Travelling while underfunded

What to do when you have no money but want to travel

We’ve all been in this horrible situation where we feel like we don’t have any money to travel for but we desperately want to. We look at everyone else’s Instagram photos and we long to be where they are too. But did you know that you can actually travel with very little money? It is possible! Although your trip won’t consist of 5 star hotels perhaps, you’ll still be able to fulfill your dream and travel. And in the end, that’s what you’ll remember, not where you rested your head for the night, but all the sights you’ve seen and all the people you’ve met are what’s going to make your trip worthwhile. So let’s take a look at how you can travel with little money (because let’s be honest, there’s no way that your bank account is at zero).

Couchsurfing

The first step is to sign up on Couchsurfing. It’s a popular website where you can host travelers and also be hosted. Let’s say you’re going to New York and don’t want to pay accommodation – then you go on Couchsurfing to find a host! Do remember that most people who are on this site doesn’t just see it as a way to get free stays. It’s a community that brings together travelers and it’s a way to give back to people. Your hosts will most likely want to get to know you as well and maybe even spend the day with you and show you around. So be respectful, kind and thankful to your host who invites you into their home for free.

Grab all the free food you can!

If you’re staying at hostels, you’ll most likely see a bin that says “free food”. It’s usually leftover food that other travelers has left because they can’t bring it with them or for some other reasons (do check the expiry date!). But what’s good about it is that you can grab whatever is there, cook a meal and voila! You’ve saved money. Even if you can’t find free food, try to cook as much yourself and avoid eating out! That’ll most definitely make your wallet slimmer (that is, if you’re not in Southeast Asia because sometimes it’s even cheaper to eat out).

Walk, walk and walk!

Get your energy going by walking! Don’t rely on public transportation too much. You can save a lot of money by walking instead of always catching the bus or subway for example. Besides, it’s so much nicer to walk around when you’re somewhere new. This way, you’ll get to discover neighborhoods you’d just pass by with the bus. Perhaps you’ll even find your new favorite cafe along the way! So walk, burn some calories and sightsee at the same time.

Don’t party so much

I know, this one’s hard for all you party people, but drinking alcohol and partying tons won’t exactly make you richer. Imagine if you skip one night of going out, you’d have saved at least 10-50$, depending on where you are (and how hard you party!). So if you’re on a really tight budget, try to skip the parties or just have a beer and then go home. You can party at home as well.

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