A lot of my readers and friends keep on asking me “How can you afford to travel a lot?” most of you guys think I am rich but apparently, I’m not — well, at least not yet, but we’ll get there for sure!
I started traveling alone at the age of 20, I know it’s not that young but hey, if you have strict parents you’ll probably know how it feels like. The first ever ultimate traveling alone experience I had was when I was in the US, I had my internship there for a year and it gave me the privilege to travel freely around the country plus I was earning pretty alright for my first job. But sadly, I splurged waaaay too much and didn’t think of the budget ( and how much it cost me..LOL), not until I came back to the Philippines with only a few amount in my savings. But hey, I sure had fun! For me, spending money on food and travel doesn’t break my heart at all but it sure as hell broke my wallet!
After that experience, it somehow taught me to watch my budget on my next travel destination… So that’s what I did – and still do.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE RICH TO TRAVEL BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SMART ABOUT YOUR EXPENDITURES.
Honestly speaking, I only spend less than Php 5,000 depending on the place I visit. Most of these places are Southeast Asian countries and just around the Philippines. I know it’s hard to believe but it works for me.
Here are my travel guides for you budget travelers like me:
1. Couch surf or stay at a friend’s place
Some people are scared to try couch surfing but it really helps decrease your accommodation expenses. The Couch Surfing site has “testimonials” of their past guests so you can just read through the hosts’ feedbacks to see if they’re legit or not. You can find out more and open up a free account at www.couchsurfing.com
2. Cook your own food/ bring canned goods
Just because you’re traveling doesn’t necessary mean you need to eat in a restaurant for every meal. It won’t actually ruin your trip if you decide not to eat out all the time!
Sometimes, I bring canned goods with me and it saves me a lot of money! Most hostels give you access to their kitchen and microwave anyways.
I also bring crackers, water bottles or I make simple sandwiches especially when I know that I will be sight seeing the whole day. This usally saves me $20 per meal when dining out!
3. Befriend locals
I know it sounds difficult especially if you’re an introvert but making new friends won’t hurt so bad. Oftentimes, they tour me around famous tourist spots and it really saves me a lot of money when it comes to transportation. But of course, as a common courtesy for us Filipinos, I usually repay them by buying them food as a gesture of thanks and appreciation for being hospitable.
4. Get a week subway pass
Getting these passes can save you up to 50% instead of getting a train ticket each time you take one ride. Plus, it also saves you time from falling in line to but one all the time.
5. Sleep in a Hostel/ Large dorms
Hostels are quite nice, you get to meet new people from different countries, share stories about their culture and sometimes, you even meet interesting people that can help you throughout your journey. The prices are cheaper than booking a room plus you get to make new friends.
Dorm rooms are the cheapest accommodation. If you don’t feel like couch surfing, this is the next best way to save on a place to sleep.
6. Use your student cards to get a discount
Sometimes, getting in a museum or an attraction can give you 20-50% discount by using your student I.D. – they won’t know when you’ve graduated or not and I can’t guarantee it’ll work in all establishments but it’s still worth a try!
7. Go to free tourist spots
Not all tourist spots has an entrance fee.
Before going to a place, research their famous tourist attractions and take note of the ones that you don’t really have to pay for.
8. Walk and as much as possible, don’t take a cab.
Walking is healthy, plus it makes you appreciate the place better.
Oftentimes, us Filipinos are not fond of walking or taking public transportation. But in other countries, they’re not really used in taking a cab all the time since it is expensive plus they have cheaper and faster public transportations.
9. Book plane tickets ahead or watch out for seat sales
Every week, cheap airlines like Cebu Pacific, Jetstar, Air Asia and Tiger Air has promo seat sales. However, you have to wait for a few months upon traveling but I think it’s also a good way to save up more on your trip!
Eat well, travel often and spend more on life experiences 