Travelling for extended periods of time can be as much about doing it on a budget as it is leaving your comfort zone and developing as a person. At the end of this post I put up a funny photo I stumbled across one day that highlights how good times can happen. Whether you’re on a gap year, working holiday or a 2 month travel getaway making your dollar go further will help you the next day!
There’s various ways to cut costs to keep your dream alive but here’s 5 ways that will build a bit of character and get you out of your comfort zone.
5. Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing.org has become an institution, it’s an extremely popular way get free accommodation and get some insight from a locals perspective. By the same token it gives the host the chance to entertain a guest or simply provide accommodation knowing that one day they may need the same favour somewhere else in the world.
This is a great way to save money while travelling and a perfect way to meet new people.
4. Overnight Buses, Trains and or Ferries.
Depending where you are and what budget you are on overnight buses can be a unique experience. The main logic here is you are travelling while saving a nights accommodation. All going well you sleep the entire journey and end up getting an extra day on your holiday.
In south american countries like Peru, Bolivia and Columbia the golden rule is $1US and hour! If you happen to be lucky enough you might even get an 8hour bus ride from Cochabamba to La Paz for $3.
In Australia the price’s aren’t as cheap but you will get wifi on your journey. Premier bus passes and greyhound bus passes are a great way to travel up and down the coast. ( There’s meant to be wifi on south american buses but I’ve rarely seen it work)
In Greece I have caught overnight ferries, they saved me money, time and also got a free day of travel as I did’y commute during the day. In Greece the slower ferries are much cheaper, you can look at this in a positive way if you want to try get a full nights sleep on a shoestring.
Overnight trains, ferries and buses are a great travel alternative, but it’s not for the anxious, faint hearted of people that can’t sleep in tight spaces.
3. Sleep on Beaches
When you hit the summer climates in some countries there’s nothing better than getting out your sleeping bag and sleeping on the beach. The beauty is you will generally wake as the sun rises and get to see a beautiful sunrise on the beach.
Later during the day you can have a nap in a park or wherever you may be. Obviously there’s some safety concerns here but it’s all a matter of judgement to be assessed on a case by case basis. Use your logic instinct, ask other backpackers and travelers and then make the call.
I’ve found myself doing this when say my main luggage is in a main city and I’m off the beaten track with luggage for a couple weeks, the basics.
2. Cooking
Cooking is a great way to save money while travelling especially when in the more expensive countries like Australia, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Switzerland. Concepts such as this might not be that useful when in places like Bolivia and Peru where the difference between cooking and eating out is so minimal you may as well treat yourself.
There’s still a balance here, you want to embrace the local culture so make sure to try some local dishes, remember you’re not travelling to save money you still need to live a little.
1. Hitch hiking
Here we go, hitchhiking and ridesharing for backpackers is a great way to save some money. I’ve spoken to people who have hitch hiked hundreds of times and others that are still scared too.
When you are rich in time, high in spirit and low on budget hitch hiking is a great option. You don’t necessarily need to be low on budget it’s a great experience in itself. Ride sharing is also a great way, leaving notes up at the hostel, share a ride, split the petrol and make a new friend for life.
If you think you can write content like this, why not apply to become a blogger.
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