Money is undoubtedly one of the most common things that hold people back from traveling. However, you don’t need to be rich to move around the world. Even when you have debt or do not earn a lot, there are still some ways to travel overseas. Keep reading this ultimate guide to how to travel without money and see the beautiful world.
Table Of Contents
The Ultimate to Cheap Travel
1. Work overseas
There are many opportunities all over the world as long as you are not picky. Here are several jobs you might consider to fund your journeys:
- Hostel worker
- Au pair
- Waitress or waiter
- Bartender
- Farm worker (popular in New Zealand and Australia)
- Casino worker
- Dive instructor
- Tour guide
- Worker on cruise ships
In general, these jobs do not require advanced certifications, degrees or lots of work experiences. Also, you will have many chances to meet different people from all parts of the work, both from non-Western and Western countries, who have the same purposes as you.
Another great way to make money while traveling is to teach English in local centers. In fact, you can ear a lot of money with this job. All that you need is a TEFL degree and your English skills. In addition, there are many services and sites available out there which allow you to support and teach online. As long as there is an Internet connection, you can still earn money from teaching English from any countries in the world!
2. Have free flights
It is quite surprising for many people that there is a variety of ways to get free flights. All that you need to do is signing up for some traveling credit cards, collecting miles, and then flying for free. In most cases, these cards provide up to 50,000-point sign-up bonuses, and when you sign up for both a general rewards type such as AMEX or Chase Sapphire card or an airline type, you could combine the 2 point balances and have a much cheaper flight quicker.
By collecting miles and points through bonuses on credit cards, smart spending, and online surveys, you will gather a lot of miles to travel wherever you want. Therefore, it is easier to go further when you are relieved from the expense of flights.
3. Stay free with locals
There are basically many services and sites that help to connect backpackers with local people who are willing to host them at their houses for free. By using these services, you won’t ever need to pay for accommodations. And one of the best options is undoubtedly Couchsurfing. You can use this platform anytime and anywhere you want and meet amazing people from all walks of life. Sometimes you are provided a room, sometimes it is a comfortable air mattress, and sometimes you sleep on a couch, but it is always free. In addition, there are many meet-ups for local Couchsurfing groups which could help you make new friends in the new city. In addition, due to of the increase of the sharing economy over the past few years, you can easily find some sites which do not only allow you to stay with the locals but also share gear, train tickets, meals, and rides! Here are some of the most popular sites that you can use to get free accommodations:
- Global Freeloaders
- Servas
- Couchsurfing
4. Utilize the sharing economy
Sharing economy is a great way to find quick tour guides, cheaper accommodations, home-cooked dishes with the local chefs, and rideshare options. You could bypass our traditional travel industries with a bunch of sharing economy sites and have an easy access to the locals using their own skills and assets to set up a small tourism company with much more affordable prices. In addition, local people know exactly where to find special deals with the best sales, cheapest prices, where to search for a good restaurant, exotic bars with the most delicious foods. These platforms have changed the way we travel and made it more accessible for all people.
Here is a list of some popular sharing economy sites
- Airbnb for accommodations
- BlaBlaCar for ridesharing
- Vayable for tours
- EatWith for meals
5. Free walking tour
Do you want to learn more about the new cities, get the bearings, and enjoy some major sights? Then take a walking tour for free. In fact, you could find them in nearly all of the large cities in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, South America, and Asia. To find those tours, you should ask your hostel receptionist, the local tourist agency, or search on Google. However, keep in mind to give the tour guide a small tip at the end of the trip.
6. Cook your own meals
In general, the best tip to save a lot of money while you are traveling all over the world is to cook all of your own meals. For example, you would spend $50 USD and shop for all necessary foods in a grocery for the whole week instead of eating out each meal with the price of at least $15 USD in Stockholm, Sweden! As you can see, that will save you up to $150 USD! When you decide to choose Couchsurfing for accommodations, the house of your host would probably have a kitchen, just like many guesthouses, campsites, and hostels. If no, you would pack your own silverware and container, then make some salads and sandwiches on the road. Not all meals require a stove, are they?
Just because you are currently on the go, it does not necessarily mean that you have to eat out all meals. You will not ruin a trip to London when you do not want to eat out in just 1 day! There is simply no reason for us to spend a lot of money on foods while traveling!