Whether you are travelling to Vietnam, Colombia, or Fiji, every traveller has a budget, and backpackers are always trying to save money while travelling.
As a backpacker myself, I have learnt some tips and tricks to saving every penny possible to make your travels last! I have compiled my top 21 ways to save money while travelling so you can budget as much as possible on your adventures!
Accommodation
1. Compare accommodation prices
Whether you’re staying in a villa, hotel, or hostel, check various sites online before booking to find the best deal. By searching for a specific place to stay across multiple sites, you can make sure you are getting the best price for exactly the same accommodation!
My favourite sites for accommodation research are:
Booking.com
Hostelworld
The website of the accommodation you are interested in
2. Make use of hostels and homestays
Staying in hostels and homestays is by far one of the best ways to save money while travelling. By sharing rooms or houses with other people, you can find the best deals and still have an incredible time travelling!
Some of my best memories have come from the people I have met in hostels and the locals of my homestays. You will be surrounded by people who are keen to meet new people and share their experiences with a stranger (that stranger could be you!)
Hostels have changed a lot over the years and are now some of the best places to stay across the world for young travellers! They have private rooms or dorms, often have large beds with privacy curtains, lockers, free socialising activities, and destination tours! There isn’t a better place to stay if you’re a solo traveller!
3. Stay in cheaper accommodation
Although staying somewhere with a taste of luxury is wonderful, it’s easy to get comfortable and book expensive accommodations without exploring other options fully.
The main things I look for before booking a hostel is positive reviews in regards to safety and cleanliness, and a good overall vibe. If the beds look slightly less comfortable or the amenities are lacking, I would recommend overlooking these details to save money while travelling. Even if it’s a few pounds a night difference, this will add up to those travelling for a month or longer!
4. Make use of hostel kitchen facilities
If you are travelling in a more expensive country and your hostel has a kitchen, I would HIGHLY recommend you take advantage of this! Not only is cooking a great way to save money while travelling, but it is also one of the easiest ways to make friends.
Whether you’re offering someone your pan, eating your meal with a stranger, or asking if anyone wants to cook with you, the hostel kitchen is often a social hub!
I would not recommend using a hostel kitchen if you are travelling in cheaper countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Because eating at food trucks is not only delicious, but extremely cheap, it is possibly more expensive to cook a meal yourself! Treat yourself to that food truck meal.
Baggage / Packing
5. Pack light to save on luggage fees
If you’re able to pack light, I would recommend taking a 40l backpack which can fit as carry on luggage for most airlines! By having a smaller bag and staying under the weight limit, you can save money on all your flights as you won’t need any checked baggage!
However, do be aware of the weight limits. I was caught out in Australia with my heavy but small backpack and ended up paying around $150 as my bag was over the weight limit when I checked in. That cost more than the flight itself! It was a rough day for me if I’m being honest, so make sure you buy checked baggage if you have heavy luggage!
6. Use compression Packing cubes
If you want to have a 40l backpack, I would recommend using compressible packing cubes. I could not imagine packing without these space saving geniuses!
Not only can you fit more in your luggage, but it is much more organised so you can easily access all of your items rather than having some unused at the bottom of your bag.
7. Rationalise purchases abroad
When you’re travelling, it’s easy to get carried away with buying everything you see at quirky markets and local stalls. However, I urge you to rationalise these purchases! Not only will every item take up valuable space, but acquiring 5 shell bracelets and 4 different paintings from the same country will add up in your budget.
I’m definitely not saying don’t buy that cute necklace from a market in Thailand, but I am advising you to think about the use for these items whilst you’re on your travels and at home. If it doesn’t have a use for either, maybe think about leaving it to be loved by someone else.
8. Post unused clothes / items to optimise baggage space
Although posting packages abroad is costly, it is much more affordable in cheaper countries and will leave you optimising your backpack space. If you feel like you can let go of a lot of items for the rest of your travels, send them home to make your baggage space more efficient, saving you money on flight baggage!
Travel / Transport
9. Make use of public transport
Public transport is one of the cheapest ways to get around almost every country and is one of the best ways to save money while travelling. By taking a train, bus, or ferry, you can save a tonne of money compared to a taxi or flight!
This tip could save you hundreds of pounds!
10. Research prior to your journey to avoid scams and heightened prices
Sometimes if a local sees a desperate tourist, prices tend to go up. And that’s ok! Everyone tends to find themselves as lost traveller who needs the last ferry of the day at one point or another. However, this can take a chunk out of your budget that could’ve been avoided.
If you can, visit a local travel centre to get advice on the best and cheapest times to travel your desired route. They will give you trusted companies to book with, and can secure your seat there and then to avoid any stresses before your journey.
11. Take slower travel options
Although the 1 hour flight might be more appealing than the 20hr bus, it is definitely not the most cost effective. Moving to a new destination slowly and on public transport is one of the best ways to save money while travelling. In SE Asia, overnight busses and trains are very common, and a great way for backpackers to get around on a budget.
Flights
12. Look at various flight sites to get the best deals
By researching flights across various sites, you can save so much money by finding the cheapest times to fly, best airlines to fly with, and the most cost effective sites to book on.
I would recommend only booking the flight through the airline directly. Although it may be cheaper on a different site, the flight company is always the most reliable to book through to make sure your travels are as smooth as possible.
My favourite flight sites to use are:
Kayak
Skyscanner
Google Flights
13. Book flight connections separately
It is almost always cheaper to book flight connections separately!! Before booking a flight, research the different flight connections and see if it is cheaper to book them separately.
For example, instead of booking a flight from London to Sydney that stops in Kuala Lumpur, book a flight from London to Kuala Lumpur, and then a separate flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney.
Although this is one of the quickest ways to save money while travelling, it does have its risks. For example, if your first flight is delayed or cancelled, you might miss your next flight and will have to book a new one yourself as they were purchased separately.
14. Book flights with a VPN
If you have a VPN, change your location to a different country and watch the flight prices change! By looking at flights with a VPN in multiple locations, you can book the cheapest flight possible. Sometimes this hack can save you hundreds of pounds while travelling!
15. Sign up to loyalty programs for airlines to gain benefits
An obvious but important tip to saving money while travelling is to sign up for any free airline loyalty programme you have used. Although it can take a long time to gain benefits, you can get free perks from flying as you would have done without the programme. It’s a no brainer for me!
General Tips and Tricks
16. Ask the locals
One thing I found saved me so much money when travelling was asking the locals for advice or help. They are more than happy to help you find the best place to eat, cheapest way to reach a destination, and will sometimes even take you somewhere themself!
I had locals drive me over 2 hours so I could buy camping equipment and they didn’t charge me a penny for the journey! The kindness of people when travelling is something I will never get used to but is one of my favourite parts of seeing different parts of the world. They are just as interested in you as you are interested in them and it is beautiful!
17. Eat from food stalls
Eating from food stalls is one of the best ways to save money while travelling, particularly in SE Asia. They are cooked by locals, taste delicious, and are incredibly budget friendly!
They are also more reliable than a lot of westernised restaurants in the area, so are a great option for trying local cuisine and (hopefully) avoiding any stomach upset.
18. Create a daily / weekly / monthly budget
This is ESSENTIAL to save money while travelling. Before heading on your travels, look at your savings and decide how long you want to travel for. After this, do some simple maths to work out the maximum amount you should be spending over a specific time.
For example, if you had £2,000 saved and you wanted to travel for 2 months, I would recommend spending around £25 a day in a cheap country such as Vietnam, which is entirely possible. By doing this, you have a safety buffer of around £400 for emergencies, bucket list activities, or spontaneous trips.
Just make sure you have enough money left for a flight home if you booked a one way! You don’t want to have an incredible time travelling only to find that you have run out of money and can’t get home.
19. Travel during off season
If you travel during peak season, not only will you find larger crowds and longer queues, but you will also be faced with a massive price increase.
The off season of countries doesn’t have to mean bad weather and cold temperatures. You can find a sweet spot for almost all countries for cheap prices and good conditions for travelling. Hostels will still be sociable, but you will have more options, fewer people in your dorm, and cheaper prices! I would always recommend trying to avoid travelling to a country during peak season as it is one of the best ways to budget for backpackers.
20. Book in groups
Booking in groups is one of the best ways to save money backpacking. Whether its activities, accommodation, or transport, booking in a group can bring prices down considerably compared to a solo traveller. If you are travelling solo, that is totally fine! You are GUARANTEED to meet people on your travels who are interested in the same locations and activities as you, so make sure to chat about your plans and book as a group so save you all some money!
21. Research the culture of the country you are visiting
Despite it being a good thing to do before visiting any country anyway, researching the culture of the country you are visiting can save you money while you’re there. For example, it is rude to tip people in Japan, so you can save your pennies on your meal and spend them elsewhere. Other countries have a haggling culture, and prices are set with the intention of them being brought down.
Every traveller should be aware of the cultural norms of the countries you are exploring. I would also recommend you learn a couple of words in the respective language, so you can thank people in their mother tongue; this will go further than you realise!
These were the best ways to save money while travelling! I hope you found this informative and you can be on your way to travelling as a budgeting queen!
Happy and safe travels,
Holly