How to Travel When You’re Broke
The journey has been stopped, and due to the current pandemic that is changing the global economy (and your personal finances), the idea itself may not be as attractive as it once was – this does not mean that we are not missing it. Your wanderlust may be alive even when your pockets are empty, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay home when it’s safe to move around the globe again. You may just need to change your expectations about what a vacation looks like – which you can do by planning to travel the way poor travelers do. These are the people who know that travel is possible on a tight budget – if you get a little creative.
While you may not have much money, there are still ways to see the world.
Fly when you’re broke
Choose one way tickets
Once I was working as a waitress and a friend invited me to Puerto Rico for her birthday. I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t go, but the round trip tickets were way more than I could afford to spend. So, I did what any poor traveler would do: I bought a one-way ticket and worked more shifts to make enough money to pay for my return flight.
Buying one-way tickets is always a great option if you are a poor traveler. In some situations, you may end up spending a little more money, but you really won’t feel like it’s good because it doesn’t all come out in one lump sum. This option can also save you money because you have the option to choose when tickets are cheapest and you can fly different airlines to and from your destination, allowing you to choose the cheapest options for each leg of your journey.
The downside of buying one-way tickets is that you can spend more money if you buy tickets closer to your travel dates. You may also need to prepare to fly to and from one airport, or get used to flying at inopportune times (very early in the morning or late at night / night).
Bring your food
Flying when you’re broke will prevent you from enjoying an overpriced latte or packs of chips in your terminal – and that’s okay. Bring your own snacks. If you’re flying overseas and want to eat some food on the plane, you’ll likely be given a lunch or two, but it’s always good to have snacks in your carry-on to keep you going. Plus, many budget airlines don’t offer free snacks or even drinks even on long haul flights, so you need to be prepared.
Don’t check the bag
Checked in bags can cost you a lot of extra money in your flight fees, and if lost or damaged in transit, they can cost you even more later. A great rule of thumb is to pack light items and only travel with carry-on luggage and personal items. It may seem impossible, but you can do it .
Find free things
Explore the city
There are so many things to do and see when you are broke. Explore the options at your chosen destination. One of the activities that you can enjoy in cities around the world, which is completely free, is finding street art exhibits. Street art, also known as graffiti, gives you an idea of what artists in a particular city have to offer, and exploring the streets looking for it can give you a real sense of the foreign environment. Urban exploration can help you learn about the history of the area and take some pretty cool shots. Think of it like visiting an open-air museum.
Go to the museum
As for museums, many are free to enter. Washington DC is known for some of the most fantastic museums in the world, and they’re all free . Here is a list of the world’s museums that you can tour without paying a cent. You will also want to take a closer look at the prices at the museum counter, wherever you are: the prices listed in some museums are simply “donations on offer,” and you can actually pay as much or less as you like. This is of course not found in all museums, but you will be surprised to see some of the places that will get you in for a paltry $ 1 (like the American Museum of Natural History in New York ). Please note that special rides such as IMAX movies and limited time events are usually optional.
Walking tour
It’s a little dubious, but sometimes being bankrupt means breaking the rules: find a walking tour and join it. Who wouldn’t want to know about a specific place or time period, or learn the many interesting facts that a walking tour can provide? Just keep in mind that if this is a tour that requires people to pay in advance, you’ll need the courage to just look like you belong to it, and be prepared to deal with the embarrassment when asked to leave. If you can get away with it, it would be bad form not to tip the guide a generous tip when the tour is over. It won’t cost you as much as a legitimate ticket would, but you also won’t be a tough boss.
Bask in the atmosphere
There is so much natural beauty in the world and nature is usually free for everyone. Take a moment to find a nature trail, mountainside, or park to capture unexpected views. Exercise and outdoor recreation are also good for your body and mind.
Catch some waves
When in doubt, go to the beach. Public beaches are always free, great fun for relaxation and amazing travel photography. Be sure to bring your own towel and umbrella or anything else that might keep you out of the way, because changing cabins and sun loungers usually cost money – and involve getting a tip for the services rendered.
Eat cheap when you’re broke
Eat street food
No, I don’t mean scorpions or mealworms (however, if this is your cup of tea, go for it). Street food is simply locally produced food that is prepared and sold on the street. This is usually fast food that is sold from carts or racks, which can be obtained for relatively little money, and which will fill your belly anyway.
Share your food
If you are traveling with others, share your food. Order one less meal than the number of people you are traveling with and everyone can enjoy a family-style meal. Rice and noodle dishes are often the best options because they are filling and are abundant in many cultures.
Eat on the spot
Local food and street food are not the same thing, so don’t be confused. Local food, especially when traveling overseas, means that instead of eating Western restaurants like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut or some other popular international chain, eat at local restaurants that serve local cuisine. Seated restaurants are always more expensive, but the local mom and locals will give you more fun.
Where to sleep when you’re broke
When you are looking for housing, you have options, even if you don’t have a lot of money. First, stop in the less touristy part of town. The closer you get to tourist sites, the more you will pay. Second, you might have to hop from hotel to hotel: hotel prices go up and down depending on the day of the week and the region you want to stay in. Moving from bed to bed is annoying, but can save you a lot of money (and provide another reason to pack your light). Personally, I prefer to book accommodation closer to the airport for the last 24-48 hours of the trip.
You also can:
- Book a room instead of your entire apartment on Airbnb. Airbnb and other homestays are generally cheaper than hotels per night. However, if you’re struggling to pay for the entire space, you still only have the option to rent one room. You can still make full use of your apartment or house, but you can share it with other travelers.
- Stay in a hostel. Hostels are offered all over the world and represent a good budget option, although in this case you will be sacrificing your privacy. The rooms are usually bunk, divided by gender, although some dorms have coeducation. They usually offer shared bathrooms and storage lockers. (Bring your own castle.)
- Try a sleep capsule if you’re not claustrophobic. Sleep capsules are quite popular in Asia and can be found in airports, business and tourist areas in many cities. They are large enough to fit a standard bed and often have internet access. Some will offer TVs and safes with shared bathrooms, like hostels.
Bypass
There are many cheap options if you need to get around any city.
- Take a local bus. This option is much cheaper than taking an Uber or taxi and will allow you to see more of the city. A good rule of thumb when boarding a bus is to know all pick-up and drop-off points in advance. You cannot afford to get lost.
- Travel by train. Trains are a fast way to get to your destination and reduce travel costs. Trains are also usually associated with Google or Apple maps, which can help you navigate which stations you need to get on and off.
- Take the hop-on hop-off bus. These buses are technically tourist buses. They offer you a city tour, but you can get in and out as many times as you like on time. (Don’t lose your ticket.)
- Take a motorcycle ride. In some countries, such as Thailand, there are motorcycle taxis that pick up people and drop them off wherever they want. With this option, you will most likely have to negotiate a price, but it will be cheaper than driving (and more thrills).
- Jump on a tuk-tuk. A tuk-tuk is an open-body truck that can hold up to 8 people (or more) and is always much cheaper than any other form of transport, albeit more crowded and less convenient for those in a hurry. Tuk-tuk are common in many Asian countries, but they can also be found in cities around the world.
- Ride a bicycle. Throughout America and overseas, you can rent a bike fairly easily; an increasing number of bike racks are being installed in major cities, allowing you to rent a bike using an app or a credit card. This is an easy way to see parts of the city in a minimal amount of time and do a little bit of practice.