Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. I visited over 50 countries in a 5 year period, mostly living off savings, money earned from being an au pair and eventually money earned from working online. No fancy inheritance and no well paying job, but it didn’t matter. There’s simple things you can do to be able to travel more often, and today I want to share my favourite tips with you!

1) Choose Cheaper Countries
Some countries are going to break the budget before you even get out of the airport. Switzerland and Denmark come to mind as the most expensive countries I’ve ever visited, and while they’re gorgeous, I personally prefer to be somewhere where I can afford to do activities and not constantly monitor the bank balance.  Within Europe, the Czech Republic, Poland, Southern Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria and Hungary come to mind as affordable and gorgeous countries to visit. Almost all of South East Asia is very budget friendly and parts of Central and South America are also bargains. The cheaper the countries, the longer you can spend there and the better you can travel, which is a great combination!

2) Save on Accommodation
Chances are, accommodation will be one of your largest expenses. You can reduce accommodation costs by staying in hostels or using Airbnbs instead of staying in hotels. Usually hostels and Airbnbs have kitchens, meaning that you’ll be able to cook some meals, reducing your food costs as well. If you feel like staying in a dorm room isn’t appealing to you, many hostels have private rooms for rates that are about half the cost of a hotel room. That can be a great option especially if you’re wanting to meet other travellers, as you’ll have the comforts of a private room, with the shared common areas that make it easy to make new friends.

3) Consider Working Online
If you’re planning to travel for a long time, but know that your savings wont last long, consider working online to supplement your savings and ensure you can travel longer. When I was freelance writing, I would write anywhere whenever I was on public transport: on a plane, on a boat, even on a bus using a tethered wifi hot spot from my phone. There’s actually a lot of down time when traveling, which is perfect for making some money!

4) Split Meals
If you’re traveling with a partner or friend and eating out a lot, consider sharing meals to reduce food costs. Most restaurants offer portions much larger than you’d prepare at home, especially in countries like the United States of America. I really like splitting a meal when I’m traveling, perhaps ordering a starter and a main to share, instead of a starter to share (or each) and two mains. It helps keeps the bills down, and ensures we can try a bit of the local cuisine!

You will probably find that when you’re traveling, especially long term, you probably wont spend as much as you would think. Using these tips will help you reduce your overall costs so you can travel longer!