Backpacking presents the experience of a lifetime that’s full of adventure and self-discovery, but it can also cost a fair bit of money if you’re not careful, especially in this economy. If money concerns are deterring you from embarking on a unique adventure, then read this short guide for backpacking on a budget.
Choose Destinations Wisely
There’s so much of the world to see, which is great because it means there are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing destinations. With that in mind, you should conduct research into the places you want to visit and find the cheapest while taking into account travel, accommodation, food costs, entertainment, and other relevant expenses.
You can see this clearly if you take a look at Europe. Nordic countries like Denmark are expensive, but if you venture to Eastern Europe, you’ll find that it gets much cheaper. If you want to reduce expenses even further, then explore backpacking opportunities around Latin America or Southeast Asia.
Cook Your Own Meals
Going out for meals to enjoy the local cuisine is all part of the fun of traveling, but it’s also an expense that will soon add up if you do it too often. Therefore, you should make sure your accommodation has cooking facilities and visit a local market. When you are eating out, it’s a good idea to explore non-tourist restaurants, which tend to be less expensive and offer a more cultural experience.
Search for Cheap Flights
Everyone knows that one of the most expensive expenses of any trip is the traveling, especially if you’re going abroad and need to catch a flight. Therefore, you have to put time and effort into finding the cheapest flights, which can be a lengthy process. However, a great way to do this is with a comparison tool like Google’s airfare search engine or Skyscanner.
Other tactics to reduce airline costs include being flexible and searching for airports near your destination that may be cheaper.
Enjoy Free Events and Activities
One of the reasons people go backpacking is to soak up other cultures, and what better way is there to do that than getting involved in local activities? The typical tourist route to do this is by paying for expensive tours, but these types of activities take away from the authenticity. Therefore, you should make your own way around the local area and use the power of Google as your guide.
If you’re staying in a hostel, you will find that they often hold events to help backpackers settle in, especially solo travelers. For example, you may be able to attend free tours, cooking classes, and pub crawls led by locals. As well as this, hostel staff can tell you about any potentially free attractions like museums.
Pack Light
Airlines typically allow passengers to take on 1x hand luggage as standard – with some of them including a single checked bag as well. However, they make enormous amounts of money by charging excessive amounts for additional luggage. Therefore, to avoid being charged over the odds, make sure you pack light. For example, instead of taking clothes to suit every fashion trend, just take the essentials and know you’ll find a washing machine.
Volunteer to Reduce Costs
If you’re backpacking for a long time, then consider volunteering to make life that little easier. Although these positions are unpaid, they present a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the local culture, and many providers offer free accommodation and meals.
Backpacking won’t be a cheap experience, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a victim of paying well over the odds. If you follow the advice outlined above, you can save hundreds of dollars.
