How I Travel On A Budget

It's no secret that I love a good holiday. I'm always planning my next trip, but with money being quite tight it's not always easy to get away. I'm currently a student with a crappy part time job but even on my rubbish wages I still manage to jet off a few times a year so I thought I would share my tips on budget travel!


Travel in pairs - This is only helpful if you have a friend or partner who is willing to go on holiday with you but it will save a lot of money. A single person booking a double room will usually have to pay full price or at least a supplement. You can also save money by using one suitcase between two depending on how much you want to take on your trip!

Use comparison sites for flights - If you are looking for cheap flights always use a comparison site like Skyscanner. By using a site like this you can compare thousands of flights flying on different days from any airport. Just be warned that baggage usually isn't included in the price!

Use comparison sites for hotels too - You can also use comparison sites like Hotels.com or Booking.com to find the best prices on hotel rooms too. It's a good idea to check several sites and then check the hotel website aswell as sometimes it's cheaper to go direct!

Don't take a suitcase - Only going for a weekend or don't mind travelling light? Leave the suitcase at home. I've paid £30+ to take my suitcase on flights that have cost me less than £20. Hand luggage is free and you usually get around 10kg which is more than enough for a couple of outfits and a bit of makeup.

Wash and wear clothes - If you are considering leaving your case at home remember that your clothes can easily be refreshed in your hotel sink. I usually take at least one piece of clothing that can be dressed up or down and just wash it in between wears.



Sell things  - I'm forever selling my things on Depop or eBay. Once I've made that money I put it away especially for my next holiday. It's a good idea to always have a holiday fund and don't touch it for any reason!

Don't eat out every meal - Once you've found your perfect budget break you might still be strapped for cash. You should always take more money than you think you will need for emergencies but don't spend it if you don't have to. When I'm on a city holiday I only eat in a restaurant for my evening meal. I always stock my room with breakfast snacks for when I wake up and grab a sandwich from the supermarket at lunch time. Don't forget fruit is usually dirt cheap to buy pretty much anywhere!

Drink the tap water - If you are staying in a country where the tap water is safe to drink then lap that stuff up! You could easily save yourself £20+ a week if you just fill up your bottle before you leave the hotel room! It's safe to drink tap water in pretty much any western European country - but when in doubt, Google it in advance.

Try not to buy holiday tat - You don't need another fridge magnet and neither does your nan. I'm guilty of always buying my parents a little gift but If I'm running out of cash I'd rather save it incase I need a few euros for an emergency!



Use a coach instead of a plane - You might have noticed I spend a lot of time moaning about certain coach companies on Twitter, well thats because I'm always on bloody long coach journeys. When I'm really strapped for cash I book a seat on a dirty old coach because how else can I get to Birmingham from Paris for £20? In all honesty I would use this as a last resort as I've had some really unpleasant experiences with long coach journeys, and I would only recommend them if it's your only option. It took me and Sean over 20 hours to get home from Paris last month when we could have flown home in around an hour, but it did save us £130 each so thats the bonus.

Clear your browsing history - When you are searching for your hotel and flights always remember to clear your browsing history - or at least your cookie cache - and use incognito mode on Chrome. If a website notices several people are looking at a certain hotel or flight the price will go up as the company can see it's in demand. This may also happen if a website detects cookies on your device.

Be flexible with dates - This might be tricky if you have to book around work or uni but try to be flexible with your dates. Booking in school holidays will always be more expensive, and booking out of season in a summer resort will also always be cheaper. Try to be flexible with the time you fly as well, flights leaving in very late at night tend to be more reasonable.

Take short trips throughout the year - If you find it hard to save for one big blowout holiday each year try saving smaller amounts for several weekend breaks. I much prefer a few city breaks spread out over the year to one super luxurious holiday.

So these are my suggestions on travelling on a budget. I'm no money saving expert but these little tips help me jet off every few months so they can't be too bad. If you have any tips I'd love to hear them!


Thanks for reading!

xxx

3 comments

  1. I've been meaning to read this post for ages as I'm amazed at how many cool holidays you go on and I've been struggling to afford one a year! Next year I have about four trips roughly planned (most being 4-5 days away rather than big hols), what with working full time I think I'll be able to afford it, and I've now bookmarked this post so I can try and keep these tips in mind, this is massively useful as I didn't know a lot of these things, like travelling by coach and the browsing history! xx

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    Replies
    1. I'm really glad you found it helpful, i've still got a lot to learn too though! I deffo think more shorter holidays compared to longer ones is the way to go! Where are you off to next year? xx

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  2. I always think to travel on a budget price. You have shared many tips for that It will be helpful for my next tour, I will surely use your tips. Buy the package of Holidays Coach Travel UK and enjoy holidays with your family.

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