Wanna know how to travel on a budget but still live your best life? Below are my tips for maximizing your budget and being able to see the world for a lot less than you think!

1. Think about the budget before picking a destination.

If you think about budget last you will definitely end up spending more than you want to on flights, accommodations etc. I would recommend making a list of places you are interested in going to and then search for cheap flights and keep your eyes peeled for good deals. For example my boyfriend and I knew we wanted to go to Asia. When round trip flights popped up for $450 to Japan we knew we couldn’t say know. Allowing for flexibility in dates and locations allows you to book cheaper flights and travel during the off-season aka less people! Who can complain about saving money? More money means more activities on your trip!

2. Search for cheap flights using programs like Dollar Flight Club

Dollar Flight Club is is a flight deal alert subscription service that helps 500,000+ people save money on airfare. Subscribers save over $500 USD per international ticket on average. There are two types of membership

1. Free-Free members can choose to receive deals from their departure region, and receive a fraction of the deals that premium members do. 

2. Premium-

   1. Every single flight deal for their departure airport.. 4x more than Free Members (more

      likely to find a deal that works for them)

   2. Filter by specific departure airport(s).

   3. 4x mistake fares and secret deals.

   4. Instant text alerts.

   5. Get deal alerts first, before free members

   6. No ads (just straight flight deals)

   7. Premium Membership Partner Perks

      Use this link to sign up for Save $500+ per ticket on your next international flight!! Trust me you won’t regret it. http://bit.ly/2sxx7jn

3. Know when to book a flight and what’s a good deal from the US this includes:

1. Africa-$700 or below

2. Asia-$550 or below

3. Caribbean-$300 or below

4. Central America-$300 or below

5. Europe-$500 and below

6. South America-$550 and below

If you see a good deal but can’t reach your S/O or friends hop on it anyways most major U.S. airlines have a 24-hour cancellation grace period so book your flights then cancel if you need to.

4. Think of alternatives to hotel

Companies like Airbnb, VRBO, and other home-share programs will allow you to travel and stay in more local and unique places than staying at a hotel.

Check out this Airbnb in Bali we stayed at for only $100 a night!

Couch Surfing is also available through websites like https://www.couchsurfing.com/. Don’t worry this company has put in protection services so you don’t have to worry. This will also girl you a more local feeling, and maybe meet new friends!

5. Travel with friends.

If you can splitting accommodations between 2-4 people is a lot cheaper than paying for it on your own.

6. Pick and Choose your meals

1. One of the most exciting things about traveling is all of the new food! When picking an Airbnb or Hotel see if your rate includes breakfast this is a no-fail way to save on food.

2. If you’re looking to splurge on dinner, packing lunch and snacks is a way to stay full leading up to dinner. Stop at a local bakery or deli and grab some treats for a picnic. Not only is this a way to experience a local way of living you will be saving money in the process. If your Airbnb has a useable kitchen grab some simple ingredients and eat before heading out to explore!

3. Pro Tip-If there are pictures on the menu…chances are its a tourist destination and will NOT be worth the money!

   For example in Japan you can get a bowl of ramen for around $6 USD or sushi for $1.50 a plate ( I don’t recommend this but you can!) We ate at small local shops for lunch and then for dinner we knew we wanted to experience traditional Kobe Beef and Omaska Sushi meals. We were able to save money this way, by picking two or three nicer meals you can still treat yourself and not spend over your budget