We often hear people tell us that we are lucky to travel and have the means to do so. Do you have to be rich to travel? I don’t think so, above all you have to adapt your mode of travel and know some tips! Here is a selection of tips for traveling without being rich.
#1 Volunteer
Volunteering to travel cheaper is a good option and a great initiative. It’s always gratifying to be able to help people and associations who need it and in exchange obtain food and lodging.
Here, the activities can be varied. You can :
- Help an association to collect clothes,
- Giving a hand for the lunch service in a restaurant,
- Manage entries to a music festival and many more.
A voluntary program called “ European Voluntary Service ” (EVS) has also been set up for 17 to 30 year olds in order to encourage young people who are going to travel abroad. This service is funded by the European Commission and can last up to 12 months abroad.
#2 Opt for Wwoofing
Wwofing, by its full name “WorldWide Opportunities on Organic Farms”, is an international movement of organic farmers offering volunteer jobs to help them with daily tasks. The principle is simple, give you 3 or 4 hours of your time a day to help in the fields and in return, you are housed and fed .
This can be a good option for traveling without being rich if you are young and have no particular obligations for the coming weeks and months. It is also this process that is regularly used by travelers when they wish to leave for several months in a country, such as Australia and New Zealand.
#3 Accommodation while couchsurfing
In terms of accommodation, opting for couchsurfing brings several advantages. This allows you to stay for free with a local and to meet great people.
To do this, nothing simpler :
- Create an account on the Couchsurfing site,
- Choose a host for your next accommodation,
- Stay one or more nights,
- Leave a comment when you check out.
The community is huge and all members advocate hospitality above all else. But we must not forget that it is a human commitment and that you will be able to meet a lot of people during your trip abroad.
#4 Hitchhiking
In terms of transport, hitchhiking can be a good solution to get around at a lower cost . It’s still a matter of following a few rules to make sure you’re legal and also safe.
- Avoid hitchhiking at night.
- Don’t fall asleep during the ride.
- Never leave your belongings unattended.
- Check that you are authorized to hitchhike. In some states of the United States, the practice is completely prohibited.
- Finally, check that the practice is free of charge, in some countries, drivers can take themselves for taxis and take advantage of them.
#5 Do odd jobs on site
Another way to travel without spending too much is to work locally. If you want to stay a long time in the city or the small town where you want to travel, nothing prevents you from finding odd jobs there. The interest here is that you will receive a salary and be able to use this money specifically to travel.
A program has also been set up under the name of Permis Vavances-Travail (PVT) . It allows young people between the ages of 18 and 30 to be able to travel and self-finance their trip by working on site. It’s also a good way to improve your language level, meet new people and gain new professional experience.
#6 Start saving
A safe bet for traveling without being rich is to start saving as soon as you can. Create a travel account to save the amount of your choice every month. It will teach you to be stricter with your personal finances and to realize that some expenses can be largely avoided to save more.
In addition, to guarantee better management of your finances during your trip is to opt for a bank card dedicated solely to this. To do this, I can only advise you to turn to the ULTIM card . This neobank has very competitive fees and you wo n’t even have fees for withdrawing abroad .
#7 Learn to negotiate
Negotiating while traveling is not easy when it is not the custom of the country in which you reside. And yet, it can be very widespread, as in Latin America, Asia or even Africa.
Do not hesitate to negotiate to buy an object, a meal or a service . Sometimes you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to get a discount. Be careful all the same, in Australia or in Ireland, this is very frowned upon, just like in France.
#8 Barter
Barter, although it is a practice that has been in place since the dawn of time, that does not prevent it from always working as well. It is a good alternative to travel without being rich and get what you need.
The principle is to exchange a service in which you have skills and in return, you are housed, fed or you can be dropped off wherever you wish.
#9 Get a gift card
An original way to be able to travel without breaking the bank is to be offered an Ulysse plane ticket gift card . It is valid on all flights offered on the Ulysses website through more than 300 airlines. You have two years to use it and it can even be used several times if the amount is large.
Indeed, the Ulysse gift card ranges from 20 € to 2000 €. It can therefore be a good gift idea for your birthday or for Christmas.
#10 Find Cheap Plane Tickets
It is possible to save money at every opportunity when it comes to traveling without being rich. Thus, finding cheap plane tickets is essential and not impossible. Here are some tips to consider:
- Use and use flight comparison sites, such as Ulysses or Skyscanner , to find the best prices.
- Anticipate the purchase of your plane tickets as much as possible.
- Avoid flying out on weekends.
- If you can, travel during off-peak times.
#11 Obtain partnerships and sponsors
If your trip has a particular ambition, a specific objective or if you are simply very present on social networks, it is possible to finance your trip without having to spend a lot of money.
You can propose to companies, organizations or associations to make a partnership or to sponsor your trip. If this is difficult to obtain and very rare, nothing prevents you from trying.
The request for funding must be made via a presentation with the main information:
- The idea, the common thread of the trip,
- Essential data: Who? When ? What ? How long ?
- The objectives of the trip: humanitarian, educational, journalistic, environmental, etc.
- The skills you can bring to this project,
- The technical and financial needs you need.
Finally, you can also turn to a crowdfunding organization or even use a crowdfunding platform to give people who support you the opportunity to help you financially.
#12 House sitting
Another way to travel without being rich is to house-sit. As its name suggests, it is about occupying and maintaining a house as well as the animals while the owners are away.
It’s a good way for some to be reassured to have a presence and surveillance in their home, and for others a way to be hosted at lower cost during their stay.
#13 Opt for free activities
It is possible to travel without being rich and still enjoy the cities and countries you visit. So prepare a list of things to do and places to visit absolutely. You will be surprised how many visits are free.
Also, if you want unique experiences at a lower cost, opt for an agency like GetYourGuides.fr . The site offers a multitude of activities according to your affinities and your budget . So you can enjoy the city without breaking the bank.
#14 Devenir digital nomad
Finally, the last tip for traveling without being rich is to become a digital nomad . It is a person who can carry out his activity online and therefore anywhere in the world as long as there is an internet connection.
