When you travel abroad, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Of course, you could find a job and work your way to an affordable trip. You can even make money as you go. However, this blog post focuses on short-term trips and people who don’t want to get a long-term job to go abroad.
Why should I travel abroad?
Traveling abroad is an amazingly beneficial thing to do. No matter your age or phase of life, exploring the world and experiencing new places will make you a better person. You will learn to get out of your comfort zone and push through when things get tough. Any form of prejudice that you have been surrounded by back home will start to be broken up when you see the world from a different angle.
Although travel is commonly seen as a self-serving activity (something to do when you need a break from your everyday life), it can be hard. It’s difficult to leave your daily routine and step into a completely foreign world. Travel, however, is one of the best ways to learn about the world as a whole. It’s important to realize that your everyday world is just one of many. There are people just like you who live completely different lives. Being able to include them in your worldview is awesome. The more you travel, the more likely you are to have an open-minded understanding of other people and their cultures.
Stay in hostels or other community lodging.
Although you may have already heard of backpacker hostels, here’s a reminder that they are a great option for low-budget travel. You can find backpacker hostels all across the world (even in the United States). They are an extremely affordable accommodation option that typically costs 5x less than what you would pay at a hotel. Instead of having your own hotel room and bathroom, you will be sharing space with other travelers. The cheapest hostel rooms usually have over 10 beds in a single room and community bathrooms and shower spaces.
Backpackers who travel abroad often enjoy backpacker hostels for many reasons. Although you have less space to yourself, you are much more likely to meet kindred spirits everywhere you go. There are tons of people who stay in hostels. They do this not only to save money, but also to find new friends with similar interests and values. Some of the best hostels will also have social spaces for backpackers to mingle, like a bar or game room. By staying in a backpacker hostel, you get to save money and socialize with travelers from all over the world.
Any lodging where you share the space with multiple people will be less expensive. But sometimes you can find unique opportunities around the world that let you travel for an extremely low price. For example, the Camino de Santiago is a pilgrimage covering over 100km of trails in northern Spain and western France. Along the trail, there are Camino Albergues, or hostels, that cost about 7 Euros per night. In order to gain access to these accommodations, you must have a pilgrim passport. Every day, you’ll get it stamped as part of the check-in process. If you like to hike and want to visit the north of Spain (and France), the Camino de Santiago may be the perfect trip for you.
Volunteer your time in exchange for free housing.
Companies like Worldpackers, Workaway, and WWOOF all let you travel abroad and stay for FREE in exchange for your labor. From babysitting to farm work, you can easily find free accommodation across the world using these websites.
One of the huge benefits of volunteering abroad is cultural immersion. When you agree to work and live with locals, you are much more likely to experience what that place is actually like. Your host can recommend the best local food, teach you a bit of their language, and share their unique worldview. If you are passionate about other cultures and learning about the world, there’s no better way to get immersed.
A friend of mine recently used Workaway to live in Germany for two months. She found a family with two children and lived in their house during her stay. Housing was free, and so was dinner (homecooked by the parents) every day. She negotiated with the family to get weekends off and had the evenings to herself (after 7 p.m.).
One of the most important things to do on Workaway is find a host that is generous with your time. You shouldn’t be working more than 40 hours a week. Most hosts will be generous and give you even more time if you ask for it. My friend was even able to ask for a weekly allowance from her family as payment for her work, which she was able to spend on tourism and travel activities on the weekend. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want! Make sure to agree on the terms before you travel abroad.
Find a group that uses the Sharing Economy.
Sharing economies make use of underused resources. Empty rooms are rented out for low prices (or for free), ride-sharing apps find you an affordable empty seat, and locals share their knowledge in exchange for a small fee. When you bypass major tourism organizations and work straight with smaller local companies, you can get wonderful service for a fraction of the cost. This works especially well when traveling abroad to Europe or Asia.
If you love camping, you can use Campspace to find legal spots all over the world. Locals will sign up to let you camp in their backyard (on private property). That way, you’re able to camp all over the world without breaking the law. Many countries in Europe are incredibly strict when it comes to wild camping. By getting the permission of the land owners, you can camp freely without taking this risk. Many of the locations listed on Campspace also provide access to hot showers, a kitchen space, campfire, and more. Amenities like this are not necessary, but definitely make camping more comfortable.
Couchsurfing is another website that makes couches all over the world accessible to you – the ultimate social backpacker. If you can take the risk of staying in a stranger’s home, you can save a ton of money. You might even make some friends during your travels this way. While there is the potential to save a LOT of money, finding a place to stay on the Couchsurfing website takes much more research than a typical hotel booking.
In order to use the Couchsurfing website, you need to pay a monthly/annual subscription cost. You also need to vet every host you find on the website to guarantee your safety. Plus, you need to make sure you’re going to get along with your host! Ideally, you will meet some wonderful, adventurous people. However, the worst-case scenario is that you find a host that doesn’t respect your privacy. Couchsurfing lets backpackers rate and review their hosts after each visit, so you might be able to get a good idea of who you’re staying with using those recommendations.
Take advantage of tourism cards.
Any popular tourist attraction usually offers some kind of money-saving deal. From student discounts to package purchases, there will almost always be a way to reduce your spending. After you’ve chosen your travel destinations, search online for city tourism cards. They give you access to multiple tourist locations, such as museums, concert halls, historical sites, and more. Since tourism cards or visitor passes are sold at a set price – the more you use it, the more money you save.
If you’re determined to save money on transportation, buying a public transit pass is typically your best option. When traveling Europe, for example, you can purchase the Eurail Pass to travel across the entire Schengen Area. Countries like Germany, Canada, and Japan all sell rail passes that allow you to take an unlimited number of trips for a set price. Most major cities around the world will also sell these passes.
Think about any niche, any specialized area of interest, and you can find a membership pass associated with it. The National Park Pass in the United States will get you into any national park in the country. The London Pass gives you unlimited access to dozens of attractions throughout the city. The Tokyo Pass provides access to a similar selection, but it also includes subway access as well. These are just a few examples of what you can find online when researching your chosen travel destination.
Ask your family and friends for potential connections.
Nowadays, we have the amazing ability to find connections all over the world. You may have friends or family who live abroad. It’s not unrealistic to even connect with friends of friends, or distant family that you’ve never met before. Most people would be excited to meet someone new – especially someone who is interested in exploring the world and experiencing a new environment.
There are groups online (backpacker groups, digital nomad groups, etc.) who would gladly make a space for you to join them in your travels. Those people can quickly become your friends and they might even want to travel with you on future trips. Once you start making connections and find adventurous people with an open space in their home for you, your network will only continue to expand.
