Here are some great ideas, all of which I have used personally, to reimagine and see new places at a fraction of the normal cost.
Flickr via Leo Reynolds“I can’t afford to travel,” are the 5 most ill-used words in the English language.
Why? Because anyone can afford to travel. Today, with wanderlust and Jetsetting lifestyles becoming more and more popular, people are craving the Instagram worthy trips of their lifetimes but are still looking at traveling in the most expensive ways possible. Here are some great ideas, all of which I have used personally, to reimagine and to see new places at a fraction of the normal cost.
1. Travel on the off-season.
This one seems straightforward, but it’s rarely ever used. For example, during the summer months, a round trip ticket from San Francisco to Oslo costs roughly 1600 bucks. Waiting just one month, can drop that cost to under $600. Still don’t have a week’s worth of time for a big trip? Then extend your Thanksgiving break to a Fall week off and go somewhere extraordinary.
2. Use AirBnB.
FACEBOOK AIRBNBYou don’t always have to stay in hotels nowadays. AirBnB offers everything from individual room rentals, to spacious bachelor pads, to cozy tree houses. Shop around and see what fits the occasion (and budget).
3. Cook your own meals.
Eating out every night when traveling adds up fast. Make sure you rent an apartment (or AirBnB) that has at least a mini fridge and stove-top to cut your traveling expenses in half.
4. “Volunteer” in another country.
There are plenty of websites out there (check out Workaway) that allow you to contact hosts on every continent to set up “work for room and board” contracts. Some of these are labor intensive – think working on a farm – but the range is enormous. Helping with cooking in hotels, housesitting for someone who doesn’t’ want their cat to be alone, and teaching English while sailing the Greek Islands are all workaway ads that I found this summer. One word of caution: reviews are not always 100% accurate and I advise traveling with a friend.
5. Get a job in a new city.
I wanted to see the East coast, so I found a job in Boston and moved here. Traveling isn’t always about hotel or hostel hoping – living semi permanently in a new place gives you a unique experience that you won’t forget.
6. Explore what is around you.
My boyfriend has spent his whole life in California and has still never gone to Yosemite – find what you haven’t seen that’s nearby and become a weekend warrior.
I find that “traveling” is often cheaper than “vacation,” but that’s just my opinion. In any case, the world is your oyster: go out and taste it.
