How to Travel on a Budget

In the age of information, wanderlust is almost a constant feeling. You can see countless photos of the wonders of the world, unbelievable island views and peeks into the world’s most extravagant palaces — all from your phone. The problem? Getting to all those places costs money. Luckily, the internet has also given us options. Here are our favorite resources for curing your travel bug on the cheap.

Hotwire

We’re always up for an adventure — even when it comes to hotel rooms. Luckily, signing up for a surprise doesn’t mean staying in a grungy motel. Hotwire saves you tons of money on accommodations by keeping the hotel you’re staying in a secret until after you’ve booked. Tell them the area you want to stay in and your price range, and they’ll pair you with deals up to 80% off. We’ve never been given anything less than luxury.

Scott’s Cheap Flights

Scott’s Cheap Flights has become our trusty steed of airfare travel. With both a free and premium option, this airfare monitor sends out emails whenever there’s a rockin’ deal on international travel from the U.S. Plus, the premium is only $49 a year, and the average member saves $550 per ticket. Worth it? We think so.

Norwegian Air

If you’re willing to rough it for a good deal on airfare, Norwegian Airlines is another option. Flights are often half the price of what they are on other airlines, but beware: these don’t include any amenities like meals or luggage costs. The bottom line: be prepared, bring your own food and pack lightly. You can save hundreds by booking with this lesser-known airline.

Nomadic Matt

Matt Kepnes left the business world to travel and for the past 13 years has been an around-the-clock globetrotter. Today, he gives tips and tricks on everything that has to do with traveling, like what days of the week you should go to museums or how to keep restaurants from charging you a tourist tax. We love this site because everything is tried-and-true by Matt himself, so you know it works.

Transfercar

Road trippers rejoice! Transfercar works with rental car companies to move their one-way rentals back to a specific location. Usually, they’ll give you a few free days of travel and cut your price for extra days that you want the vehicle. If you’re not in the U.S., don’t fret — there are companies around the globe that do the same thing and cater to your community.

Hostelworld

Thanks to the 2005 movie, hostels usually get a bad rep. Forget the scary stereotypes — hostels can be an amazing way to save tons of money on accommodation. Many of them offer lockers to keep your personal items safe, female-only dorm rooms or always-locked doors so you rest easy.

Travelzoo

If you’re willing to go wherever your wanderlust takes you, Travelzoo offers incredibly deep discounts on everything travel-related. Tours, cruises, flights, hotel rooms: you can get super low prices all over the globe. Plus, they’re often wrapped up into one neat package so you can knock a few big purchases out in one fell swoop.

Low-cost travel is possible if you’re willing to put in the work and be flexible. Try your hand at these travel sites for the best trip on a shoestring budget.

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