My parent’s idea of a holiday vacation was traveling over to my aunt’s weekend house and staying there for the course of the weekend. My family couldn’t afford the pleasure of staying in a luxury vile by the sea or let alone a road trip across Europe, so growing up I had no idea what I was missing out on. But after beginning my master’s year in college I soon realize that traveling is highly expensive and if I was going to travel the world, I had to figure out some tips and tricks to cut down my expenses and make the most of what I had. Now, don’t get me wrong but if you are going to travel around the word or even abroad, you’ll be needing a certain amount of money in order to do so, there is no other way around it. Here are some cheap tricks and tips to travel on a budget.

Choosing a less popular destination

Now if you don’t have any specific country or destination you want to visit, I recommend choosing a destination that flies under the radar. There are several upsides on choosing a less popular traveling destination, for one plane tickets are much cheaper and you can book one much closer to the day of departure unlike booking a plane ticket to a popular destination like Israel or Iceland. Apart from the plane ticket itself, traveling to a less flashy destination means that almost everything will be cheaper, from delicious eateries, to ticket prices, dinning out, lodging and rental cars.

Find cheap accommodation

Finding a cheap place to stay is crucial if your limited budget is going to last throughout the trip. There are several hotel alternatives to choose from ranging from hostel services, which offer travelers rooms or apartments for a cheaper price and you have the option of booking in advanced. Another money saving idea is couchsurfing.com, which is an app where you can stay on a locals couch or if you’re lucky on a bed for free. And of course if you happen to own a tent, why not bring it with you, especially if the traveling destination you choose, has some great outdoor locations to see.

Work and Travel

Another way to only save a little bit of money but earn some as well is to work abroad, as more and more people are working their way around the world. Working abroad allows travelers to really get under the skin of a country, as travelers have more time to explore the land, learn more about its culture and form more meaningful connections with the locals. If you have a TOEFL certificate, you can travel to Asia or South America and teach English, another option for seasonal work is WWOOF, a worldwide organization where volunteers exchange their working hand for a place to stay and some food to eat. Cruise ships also offer seasonal jobs to people, where you can work your way whiles traveling to some of the most spectacular places in the world.

Having a daily budget

Prior to traveling I should mention that you should always do a research on the country you’re about to visit and come with a realistic daily budget. After the research, it’s easier for you to come up with a daily budget on how much you should be spending a day, as you’re going to be more aware that your bank balance is not infinite but in fact limited. Another way to limit expenses is to have the daily budget you set out for yourself, with you in cash. Whiles traveling this will allow you to keep track of how much you’re actually spending and how much you have remaining.

Share your cost

Sharing the cost of basically anything is much easier if you’re traveling with friends or company, but even if you’re traveling by yourself it’s still very much doable. To do this you literally just have to ask people in your hostel if they want to team up for food, activities, lifts pre drinks or whatever it may be, the most common answer you’ll get is yes, cause believe it or not everyone is trying to save money, the bonus side of this is that you may end up making friends with this fellow travelers.