Frugal Travel Tips from the Frugal Travellers

If you want to learn all the tricks to become a savvy budget traveller then you’ve come to the right place. With almost 30 years of budget backpacking experience behind us, we feel that we’ve perfected the art of thrifty travel. Follow these Frugal Travel Tips and you will find, like us, you will be able to travel the world and fulfill your wildest dreams on a simple, backpacker’s budget.

We’ve travelled to over 100 countries and counting… across every continent and in every manner possible. Using budget flights, public transport, trains, buses, cycling, hiking and hitching. Sleeping in bargain hotels and hostels, tents, yurts, on couches, buses, trucks and even in a hobbit house! We’ve had some amazing adventures and seen some incredible sights…

…and our average daily budget is under US $20 per person per day

You do not have to be rich to travel the world!

How can I see the world on a tight budget?

How can I make my money last longer whilst travelling?

If you want to know how we do it, read on to discover our comprehensive list of Frugal Travel Tips that we have compiled over half a lifetime of travel.

This post is aimed at budget travellers. Those who want to see the world and are prepared to rough it a little. If you are a 1st class, 5* hotel kind of person, then this is probably not for you. However, there are frugal travel tips that can be applied to all kinds of travel styles. We hope you gain some travel wisdom from these tips and it helps you on your next budget world adventure.

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Our Frugal Travel Tips are separated into 7 sections. They are…

Top Frugal Travel Tips are the tips you should not ignore.

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Frugal Travel Tips – The Golden Rules

Travel slowly

We can not emphasize this enough. This is the number 1 rule of budget travel. The more time you spend in one place, the more you really get to know it properly. This way you can find where the best bargains are to be had… that backstreet budget cafe, bargain supermarket or that free museum or gallery or cool park to hang out in.

Plus your accommodation costs can be reduced as often cheaper deals can be negotiated for longer stays.

Also you won’t be wasting valuable time and money racing from one place to another. Transport can be one of the most expensive parts of a travel budget so the less you move around, the more you save!

“But I only have a 2 week holiday” I hear you say. That’s OK. Focus on a small region or country rather than trying to cram in an entire continent. It will be far more enjoyable, not having to move on constantly. There’s nothing worse than arriving somewhere that you absolutely love and then immediately having to leave for the next destination on the list before you’ve really got to enjoy it.

Remember – A slow traveller is a happy traveller

Research – Know your destination

It’s amazing how many travellers you meet who know little of the places they are in or where they should be going. Once you have some knowledge of a place, you can focus on the most important aspects that you enjoy more, whether it be an historic city or an area of outstanding natural beauty. You’ll save a lot of money by not wandering around blindly or paying for an expensive tour guide to do the thinking for you.

With knowledge comes power. Your visit will be so much more rewarding and when you arrive you can hit the ground running, knowing the best places to go, things to do and very importantly, where to find the best bargains!

Read guide books, online travel blogs and watch YouTube videos for insights.

Have a travel budget

If you want to travel long term and see the world then you need to keep your finances in order so you don’t run out of money mid-trip. It’s important to have a travel budget and try to stick to it. Ours is US $20 a day which is at the low end of the scale. You might want to have yours higher, depending on where you travel and what your needs are. In Asia, South America and Africa your money goes a lot further than in Europe and North America.

Keep a constant record of what you are spending on a daily basis so you know if you have stretched too far. Make your budget a realistic one, and remember that some days you will spend more and other days less, depending on your activities. If it averages out over a week to your limit, then you are on track to being a successful budget traveller.

Plan ahead

This is a contentious one as there are two schools of thought regarding this. Some people prefer to totally wing it and drift from place to place with no itinerary planned. Others like to meticulously map out their entire trip day by day with no room for flexibility at all. We like to operate somewhere in between these two.

Obviously the benefits of flexibility speak for themselves. It’s great to have the option to stick around somewhere you really like for longer, or to skip town if it’s a letdown. It’s also nice to change plans on a whim if an amazing opportunity presents itself, which so often happens on the road. The downside of this is you will end up paying a premium for flights or often domestic transport if you buy at the last minute.

The forward planner can find the best bargains by a long shot, especially when it come to booking flights in advance. Buses and trains often work on the same system in Europe. The earlier you buy, the less you pay.

Accommodation is different. It’s nice to have a room secured if you book ahead, especially for peace of mind if you are arriving in town late in the day. But the benefit of leaving it until arrival is that you can check out the room before committing and even negotiate a better price if demand is low.

Some ‘once in a lifetime’ activities should be organised in advance. If you want to hike the Inca trail and just rock up in Cuzco, you’ll be disappointed. Research head so you don’t miss out on any must do experiences but try and add in some room for maneuver as well.

Locals Know Best

Top Frugal Travel Tips

This is a great one to remember. You can read all the guide books and blogs you want, but there’s nothing better than local knowledge. Locals know where the best restaurants and bars are. They know where the secret locations are that the guide books don’t tell you about. And they also know what the local prices should be!

Having a local friend on the ground is gold. They can teach you so much about local life, introduce you to others and point you in the right direction. Make a local friend. It’s good to have friends!

Find joy in simple things

This is a tip that needs to be adapted to life in general and not just travel. But it’s quite simple really. If you can take pleasure in the simple things in life, then you will be satisfied and content permanently. Once your needs are simplified, life gets way less complicated.

So don’t seek pleasure in a 5* luxury hotel, but enjoy the homely surroundings of a friendly home stay. Pass on that desire to visit a fancy restaurant and instead enjoy a picnic in a peaceful park. Forego the expensive tourist activity and find a pretty place to watch the sun set instead. The best things in life are free.

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Frugal Travel Tips – General Tips

Travel to cheap destinations

It makes sense that if you want to travel for cheaper and for longer then you are better off heading to destinations where your dollar, pound or euro will stretch a lot further. We’ll write another blog post soon, highlighting our favourite budget destinations around the world.

The general rule of thumb is that Western Europe, North America, a lot of the Middle East and a few of the Asian countries tend to be the most expensive places in the world to travel. Many people start their backpacking in South East Asia because not only is it value for money but easy and comfortable to travel in too. Other great bargain countries can be found in South and Central America, Africa, Central and South Asia and Eastern Europe.

Learn the lingo

You will have a much fuller travel experience if you can speak a little of the language of the country you are travelling in. Not only will it help you to get the local prices at the market or to be able to negotiate a cheaper room, but it will improve your understanding of the people and culture of your destination.

You don’t have to be fluent. Just to make an effort will win people’s respect and admiration and will open the doors to new friendships and experiences. Some great free language learning apps you can try are Duolingo , Memrise or Drops.

Also the Google Translate app is a lifesaver for when communication breaks down. You type in what you want translating, talk directly into it or hover the camera over a menu and it automatically translates the text! This was a priceless tool for us in Russia and China!

Travel off-season

You will save a fortune in accommodation if you avoid the peak seasons. In many countries the room price can be 50% cheaper in the off-season period. This also helps to avoid the crowds that are now beginning to plague many tourist destinations around the world.

Stay away from Europe in mid summer or anywhere on earth during the main holiday periods. Watch that you don’t get caught out by local holidays or religious festivals when places fill to capacity and prices go through the roof temporarily.

Avoid buying souvenirs

Do not give in to temptation! The lighter you travel, the better. We’ll discuss that later on. Every single small thing you buy adds to the load you have to burden. Souvenirs are tempting but is it really worth the bother? Believe us, we know. We once lugged a 5 kg samovar for 3 months around Central Asia!

This applies especially to long term travellers. If you are on a short trip then you probably have a bigger budget and room for extras. If you must have a keepsake from your travels, make it something small, inexpensive or alternative. We keep the odd attractive currency banknote or cool design beer bottle labels.

Use ebooks

Paper books are a luxury a long term traveller cannot afford to have as far as value for weight is concerned. Rather than spending money buying books, there are many opportunities to borrow or download for free, offline ebooks.

Our local libraries in New Zealand, Australia and England all offer ebooks and audiobooks for a free 28 day borrowing period through their apps, which we borrow and return whilst on the road. This has opened a whole new world to us and we are now never without a good book to read whilst on the move.

Also the beauty of this is that we no longer have to buy travel guide books but carry them temporarily on our devices to use in each individual country. Never again will we end a trip with a backpack full of dog-eared used guidebooks that have no further value!

Ask at your local library. The apps our libraries use are Overdrive, Libby, Borrowbox and Cloud Library.

Buy local SIM cards

We’ve noticed as we’ve travelled overland from Asia to Europe on our Grand tour of the Eurasian Continent over the last 2 years, that local SIM cards tend to be very cheap and way better value than paying for a roaming plan from our home countries. Data usage can be prohibitively expensive when roaming so it’s best to know your plans tariffs before leaving home.

For example we paid $6 for 4 GB of data and 20 GB socialiser which was more than we needed for 1 month in Azerbaijan. In Romania we paid only $6.50 for 60 GB of data for one month! Shop around and get some advice from a local before you commit to buying. Locals know best!

Free museum day

If you are a museum buff but don’t like forking out the entry fees then look out for free museum days that many cities offer. You can save a lot of money if you look ahead and try to time your museum visits to the free days. Often it’s on a Sunday but not always so check out the museums websites or guidebooks before you hit town. Go early on free day to avoid the crowds.

Take free walking tours

Free walking tours are a great way to learn about the new city you’ve just arrived in. They are popping up everywhere these days and are worth seeking out. They can be fun and informative and they will help you get orientated in your new city. Also it’s great way to meet other travellers if you are going solo.

You tend to meet with a group at a pre-arranged central location. You will spend 2 to 3 hours being shown the best sights in town and learning some history. Tours are offered free but the guides work on tips so please give a fair amount for the service provided. They work hard and it is still great value.

Parks and libraries are free

Don’t just tick off the prime tourist sights that your guide book lists as the must see places in a city. It can be exhausting following the crowds around. Sometimes you just want to chill out somewhere quiet and enjoy the city as the locals do.

When we feel like this we head to the parks, or if the weather is crap to the local library for a bit of down time. We’ve found it is so good for the soul to just sit back on a bench and to observe the world go by or maybe get into a conversation with a friendly local. This can most certainly be enhanced whilst eating an ice cream!

Libraries are our sanctuary and a feel of normal life when the rigours of constant travel get to us a little. An afternoon getting lost in a book is the perfect cure for travel fatigue. They feel even more cosy if the rain is lashing the window outside.

Join local Facebook groups

One great way to meet local people and make new friends is to join a Facebook group for the city or country you are visiting. There are so many different types now. They cover different themes and activities such as hiking groups, meetup groups, language learning and also for accommodation.

When we decided to stay in Krakow, Poland for the COVID-19 lock down we joined the Krakow expats group. This way we could stay in touch with news and information for foreigners in the city. We also joined a Krakow apartments for rent group to keep in touch with local apartment rental prices and trends as the event unfolded.

Occasionally treat yourself

Top Frugal Travel Tips

The last of our general Frugal Travel Tips is to forget being frugal occasionally! It’s great to be able to stick to a budget so you can go for longer, but don’t deprive yourself permanently and miss out on all the fun. Never forgo something you’ve always dreamed of doing, just to save some money or you’ll regret it once you’ve moved on. You’ll have come a long way to do it, so don’t miss out on the chance.

It may be hiking to see the mountain gorillas in Africa, a whale watching cruise or a scenic flight over the glaciers of New Zealand. It may be something simpler like a splurge at a famous restaurant or high tea at Raffles. Whatever makes you buzz… Just do it. You only live once!

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Frugal Travel Tips – Flying

Use comparison flight apps

We find the best way to search for flight bargains and to compare airlines against each other is to begin by using comparison flight apps such as Skyscanner or Kayak. Others swear by Google flights. The beauty of these apps is that you can not only compare airlines but compare travel dates to find the optimum cheapest day to travel on.

On Skyscanner for example, select the date you want to travel and you will see a calander with every date showing a price range. The graph mode shows the prices on each day in a graph mode. This helps you find the very cheapest day to travel. If you are flexible you can find yourself some very cheap flights.

This method is not always concrete and it is worth trying a few different comparison sites because some do only show their favoured airlines. As always… shop around!

Book direct with airlines

Once you’ve found the cheapest bargain on the internet, rather than book through a third party agency, go directly to the airline. Book with them. Sometimes this does cost a little more, strangely, but it is worth it.

The reason for this is that if you ever have a problem, whether it be delays, missed connections or cancelled flights, it is so much easier to deal directly with the airline. If you’ve booked through an agency the airline can fob you off to them, and vice versa, leaving you going round in circles and going nowhere.

We’ve heard some horror stories about this and would prefer to avoid it. Also if you book with national carriers you often get perks like being able to select your seats on their website. Also it is so much easier to manage your booking on their site.

Search incognito or using a VPN

One of the sneaky tricks that comparison sites use is that they follow your search habits to see what flights you are looking for. Once you’ve visited a few times and focused on a certain destination and date, they will start to raise the price, knowing that you are likely to book before it rises too much.

The way to avoid this is to search for the flight in incognito mode. This way the site cannot follow your actions using cookies. Also using a VPN is a way to fly under their radar. It will look like you’ve searched as a new customer from a different destination. We use NordVPN.

Be flexible with dates

A little flexibility with flight dates can save you a lot of money every time you book. The golden rule is that it is normally considerably cheaper to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than a weekend day in general. As much as half the price! This is not always the case so compare prices on dates around when you want to fly.

Avoid anytime either side of major holiday periods as prices are at a premium. Saying that, it’s possible to get a cheap flight right on Christmas day as nobody really wants to be travelling during that time.

Sign up for cheap flight email notifications

It’s worth always keeping an ear to the ground for any unbeatable deals that come up. There are some great websites out there that highlight bargain deals that come up and it’s a good idea subscribing to get free email notifications from them so you never miss a deal.

One of our favourites is iknowthepilot who show specialised deals for travellers from USA, Australia and New Zealand. For UK and European flyers sign up to the free version of Jack’s Flight Club.

Some budget airlines such as AirAsia have great special offers that are well worth staying up to date with.

Look for alternative methods of travelling

Budget airlines have certainly transformed the way we travel over recent years, offering dirt cheap ways to get around. But it’s not all fun and games. Their sneaky ways of squeezing more money out of you can be tiresome and it’s rarely a pleasurable experience being squeezed into their cattle class cabins.

Look instead for alternative forms of transport such as train or bus which are more environmentally friendly, more comfortable and often just as good value for money once baggage is factored into the equation.

The man in seat 61 is a great resource for information about global rail travel. For inspiration read about our amazing experience taking the Trans-Siberian across Russia in the winter.

Look at Flixbus for bargain bus travel in Europe. In UK or USA Megabus is also really cheap if you book in advance. For an epic bus adventure story, read about our bus crossing of the Taklamakan desert in China.

Fly with carry on luggage only

Top Frugal Travel Tips

There’s no do doubt about it… A light traveller is a happy traveller

Not only does reducing your luggage make life a LOT easier when moving around, but it saves a huge amount on check in baggage fees too. Budget flight prices can double when paying for check in luggage. Up to $40 per bag, per flight. Wear your heaviest clothes to free up space!

It makes more sense to go light and then buy anything extra you might need when on the road. That way, your new wardrobe can be your souvenir from your new destination. It is also very liberating to hop off a plane and straight out of the airport rather than having to endure that endless wait at the carousel to see if your baggage actually made it.

Do not buy food in airports

Airports are rip-off’s in all aspects, so it goes with out saying… Do not buy food, or drinks, or anything for that matter, in airports! Instead be prepared and rock up with a packed lunch and snacks to get you through the potentially long waits. Be prepared, especially if you know you have a long layover.

Take an empty water bottle on board

When flying it is really important to remain hydrated. In order to avoid buying drinks in airports, or on planes, the best thing to do is bring your own water bottle along. It’s always good to travel with a re-usable one anyway as buying water in disposable plastic bottles is a not only a waste of money but harmful to our environment.

Take your bottle through security empty as they will confiscate liquids off you otherwise. Then fill it up for your flight from the free water fountains most airports provide in the departure areas. Most national airlines will give passengers free water on long haul flights but many budget airlines will only sell it to you. Don’t give them the pleasure!

Take advantage of the free alcohol tasters

One thing we’ve noticed over the years of flying is that in most duty free areas there are free alcohol tasters on offer. These promotions are designed to lure in customers to buy products, some of which can be high end liquor which you would not normally buy.

Rather than take the easy route to the bar, instead head for duty free on the free booze hunt. It can be great fun tracking down your quarry and you’ll probably get to taste something you’ve never tried before. After all, travel is all about seeking new experiences!

Entertain yourself

An important method of coping with long delays and long haul flights is to have plenty of entertainment on hand to while away the hours. Budget airlines charge rental fees for viewing devices and access to movies these days. We all carry our own nowadays so one of the most important things you can do before travelling is to make sure you have plenty of offline material to hand so you can entertain yourself.

Before you leave for the airport, download a selection of Netflix movies, some ebooks or some of your favourite podcasts so you’ll never be bored whilst in transit. Oh yeh… Don’t forget to keep charged up too!

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Frugal Travel Tips – Transport

Walk! Don’t take taxis!

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Without a doubt, the cheapest and best form of transport there is, is to walk! Don’t worry, we’re not expecting you to walk around the world but whenever you arrive in a new town or city, try to walk everywhere! Not only do you save a lot of transport money but you will see and learn so much more of the place by wandering the backstreets.

Also if you are travelling long term, you definitely need to keep up some sort of exercise regime or you’ll loose shape whilst devouring all that delicious world food. Walking is the perfect way to do that. We regularly walk between 10 and 20 km’s a day whilst exploring new cities and we love it. You appreciate that beer at the end of the day as well when you feel like you’ve earned it.

Use taxi apps to save money

OK. So you hate walking. If you must take a taxi then use one of the many taxi apps available to save a lot of cash compared to drive up prices. Taxi apps have revolutionised urban travel over recent years. Once you’ve set them up you can quickly summon up a cab, know when it’s coming and what the exact price will be. No more rip offs, demands for extra money or awkward haggling.

It’s a safer way to ride as both the driver and customer will have each others details and can view previous reviews. Uber is one of the most popular worldwide now. Yandex is popular in Russia and former USSR countries. The cheapest taxis we ever took anywhere was in Iran using snapp which is also used throughout the middle east.

Taking a taxi – Fix a price

If you are taking a taxi, especially in developing countries where business is done informally, and you are not using one of the apps mentioned above, then fix your price with the driver before you even get in. Taxi drivers have a bad reputation for being crooks because unfortunately many are. I’m not saying all of them are, there are reputable ones but to save any dramas establish the exact price in advance.

Be firm and confirm before you start your journey. This will avoid any unpleasant surprises at the destination if a rip-off is attempted.

Stay on track with a map app

So you’ve taken to walking and you do not want to get lost whilst out and about in a strange new place. Have a map app on your device so you always know where you are and where you are going. With these fantastic travel aids you will never get lost again and you won’t need a guide to get you out of trouble.

We swear by maps.me which we have used all around the world. From trekking on the Nepalese mountain trails to navigating the streets of Astana in Kazakhstan. Once you have the free app set up, you can download maps for whichever country, region or city you want and you can use them offline.

Get this app to make your travelling life a whole lot easier. It is one of the best Frugal Travel Tips we can give you.

Take public transport

Top Frugal Travel Tips

We’re not sure if this is an obvious one for a seasoned backpacker but it needs to be said. Taking public transport is THE most fun way to see a country and will leave you with unforgettable memories that you cannot buy by taking a tour. Also it is by far the cheapest way to get about. That’s why the locals choose it!

Whether it be on a songthaew in Thailand, a chicken bus in Guatemala, a matutu in Kenya, or a marshrutka in Kyrgyzstan. These simple forms of local transport that connect the cities with the villages are the perfect way to connect with local life and at the same time to test your travel endurance limits to the max!

Online voucher codes, discount codes

If you are booking buses, flights or even travel insurance online, often it’s worth investing 5 minutes having a scoot around for some online voucher codes, promo codes or discount codes. A lot of companies put out special temporary deals to increase sales, especially during slack seasons.

So just google for those types of codes and see what comes up. Often you can get 10-30% off a booking which can be a great saving. Best not to click on links to booking sites which could be scams. Rather, copy the code and paste it in to the reputable official booking platform you would have used anyway.

Ride sharing

A recent travel phenomenon that has occurred is the app based method of ride sharing or carpooling. We recently tried it for the first time in Romania, using Blablacar to share a ride in local cars travelling from city to city. It worked out cheaper and faster than taking the public buses or trains and was an interesting experience to ride with locals and learn a lot from chatting with them. We used it 3 times in Romania. Here’s a YouTube video we made of our first ride.

Of course hitch hiking is the ultimate budget travellers’ way to go for free but there is an element of uncertainty and risk involved there. Whereas with ride sharing your departure and arrival time is fixed and you can vet your drivers or passengers reviews before agreeing to ride.

Car relocations

If a road trip is your thing then you might want to consider a car relocation. Rental companies need to move cars around countries and they need someone to drive them. So you could be driving coast to coast, across USA, Canada or Australia or doing a road trip in Europe or New Zealand.

You pay as little as $1 per day for the privilege of transporting. There will be extras for things like insurance waivers and excess kilometers so read the conditions. Often you get a fuel allowance which saves a lot of money. The downside is that you will have a limited amount of days and kilometers to make your journey. Take a look at Imoova for inspiration.

The ultimate way to travel frugally. Cycle touring has to be the cheapest way ever to see the world. Your transport costs are virtually nothing and you spend the majority of your nights under canvas so accommodation is minimal too. Your major expense is food as you have to fuel your body for the great workout it gets.

Cycle touring is an amazing way of life that grows on you. We spent 3 months cycling the length of France in the summer of 2007 and must say it was one of the best travel experiences ever. The feeling of freedom is exhilarating and you see the country in a way you never can when stuck inside a vehicle.

Travel by night

Take the night bus, train or flight to save on a night’s accommodation. That overnight bus will cost the same as a night in a hostel bed but you’ll wake up in a new destination after having travelled another 500 km.

It’s better if you can check in to your new accommodation early, have a 30 minute power nap, take a shower, have a strong coffee, then hit the streets. You can run on adrenaline for the rest of the day!

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Frugal Travel Tips – Accommodation

Accommodation booking sites

Back in the day, before the wonderful invention of the worldwide web, we would just rock up in a new place, guidebook in hand and wander the streets looking for the cheapest digs in town. These days life has become a whole lot easier with the advent of accommodation booking sites. So you needn’t ever worry about turning up without a bed for the night. Just simply book in advance.

Our favourite site for hotels and hostels worldwide is booking.com which we use a lot. Once you’ve searched for your destination and dates, sort your search results in order with the lowest price first. You can then immediately see what the cheapest places in town are like. Always check the ratings, read reviews and look at the cancellation policy before booking.

If we don’t fancy a hostel and want our own room or our own apartment then we head to Airbnb. You can get some great deals on there If you are booking more a week of longer there are often long stay discounts. Refine your search by setting the maximum price you want to pay using filters so the cheapest deals display.

Book a night or 2, then shop around

It’s not always better to book in advance. There are many benefits to finding your own accommodation on arrival. You can physically check the rooms to see it they are to your liking or see if the nightclub next door is going to ruin your stay. The pictures you may see online can often be misleading. Always read the reviews!

A compromise we often employ is to book a night or 2 in advance for a place we like the look of. That way we have a guaranteed place on arrival. Then we have options. If we like it, we can chose to stay longer and maybe even negotiate for a cheaper long term stay or a better room. Otherwise, we have time to search around town at leisure for the ideal place.

Location – Avoid the tourist zone

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Location is everything when selecting accommodation. You don’t want to be miles from the action with expensive transport costs to get to where you want to be. Conversely we find you don’t want to be right in the centre of the tourist zone where it’s crowded, noisy and everything is overpriced to take advantage of the tourists.

After years of trial and error, we’ve found that the optimum location is within a 10 to 15 minute walking distance of the tourist zone. Here you will find much cheaper accommodation prices and way cheaper restaurant and shopping prices. It will be quieter and have a more local feel to it. Yet you will still be in striking distance of all the sights and attractions. Win, win!!

Things to look out for in budget accommodation

We’ve stayed in some dirt cheap, rock bottom, dives over the years of travelling in developing countries. Sometimes paying less than $1 a night for a place to lay our head. The old saying is true…You get what you pay for!

Staying in budget accommodation is great to save money but you need to be alert to the possible dangers or discomforts you may have to endure.

Things to look out for when staying in ultra budget accommodation…

• Security. Does the door shut and lock properly? Can you use your own padlock to make it secure? Are the windows and balcony secure?
• Cleanliness. Can you handle the state of the shared bathroom? Are there signs of bugs or rodents in the rooms? Blood splatters on the sheets or walls are signs of bedbugs.
• Comfort. Check the taps for water supply. Does the power go out at certain times of the day? Does the fan/air-con work? Are there holes in the mosquito nets? How thin are the partition walls to the next room?
• Safety. How sketchy are the streets outside? Is it safe to walk home in the dark? Is there a safe route out of the building if the place goes up in flames during the night?

Work for some free accommodation

A good way to keep travelling for a while longer and have a free roof over your head is to earn your keep. There are some great websites which you can sign up to which connect willing workers with hosts worldwide. These include Workaway, HelpX and WOOF.

Normally you are expected to provide 4-5 hours work a day in return for a free bed and food. There’s a small sign up fee but it’s worth it for the opportunities it provides. You could end up working on a farm, helping in a hostel, teaching languages or even crewing on a boat. The options are almost limitless.

Couchsurfing

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Couchsurfing is a wonderful concept. It is a global community, now 14 million strong where people offer free accommodation, whether it be a bed or a couch, in return for nothing other than your company and the chance to make a new friend.

It’s a great way to save money, make long lasting world wide connections and learn more about the culture of the country you are visiting. An experience you would never get by staying in a hotel. Remember – It is a cultural exchange, so give a little back in return.

We couch surfed recently in Iran, Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova and had some fantastic experiences and made genuine friendships that we are sure will be long lasting.

Staying in hostels

If you want the cheapest bed in town, then you probably want to head straight to a hostel. If you are happy with communal living they can be great places to meet other travellers and make new friends. Ideal if you are a solo traveller.

Hostels can really range from scummy dives with 20 beds crammed into cramped, pungent rooms, to upmarket boutique places with all the bells and whistles. So it’s best to shop around. Good websites to compare and book hostels are Hostelbookers, Hostelworld and Booking.com.

Don’t forget to bring your earplugs and an open mind!

Camping

There’s nothing quite like spending a night under the stars, listening to the wind blow against the canvas and waking to a beautiful view. Camping is not only good for the soul, but for the pocket too. If you are out in the wilderness then you can free camp. If you are in a camp ground, you have the benefit of some facilities and often a convenient location.

This does not work so well if your travelling involves a lot of city stays as most camp grounds tend to be outside of town. So think about what kind of travelling you’ll be doing before you chose how to pack. A tent, ground mat, sleeping bag and other accessories can add up to a lot of luggage. As always… Pack smart!

Housesitting

Top Frugal Travel Tips

This is a budget travel gem. If you are travelling long term but need to take a little time-out from being on the road, then it’s worth considering house sitting. It usually involves caring for a property and pets for a period of time while the owners are away. This could be from a few days to a few months or longer. There is no money involved, but you get free accommodation.

We live on the road which is wonderful, but the downside is we can never own our own pets because we have no home to house them. So house sitting is the perfect chance to spend some time giving our love to someone else’s cat or dog whilst their owners are away.

House sitting sites team up home owners with potential sitters. Trusted House Sitters is a huge global site. We used Mindahome in Australia and spent our last 3 months in the country moving from house sit to house sit. We were able to save over $2000 in saved rent over that time, stayed in some lovely houses and spent time with some gorgeous pets.

Last minute package deals

Slightly different angle that’s maybe not the style of the average long term backpacker. But sometimes you can never pass a great deal by. There are some dirt cheap last minute package holiday deals that get offered online. Empty hotel rooms and flights that need to be filled so they get advertised for a fraction of their original cost.

The key to taking full advantage of these is being totally flexible. If you fancy a cheap, short holiday and are open to the day you fly, your destination or which airport you leave from, then you’ll have open options to all sorts of possibilities out there. We once got a 2 week half board package deal in an upmarket hotel in Majorca for £149. It worked out cheaper than staying in a hostel and self catering!

Have a look at lastminute.com or Tui.com. If it’s a bargain cruise you are after, then Vacationstogo has some unbelievable last minute deals. Remember… Be Flexible!

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Frugal Travel Tips – Money

Don’t change money in airports

We said this before.., Airports are rip-offs. This applies to changing money too. Currency exchange in airports comes at a hefty price. You’ll get a really poor exchange rate and possibly a high commission. Don’t do it!

Try to arrive with a little of the local currency. Enough to get you into town anyway. There you can find an ATM or a much better exchange rate for cash. That or use an ATM at the airport, but just watch out for their fees too because they tend to be operated by privately owned companies.

Bank charges to avoid

We’ve transitioned our travel style from the old school methods of using a mix of travellers cheques and cash to using ATM’s and cash. We’ve learnt a lot along the way. Some ATM usage comes at a price that you want to avoid.

ATM Usage fees

Many overseas banks will charge an ATM usage fee to use an international card on top of what your home bank charges you for a withdrawal. If you are only withdrawing small amounts of cash at a time then all these fees can add up to a huge percentage of the total. The fee will be displayed on the screen during the withdrawal operation. Find out off locals which banks do not charge an international card usage fee.

International ATM withdrawal fees

Check your home bank’s international ATM withdrawal fees. Some banks will charge a set fee per transaction plus a percentage of money withdrawn. Again this can really add up and you need to avoid banks that do this. We used Nationwide in UK when it was fee-free, until they changed their fee structure and they now charge 3% per transaction.

Fortunately there are many new banks competing out there who now have zero international ATM withdrawal fees. Starling Bank have a zero fee account which we recommend. The exchange rate is excellent, often better than the XE rate. Also all transactions can be viewed and managed immediately on their banking app. Other good recommended online banks for foreign currency transactions are Revolut and Transferwise.

Beware the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)

When withdrawing a foreign currency with an international card you will often be asked if you want to make the exchange transaction in your own currency. This is called the Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). DO NOT SELECT THIS OPTION. This will allow the bank to set their own exchange rate. This will be around 10% worse than the market rate. Always chose to be charged in LOCAL CURRENCY to avoid being ripped off by this. The difference is phenomenal.

ATM Security tips

We were paranoid about using ATM’s in the beginning. We feared being ripped off or losing our cards to them and being stranded without one. We’ve been burned once, cancelling a withdrawal request from a Turkish bank which took our money without dispensing any. Unfortunately we are still in dispute with that one 8 months later.

It pays to be alert about ATM security. These are the methods we now employ.

Use a Currency conversion app

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Without the shadow of a doubt the best currency conversion app out there is XE.COM. Every savvy traveller out there uses it. You can stay up to date with live currency fluctuations and have 10 different currencies on display for comparisons. Never again will you be confused about how much money you are spending. This is the best app you can have for travel… EVER!

Changing cash on the street – Tips

If you are overland travelling and crossing borders, in some lesser developed countries an ATM is often not an option. Once across the border, you will have to change cash on the street. It’s usually better to use a formal exchange shop but sometimes you have no choice. You have to use the dodgy looking dude with a mouthful of gold teeth and a fistful of banknotes.

We’ve been in this situation on numerous occasions. From Congo to Iran… from Cambodia to Turkmenistan… The same rules always apply. These dudes know a million scams. Approach with caution…

Carry some cash as back up

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Don’t rely on solely one method of a money supply. Travel with at least 2 ATM cards and have a ready supply of cash as a back up. There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a strange place alone with no access to money. $US or €EU are the most accepted worldwide these days.

Have some small denomination bills for changing at borders or paying for minor things in transit. Don’t just carry it in a wallet but somewhere safe, on your person. A hidden money belt is a good idea especially when you are on the move.

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Frugal Travel Tips – Food

Carry snacks

Top Frugal Travel Tips

One the major frugal travel tips as far as food is concerned is to always have some snacks to hand. There’s nothing worse than getting that hangry feeling when your blood sugar levels run low and the only food available is from ridiculously expensive tourist trap boutique cafes that charge a days budget for a lame panini. Don’t go there!

A sensible frugal traveller will have a bag of supplies to hand for this occasion. They’ll be equipped with at least a bottle of water and maybe an apple, some trail mix, an emergency chocolate bar or even a made up roll that was liberated from the breakfast buffet. Emergency avoided!

Eat street food

From the streets of Asia, through the Middle East, all across Africa and to the tip of South America, the same story goes… Street food is awesome! If you really want to eat like the locals and try authentic, everyday local food, then eat at the street stalls. You’ll get a way better deal than inside a sit down tourist restaurant and you’ll be helping the local micro economy a heap.

Don’t be under any illusion that a sit down restaurant will be more hygienic and safer. One look through the kitchen door will probably reveal exactly the same standards as out in the street. Instead look for fresh food being cooked at the street cart that is the most popular with the locals. They know best!

Follow the locals

This brings us on to the next of our frugal travel tips. Follow the locals! They know the place better than anybody and they are only going for the best food around. That may not necessarily be a street stand. It could be a backstreet cafe or a simple take away joint.

Don’t necessarily go on the advice of the manager of your hotel. He could just be sending you to his brothers cafe. That or a flash, overpriced tourist trap because he assumes that what all tourists crave. Instead wander until you see a gaggle of locals and dive in.

Escape the tourist zone

We’ve noticed, especially in the last few years travelling overland from Asia to Europe, that in every popular tourist town there is an epicentre. Here the tourists gather en mass, the prices for food doubles and it’s quality deteriorates. The crazy thing is… It is so easy to escape this but most people don’t bother.

Never eat at a cafe right on the main square of any European town. You will get the exact opposite of value for money. Walk for 10 minutes in any direction and your lunch will cost you a whole lot less. You’ll probably discover a more pleasant, quieter side of town too.

Get a place with a kitchen

Your food costs drop dramatically as soon as you stop going to restaurants and start to self cater. Look at it like this. If you were living a normal life at home, you wouldn’t be be eating out for 3 meals a day. So you have to get out of the habit of going out to eat constantly if you are travelling long term. Your budget will thank you for it.

Stay in hostels that have shared kitchen facilities. It’s amazing what you can learn when cooking alongside other travellers. If you want a private kitchen then it’s still worth renting an Airbnb with kitchen facilities. You may pay more but the amount you save on not eating out will compensate for that.

You don’t have to become a hermit and deprive yourself permanently. Make breakfast and dinner at home and go out and search for a bargain lunch. It will become a special treat that you’ll appreciate more.

Eat the lunch special

This leads us on to one of our favourite meal deals. The lunch special. In many parts of the world you’ll find cafes and restaurants offering a very good value mid day meal, normally between 12 – 3 pm. It tends to be 2 or 3 courses with a limited selection of options. Sometimes it includes bread, salad and a drink.

So look out for the lunch special. Menú del día in Spanish speaking countries. Menu du jour in French speaking countries. бизнес-ланч (business lunch) in Russian speaking countries. This is by far and away the most economical way to eat out whilst travelling.

Have a picnic

Top Frugal Travel Tips

Our favourite way of eating out is to have picnics. Buy some yummy food and find a nice bench in a park or in a town square and have an open air feast. While the people sitting 3 metres away from you on the boutique cafe terrace are paying $20 for a salad, you’ll be chowing down on a selection of treats that cost just a few bucks. And you’ll be enjoying the same view!

You’ll have saved so much money on your meal, you can afford to splash out on the fancy stuff. So go for gold with a fresh baguette, gourmet cheese, charcuterie, sun dried tomatoes, stuffed peppers and olives. Bon appetite!

Explore the supermarkets

One of our favourite places to go exploring when arriving in a new country is in the supermarkets! Every countries supermarket is unique in a certain way and will stock products that you won’t find anywhere else. You can really learn a lot about a country and it’s culture by what you discover on the shelves. You can do some language study there too, learning your essential food vocab from the signs and catalogues. It’s fascinating!

On top of that, supermarkets are a great way to eat for cheap. In many places you can buy pre-cooked food from the deli counter for a budget picnic lunch too! Also, this is a great place to find out the true price of products as you get to grips with a new currency. Now you know what a kilo of apples should cost (and what to ask for), you can head to the market!

Shop at the local market

Local markets are so much fun and can be a true insight into the culture of a new country. The sights and smells can be intoxicating as you wander in awe at a whole new world of discovery. This is the joy of travel in it’s raw form.

As well as the sensation of sensory overload, you get the benefit of fresh, locally produced goods at bargain prices. The person you’re buying from in the market is likely to be a local farmer who has just dug up his crop and carried it into market that morning. So, cut out the middle man and give your much needed money to the one who deserves it the most.

Check menu prices first

This sounds obvious but many people don’t bother and then complain when the bill arrives. We never sit down at a restaurant until we’ve seen the menu and are happy with what’s on offer and what the prices are. If you don’t check, it gives unscrupulous operators the opportunity to gouge you. Don’t allow that to happen. If you are aware in advance it avoids any unpleasant misunderstandings.

Watch out for the hidden charges

Another way of squeezing a little out of the hapless tourist is to add a few hidden charges onto the bill. Maybe a 10% ‘local’ tax, a 15% ‘tourist’ tax and a 20% service charge. We are all for tipping for good service but believe it should be a voluntary option.

These extras should displayed somewhere on the menu so you are aware in advance. Although recently in Georgia we had a few unfortunate experiences where the ‘extra tax’ was not displayed on the menu and a dispute ensued afterwards. Not a good way to go about business!

Without sounding like a grinch… Watch out for the hidden charges to your bill. A 45% mark-up for a mediocre meal can leave a sour taste in your mouth.

End of the day bargains

If you eat a little out of the traditional meal times you can often find some really good knock down prices. At the end of the day for buffet restaurants or late afternoon for lunch bars. Often bargains are offered as businesses sell off their excess stock.

In Ukraine and Poland we recently found canteen style restaurants that gave a 50% discount for their final hour of opening. There would be a huge rush of locals come in to snap up the amazing bargains and the restaurant would have no wasted food left. What a brilliant business strategy!

Sushi bars often sell off their left over lunch box deals in the late afternoon. In UK, Boots the chemists sell their lunch sandwich packs off for 50p each after 3 pm. You can get some amazing bargains if you chose an alternative time to eat!

Take a doggy bag

Always carry a spare small plastic bag with you to use as a doggy bag when the opportunity arises. If you, or your friends, can’t finish that huge dinner portion then you can bag it and take it home with you. Free lunch tomorrow? Why not? Waste not, want not!

Avoid drinks with meals

Drinks are where the restaurants really make their money. Meal prices are kept low and drinks are sold at a mark-up of 100-200% profit. If you are watching the pennies then forego the beer with your meal. Ask for tap water instead. Having a drink before you go out will save a lot of money.

Avoid the booze

Top Frugal Travel Tips

We hate to break this one to you but drinking alcohol often is one of the biggest ways to blow the travel budget. This doesn’t mean you have to become a teetotaler, but just be aware that drinking a lot can add up. In many countries a beer with your meal is considered a luxury and the beer can cost as much as the meal itself.

It’s scary how many backpackers will chose a beer over a meal. Either find a cheaper way to drink or keep the drinking under control. Both your wallet and your brain cells will thank you for it.

Find the happy hour

So it’s impossible to stay off the grog. We understand. There is a solution. The good old happy hour.

If you can get a drink for half price, then you can drink twice as much, right? It doesn’t exactly work like that but it is worth seeking out a bargain drink and then maybe lining one or two up just before happy hour ends. Just remember when to stop!

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The essential apps all Frugal Travellers should have

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Share your frugal travel tips with us please

We hope you gained something from our list of frugal travel tips. If you have any of your own, we’d love you to hear them. So please let us know in the comments box below. We are always keen to learn a new way of travelling for less and we’ll share them with the travel community.

We did not number these Frugal Travel Tips because we would like to continue adding to them. This is the one blog that most defines our way of travelling. It gives us pleasure to share our knowledge with you and we thoroughly appreciate it when you share yours with us!

Happy Travels!

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