Can You Travel When You Are Skint?

Travel is wonderful. Travelling the world has so many advantages, and it’s something that we should all try to do as often as we can. But, if there’s one thing that puts people off, it’s the cost. 

When we’re young, we feel too skint to travel properly. Then, as we start to get older, life gets in the way. We’ve got responsibilities, we can’t take time away, and we’ve got more important things to spend our money on. Before you know it, the chance to travel seems to have passed you by in a whirl of excuses and missed opportunities. This can be a terrible shame, especially when you probably could have travelled when you were skint! Here’s a look at some ways that you can still travel when your budget is tight.

How Much Money Do You Need to Travel?

First things first, how much money do you actually need to be able to travel? There’s no point in saying that you can’t afford it without understanding the costs. Unfortunately, there’s no easy one price fits all, and you will need to do the research for the trip that you hope to take. But, shopping around is a great way to find the best prices. Look at flying midweek and at night to cut costs of travel, or even taking trains when you can. Look at hostels and b&bs as well as hotels, and compare the prices of travelling out of season. You might find that you can afford to go further than you thought once you’ve looked at some of the different options and found some great ways to save money on travel. 

Take Shorter Trips

Taking an extended trip is fantastic. It’s a great way to grow in independence, to make your own way, and to see more of the world. When you take an extended trip you stop feeling like a tourist and really get a chance to settle into a life of travel. But, if you can’t afford it, or you can’t afford to be away from home for so long, it’s certainly not the only way to travel. Take shorter holidays and enjoy weekend city breaks when you can. There’s no right or wrong way to travel, do it in a way that suits your lifestyle and budget. 

Find Ways to Make Money with What You Leave Behind

Most of us are guilty of just packing up and leaving, without much thought to what we are leaving behind. Are These Unnecessary Payments Costing You A Fortune When You Travel?! Is hundreds of pounds leaving your account every month for things that you aren’t using at home? Are you paying for a gym membership that you can’t possibly use? Are you paying for rent or a mortgage on a home that no-one is in? Are you paying car insurance and road tax for a vehicle that no one is around to drive?

Worse still, these are costs that most people fail to factor in. They budget for travel, flights, accommodation, luggage, food, and luxuries. They make sure their savings or pay covers travel expenses, but they completely forget that their home life is still costing them money. 

Some things, like that gym membership and TV package, you can just go ahead and cancel. If you are travelling for a shorter period, you may just be able to take a payment holiday. Speak to your provider to find out more. 

But you can’t just cancel everything. Failing to pay your mortgage or rent can mean that you don’t have a home to come back to, or that debts start to mount while you are away. So, ask yourself if you could make some money from them instead? Could you take on a lodger or put your home on Airbnb while you are away, to cover its costs? Could you hire your car, or even parking space out while you don’t need it? Look at all of your regular bills, and ask yourself what you could do about each one individually. If they can’t be cancelled or used to earn you cash, at least factor them into your budgets. 

Only Buy What You Need

Often we’re guilty of spending more on our travel wardrobe and other accessories than we do on essentials like transport and accommodation. When you are broke, you can’t afford to do this. Only buy what you need, explore secondhand options, ask friends if you can borrow things and buy own brand sunscreen instead of more expensive alternatives. Only buy the things that you absolutely need and even then, shop around for cheaper alternatives. 

Work Your Way Around the World

If you can’t afford to take a long period off work to travel, don’t. Instead, work your way around the world. Is there any way that you could do your current job remotely? Maybe with reduced hours? Or, is there a way that you could earn money as a freelancer? Perhaps writing or taking photos to supplement your budget? Alternatively, take short contracts in bars and restaurants or get jobs working with tourists in holiday parks and camps. These jobs are often fun, a great way to meet the locals, and flexible hours can mean that you still get to enjoy your break.

Build a Travel Blog 

Another option is launching your own travel blog. It might take a while to build up an audience and start making money, but once it does, it can be a fantastic way to work while you travel. Just don’t underestimate the amount of work that goes into running a profitable blog. 

Learn to Love Cheap Travel

Cheap travel is a very different experience from luxury travel. You might not always have the most comfortable bed or access to luxury facilities. Sometimes, you might have to share a bathroom or even a bedroom. You might not be able to visit all of the expensive attractions. But, you will get to meet local people and learn the language. You’ll learn how to live independently and how to rely on yourself, and you’ll have a more authentic experience.