Travelling the world is a once in a lifetime experience, allowing you to see the world, meet new people and experience different cultures.
But like with anything, it can cost money. Travelling can get expensive, and fast, and the quicker you run out of money, the quicker you’ll have to head home. In order to prolong your travels as long as possible, check out our top 5 ways to keep your travel costs down as a backpacker.
Pack light
This might be difficult, but keeping your luggage and backpack light by only packing the essentials can pay dividends in the long run. In doing so, you can avoid any overweight baggage charges when catching flights, saving you money along the way.
Stay in hostels
As tempting as it may be to stay in big fancy hotels, the best way to keep your travel costs down is by staying in hostel accommodation. There are loads of great hostels out there that offer cheap rooms. Most of them will have great facilities as well, such as kitchens, lockers, and laundry services. Some will even have bars and activities, so that you can get to know your fellow backpackers and make new friends. Hostels can be great fun and are a crucial part of the backpacking experience.
Make your own food
The prices for eating out can add up, and fast. Whilst it can be easier to just grab a takeaway or eat out, if you want to save money, you’re far better off buying and cooking your own food. Make sure to eat seasonally, and head to the local markets to get the best deals. Buy cheap bulk items like pasta and rice to help fill you up for relatively cheap. When you’re out and about, make sure to take along snacks as well to avoid paying for expensive shop-bought products.
Car share
If you’re going out exploring, finding friends to car share with can be great fun and also a good way to keep things cheap. Rather than just driving around on your own or with a friend, filling up the car with others and then splitting the fuel costs will be far cheaper. Driving can be a great way to explore a country, but it can be pricy if you’re not savvy about it.
Find free activities
When you land in a new country or city, you want to explore and learn about the culture and the people. Rather than spending lots of money on paid activities, see what the place has to offer for free. Whether it’s museums, local events or beautiful gardens, there is sure to be lots to do to keep your budget down. That way, you can save up for those bucket-list experiences that you do need to pay for (skydiving anyone?).
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