is to figure out your travel essentials and what you need. For reference, I rarely pay for a check-in bag and always get cheaper than average flights. By planning, looking for the right deals, and knowing the right travel hacks, you’ll be saving hundreds on every trip.
Here is how to travel on a budget before booking a flight.
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How to Find Cheap Flights
If you want to learn how to travel on a budget, you need to know how to find cheap flights. This doesn’t mean finding the best deals by using different credit cards or your points. It means knowing where to look.
First, open an incognito browser to search for flights. This will prevent your search history from being retained, which is what airlines use to fluctuate prices. Use Google Flights to search for flexible or fixed dates and destinations.
Google Flights lets you track prices and check if you are getting the best deal. It also suggests alternative flight dates or destinations for the best deals. American Airlines lets you hold a ticket price, free of cost, for 24 hours which is amazing.
Use a travel credit card to book flights and hotels so you can earn extra points, essentially free money, on the money you’ll already be spending. A card like Capital One Venture X gives you 10x on hotels booked through the travel portal as well as lounge access. Plus, they let you price match for 24 hours.
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How to Plan on a Budget
Read Reddit posts and blog posts on the destinations you are hoping to travel to. Look around Google Maps and see what is near as well. I like to create a Google Map list and save all the destinations in one place so it’s easy to find when I’m on my trip. This will save you a headache later on.
Based on where destinations are grouped together, you can start planning out what to cover each day. This will help you make a rough itinerary so you make the most of your time.
Book tickets ahead of time to avoid extra “day off” or “in person” fees which are more common than you think. Do your research to see if some tourist sites are worth it or can be skipped. This helps you plan and get the most bang for your buck.
Download the area of Google Maps offline so you can access the tour map without data. This will help you avoid needing an international phone plan which can be a decent amount of money.
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How to Pack on a Budget
Make a rough itinerary before you even start thinking about packing. This will help you plan out your days and outfits so you can make the most of your time. There’s no need to pack 5 fancy dinner outfits if you’re going on one dinner date during the trip.
Figure out a color palette so more items can mix and match with one another. This will help you pack less and avoid any overweight bag fees. Bring light layers so you can dress for any weather. Check the weather ahead of time so you can pack accordingly.
When traveling on a budget, I like using packing cubes to help keep everything organized. Plus, it helps avoid overpacking because you can only stuff your packing cube so much.
I like to pack a thin bag and a pair of flip-flops just in case because these take up minimal space and weight.
Bring only your necessary cosmetics and makeup. Less is more here. Forgo your 12-step skincare routine and just keep the basic items you need. You’ll be in a different environment and climate so many of these products won’t serve you anyway. Makeup products tend to be heavy and take up a lot of space. Reduce these to the few items you know you’ll use.
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How to Travel on a Budget
I hope you found this post helpful when learning how to travel on a budget. I personally used these tactics before booking any flight and traveling to any destination. I can confidently say that this has saved me hundreds of dollars without ever tapping into point/mile rewards. What are your favorite travel hacks?
With love,
Aditi <3
Aditi Rani – Figuring Out Life in Your Twenties
*Disclaimer: This is not professional advice. Some links are affiliate. By clicking and/or purchasing, I may receive a commission. It does not alter the price or change your buyer experience.
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