How I manage to travel often on an entry level salary
Many people are flabbergasted when I tell them that I take a few international trips a year. I am in my mid 20s so my pockets definitely aren’t lined with cash. So how can a 20 something on an entry level salary afford to travel so much? Its all about knowing how to pay less but not miss out!
Cheap Flights
This is step one to traveling on a budget. If you can wait for your target destination’s price to drop, or choose a destination based on flight costs, you can save hundreds of dollars! But my real secret to cheap travel? Going.com. I am obsessed with this website! Going.com sends you emails everyday or almost everyday about cheap flights from your chosen airports! Signing up is free, but if you really want to take advantage of cheap flights, you can get a paid subscription; and believe me, it pays for itself with the money you save on flights!
Saving on Accommodations
This is going to sound backwards, but when you’re choosing somewhere to stay, avoid hotels. I know, radical. But let’s be honest, hotels charge outrageous prices and usually what you get isn’t even that great. I acknowledge that sometimes hotels are the best option for a specific travelers situation, but as a blanket statement, try to avoid hotels if possible. Instead, I choose to stay in airbnbs or hostels. Hostels are great for solo travelers, especially if your goal is to meet new people and make new friends. Hostels are also great because many of them are close to popular attractions, have restaurants and planned events, and many have discounts on food or other things in the city! If being in a bunk room with a bunch of other people isn’t your style, or if you are traveling with a group, I would recommend an airbnb. Personally I love staying in a room in someone’s home because the host is a treasure trove of knowledge and this arrangement really lets you immerse yourself in the culture! There are of course also options for whole apartments or homes, and the hosts for these are still usually very helpful. You would be surprised how cheap an airbnb is per night in Europe, but keep in mind, the closer you are to city center, the more you’ll be spending. To try to save money I usually try to stay about 5 to 10 minutes outside city center, where many average locals live. Every morning I get up and take the nearest mode of public transportation into the city, and I don’t mind a quick bus ride whatsoever. Staying slightly outside city center usually means the neighborhood will be quieter too, so you can maximize your sleep and wake up fresh as a daisy. As an extra cost saving bonus and immersive experience, you can try out the neighborhood eateries. The prices are lower because you aren’t in a tourist heavy area, and usually the places are full of locals who frequent the establishments. As I write about specific locations, I will share some of my favorite airbnbs and hostels in case anyone is interested in checking them out.
Enjoying a drink in the courtyard of my Amsterdam Hostel
City Passes
If its your first time at a destination and you’re trying to see all the big attractions, I would recommend looking into a city pass. Most big cities have a card or pass that you can buy for so many days that will get you into a certain amount of attractions. These passes are way cheaper than buying individual tickets if many of the attractions on your list are included. As an added bonus, many of these passes also include transportation like Hop on- Hop off bus tours. I will say though, if you only want to see a few attractions and leave the rest, it may be more cost effective to buy individually. It really depends on what’s on your itinerary.
Transportation
As far as transportation goes, I always recommend public transport. Renting a car can be risky if you’re not familiar with the driving culture, and they’re pretty expensive too. In most big cities, locals use public transportation as their main way of getting around. Whether you use the bus, tram, underground, or train, you can get almost anywhere for relatively cheap. The only country I have visited so far that I don’t recommend public transportation is Ireland, but that’s for another post. Uber and Lyft are also options, especially when you’re in a bind (like running late to catch a flight) and you don’t want to have to track down and pay and arm and a leg for a taxi.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who would say one of their main objectives of travel is to try amazing food! But you probably know by now that I’m not the type of girl to go to a $90 filet restaurant. Little local bistros are way more my style! I have had incredible meals at little cheaper restaurants. How? Because like I mentioned before, the tourist industry jacks up prices for everything. Locals aren’t going to spend egregious amounts of money to eat out, and you don’t have to either. Plus, usually the cheaper local meals are way better than the fancy, tiny portion, expensive meals anyway. But there are even cheaper meal options than restaurants. At least a few times on every one of my trips, I will pop into a bakery and grab a croissant or something and go eat it on a park bench, or I’ll venture into a local grocery store and grab items for a dinner in or a picnic. On my trip to London, my friend and I grabbed a couple things from a grocery store, laid a blanket in a grassy area by the river, and ate dinner to the sight of Tower Bridge lighting up as dusk approached. It was absolutely lovely, and something we will both remember for years to come! There is however one more option. I’m sure by this point you’re thinking, hey, she hasn’t once mentioned street food! Don’t worry, no travel post about food would be complete without a discussion about street food! Just like those little restaurants, street vendors have some of the best food you can find, and its usually ultra cheap! When I say street food, I do also throw little shops under that umbrella. In Amsterdam, you can’t go more than a block without seeing a little shop selling waffles, fries, churros, and other lovely things that make your tastebuds dance, and there are little shops like this in every country I’ve been to!
All of these tips combined are how I manage to travel the world, and I don’t feel like I miss out on anything one bit! Cheap travel is so accessible and I hope these tips can help you live out your travel dreams without breaking the bank. If you have any other tips on traveling cheaper, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
How I manage to travel often on an entry level salary
Many people are flabbergasted when I tell them that I take a few international trips a year. I am in my mid 20s so my pockets definitely aren’t lined with cash. So how can a 20 something on an entry level salary afford to travel so much? Its all about knowing how to pay less but not miss out!
Cheap Flights
This is step one to traveling on a budget. If you can wait for your target destination’s price to drop, or choose a destination based on flight costs, you can save hundreds of dollars! But my real secret to cheap travel? Going.com. I am obsessed with this website! Going.com sends you emails everyday or almost everyday about cheap flights from your chosen airports! Signing up is free, but if you really want to take advantage of cheap flights, you can get a paid subscription; and believe me, it pays for itself with the money you save on flights!
Saving on Accommodations
This is going to sound backwards, but when you’re choosing somewhere to stay, avoid hotels. I know, radical. But let’s be honest, hotels charge outrageous prices and usually what you get isn’t even that great. I acknowledge that sometimes hotels are the best option for a specific travelers situation, but as a blanket statement, try to avoid hotels if possible. Instead, I choose to stay in airbnbs or hostels. Hostels are great for solo travelers, especially if your goal is to meet new people and make new friends. Hostels are also great because many of them are close to popular attractions, have restaurants and planned events, and many have discounts on food or other things in the city! If being in a bunk room with a bunch of other people isn’t your style, or if you are traveling with a group, I would recommend an airbnb. Personally I love staying in a room in someone’s home because the host is a treasure trove of knowledge and this arrangement really lets you immerse yourself in the culture! There are of course also options for whole apartments or homes, and the hosts for these are still usually very helpful. You would be surprised how cheap an airbnb is per night in Europe, but keep in mind, the closer you are to city center, the more you’ll be spending. To try to save money I usually try to stay about 5 to 10 minutes outside city center, where many average locals live. Every morning I get up and take the nearest mode of public transportation into the city, and I don’t mind a quick bus ride whatsoever. Staying slightly outside city center usually means the neighborhood will be quieter too, so you can maximize your sleep and wake up fresh as a daisy. As an extra cost saving bonus and immersive experience, you can try out the neighborhood eateries. The prices are lower because you aren’t in a tourist heavy area, and usually the places are full of locals who frequent the establishments. As I write about specific locations, I will share some of my favorite airbnbs and hostels in case anyone is interested in checking them out.
Enjoying a drink in the courtyard of my Amsterdam Hostel
City Passes
If its your first time at a destination and you’re trying to see all the big attractions, I would recommend looking into a city pass. Most big cities have a card or pass that you can buy for so many days that will get you into a certain amount of attractions. These passes are way cheaper than buying individual tickets if many of the attractions on your list are included. As an added bonus, many of these passes also include transportation like Hop on- Hop off bus tours. I will say though, if you only want to see a few attractions and leave the rest, it may be more cost effective to buy individually. It really depends on what’s on your itinerary.
Transportation
As far as transportation goes, I always recommend public transport. Renting a car can be risky if you’re not familiar with the driving culture, and they’re pretty expensive too. In most big cities, locals use public transportation as their main way of getting around. Whether you use the bus, tram, underground, or train, you can get almost anywhere for relatively cheap. The only country I have visited so far that I don’t recommend public transportation is Ireland, but that’s for another post. Uber and Lyft are also options, especially when you’re in a bind (like running late to catch a flight) and you don’t want to have to track down and pay and arm and a leg for a taxi.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who would say one of their main objectives of travel is to try amazing food! But you probably know by now that I’m not the type of girl to go to a $90 filet restaurant. Little local bistros are way more my style! I have had incredible meals at little cheaper restaurants. How? Because like I mentioned before, the tourist industry jacks up prices for everything. Locals aren’t going to spend egregious amounts of money to eat out, and you don’t have to either. Plus, usually the cheaper local meals are way better than the fancy, tiny portion, expensive meals anyway. But there are even cheaper meal options than restaurants. At least a few times on every one of my trips, I will pop into a bakery and grab a croissant or something and go eat it on a park bench, or I’ll venture into a local grocery store and grab items for a dinner in or a picnic. On my trip to London, my friend and I grabbed a couple things from a grocery store, laid a blanket in a grassy area by the river, and ate dinner to the sight of Tower Bridge lighting up as dusk approached. It was absolutely lovely, and something we will both remember for years to come! There is however one more option. I’m sure by this point you’re thinking, hey, she hasn’t once mentioned street food! Don’t worry, no travel post about food would be complete without a discussion about street food! Just like those little restaurants, street vendors have some of the best food you can find, and its usually ultra cheap! When I say street food, I do also throw little shops under that umbrella. In Amsterdam, you can’t go more than a block without seeing a little shop selling waffles, fries, churros, and other lovely things that make your tastebuds dance, and there are little shops like this in every country I’ve been to!
All of these tips combined are how I manage to travel the world, and I don’t feel like I miss out on anything one bit! Cheap travel is so accessible and I hope these tips can help you live out your travel dreams without breaking the bank. If you have any other tips on traveling cheaper, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Pursuit of Happy Travel 
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