How To Travel Cheap: Broke Man’s Guide

Are you dreaming of a vacation but don’t think you can afford it? Please think twice – with the right tips and tricks, traveling doesn’t have to break the bank. Learning how to travel cheap is the hardest part.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or an extended trip abroad, there are plenty of ways to save money on your travels.

My current part-time job (as I build my blog up) pays me less than $20,000 a year, yet sometimes I joke with others that I feel retired because I feel like I am able to do everything I want to!

In this blog post, I’m going to break down how to travel cheaply and make your dream vacation come true without breaking the bank.

So read on for some savvy strategies that will help keep costs down while still allowing you to enjoy all that your destination has to offer.

How To Travel Around The World Cheap

Let’s get into the methods I use most often to allow cheap travel a reality! Most of the time, you will have to combine these methods to truly get the most bang for your buck.

Start Travel Hacking With Credit Cards

Credit cards are probably the best thing ever invented for budget travelers, and there are many cards offering sign-on bonuses that you can convert to free travel.

Travel hacking is legal (and most travel freaks do it), and there is far more information on it than I can include here, so I recommend Nomadic Matt’s travel hacking E-book. This is how I learned how to travel hack, and he is an excellent resource to learn the groove.

This means if you sign up for certain cards, you can get free points that transfer to flights, hotel stays, cruise tickets, or cash back.

Make sure to read the fine print on any credit card offer you are interested in – some may have annual fees or require a minimum spending amount before you receive any rewards.

Travel Hacking Resources:

Nomadic Matt Travel Hacking Guide: Nomadic Matt has an awesome, inexpensive e-book that goes into depth about travel hacking. For anyone who wants to travel the world free with credit cards, check him out.

Bilt Credit Card: This is the only credit card that offers points on rent with a 0% fee. It has been named the best credit card of the year by multiple people as it also has a Zero dollar annual fee.

Learn How To Camp For Free

Free camping (or boondocking) is such a great way to travel to amazing places with little money.

This was how I drove to Alaska for under $1,000. I used the app iOverlander to find spots where I could legally park my car and sleep for the night.

While it isn’t always as luxurious as you might see from van lifers, it is still free and sometimes it brings you to truly amazing spots. In the United States specifically, there are many boondocking sites that provide free camping.

Free Camping Resources:

iOverlander: Hands down my favorite app to find free camping around the world is iOverlander. It has a huge database of free camping spots, plus all the other amenities that you will need when traveling. There are also many user reviews and photos that can show you what to expect.

Find Cheap Flights With Skyscanner

I admit it, I am addicted to Skyscanner. It’s a great resource to find the cheapest flights around the world.

I’ve used it many times to find insanely cheap tickets, and I often see flights for less than $50 one-way U.S. and under $200 international (sometimes even cheaper!).

Skyscanner also has a “flexible search” option that can help you save money by looking at different airports or dates with an “Anytime, Anywhere” search.

This works best if you don’t have specific dates when you have to travel.

Cheap Flight Resources:

Skyscanner.com: My favorite way to search online for cheap flights. It is not only free and efficient, but it is a blast seeing how many destinations can be traveled to for such little money.

Stay In Hostels

Hostels aren’t for everyone, and I’m aware. Buttttt, if you can enjoy the fact that you share a living space with strangers, this opens up a world of cheap travel.

Europe is especially known for its extensive (and inexpensive) hostel network, but you can find other hostels around the world for less than $20 a night.

Hostels also tend to be in great spots and great locations and will help you save money on transportation. And if that wasn’t enough, they sometimes offer free meals or activities with your stay which helps cut down on costs even more.

The hands-down best app for finding hostels is Hostelworld. So, if you decide to skip out on that hotel room, these hostel prices can help you travel longer on a minimum travel budget.

Hostel Resources:

Hostelworld App: This app shows cheap accommodation pretty much anywhere that Hostels are available. You can book directly through the app.

Travel During The Offseason

I just bought a plane ticket to Puerto Rico for $15 in September. How? Well first, I used a travel credit from travel hacking that took $100 off. Second, I booked the flight in the middle of hurricane season.

There is no doubt that traveling in the offseason can be a bit of a gamble because usually, it requires sacrificing something. However, it can also be a really easy way to get cheaper flights and save tons on activities when there.

Run A Blog

Although my blog doesn’t generate sufficient income for me yet, I know several individuals who earn a livelihood by working remotely from various parts of the globe through their blogs.

A website is a powerful tool, as it becomes a way to display your personal brand and can generate a good living.

So if you are looking for ways to work remotely and travel, setting up a blog can be a great way to do it.

A great place to start is with the Bluehost web hosting platform. They offer an amazing starter package that includes one-click WordPress installation, free domain registration, and more!

Blogging Resources:

Nomadic Matts Blogging Course: This course by Nomadic Matt is an amazing resource for learning how to start a travel blog and make money from it. It includes lessons on blogging, SEO, monetization strategies, content writing, and much more! I took this a while ago, and it helped me significantly in the early stages of building my website.

Have A Side Gig

This is an area where I am heavily invested in. I love side gigs and they allow me to travel cheaply and earn money for future travel.

Some side gigs that I have done/currently do are:

• Resell Clothes On eBay
• Doordash
• Shuttle People To Trailheads

eBay:

Currently, I use eBay to sell many items that I purchase at thrift stores, and it has been one of my most lucrative ventures yet. With the money I have made, I’ve been able to save up for some incredible places.

Doordash:

Doordash as a side hustle kind of sucks, as it really doesn’t pay well but it did allow my partner Annie and I to make a little side income while we lived in Hawaii for a couple of months. The benefit of Doordash is that it is accessible and easy for anyone to do at any time.

The money that we made from doordash, allowed us to pay for our scuba diving in Maui!

Shuttle People To A Trailhead:

This was a method I used while I spent a summer living in a small Colorado mountain town. I didn’t have any money coming in, so I decided to give people rides to a trailhead outside of the town for about $25 Per person.

I walked away some days with $400 in cash with only 3 or so hours of work. This made me feel relatively rich at the moment.. ha!

Start Camping Around The World

One of my favorite ways to experience the world is by camping. It’s a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, plus it helps you save money on lodging.

If you don’t have any gear, there are many places that rent out camping equipment for cheap. Or alternatively, if you plan to camp frequently or stay in one spot, purchasing your own tent, sleeping bag, and other camping gear can be a great way to save money in the long run.

Some locations are better than others, but for the most part, camping is a worldwide option.

Camping Resources:

iOverlander: iOverlander has many free camping options, but it also often has local paid campsites. This app is the best of both worlds!

Make Your Own Meals

Local cuisine is expensive, and it often becomes one of the largest travel expenses. So, if you are on a tight budget, I would recommend choosing a camp stove (one that is good for international travel) and using this to make food if you are car camping or tent camping.

For road trips, this always comes along with me. It allows me to travel for cheap and save as much money as I can when I’m away. The best part, is that my stove can be fueled with regular unleaded gasoline.

This means that I will have access to fuel wherever I travel to in the world.

Other Options On How To Travel Cheap

My list is just things that I have done personally, but many people have achieved their travel dreams by doing some of the things listed below:

• Try Out Couchsurfing
• Become A Wilderness Guide
• Sell Photos As A Photographer
• Stop Spending Money On Stupid Things
• Travel Out Of A Backpack
• Get A Job That Pays To Travel
• House Sit (Housesitters.com)

Conclusion: Learning How To Travel Cheap Is The Beginning

Traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. As long as you are creative and willing to put in the effort, there are many ways of getting around without breaking the bank.

From hosting websites such as Hostelworld, finding cheap flights during off-season times, running a blog, or having a side gig – these methods will help you travel cheaply while still enjoying all that this world has to offer.

With a little bit of research and dedication, anyone can learn how to travel cheap! You just have to follow through and do it!

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