I get asked all the time how I can afford to travel. Truth is, I wouldn’t be able to if I weren’t incredibly budget conscious. My adventures consist of self-guided tours rather than margaritas at a sea-side resort, but that doesn’t mean they’re not just as great! In fact, I feel as though I get to experience a new city that much more because of it.
Flights
Skyscanner
I’ve found Skyscanner to be the best all-around flight search engine. I often have 15+ windows open at one time trying to track down the cheapest flight and more often than not, Skycanner is the one to pull through. There’s been a ton of times where they show the same exact flight as another search engine but $50+ cheaper!
(Update Jan. 2022 - Google Flights has also come a long way in the past few years. They’re now one of my go-to’s)
Norwegian Air
This is a fairly new option for us in the US, but if you’re planning on traveling to Europe this is the way to go. You won’t believe the offers that they offer sometimes… last I checked there was a roundtrip to Germany for $350. Every other site was selling them for $900+.
(Update Jan. 2022 - Norwegian Air has unfortunately permanently discontinued their long-haul flights due to COVID-19)
RyanAir
I’m sure all Europeans readers know about this airline but if you’re not from there and find yourself having to travel within Europe – check out RyanAir. It’s a super cheap budget airline (meaning you cant choose your seat and food is extra) but it’s so worth it for the cheap flights. When I was backpacking Europe I booked a flight for, no joke, $18.
Scott’s Cheap Flights
This is an email membership program that I’ve been a subscribed to for almost 5 years. They send daily flight alerts with insanely good flight deals, such as last-minute sales and mistake fares. You can even customize your alerts by airport, city and destination. I’ve bought $40 roundtrip flights to New York and $400 roundtrip flights to Europe because them! Needless to say, I’ve made all my friends sign up.
(Update Jul. 2023 - Scott’s Cheap Flights is now called Going)
Expedia
Last but not least, there’s Expedia. Every once in a while they beat out Skycanner on cheap prices so I figured I had to add it to the list. I’ve used Expedia a ton over the years and always double-check prices on there. When traveling to South America (Uruguay, specifically) they usually have the cheapest Copa Airlines tickets.
Lodging
Hostelword
As you guys know, I’m a huge fan of Hostelworld. I’ve stayed all over the world for an average of $10 a night because of them. I was skeptical of hostels when I first heard of them back in the day but I’m happy to report that most of them are clean, private and safe. I put together a list of hostels I’ve stayed at in the past – you can find it here.
Airbnb
I love Airbnb for extended stays! I first used it in Prague when we decided to stay for 4 days longer than expected and our experience was awesome. We booked a beautiful little apartment in the heart of the city. Our hosts were incredibly welcoming and even left us the fridge fully stocked. I’ve since used it in Athens, New York, Paris, Rome and Toronto and again - so worth it.
Booking.com
When I need to book hotels I usually do it through Booking. I just find that they show the cheapest prices per night, but still always double-check on Expedia.
Getting Around
Rome2Rio
I only recently discovered this site and I’m hooked. You can type in any two places in the world and it’ll show you all the ways you can get there. There’s a flight option, driving option, train option and even a walking option. I use it mainly for traveling within a city – like, if I’m staying in a new city and want to go check out a certain landmark. It’ll tell you which bus stops or train stops to take or which street is the fastest. Highly recommend it.
Uber
The best thing ever when it comes to getting around in unknown places. Uber is usually cheaper in other countries (as in, not the United States) and it's quick, safe and efficient.
Extra tips!
The best tip I can give you to travel cheaply is to be flexible. A ton of these websites let you choose ‘monthly’ views so you can check which day is the cheapest, whether that be for flying or lodging.
Travel during the week. I’ve always found it to be true that traveling on Tuesdays and Wednesdays is far cheaper than traveling during the other week days.
If you’re looking for a spontaneous adventure, travel to where the dollar is strong. Mexico, Colombia and all of Southeast Asia is always quite affordable is you’re traveling from the US.
Cook your meals! Eating out every meal adds up quick, so I always make sure to stop by the grocery store wherever I am to stock up on the essentials. Almost every hostel has a fully stocked kitchen too which is very convenient.