Budget Travel Tips From Someone Who Knows From Experience

 By, Fallon Rakestraw

Have you ever wanted to travel the world but never thought you could afford it? Well don’t give up that dream just yet. I’m going to give you a few tips on exploring our planet on a budget!

Over the last 5 years, I have backpacked my way around 35+ countries and have picked up some helpful information along the way. Below are a few tips I want to share with you!

Flights/When to Travel

Flights are one of the most expensive factors to consider when planning a trip. Thankfully, Norwegian Airlines has recently become a game changer by introducing routes from several American cities to Europe for a very low price. For example, a direct flight from Tampa International Airport, Florida to Gatwick Airport, London is currently as low as $159 one way. You do however have to pay more to choose your seat, receive meal service, and check a bag, but even with this additional cost, it is still the cheapest option out there. These budget prices are not typically available in the busy summer months when most people plan their vacations, so it’s highly worth scheduling your trip in the off-season months, especially if you’re buying plane tickets for your whole family. You could save hundreds, if not thousands! 

Airline Miles Bonus from Credit Cards

Several credit card companies offer some pretty awesome sign up bonuses. Yes, it means you are applying for and opening a new credit card account, but with these bonuses you can receive it is hard to say no! I have been able to pay for my flights to Europe, Hawaii, Asia, and more with these miles. In order to get the bonuses, they do require you meet a certain spending amount, usually within the first 3 months. For more information check out: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/top-airline-cards-to-have/

Track Your Expenses with an App

Tripcoin and Trail Wallet are very helpful expense tracker apps. You can set your budget for your trip and make sure you stick to it each day, so you stay on track. It will give you statistics for food, transportation, and accommodation costs, or for any category you set up. Using one of these apps will help you avoid running down your funds too fast!

When traveling to another country you will save money by being able to take your debit card to use for ATM withdrawals, without having to worry about those hefty ATM fees. Exchanging US dollars to the currency of each country on your trip is a hassle to and you’ll be charged fees to do so. Instead, I use the Charles Schwab debit card which reimburses ALL ATM fees and doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees. Using this card allows me to pull cash out more often in smaller amounts so I am not carrying high amounts of money on me while sightseeing. Having a debit card offering these perks will save you money and put your mind at ease.

These tips can surely save you money when planning a trip abroad. I know they helped me on my travels!

Traveling somewhere fun? Be sure to send us a picture! Don’t forget to call us ahead of time to arrange for business services while you are away.

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