A local bus parked in front of a mountain at a beach - taking public transport is one of the best ways to travel cheap!

How to Travel Cheap (31 Easy Proven Ways)

Home ยป Travel affordably ยป How to Travel Cheap in 2024 ๐Ÿ’ฐ (31 Easy Proven Ways + Hacks)

Is your budget holding you back from traveling? We traveled the world for years without income or big savings. You just need to know how to travel cheap!

But donโ€™t worry we will share all our top tips on how to travel cheap on a budget in this blog post. They are divided into 4 key areas that you can focus on to keep costs down:

  • Transport ๐Ÿš
  • Accommodation ๐Ÿ 
  • Food ๐ŸŒฎ
  • Activities ๐Ÿฅพ

If you have nailed those down you will be able to travel the world for as long as you want! Sounds good? Letโ€™s dive straight in!

TRANSPORT ๐Ÿš

1. Travel Slowly (Easiest Way to Travel Cheap!)

It may seem counteractive but the easiest way to travel cheap is to travel longer and slowly. Because if you arenโ€™t moving then you are not spending money on expensive flights, trains, and buses. Makes sense, right?

Most travelers including us come to the conclusion that it is better and cheaper to travel slowly for multiple reasons once they travel for longer:

  1. It saves money
  2. You really get to know the place
  3. You will make friends with locals

A good way to travel cheap and slow is to find a low-budget travel country like Mexico that has a lot to see and do. Then spend as much time as possible there.

We spent 2 years working and moving around Mexico and found that we liked to spend 1 month in each destination. That way we cut down costs on transport and accommodation big times. Plus, Mexico offers a 6-month tourist visa!

Quite often you get weekly and monthly discounts on Airbnb, sometimes you get an entire week for free when booking for 4 instead of 3 weeks!

When you stay longer in a location you also get to know the language and culture better, where the cheapest food is, and how locals live. Traveling slowly is therefore one of the key tips you can do to get more bang for your buck.

Read also:
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ 13 Reasons to visit Mexico City for First-Timers
๐Ÿ’ƒ 18 Awesome Free Things to do in Mexico City
๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ป 13 Best Cities in Mexico for Digital Nomads

Overlooking Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City - a great city to learn how to travel cheap
Mexico City is a great place to base yourself for slow travel

2. Use Ride Sharing Apps

Depending on where you are in the world ride-sharing apps such as BlaBlaCar can be a great way to travel cheap without a car. Itโ€™s also the cheapest way to travel by car.

How it works? If someone is driving somewhere and they have a spare seat in the car they put an ad up. The ad will show the price for the ride, the departure time, and the pick-up point. You can pay via the app or at the pick-up point.

Ride-sharing can often be faster and cheaper than public transport plus you will spend time with locals or other travelers on board.

BlaBlaCar is a great option to travel cheap in Europe and Latin America. We used it many times in Mexico and it was usually faster and more comfortable than the bus. You just have to make sure your driver is trustworthy (check the reviews) and shows up.

Another ride-sharing app you can try is Indrive which works more like Uber ๐Ÿ‘‡

3. Book in Advance

This is no secret but canโ€™t be missed on a list of how to travel cheap. If you book in advance you follow the most cost-effective way to travel. Whether itโ€™s booking flights, buses, or trains it is usually a lot cheaper if you book ahead of time.

By booking our flights to New Zealand 8 months in advance we saved at least 500 USD per person one-way! You just have to commit and stick to it.

Our favorite transport booking sites:
โœˆ๏ธ Kiwi.com
๐ŸšŠ Trainline
๐ŸšŒ Busbud
๐Ÿš— Rentalcars.com
๐Ÿš Paulcamper
๐Ÿšฒ Bikesbooking.com
๐Ÿ“ฒ Omio (Transport Search Engine)

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4. Be Flexible with your Dates

This is one of the biggest mistakes that I have seen people make when booking flights. If you want to get cheap flight tickets then being flexible with your date is one of the biggest money-saving hacks there is!

A lot of people will decide that they are going to fly out on a certain date and only check flights for this day. But especially on long-distance flights you can save hundreds if you are flexible and also look up flights a few days before or after your desired travel date.

Thatโ€™s why whenever I am searching for flights I use the flight search engines Kiwi.com or Skyscanner as they allow me to search by month. You will be shown a calendar with the price for each date. Then I choose the date that works the best for me with the best price!

How to search per month? โœˆ๏ธ
1. Go to Kiwi.com or Skyscanner
2. Choose One-way or Return
3. Fill in From and To
4. Click on Departure
5. Click on the gray button above the calendar that states the month
6. Click on Set Dates and Explore and voilร  you will get shown the cheapest flight days in the selected month for your destination!

Search results on Kiwi.com showing a monthly flight calendar - the best way to find cheap flights

๐Ÿ‘‰ Try it yourself ๐Ÿ‘ˆ

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5. Be Flexible with your Destination

Being flexible with your destination is one of the best ways to travel cheap. This tip will allow you to save money by being adventurous and spontaneous.

On Kiwi.com, Skyscanner and Kayak you can select โ€œAnywhereโ€ as your destination. If you do this for a particular date or month it will show you the cheapest places to go traveling leaving your departure city.

This way you may find some extremely cheap travel options you may not have considered. The first time I tried this I was in Copenhagen and the cheapest buses or trains to interesting destinations close by were around 80 USD.

But then I found a flight to Belgrade, Serbia for 15 USD! So I went to Belgrade and had a great time. If it wasnโ€™t for the super cheap flight I never would have gone there. So being flexible and adventurous can be super fun and saving money at the same time.

How to search Anywhere? โœˆ๏ธ
1. Go to Kiwi.com, Skyscanner or Kayak
2. Choose One-way or Return
3. Fill in From
4. Type โ€œAnywhereโ€ in the To field
5. Select departure (you can use the monthly hack as described above!)
6. Hit Explore and voilร  you will see the cheapest flight destinations for your departure city

Search mask on Kiwi.com set to flights to Anywhere - the best way to travel cheap and find super cheap flight destinations

๐Ÿ‘‰ Try it yourself ๐Ÿ‘ˆ

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6. Avoid Peak Season

The prices for flights and accommodation in the peak travel season of any destination often increase dramatically. So travel smart and off-seasonal!

Most travelers avoid the off-season because thatโ€™s often the โ€œbad weather seasonโ€. But we have spent months in rainy seasons and it was way sunnier than people would expect.

Going to beach destinations outside the high season is not only cheaper but the experience is much better. There are usually far fewer people and a more relaxed atmosphere.

Particularly if you are a digital nomad there is no reason to be somewhere in peak season as you can move where and when you want. So do your research and try to travel as much as possible in low or mid seasons.

Read here: Best off-the-beaten-path destinations ๐Ÿคซ

A man standing on the beach in Playa del Carmen during the off season
Playa del Carmen in Mexico is much cheaper off-season

7. Pack Light

Many people bring way too much luggage on their trip. But even a 2-month trip can be done with carry-on if you get creative and pack smart. Our tip is: Pack as if you would go on a 7-day trip. Just because you travel longer doesnโ€™t mean you need more stuff or clothes.

After years of full-time traveling, we found that we donโ€™t need much more on a 1-year trip than on a long weekend trip. Assuming you donโ€™t go to super cold countries. Everything you havenโ€™t used in 7 days on your trip can be removed from your luggage. Try it out!

Why? Airlines charge as much as 50 USD one-way for 1 piece of check-in luggage. We have even seen trains and buses charging for luggage. So if you take multiple trips a year saving that money per trip will help you cut down costs.

Traveling light will also free you up when moving around and put less strain on your body. Plus, without check-in luggage, you save time at the airport before and after departure.

Afraid of losing your luggage or want to insure your electronics? Check out SafetyWing travel insurance. Itโ€™s cheap! Read about our experience plus other options here ๐ŸŽ’ Or calculate your fee easily here ๐Ÿ‘‡

8. Change Home Country on Skyscanner

This is a tip that I discovered by accident while using Skyscanner. While in Mexico the home country of my account was set to the UK. I randomly decided to change it to Germany to see what happened and the prices all became cheaper!

You will have to play around and try different countries. But it can quite often lead to saving a bit of money which adds up and allows you to travel cheap like a pro.

How to change the country on Skyscanner? โœˆ๏ธ
1. Go to Skyscanner
2. Click on the Earth symbol in the right-upper corner (next to Login)
3. Change the Country/Region and search for flights
4. Do this multiple times to compare prices
5. Optional: Play around with the Language and Currency Settings e.g. select โ€œSpanishโ€ and โ€œPesosโ€ when looking for Mexican destinations
6. And voilร  you may find the same flight 50 USD cheaper!

A screenshot of the settings on Skyscanner.com showing where to change the country to find cheaper flights

Hello Adventure

9. Use Incognito Mode when Booking Flights

You may have noticed that when you return to flight search engines such as Kiwi.com or Skyscanner a short time after you looked up flights there the prices have gone up!

This is because websites keep cookies when you visit the site and if you return they raise the prices on your browser. This is to make you worry that the prices will go up even further and you will buy the tickets straight away.

But if you switch to Incognito mode on Google Chrome you will find that the prices stay the same. Even better would be to use a VPN but Incognito mode helps on a basic level.

How to switch to Incognito? ๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™€๏ธ
1. Click on the 3 vertical dots on the upper right-hand side of Google Chrome (next to your profile pic)
2. Click on โ€œNew Incognito Windowโ€ and voilรก you can now go to Kiwi.com or Skyscanner and start comparing prices incognito โ€“ works on the phone too!

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A beautiful beach in La Paz, Mexico which we found because we learned how to travel cheap
We got cheap flights to La Paz, Mexico by using our flight hacks

10. Take Cheap Public Transport

When you are in a new city it can be daunting to figure out the public transport system. Especially if you canโ€™t speak the language. But taking taxis and Uber everywhere will get expensive very quickly in most countries.

I challenge you to take public transport at least once if it is safe. Itโ€™s the cheapest way to travel long distance and you get a better idea of what local life is like. In Latin America and Asia, a public transport ride in a city often costs less than 50 cents!

But in some areas such as Cape Town, Uber is so cheap it is by far the best and safest option, plus their public transport is terrible! So you will have to learn as you go but give public transport a go (especially to and from the airport!) whenever possible.

Read also: Best digital nomad destinations ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ป

A local bus parked in front of mountains near a beach - taking public transport is the best way to travel on a shoestring
Local buses are usually the cheapest way to travel

11. Check Taxi Prices ahead of Time

If you are in a new country and you canโ€™t book an Uber it is always good to know how much a taxi should cost before stepping into one. Taxis at airports are one of the most likely places for you to be ripped off.

Ask a local or at the hostel reception how much a ride should be or google ahead of time. This will save you money but also a lot of stress, especially after a long-distance flight.

๐Ÿš• Another ride-sharing app you can try instead of a taxi is Indrive which works like Uber but you set the price ๐Ÿ‘‡

ACCOMMODATION ๐Ÿ 

12. Stay in Hostels

My number one tip to save money particularly if you are traveling solo is to stay in a hostel. Not only are dorm beds way cheaper but you have the chance to meet fellow travelers and make friends along the way.

Some people do not like to share a room with strangers and I wonโ€™t lie you will have to sacrifice some comforts. It is also highly likely you will have someone snoring next to you. But some of my greatest travel memories came from staying in hostels!

Also if you are traveling with someone else, a lot of hostels have private rooms that are often cheaper than hotels. Sometimes they are even cheaper than two bunk beds in a dorm. So depending on the hostel they can be a cheap way to travel as a couple.

We book most our hostel stays on Hostelworld ๐Ÿ‘‡

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13. Check Multiple Booking Sites

I have always found that when booking accommodation prices can vary quite drastically between booking sites. So when trying to book a cheap hotel or a guest room, always check multiple sites including their own website!

For booking hostels I recommend Hostelworld and Booking.com. Sometimes it is cheaper on one or the other. Sometimes Booking.com will also have private rooms to rent in peopleโ€™s homes, similar to Airbnb but cheaper.

Our favorite accommodation booking sites:
๐Ÿ˜ด Booking.com (Hotels)
๐Ÿ›Œ Hostelworld (Hostels)
๐Ÿ  Airbnb (Private rooms)
๐ŸŒŽ Expedia (Search Engine)
๐ŸŒŽ Agoda (Search Engine)
๐ŸŒŽ Trip.com (Search Engine)
๐ŸŒŽ Tripadvisor (Search Engine)

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14. Use Airbnb right

Airbnb is one of the most used booking sites for finding a room or a whole place to stay. But if you donโ€™t use it right it can quickly burn a hole in your wallet. We have 2 hacks we always use to find the cheapest price:

Hack #1

Always check and compare how much your stay would be if you booked for 1, 2 or 4 weeks instead of 5 or 10 nights for example. That way we got once 92% off! No kidding. In Antigua, Guatemala our Airbnb would have cost about 45 USD a night but since we booked for a month we got it for 120 USD in total!

Thatโ€™s an incredible example and doesnโ€™t happen often but almost every time we booked 1, 2 or 4 weeks instead of less we got up to 1 week stay for free! Thatโ€™s because most hosts give weekly and monthly discounts. Off-season that can easily be up to 50%! Stays under 1 week are mostly the most expensive stays, so always try to round up.

Hack #2

When looking for the cheapest options use the Airbnb integrated map. But make sure you filter for the price, for example, max 30 USD a night. That will drastically reduce the search results and show only the cheapest accommodations.

You can play around with the price depending on the destination. Go for the lowest possible price per night and work your way up. We found that if you look on the map without this filter the cheapest places are often hidden by the more expensive ones and donโ€™t even show up!

Extra Tip: Make sure you book an Airbnb with kitchen access so you can cook your own food and make a coffee โ€“ that will reduce your spending big times!

Read also: Cheap & healthy food hacks for travelers ๐Ÿฅ‘๐Ÿคซ

A man preparing tacos on a carton showbox on a bed - preparing cheap healthy food without a kitchen
Me preparing cheap & healthy food in an Airbnb without kitchen ๐Ÿ˜œ

15. Do Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is a great option to get free accommodation if you are interested in meeting locals and donโ€™t mind sharing a space with another person.

On the Couchsurfing website hosts will offer to sleep at their place for free. This will often be a couch, a mattress, or a spare bed. No strings attached!

But it is considered good manners to do something nice in return to the host like cook them some food or cover a drink but this is totally optional.

I used Couchsurfing in Norway as all accommodation prices were super expensive and it ended up being a great experience. So I can highly recommend it!

Read also: 5 Ways to get free accommodation ๐Ÿ 

A man standing on some rocks on a hike in Norway while couchsurfing
Me hiking in Norway while Couchsurfing

16. Volunteer on Workaway

Workaway is an online platform where you can get free accommodation in exchange for volunteer work. That can be farm work, animal care, hostel work, gardening, etc.

The accommodation can vary from a bed in a dorm room to your own studio with its own kitchen. But you will find all the details in the hostโ€™s ad.

We used this platform to travel around Mexico for several months and not pay for accommodation once. We would spend a minimum of 1 month with each host doing babysitting, artwork, and helping with rental properties and tours.

Workaway enables you to travel for free and get paid occasionally! Its main intention is to work without payment in exchange for a place to sleep but we earned some pocket money by doing extra work for our hosts. Try it out!

Read also: How to secure a gig on Workaway ๐Ÿ’ช

17. Do Pet sitting (Our Favorite Way to Travel Cheap!)

If you love pets then pet sitting is a great way to get free accommodation. In return for looking after the ownerโ€™s pets, you will get to stay at their house while they are away.

Of course, you should only do this if you love pets! The hosts are putting their trust in you so you should only apply if you truly like spending time with animals. Plus it can be quite a lot of work depending on the sit. But is also fun and rewarding, we love it.

There are several sites where homeowners look for pet sitters including Facebook. But after trying a few we found TrustedHouseSitters to be the best! No matter if you are traveling solo, as a couple or family, or with your own pet you will find a sit.

We find pet sitting is perfect for digital nomads who are looking for how to travel cheap on a budget. Through TrustedHouseSitters, we have had the chance to stay in amazing homes around the world for free: Caribbean, Mexico, Spain, London โ€“ just to name a few!

Sign up to Trusted House Sitters via this link for free + use code HAPPYHEALTHYNOMADS at checkout for a 25% discount on your yearly membership!ย ๐Ÿถ Read about our experiences here.

18. Use Facebook Marketplace

In any countries around the world like Latin America looking into Facebook groups can be a good place to find cheap accommodation, particularly for long-term rentals.

While in Mexico we saw that many people listed their properties for rent on Facebook marketplace. They were much cheaper than Airbnb as long as you want to stay long-term.

Facebook groups are also a great place to look for tips and advice when moving to a new city. If you are a digital nomad looking up the local Facebook page of a city is a helpful place to find the best areas to live, food tips, doctors and connect with other newbies.

Overall Facebook can be a great way to enrich your travel experience and allow you to travel cheap if you use it in the right way.

Want to share a meal with locals? Check out Eatwith where locals host a traditional meal in their home ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Not as cheap as cooking yourself but an experience ๐Ÿ‘‡

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FOOD ๐ŸŒฎ

19. Cook on the Road

Enjoying the local cuisines is one of the best parts of traveling. But in most countries, you are going to save a lot of money by cooking your meals at home rather than eating out.

When we are looking for accommodation even if it is just for a few days we always make sure there is a kitchen to use. Then once we arrive we ask around and find out where the cheapest supermarket or local market is and load up on groceries.

Not only does this save you money but it ensures that you can cook fresh & healthy. Whereas if you are eating out it can be a lot harder to find healthy meals for a good price.

Tip: Master a few dishes, for example, a simple lentil pot with ingredients that are found everywhere in the world and donโ€™t take too long. We always travel with a small bag of curry powder so we can cook a tasty meal no matter where we are.

Read also: 10 Easy Hacks to Eat Healthy & Cheap while Traveling ๐Ÿฅ‘

A bowl of oats with fruit and almonds on top that is a great cheap and healthy breakfast on the go
Oats with nuts, seeds and local fruits: Our go-to travel breakfast

20. Make Coffee at Home

When I first started traveling I would always go out and grab a couple of coffees a day. But soon I realized that the cost of buying them daily quickly adds up. Plus, the coffee often wasnโ€™t even that good and takeaway isnโ€™t sustainable.

Now I always make coffee in the morning wherever I am staying. I only head out to a cafe on special occasions or if I need a place to work. This way I enjoy it much more and save a bunch of money.

Also if you want to travel cheap stay away from Starbucks! Their coffees are expensive and not that great. If you are going out for coffee while traveling head to a local cafe, try some locally grown beans, and enjoy every sip.

We learned all about coffee in Latin America:
๐Ÿง‘โ€๐ŸŒพ From Tree to Cup: This is how Coffee is made!
โ˜•๏ธ 12 Best Cafes in Laureles, Medellin
โ˜•๏ธ 14 Best Cafes in Antigua, Guatemala
๐Ÿ’› Do you like our tips? Say thanks with a coffee here!

21. Travel with a Reusable Water Bottle (Sustainable Way to Travel Cheap)

This tip is both a sustainability tip and a money-saving tip. So often when I am traveling I see people buying multiple bottles of plastic water daily. Not only is this adding insane amounts of plastic waste into landfills but the cost adds up over time.

We always travel with reusable bottles that we fill up at our accommodation and carry with us. This is a cost-effective way to travel and you are being eco-friendly at the same time.

Tip: Get a 1l-water bottle from Nalgene. We always travel with one. They are cheap, durable, lightweight, and easy to carry on hikes ๐Ÿ‘Œ

A 1 liter water bottle on a table - a sustainable way to travel cheap
Goes everywhere we go!

22. Stay Away from Touristy Restaurants

The areas with the most tourists have generally the most expensive restaurants. The food is often also not that good and other tourists will surround you.

You will find that food prices drop dramatically by walking a couple of blocks away from the main tourist area. Look for places that are full of locals as they generally know where the best food is.

Also, donโ€™t be afraid of street food! When people first go traveling they often stay away from it because they are afraid of getting sick. But street food is super cheap and delicious! Also in my experience, you are more likely to get sick in restaurants than from street food.

At street food stalls you can at least have a close look at the food storage and preparation method. Often you can watch them cook! Plus itโ€™s the most authentic local experience you can get for a really cheap price.

Read also: Best cheap foodie destinations ๐ŸŒฎ

A plate of affordable and colorful vegan food in Mexico on a table - great for people traveling on a budget
Super tasty Mexican enchiladas for 5 USD in Guanajuato away from tourists

23. Look for Free Breakfasts

When booking hostels it can often work out cheaper to book a hostel that is slightly more expensive if it comes with a free breakfast and coffee. Itโ€™s a cheap way to vacation.

Another bonus is that you save time by not having to make breakfast or end up spending a lot of money on it. Plus you get the opportunity to meet other travelers and may end up spending the whole day with them.

The only downside is that free breakfasts are usually made of super cheap unhealthy ingredients so make sure to fuel yourself the rest of the day with healthy food!

How to find free breakfasts? ๐Ÿณ
1. Go to your booking site of preference e.g. Hostelworld
2. Choose your destination, dates and hit Search
3. Click on Filter and โ€œFree Breakfastโ€
4. Voilรก you will see all places with free breakfast

A search mask on Hostelword showing how to set the filter for Free Breakfast to travel cheap

Try it yourself ๐Ÿ‘‡

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24. Bring Fruit & Nuts as Snacks

One of the hardest things to do on a long bus trip or while waiting at the airport is to resist buying snacks. Not only are they unhealthy but also expensive.

So avoid this money trap by planning ahead. We always bring local fruits, nuts and protein bars on our trip. And never ever buy food or drinks on airplanes!

It is a cheap way to travel and is far better for your health. Eating healthy while traveling can be a struggle but adding healthy snacks will make a big difference.

Read here: Tips for cheap healthy snacks ๐ŸŽ

A hand holding two prickly pear fruit - tasty and affordable that is a great snack how to travel cheap
Prickly pears were one of our favorite road trip fruits in Mexico. Easy to travel with and super tasty

ACTIVITIES ๐Ÿฅพ

25. Google Free Things to do

When I visit a new city I will always google free things to do there. Someone will have written a blog post (like us! ;)) about free things to do in nearly every touristy place around the world. They can have some awesome ideas that are totally free.

Another good idea is to google free events in the city you are in. There can often be festivals or cultural events that are free to visit and will make you feel like a local.

See here: All Free-Things-to-do articles we have written โœŒ๏ธ

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26. Visit Museums Cheap or for Free

In a lot of countries, museums will have certain days when they are free to visit, often on Sundays. Just look up their website and go for free where possible. This way we have saved quite some money without missing out on cultural highlights.

If you are a student, always make sure to bring your student pass with you. Many museums offer university discounts making it a great way to travel cheap as a student.

In big cities, like Chicago, London, or New York it can often be worth it to get city passes that give you discounts on many attractions and save you time queuing. Sometimes you may get as much as 50% off admission!

Our favorite ticket websites:
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ GetYourGuide (entries)
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Tiqets (attractions)
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ GoCity (passes)
๐ŸŽŸ๏ธ Ticketmaster (events)

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The interior of the British Museum in London with tourists walking around which is totally free to visit
The British Museum in London is always free to visit!

27. Join Free Walking Tours

Free walking tours are available in most major cities around the world. They are often hosted by a local guide who can give a brief history of the place and interesting facts.

I have done an uncountable number of free walking tours worldwide and besides one or two I found them to be a great and cheap way of getting to know a new place.

While they are not really free as the guides work for tips it is up to you how much you tip. So those on a bigger budget can choose to tip more, and if you are strapped for cash, you can tip less.

Our favorite tour guide sites:
๐Ÿค  Google โ€œFree Walking Tour + City you are inโ€
๐Ÿค  GetYourGuide
๐Ÿค  Viator

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28. Go on Self-Guided Walking Tours

One of my favorite things to do when I arrive in a new place is to just go for a walk without any destination in mind. A good idea is to google a few nice areas and download them on Google Maps offline before starting to walk.

That way you will discover interesting parts of the city you would never have seen if you had just stuck to the main tourist attractions. Plus itโ€™s completely free!

Our favorite self-guided sites:
๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Google Maps (works offline)
๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Maps.me (works offline)
๐ŸŽง WeGoTrip (Audio Tours)

A woman going for a self-guided walk in London underneath a tree covered in pink flowers
Strolling through a pretty area of London away from crowds

29. Avoid Pricey Tours

Try to avoid organized tours when going to major tourist attractions. Frequently I see overpriced tours offered that donโ€™t include little more than transport.

So often it is so much cheaper to take public transport to the attraction yourself. Plus you can take your time at the sites and not have to rush or stick to the schedule of the tour.

Of course in some situations, tours can work out to be cheaper or better, especially as a solo traveler. But it always pays to compare the price of a tour vs doing it on your own.

Our favorite tour websites:
๐Ÿค  Viator
๐Ÿค  GetYourGuide
๐Ÿค  Tripadvisor

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30. Go Hiking (Healthy Way to Travel Cheap)

Going for a hike is an activity that is mostly free and has the added benefit of staying in shape and getting into nature. It is easy to get stuck in big cities while traveling.

Especially as a digital nomad you may be living in exotic locations but glued to your laptop all day. Hiking is a good way to escape the city and your laptop and see more of the natural beauty of a country.

There are plenty of free hiking sites out there that will show you hundreds of cool hikes for all fitness levels nearby. Often with trails away from tourist crowds.

Tip: In countries where safety is an issue, always make sure to check the hike reviews on the sites or on Google Maps (filter by lowest) to see if incidents on the trail have happened in the last few months. That way we stayed away from some doggy hikes in Colombia.

Our favorite free hiking sites:
๐Ÿฅพ AllTrails
๐Ÿฅพ WikiLoc

See also: All hikes we have blogged about ๐ŸŒŽ

A couple posing in front of a green valley while on a hike in the mountains of Andorra - a free way to travel
Self-guided Estanys de Tristaina hike in Andorra

31. Work Out for Free

While traveling it is very easy to slip out of your workout routine and become unfit. Also in many countries day passes to gyms can be very expensive.

Thatโ€™s why the best idea is to learn workout routines that require no equipment and can be done anywhere. There are thousands of videos on YouTube with routines that you can follow anywhere simply with your body weight.

My favorite way to workout is to go for a run or do calisthenics as there are free calisthenics parks in almost any city in the world. It can also be a great idea to buy some cheap workout equipment you can travel with.

For example, we travel with a lightweight yoga mat, resistance bands, and a skipping rope that you can get a great workout with and easily fit inside your luggage.

Read here: Best Free Workout Tips for Travelers ๐Ÿ’ช

A man doing pull ups at a calisthenics park next to the beach in Mexico - a great way to stay in shape for free
The free calisthenics park I used in La Paz, Mexico

Now you know how to travel cheap, yeah!

Everyone has different wants and needs, especially when it comes to traveling. Someone might not want to sacrifice certain things. But even if you only incorporate a few of the tips on this list you should be able to get more bang for your buck.

So much of travel is learning by doing and finding out what works for you! I hope this list helps you save money and enables you to extend your travels so you can spend more time doing what you love ๐Ÿ™Œ

If you have any more tips on how to travel cheap let us know in the comments below! We would love to hear them.

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Travel, health and fitness fanatic from New Zealand. Co-founder of Happy Healthy Nomads and always on a hunt for good food.

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