How To Travel On A Budget And Have The Best Experiences

You may see many travel blogs telling you to “travel more, spend less”, but, personally, I feel this is not always the best advice. If you follow this religiously you will not necessarily have a great experience when you travel. Yes, the budget is important, especially if you are travelling long-term, but you can’t let yourself be ruled by it. You’ve got to find a balance between your travel budget and having a great experience.

I happily admit I am a budget traveller, but this doesn’t mean I’ll miss out. Comfort is still important for me, so you won’t find me sleeping rough when I travel. You also won’t find me in a luxury hotel. But when it comes to finding your balance, you’ve got to do what’s right for you.

Planning For Your Trip

It’s important you have at least a loose plan if you don’t have the luxury of endless money when you travel. Even if you plan to work in some countries, you need to have an eye on that cash.

Before you set off, be sure to think about:

Your Budget For Travel

First things first, you’ve got to have money to travel. It’s that simple. Whether you are going for a weekend city break or buying a Round the World Ticket, know how much you’ll need to put aside. Then double it. Always have more money than you’ll need, just in case.

Before you go, save up this money/put it in a separate travel bank account (I like Starling) and do not touch it until your trip.

Have trouble saving? Check out my Tips For Saving Money For Traveling

Seeing Venice From The Water Was A High Priority Experience For Me

Be aware, once you get to your destination, whether this is the first spot on your world trip, or a one-city short break, keep an eye on that money. Know roughly how much you want to spend a day and keep on top of your budget.

Need help sticking to your budget? Check out my Tips For Saving Money When Travelling

The Experiences You Want

It’s your adventure, so you need a loose plan of what you want to do. Make a list (I even make a Google Map) of the points you want to visit. If you’re travelling around the world on a long trip, you may want to do this in stages, picking a few cities at a time to plan out.

Having A Map With A Loose Plan Of What You Want To See Can Help You Strike The Balance

Planning a gap year? Check out my Basics Of Planning A Gap Year

Think about any day trips you may want to do. Maybe walking tours in a city, such as Sandemans Free Walking Tours. If there are museums you want to visit, note them down to. Food is also an important part of travel, so find out good spots for local dishes.

Planning In A Free Walking Tour Is A Greta Way To Save And See The Sights

As you’re recording these experiences, note down the average prices. Be a little pessimistic too, especially with food, and assume they’ll be a little more costly than you expect.

Not sure where to go to plan a trip? Find out why I Sill Use Guidebooks

I Saw A Singapore Sling As A Must-Have Experience In Singapore

Finding The Balance Between Your Travel Budget And Experiences

Once you have your budget and experiences thought out, you can find the balance. Here are a few things to consider:

Prioritise

Firstly, set your experiences in priority order. Try to have a good mix of free activities and those that will eat into your budget. Then try to arrange your days so that you are doing activities close together so that you are not having to use public transport too much.

Also, you should do a bit of extra research here. Are museums free on certain days? In Mexico, many were free on Mondays. Aim to go on those days. Also, see if any of your priority places are covered in a city card and do the math. If you’ll save money, get a city card. But if you only want to see a few places that are on a city card, don’t bother.

Sometimes A City Card Can Help You Find The Balance Between Budget And Experience

Check out how I fared with the I Amsterdam City Card

As you’re prioritising, think about any “treats” you may want whilst you’re travelling. Fancy a night out? Are you going to have to sacrifice something else to afford this? I have met people on trips that literally stayed in the hostel all day, living off free rice and pasta as they had no money left, yet they still managed to buy a six-pack every night. Don’t be that person, you will only regret it.

What about Souvenirs? Have you budgeted for these?

Accommodation Considerations

Next, think about your accommodation. If you are wanting to save money, go for accommodation that has self-catering facilities, such as hostels (I like searching on HostelWorld). Then, you can choose whether to splash out on a meal out or cook cheaply at the accommodation. Personally, I like to eat out once or twice, but then save money on days where I’ve splashed out a little on museums or tours by eating in.

A Kitchen Means You Can Save Money By Eating In

Not stayed in a hostel before? Check out my post about What Makes A Great Hostel

Final Thoughts On Finding The Balance Between Budget And Experience

No matter what your travel style, finding the balance between budget and experience will ensure you have the best time. Unless you have a bottomless bank account, it’s an important lesson that travelling will teach you.

Whether you are on a full gap year or taking a weekend break, finding this balance is essential. Remember though, it is your trip, so it’s all about you. Don’t go with the crowd if it’s something you’re not into (though you may be pleasantly surprised like I was at the Mercedes Benz Museum).

The best you can do is have a loose plan, know your budget and prioritise. But be sure to be flexible too, as you never know what’ll crop up. If you plan to have some free activities and some that you have to pay for, you should be able to make your budget stretch. It’s not just about cheap travel, it’s also about having a fun experience.

Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle Was Expensive, But Worth It

The best way to have a great travel experience no matter what your budget is to listen to your heart. If there’s something you really don’t want to miss out on, make sure you have the cash for this. It’s your adventure, so make your travel budget work for you.