How to travel the world with almost no money

How to Travel the World With No Money

Is it possible to travel the world with no money? In a nutshell, yes, but you need to be a very persistent person and extremely savvy in your approach. Whether you’re looking for free travel opportunities or just want to travel the world for free, this post will help you hack your way into a life of free travel, without turning your brain into a perfect money-saving machine.

A lack of money is one of the most common reasons why people never travel abroad. While there are many ways that you can start traveling with very little or no money in your account, I know how difficult it could be. Over 10 years ago I was searching for ways that would allow me to travel the world for free. And you know what? Not only I figured out the steps for achieving my travel goals but also I’ve come to the conclusion that these steps are available for everyone. You can travel the world for free too!

As I said before you need to be persistent in pursuing your dreams. Let’s assume you have already made travel a priority in your life. And now you’re looking for ways to travel the world on a budget or for free. That’s exactly how I started. The next step is to change your mindset and throw away any preconceptions. Think it’s too complicated? If you can think it, you can do it.

I believe anyone can learn at least some basic money management skills to become financially responsible. If you REALLY want to travel the world without spending much (or any) money, then it’s all about the right mindset. It doesn’t matter if you want to travel for a week or three months, the concept is the same.

Read Next: Italy Travel Guide

As a frugal traveler, I know that every dollar you save now will help you to see more tomorrow. I advocate the idea that there are only two necessary expenses on the road. Airfare and accommodation. But even these travel costs can be reduced significantly. I often travel the world with only a backpack, camera, and toothbrush, and I absolutely love traveling like a minimalist. The truth is traveling on a budget can be uncomfortable but it’s an extremely rewarding venture. It’s always about meeting new people, new experience, and creating new memories. All these things I value more than money. If you do too, let’s get started.

The Ultimate Guide to Traveling When You Have No Money

Last Updated: 6/11/22 | June 11th, 2022

Whenever I ask readers what the number one thing holding them back from traveling is I almost always get the same answer: Money.

This is something I hear from everyone I talk to: “Matt, I simply don’t have enough money to travel.”

This problem — and how to overcome it — is my most asked question. Over the past 14 years, I have answered this question in a plethora of posts, emails, tweets, and Facebook posts. Long-term readers might even be getting sick of me discussing this subject because it is one I talk about so much.

But I know no matter how often I address this question, it will come up again.

Since this question comes up so often, I like to constantly remind people of this fact: You do not need to be rich to travel.

Let’s repeat that: You do not need to be rich to travel.

There are plenty of ways to travel on a budget (and for free) — you just need to be willing to get creative.

Traveling the world with no money sounds like an impossible dream. But it is possible, and you can do it responsibly without breaking the bank. It should be said that there are some expenses you shouldn’t compromise on (like travel insurance) but there are tons of ways you can travel the world on a budget — including plenty of ways you can actually travel for free.

In this post, I’m going to show you two things:

Traveling cheap is all about taking advantage of helpful apps and websites that save you money, finding ways to lower your expenses, and even making money as you travel. It’s about finding value and lowering your expenses while still being able to afford to do what you want.

Traveling for free entails taking advantage of free accommodation, transportation, and activities that are already out there, thereby reducing your cost to zero. You can also use points and miles to earn free flights and accommodation. Here, you sacrifice comfort and convenience to extend your travels as long as possible.

With the right budget and the right mindset, you can make your travel dreams a reality. Even if you don’t earn a lot or you have debt, there are still plenty of ways to go overseas (I still had debt when I went on my first trip around the world). They may not be fancy or luxurious, but if travel is your priority then you can definitely make it happen!

Ready to kick-start your budget travels and save money? Just click on either of the links below to jump directly to that section!

Table of Contents

1. Get a Job Overseas

Not making enough money at your job? Or, even worse, are you working a job you hate? Why not get a job overseas? There are plenty of opportunities in the world as long as you aren’t picky. After all, this isn’t a career you are starting — it’s just a way to earn money for travel.

Here are some popular (and easy to find) jobs you can get when you travel:

Working overseas often gets discounted as an option because it seems hard to do. It’s not. Just be open. These jobs don’t require advanced degrees or a lot of work experience either.

Are you going to get a high-paying office job? No.

Will you get a shitty, low-wage job that will pay all your travel bills? Yep!

I’ve met people from all walks of life, both from Western and non-Western countries, funding their travels this way. It’s an easy, fun way to lengthen your travels, deepen your experience, and make a little money so you can keep on traveling.

READ MORE ABOUT WORKING OVERSEAS: 15 Ways to Find a Job and Work Overseas

2. Teach English Overseas

One of the best ways to make money for travel is to teach English overseas. You can make a lot of money teaching — I replenished my travel funds while working in Thailand, and I have had friends leave South Korea with tens of thousands of dollars in the bank.

All you need is the ability to speak English fluently and a TEFL degree, depending on the country you work in. The world is yearning for teachers, and this is a job in high demand; many companies in Asia will even pay for your flight over.

If you have a college or university degree you’ll be able to make more money and apply for better positions though it’s not necessary for many countries.

Additionally, there are many websites and services out there that allow you to teach virtually. As long as you have a great Wi-Fi connection, you can help people learn English from anywhere in the world!

Some places you can teach online are:

READ MORE ABOUT TEACHING OVERSEAS:

3. Do WWOOFing and Work on a Farm

WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It’s a platform that allows you to work on a farm in exchange for free room and board. It’s a great way to see a destination in-depth while allowing you to commune with the great outdoors. You have to pay to get to the farm, but once you are there, everything else is covered! It definitely will help you travel cheap as well as have a unique experience and meet lots of cool people.

WWOOF has opportunities available in 130 countries around the world, with over 12,000 hosts and 100,000 WWOOFers. Some of the most popular destinations for WWOOFers are Portugal, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii.

READ MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING:

4. Use the Sharing Economy

Use the sharing economy to find cheaper accommodation, quirky tour guides, rideshare options, and home-cooked meals with local chefs. You can bypass the traditional travel industry with sharing economy websites and gain access to locals using their own assets and skills to become small tourism companies with cheaper prices. Moreover, locals know where to find deals. They know which supermarket is cheapest, which stores offer the best sales, and where to find the hole-in-the-wall restaurants and bars with the tastiest food at the lowest prices. Talking directly to them gives you access to that knowledge.

These websites have changed the travel game and made travel more accessible for everyone.

Here are some of my favorite websites:

READ MORE ABOUT THE SHARING ECONOMY:

5. Cook Your Own Meals

I’ve done the same thing in dozens of countries all around the world — especially in expensive destinations like Iceland where eating out can really destroy your budget.

If you are staying in hostels, book accommodation that has a kitchen so you have space to cook. If you’re Couchsurfing or using Airbnb,your host will probably have a kitchen.

No kitchen? Pack your own container and cutlery and make some sandwiches and salads on the go. Not every meal requires a stove, right?

Just because you are traveling doesn’t mean you need to eat out every meal. You won’t ruin your trip to Paris if you decide not to eat out one day! There’s simply no reason to be spending lots of money on food on your trip!

READ MORE ABOUT SAVING MONEY ON FOOD WHEN YOU TRAVEL:

6. Get Rail Passes

Rail passes (like the Eurail Pass in Europe or the JR Pass in Japan) are a great way to save money when it comes to train travel. If you’re traveling around the region for a while, rail passes will likely be much cheaper than just booking individual trips.

If you are booking individual trips, booking ahead of time can usually save you about 50% of the cost of a train ticket. However, that fixes you to a set timeline. If you don’t want to be tied into a fixed schedule, rail passes can save you a lot of money while giving you the flexibility you need. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars in Europe doing this!

READ MORE ABOUT RAIL PASSES:

7. Sleep in Large Dorms

Large hostel dorm rooms are the cheapest paid accommodation out there. If Couchsurfing isn’t your thing, this is your next best way to save money on a place to sleep. The bigger the dorm, the cheaper it will be. While a 4-6 bed dorm might give you more privacy, a 12-18 bed dorm is going to be a bit cheaper. In the long run, this will add up. As long as you’ve got earplugs and a sleeping mask, opt for the bigger door to keep your budget intact!

If you’re a light sleeper, make sure you read the reviews before you book to ensure you don’t choose a party hostel. In larger cities, you can usually find a hostel that is quieter than the others. It might not be as social or as centrally located, but you’ll at least be able to get a good sleep.

In a large dorm, you’re almost guaranteed to have some snorers. If earplugs don’t quite do the trick, download an app like Rain Rain, which plays rain sounds on a loop. You can set a timer so they stop playing after an hour or two, helping you ignore the noises of the dorm while you try to fall asleep. Spotify also has all kinds of rain and whitenoise playlists too.

8. Use Student and Other Discount Cards

Are you a student, teacher, or under 26? Welcome to the world of 50%-off attractions and a plethora of discounts! Get a student/teacher/youth card and save big while you’re abroad. Even if you’ve recently graduated, chances are you can still get by with your expired ID card (as long as it doesn’t have an expiry date). Always ask if there are discounts available for students or youth as this is an easy way to save tons of cash as you travel around!

Museums, galleries, and other major tourist attractions usually have discounts (especially in Europe). It never hurts to ask! (There are also often discounts for senior travelers and veterans as well as always ask!)

9. Get City Tourist Cards

They are an amazing way to save money on attractions that not enough people use. Just head to the local tourism office to find out what cards are available. They can help answer all your questions and make sure you save as much money as possible. Not every city has them, but most major destinations do and you’ll save a lot of money if you plan on seeing the major sights.

10. Capitalize on Your Skills

Additionally, if you have a skill, sell it. Offer haircuts to other travelers, busk for money, provide online services like editing, graphic design, or consulting. It’s never been easier to work online. As long as you have Wi-Fi you can make money. The sky is the limit here — get creative!

11. Travel Hack and Get Free Flights!

Travel hacking is the #1 way I’ve been able to afford so many flights and hotels over the years. Simply by using a travel credit card for regular spending on groceries, restaurants, and shopping I’ve been able to earn free flights and hotel stays — all by spending money I was going to spend anyway!

These days, there are tons of ways to earn free flights. Simpley sign up for a few travel credit cards, collect miles, and then fly for free.

Most cards offer sign-up bonuses of 50,000 points (or more) — which is often enough for a free round-trip flight right there. And if you sign up for both an airline card (e.g., a United Airlines credit card) and a general rewards card like the Chase Sapphire, you can combine the two point balances and get a cheap flight faster.

By collecting points and miles through credit card bonuses, smart everyday spending, online surveys, bonuses, and other methods, you’ll accrue a ton of miles even before you’ve left for your trip. You can go a lot further in the world when you take away the cost of flights and some accommodation.

It’s not just for Americans either (though US residents have the best options). Canadians can travel hack too, as can folks from Australia and New Zealand and the UK.

Europeans also have several options as well, including all kinds of airline cards such as Norweigan Air, SAS, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and more.

READ MORE ABOUT TRAVEL HACKING:

12. Stay for Free

There are many services that connect travelers with locals who are willing to let them stay with them for free. Using these sites, you will never have to pay for accommodation. Years ago I read about a guy who traveled for years while only Couchsurfing.

I’ve used this service dozens of times over the years times and always meet amazing people. Sometimes you get a room, sometimes a couch, sometimes an air mattress, but it’s always free.

Ideally, you’ll want to repay your host’s kindness by cooking them a meal, bringing them a souvenir from home, or taking them out for a drink. But that will still be much cheaper than paying for accommodation!

There are also local Couchsurfing group meet-ups that can help you make friends in your new city. You can even use the app just to meet people without having to stay with them. It’s a great way to connect with local insiders — weather you want a free place to stay or not.

Moreover, because of the rise of the sharing economy in the last few years, there are now websites that let you not only stay with locals but share rides, meals, train tickets, gear, and much more! These websites not only save you a TON of money but they also get you off the tourist track and into the local life. Win-win! Here is a list of websites to use for free accommodation:

READ MORE ABOUT FINDING CHEAP OR FREE ACCCOMMODATION:

13. Hitchhike

Hitchhiking is a free way to get around that is relatively safe and quite common in many parts of the world, including Central America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

I’ve hitchhiked in more than a handful of countries (and I know solo female travelers who have done the same!). Sure, it has a bad reputation in North America, but with some common sense and a bit of patience, you can hitchhike almost anywhere — saving you tons of money in the process!

Here are a few basic tips to help you get started:

READ MORE ABOUT HITCHHIKING:

14. Take Free Walking Tours

Want to learn about the city, get your bearings, and see the major sights? Take a free walking tour. You can find them in most major cities — just ask the local tourist office, your hostel staff, or Google “free walking tour (city name).”

You’ll get a solid introduction to the city while also getting access to a local guide you can ask questions to. I always start my visits to a new city with one. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end (that’s how they get paid).

READ MORE ABOUT TAKING FREE WALKING TOURS:

15. House Sitting & Pet Sitting

If you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford a vacation, consider watching someone’s house while they go on theirs! You can sign up for one of the sites below and watch people’s homes (and their pets) for free, allowing you to stay in one destination for a while without having to pay for accommodation. Everyone’s account is verified and has reviews so you know you won’t get cheated.

This is a great platform for long-term travel with an important added bonus: you get a kitchen to cook your food (which saves you even more money!).

You will also often get access to a vehicle and sometimes will be left a tip or free groceries. It’s generally people who are well off that can afford multi-month vacations so you’re usually in pretty nice homes and apartments too!

Here are the best house-sitting websites to check out:

READ MORE ABOUT HOUSE SITTING:

16. Use Your Social Network

Does your colleague have a relative in Spain? Or maybe you have a distant cousin who lives in New Zealand. Or maybe a childhood friend of yours is working down in Brazil.

These days, we have a vast social network of friends and family that stretches across the globe. Don’t hesitate to use that! Ask your co-workers and friends if they know anyone where you’re going. Get your mom to ask her co-workers and friends, too.

By implementing a variety of these tips, you’ll be able to travel for relatively little money. With a little planning and some creativity, you can travel the world for cheap.

Because if I can do it, you can do it too!

Whether it’s two months, two years, or just a two-week vacation, travel doesn’t need to cost a ton. The key is to get out of the mindset that you must travel using a flight/hotel combination. Using out-of-the-box, nontraditional ways to travel can lead to big savings.

But it all starts with a change in mindset. From there, with some patience and practice, you’ll be able to make your travel dreams a reality — without breaking the bank!

Want to Learn How I Travel the World for Free?

Stop paying full price! Download our free guide to travel hacking and learn:

My New York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

How To Travel For Free : 39 Smart Hacks

One of the biggest myths out there is that you need to be rich to travel. With these simple but life-changing hacks I’ll show you how to travel without money!

Let’s repeat that.

You do not need to be rich to travel.

In fact, a limited budget is a challenge that often results in funnier travel experiences and stories to tell. After all the best things in life are free… or at least cheap!

Here’s some simple life-changing hacks to travel more often with a smaller budget.
Choose a category:

Tips To Travel With No Money At All (Seriously!) >>

1 Free Walking Tours

One recent development in Europe is the advent of free walking (or even biking) tours. It’s a great way to get to know the place by the eyes of a local at a minimal cost. In expensive places like Stockholm free tours can be a great way to save money. Plus, you can meet loads of people too!

2 Stay in Hostels For “Free”

Paying with money is so last century. WorldPackers allows you exchange your skills for free accommodation in hostels worldwide.

So instead of paying, you can actually collaborate with your hostel. You can end up improving their website, painting a new wall or even bartending. Just be creative!

3 Seek Out Free Wifi

Finding WiFi abroad is becoming the Holy Grail for travellers nowadays. We all need to communicate, google some essential stuff or post some photos on Facebook to make everyone at home envious.

Start with booking accommodation with WiFi available. It’s convenient to communicate with people back home. While you are outside, mobile apps like WifiMagic make sure you are always grinding the networks nearby.

4 WWOOFing

WWOOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and is a network of national organizations that accept volunteers on farms around the world.

While you’ll need to get there by yourself, volunteers have a free room and meals. No prior experience required. A great way to combine work and travel on the cheap.

WWOOFFing, an affordable and sustainable way to travel. Source: GapYear.com

5 Look For Free Days

A simple yet so powerful tip. Museums and other tourist sights often have free days or discounted days. Before your departure, make sure you look on their website for this info.

In Barcelona for instance almost of all of the major museums are free on Sundays after 3pm. Vatican Museums in Vatican City have free admittance on the last Sunday of the month. And the Museum of Modern Art in New York City has a free entrance on Friday afternoon.

6 CouchSurf

Couchsurfing connects travelers with locals willing to let them stay with them for FREE.

Frequent users of this website never have to pay for accommodation all around the world. While you can’t afford to be picky – you might get an air mattress or a lousy couch – it’s always free!

7 Walk, Walk, Walk

For me nothing beats walking when I’m abroad. It keeps you active while allowing you to fully explore a new place. There’s no better way to get lost in narrow streets, experience the local cafés or talk with locals. Ah did I mention it’s FREE?

8 Get Paid To Be a Travel Mailman

Ever been asked to bring something from a trip? Now you can finally get paid to do it! Grabr is a peer-to-peer shopping and delivery network that connects shoppers and travellers all around the world, generating a win-win situation.

Shoppers get a quirky item from anywhere delivered wherever they want and travellers have an extra way to earn extra money to continue their travels.

It’s literally making money while you travel!

9 Land a Job Abroad

I know, who wants to work while you are on vacation?

But if your desire to wander away is stronger than a desire to build a career, you’ll need a way to fund your next adventures. On the plus side, you’ll be making friends and get a taste of the local culture.

You’ll be surprised by the amount of opportunities out there. WorkAway is a good place to start but there are specific jobs that are very remote-friendly, like for instance being a language tutor. On Preply you can be a paid tutor and give language lessons via Skype. From anywhere.

Here are other short-term jobs that don’t require a fancy background or loads of experience.

Short-Term Jobs Abroad To Make Money While You Travel

Ways To Lower Transportation Travel Costs >>

10 Become Flight Search Savvy Online

Using flight comparison websites like Skyscanner can go a long way to find the absolute best price for your upcoming trip. I always set up their email alerts to let me know whenever there is a good deal.

Hopper goes deeper and gives you insights on the price range of the flight you’re seeking, as well as the expected price evolution until your departure.

I’ve also written a full guide on how to find cheap flights online, full of flight hacks you can start applying today.

Pro Tip to find cheap flights online: Don’t forget to look up flight prices in the anonymous mode of your browser (or delete the cookies/history)!

11 Sleep While Travelling

When travelling a long distance by plane, train or bus, time your journey at night and in order to save a night’s accommodation. You might not get the top of luxury standards, but that one ticket is a “two per one” deal.

12 Use Public Transportation

Whenever the distance is too demanding, I choose to get around using public transports. Not only is cheaper than taxis, it’s a challenging and more authentic way to navigate around a new place.

Bear in mind 24-hour, 3-day or even weekly public transport passes are usually way better value-for-money deals than single tickets.

13 Go On A RoadTrip

I’m a big fan of road trips. I’ve road tripped Portugal a couple of times and my road trip through Croatia was memorable.

Not only a road trip allows you to explore a country at your own pace and rhythm and take more in, it can also be a budget saver in many ways. Journeys, trips and flights can quickly eat your budget.

14 Rent A Bike

Bikes are extremely cost-effective ways of getting around AND you’re keeping yourself active at the same time. After walking, it’s definitely my favourite way to move!

While not all the destinations are suited for this, you can easily explore a city or town for less than 10USD/day in Europe and less than 3USD/day in Asia. I’ve rented a bike for 2USD for an entire day in Ninh Binh, Vietnam!

Some hotels even offer bike rentals included in the room price. I’ll be staying in a Bed & Bike accommodation on my upcoming trip to Chiang Mai.

Renting a bike is always a good idea.

15 Be Flexible with Your Flight Dates

Flexibility on flight dates, hours and even airports can make you save BIG. Websites like SkyScanner have monthly and yearly overviews which are quite handy for this kind of analysis. Flying on unpopular hours – like early in the morning – also guarantees you a friendlier price.

16 Explore The World Of Rail Passes

If you’re planning to use train a lot on your upcoming trip, booking ahead of time can usually save you loads of money. About half the price to be exact.

However, rail passes are a better option if you don’t want to stick to a fixed schedule. Specially in Europe, these can be a real bargain. EuroRail website has got more info.

17 Learn The Right Tools to Buy Your Flights

Getting a good deal for flights online has a bit of a learning curve and much of it has to do with timings. Start probing prices as early as possible, but aim to buy your flight 10-14 weeks in advance.

Tips For Lower Accommodation Travel Costs >>

18 Try Secret Hotel Rooms

Secret or mystery hotel rooms are unsold medium-to-luxury hotel rooms and being offered at a reduced price (usually somewhere 20%-50% their usual list price). Hotels use these as an alternative way to get some money for the rooms left empty.

The only catch is you don’t know before hand which hotel are you booking your room. Weeeeell, technically there are some tricks you can use to find which hotel are you likely to be booking.

19 House Sit

Not familiar with the concept? House sitting allows you to “take care” of the house of someone else when the owner is away. This basically means free accommodation worldwide!

The bad news is that on the large house-sitting websites like Trusted House Sitters you’ll need to pay before you are able to contact the homeowners. Still, the membership fee is a small fraction of what you can potentially save in accommodation around the world!

20 Deal Directly With The Hotel

Websites like Booking have great accommodation deals but sometimes the best way is to go back to basics.

Call or email the hotel, hostel or guesthouse and ask about rates on their rooms. You might get surprised with special deals there are not online anywhere.

Ideas To Lower Food Travel Costs >>

21 Visit Local Markets

Market places are usually a great place to take a pulse on the vibe and energy of your destination. For instance, you can get crazy cheap deals while shopping in the street markets in Bangkok. Additionally, it’s home to some of the best places to eat authentic local food without spending too much.

Don’t eat these for your lunch though. They’re bad for your teeth.

22 Avoid Having Dinner Out

Restaurants often raise prices for dinner and have their best deals during the day. There is a reason why lunch special menus are so popular. You can eat the same (or more) for a fraction of the cost you’d pay during the evening.

Brunches are also great options as they merge two meals – breakfast and lunch – in only one bill.

23 Hit The Buffets

Keep your eyes open for all-you-can-eat buffets. They offer an unlimited amount of food for a decent cost, to say the least. Hitting a few of these places on your trip is a smart way to keep both your belly and your wallet full.

Pro Tip: If you are on hardcore budget, make yourself some sneaky sandwiches and save them for later.

24 Cook Your Meals

While there is the obvious downside of eating out and missing on the local food experience, you won’t ruin your trip to London if you decide not to eat out one day!

Cooking your own meals can be a true budget-saver, particularly in the most expensive destinations. Aim to stay at an apartment – via AirBnb – with free use of the kitchen. Oh and here’s FREE 35USD to get you started.

25 Avoid Touristy Places To Eat

Cafés and restaurants near the top tourist attractions are often overpriced and not good quality. You might end up paying more for something that is not authentic at all.

Sometimes all it takes is to go one block or street over to find hole-in-the-wall places in which you can have much better local meal tucked away from crowds.

Rome is a good example. In a city which such a rich food culture, it would be a crime if you sit to eat in the first trattoria next to the Colosseum. Explore the nearby side streets or go to Trastevere to find cheaper food and avoid tourist traps.

Off the beaten track Rome.

26 Indulge On Street Food

Street food can be delicious, cheap and against all odds, safe! You can actually see what’s being cooked fresh right in front of you. Pay attention to the busiest street food stalls where locals eat or just try asking someone local where do they go.

An example of a country where you should definitely try street food is Belgium. Belgian street food is cheap, delicious and highly caloric. Oh lord, I’ll never forget those frites!

Digital Tips To Lower Travel Costs >>

27 Use Reviews In Your Favour

Reviews, reviews, reviews. We live in a world of reviews. With this crazy amount of information online, make sure you use it to make smart travel choices.

Apps/websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp are absolute great ways to learn about experiences of other independent travellers and locals on hotels, sights and restaurants. While online reviews have reached the point you can’t trust everything you read, as a whole they’re still useful to make well-founded decisions on your travels.

28 Avoid Roaming Fees

Try to rely on apps that allow VoIP communications like Skype or Whatsapp and if you are an iPhone user, make sure your “Send as SMS” option is disabled. Buying a local or international SIM card might also be an option.

For more details check my complete guide on how to stay online abroad.

European roaming charge caps when roaming in countries in the European Economic Area. When traveling to other countries, costs can sky-rocket to an outrageous 8EUR per mega byte. Auch.

29 Save On International Transfers

Sending money overseas can do some A LOT of damage to your bank account. That’s why you need to consider to use a cost-efficient option like HiFX. It allows to send money internationally from one currency to another at great foreign exchange rates and minimal fees.

30 Use The Right Apps

Even if you are not a geek like me or you like to travel “off-the-grid”, some travel resources out there are able to save you money just with a couple of taps on your phone!

Here is a small shortlist of the apps you should have installed on your phone.

List Of Must-Have Apps For Budget Travellers

Also don’t forget to check my full list of resources to make you travel smarter.

Other Generic Tips To Travel On A Budget >>

31 Educate Yourself On Your Next Destination

Even if you’re not the planning type, some research is advisable. Get savvy on the price of things, exchange rates and tours. Learn the best way to get around and the cheapest areas to stay and to eat. This will make it much easier to budget your trip. A good guidebook could be of great help in this planning phase.

32 Use Credit Card Rewards To Get Free Flights

I usually don’t like to give out this tip.

Firstly, I’m far from being an expert on credit card rewards. I could be doing a much better job, but for some reason it just seems too complex. It’s even harder to get advice on how to get airline miles on european credit cards.

Having that said, educating yourself about credit card reward schemes is a good bet. Get it right and you could be having free (!) flights frequently without spending almost any extra money!

I recommend you start learning with the experts I’ve got bookmarked on my favourites: The Points Guy and Flyer Talk.

33 Avoid Expensive Countries

I know, this one is pretty obvious. But I often know people who get surprised by the costs of food and accommodation in some countries so I feel it should be on the list. Even though expensive places like Stockholm can be travel hacked and visited on a budget, there are way wiser options.

Avoid these if you are on a shoestring budget.

Angola, Japan, Iceland and Qatar are also amongst the most expensive in the world.

Do some research, plan your trip accordingly and spend more time in budget-friendly countries. Most of the countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe are affordable.

34 Keep Track Of Your Expenses

This is key. Take note of your expenses abroad in a notebook, a memo on your phone or in an app. I usually do this once a day, when arrive the hotel at night. Yes, sometimes is utterly boring, but it creates more awareness than you think. It’s way easier to keep on budget if you visualize where your money is going.

35 Travel Off Season

Traveling off-peak season is one giant step to make your travel costs go down instantly. Flight prices in high season can be the double as compared to peak summer dates, not to mention the combined price of accommodation, restaurants and guided tours which will likely be inflated too.

Timing your trip to target shoulder season – when crowds are far from massive and weather is still acceptable – to save you loads of money.

36 Buy Travel Insurance

I know, it seems another drain on your money, but travel insurance is essential. You never know what can happen. And if you’re not insured in a foreign country, it could end up with a bill of hundreds of dollars!

Get a quote from the simple & flexible World Nomad’s travel insurance.

37 Follow The Disaster

While the rest of the world rules out destinations because of political issues or natural disasters, it’s your time to enter in scene. Right after one of these events, flight prices and accommodation are at a fraction of what they normally cost.

This period of grace can last anywhere from a few days to years. If you are smart about it, you can save loads of money!

38 Be Careful With Exchange Rates

You should try to take a good amount of money at a good rate even before the departure. Additionally, this helps budget your total spend.

When you’re abroad, use the rule of 3: always check three places before exchanging money to get the best deal. Usually airports and withdrawing money directly from ATMs are a bad choice.

Like mentioned in #30, XE Currency can be of great value.

39 Haggle

Obviously this can only be done in some countries, but if you train yourself at it, you can save a respectable amount of money in each purchase. In places like Thailand and Indonesia, take the initial price as a suggestion only, even if it is advertised.

Haggling pro tip: As a rule of thumb, try to pay less than 50% of the initial price.

Grand Bazaar at Istanbul: my first (not so successful) haggling experience.

Travel Without Money Is Not A Bad Thing!

Watching what you spend by any means does not mean less fun. In fact, it’s often the opposite. To travel without (almost any) money you need to do is to do smart choices!

Like everything in life, balance is key.

Now that you’ve saved literally hundreds and hundreds of dollars, loosen up a bit. Use your savings and splurge on that amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience that is both an unmissable opportunity and something normally out of your price range. Allow yourself some treats.

Help me find the tip #40!
What is your biggest budget secret to travel without money and to lower your travel costs?

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48 comments 💬

AirBnb is an incredibly expensive option in comparison with the cheapest hostels. It shouldn’t even be mentioned on budget travel guides. Avoid AirBnb. Even the cheapest Hotels in town are cheaper than AirBnb.

In general I agree. However, in some cases might be worth it. A family of 5 or 6 or even a group of friends can save a lot in Airbnb vs a group of friends.

I want to travel all world by road in low budget by hitchhiking

That’s a great way to explore the world, makes you efficient Dinesh

Thank you for all the great tips. This was really informative. I haven’t begun to travel abroad yet, but I hope to make great use of this knowledge some day!

i really need to go to usa

Worldpackers is truly a wonderful idea, informative and helpful post!

In some places, you can pick up buckets of mussels and crabs from the beach, when the sea turns to low tide. France and Zealand (Holland) surely have someplaces where this is possible (not Always legal)

Interesting, never heard of this, but sourcing our own food is an appealing idea 🙂

In Belgium, you can use the site “wattedoen.be” which mentions all flea markets and garage sales. Sometimes they sell very cheap second hand bikes. There is a big variation in prices andquality. Let’s say it must be possible to find a 30 € bike, sometimes cheaper, but there are also more expensive options. I wonder if they have similar websites in other countries. You can travel some time with a bike, sell it again, hitchhike further, and do the same thing again.

Obviously there are flea markets everywhere, but this site aggregating all this info I’ve never heard before. Very smart idea if you’re traveling slow!

Wow, that’s extreme but I guess extremely budget-saving!

Go to big gathering, such as the Köllner Lichte, water bottles and beer bottles are thrown away in huge masse, while there is consignation on it. This means super markets have to refund you for the empty bottles. Used to live a long time in Belgium from the money I receiverd for thrown away bottles, also hired a garden in which I planted fruits and veggies.

Seems like you are a real resourceful guy, I love it!

1 cycle
2 look for free expensive camping gear at festivals, the day after, lots of stuff left behind
3 in Europe there are also cheap bus companies, which have an alternative for global rail passes, euro lines offers an alternative pass, and flixbus offers a five city trip for 99 €
4 try to cook with the fruits of the trees, you can bake apples in the pan as a garniture for bread, you might even make some simple capati’s on a beer can stove or beignets. Rosehips are very common in plantation, but no one uses fresh rosehips, only dried tea
5 go to Ikea, in Belgium they offer a cold breakfast (2 sandwiches, marmelade, cheese, butter, coffee unlimited) for 1 €. They also offer the veggie Swedish balls with cranberries and mashed potatoes/rice/fries for 4 € (in expensive countries, they are surely a cheaper alternative)

6 write down your travel experiences and take some pics, make small booklets of it, and sell them in cities all over the world

7 For the time you stay home, grow your own groceries, fill your fridge with self cooked soups, curries, pasta, burgers. In Belgium you Always find nuts, chestnuts, hazlenuts as ingredients

8 A lot of cities have some social projects where you offen can buy a jersey for 1 € or something similar. Flee markets and garage sells sometimes also offer spectacular things

9 In Europe, try the camino to Santiago De Compostella. It’s a pilgrim route, people of the road often offer free accomodation

10 Also monestaries might provide you temporarily with shelter in exchange of a helping hand

Awesome, thank you so much for sharing so many peachy tips!

Adding to 10. Temples in Asia also do the same!

That was a great guide to travel with save alot money. I like it.

This was really informative. Learnt a lot of useful tips for travelling which i didnt know.

Glad to know Athira!

This is so informative. I am lookinf forward to trying wwoofing on my next trip. I came across something similar to wwoofing on a platform called Hippohelp. Have you ever tried it?

I’ve never tried it, but seems indeed very similar.

It was a wonderful article
I did not think that traveling without money would be possible.

It is, just need to be a little creative 😉

How to Travel The World With Almost No Money by Tomislav Perko (Transcript)

Full text of Tomislav Perko on How to Travel The World With Almost No Money at TEDxTUHH conference.

TRANSCRIPT:

Hey guys, I am Tom from Croatia. In the last couple of years, the world has been my home. I traveled, I hitchhiked, cars, trucks, horses, motorcycle, boats. I drove in buses, trains, rickshaws. I worked all jobs, spent time with locals. I volunteered. I became a monk. Just kidding, I sailed across the Indian Ocean. I tried things that I never tried before. I have seen things that I will remember as long as I live. And all that with almost no money.

That’s pretty much it. Thank you very much. No, most of the people when they see this video they react with, wow! I wish I could travel like that. And the thing is most of us actually can.

Before I started traveling, as Andrew said, I was a stockbroker, working 9 to 5, had a lot of money. And then the crash came, 2008. I lost my job. I lost the money and I lost the meaning. At that time I discovered one website CouchSurfing. I don’t know how many of you guys heard about CouchSurfing.

Okay. How many of you haven’t heard about CouchSurfing? Okay. For you guys, it’s an Internet website that allows you to host travelers in your own home. And at the same time it allows you to stay in other people’s homes while traveling yourself.

When I was hosting people in my apartment, over 150 of them, by listening to their stories and seeing the spark in their eyes, my thought was, wow! I wish I could travel like that. But I was afraid. The world is a very dangerous place, at least according to the media, our education, our family, church and so on. I was afraid of leaving my comfort zone and going by myself into the unknown world.

And I was also afraid of not having any money. And then the people that I hosted in my apartment told me two amazing things. First of all, you don’t have to be brave to travel. You just have to have a little bit of courage to start to lead. And the other thing they told me is that you don’t have to be rich to travel.

Actually all expenses while you’re traveling fall into three major categories. First is transportation to get from point A to point B. The other thing is accommodation. And the last is everything else: food, drinks and so on. And they told me if you minimize those three expenses to some minimum, it can be actually cheaper to travel than live in your own city.

I listened to them. And for the next five years I’ve been traveling around the world with almost no money. And this is how I did.

First thing, I hitchhiked. Apart from being free, apart from being really fast, it allowed me one amazing thing to have an adventure between point A and point B. And how many of you guys have ever a hitchhike? Okay. Quite a lot. Well, what are you doing?

Okay. I’m going to play you a short video called hitchhiking guide. Just to tell you a few unwritten rules about hitchhiking and some of my experiences.

[Video: When it comes to hitchhiking, everything is about using common sense. First, to start, you have to get out of the city, villages or wherever you live.

Lesson number two, stick up your thumb. Hitchhiking lesson number 36, look distance, like save stuff and try to wear some lean clothes or whatever or hike behind your backpack. Lesson number 54, do not hitchhike during night. Don’t be grumpy. Lesson number 58, eye contact with the drivers. Don’t hitchhike alone. I have a friend that I hitchhike with. Lesson number 21, talk with the drivers when you are in the car because that’s the only way you can repay them – they would like to hear some interesting stories, if you have one. It’s not just listen to their story, that’s sometimes enough. Lesson number 9, fasten your seatbelts if you have one. Hitchhike lesson number 62, be always happy. You’re hitchhiking, it’s your choice. Be patient – but no matter how long you wait, the right driver will come. There are no rules actually. Just go out there and enjoy your life and challenge yourself. – Video concludes.]

Thank you. There are other alternatives to transportation. One of them is walking. You guys know what that is. How many of you – so you just take your backpack and hit the road. Another way is cycling. It’s not maybe completely free because you have to buy the bicycle and eventually fix it. But it’s much more cheaper than the conventional method of transportation. And the last one is actually working in exchange for transportation. I did this when I was sailing across the Indian Ocean from Australia to Africa. And I didn’t have to pay for the ride, I just needed to do some work on the boat like do some night watches, cooking and stuff like that.

When it comes to accommodation, most of the time I use CouchSurfing. Because I had a lot of experience, I had a lot of these positive. references on the website and so on. And what I like about CouchSurfing the most is not only because it’s free, it allows you to have a different perspective of the destination. You’re not destined to stay in your hotel room or take the tours. You just hang out with your host. He takes you in places that you would probably never visit by yourself.

But also there are some other alternatives. One of them is camping. You have your tents, you can sleep almost anywhere you want. In the big cities I usually slept in parks, just have my sleeping bag and my mattress. And the last one when it comes to accommodation is volunteering. There are a lot of opportunities all around the world that offer you to work in exchange for accommodation, sometimes even food. So you get to sleep in beautiful rooms like this.

When it comes to all the other expenses, one of them is food. In rich cities, in rich countries I usually buy food in supermarkets which is the cheapest way and just eat on the street. You can also cook with your host which can be pretty, pretty unique experience to say the least. These are Germans actually. Sorry. But it was pretty delicious to say the least and one of the cheapest.

Another thing is dumpster diving. Maybe over 40% to 50% of the food that is being produced is being thrown away and a lot of people have a problem with that, so they go to supermarket bins after the closing hours and just take all the food that is not going to be sold day after.

And when it comes to drinks, booze, the usual try to avoid bars and restaurants and drink in parks. This is how you can travel really really cheap.

But one other thing when it comes to traveling is that you can earn money while you’re traveling. How to do that? I did a couple of times. One of them is busking, playing the guitar on the street. I’m not a musician. I know like probably four or five chords and four songs. So it’s like repeat all, you know like, people are passing by, so they’re like they don’t really know. But the most important thing is to have a story. I always had my small cartoon board which I wrote — actually somebody else wrote in a local language, where I’m from and what I’m doing there, what’s my story. And I think that’s what people donate a little bit of money, some sandwiches, sodas and so on. You won’t earn a lot of money by doing this but it can get you through the day.

19 Secrets – How to Travel the World With No Money (And Cheaply)

Learn How to Travel the World With No Money

If you are feeling low on cash, don’t let that hold you back from exploring the world. Travel is not reserved for the super rich and and there are many ways to learn how to travel the world with no money or very little at your disposal. If you want to immerse yourself in new cultures and environments there are ways to get around.

With some creativity and energy, you can navigate your way to the ends of the earth. If you look at this infographic, you will see there are many ways to travel on a small budget. As long as you stay open minded and accept the generosity of others, you should have no trouble eating and finding a place to stay. Consider following some of these budget saving tactics for your next adventure.

Learn how to travel the world with no money!

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1. Watch out for deals on flights

Fly smart. Seek out budget airlines for deals on flights around Europe and internationally. You will be surprised to see some of the sales they offer customers. Find tips for how to book a cheap flight here.

Check out the following airlines for a reduced flight:

2. Couch-surf

Couchsurfing involves staying at a person’s house for free. There are many well-known websites where you can link up with a potential host. One great benefit of couch-surfing (along with saving lots of money) is you get to meet locals who will almost always have great travel tips and advice. Check out couchsurfing.org for more information.

3. Trade labour at a hostel

Once you arrived at your destination, speak with the hostel manager about working to earn your stay. If they are short on staff, you can usually negotiate picking up work in exchange for your room. Many websites such as hostelworld.com feature hostel jobs on their message board.

4. Take on a challenge

Many companies will help you organise a challenge or join an expedition in the name of charity. You undertake the challenge and raise sponsors and they will help you with the rest.

5. Organise a tour

If you can round up a group, most tour companies will offer you a discount. They refer to these people as “group leaders” but this does not mean you are responsible for the group during the tour. You are responsible for arranging who will be going, when you will go and where. This is an excellent option for teachers who have large groups of students.

Organise your own tour here:

6. Hitch-hike or carpool

Find someone going the same direction as you and join them. Hitch-hiking can be a perfectly safe way to get around but you should always take precaution about who you choose to travel with. If you have your own car, then you can seek out others going the same direction as you to offset the cost of fuel.

Look out for ride postings on bulletin boards at hostels to find a carpool. This will give you the opportunity to meet with someone in advance and get an idea of what they are like.

There are some great websites that help travellers link up for rides:

7. Be a house-sitter

House-sitting is a great way to stay somewhere for free. You may even find yourself staying somewhere luxurious. Keep in mind, as a house-sitter you are usually required to take care of the pets and cover some of the bills.

The best way to find your next place to sleep is to checkout popular websites for house-sitting:

8. Eat home cooked meals

Whether you cook your own or enjoy a meal cooked for you – home cooked meals are much more affordable than dining out and this is another secret to how to travel the world with no money. One way to sample the local cuisine is to sample meals prepared by locals in their own homes.

Make new friends and be open to their generosity. There are also websites that allow you to connect with local chefs. For example, Homefood.it connects you with local chefs in Italy and offers visitors a traditional meal for a £30 contribution (costs some but more authentic then cooking for yourself).

You might also enjoy these online communities aimed at helping you connect with others for a meal:

9. Teach English

Trade your English language skills in exchange for food and a place to stay. At Pueblo Engles schools in Italy and Spain you can find this for one to one and group sessions. There is also chinahomestsay.org, where you are given food and board in exchange for four hours of language lessons a week (fee is £280).

If you are looking to learn instead of teach then there is always eurolingua.com offering opportunities to stay with a family in another country to become fluent in a language. Learn French, Chinese and Dutch!

There are also these popular companies:

10. Deliver a car

Love the open road? Autodrivewawaydc.com gives you the opportunity to arrange “driveaways” where you drive someone’s car across the country and save them the expense of having it shipped. If you’re wondering how to travel the world with no money, all you require is a deposit and driving license. Keep in mind, the company will only pay for one tank of fuel.

11. Find a free guide & tour

There are people who will show you around for free in many popular cities. Visit bigapplegreeter.org to find free tour guides in cities like Paris, New York, Melbourne and Buenos Aires.

12. Work for your supper

Go to Help Exchange if you are willing to put in a bit of graft for your food and accommodation. This website provides an online listing of organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, backpackers hostels and more who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them in exchange for food and accommodation. In a typical arrangement, you as the helper would work about four hours a day and receive free accommodation and meals for your efforts.

13. House swap

If you have a house up for offer, you can always advertise it on popular websites. With a registration fee, you can usually advertise your property for up to a year.

Here are some popular house swap websites:

14. Do it for charity, fund-raise & volunteer

Many university campuses offer students the opportunity to raise money for charity in a ‘Jailbreak’ challenge through student groups and societies. This is where students are encouraged to travel as far as they can without spending any money. Friends and family often sponsor you by the mile. It is not uncommon to receive sponsorship from companies, who will often support a good cause.

If you would like to support a worthy cause, you could also fund-raise to support this work. Many volunteer organizations will also help you out with flights and accommodation in return for your skills and time.

15. Crew a yacht or cruise ship

There is no better way to explore the world then from the ocean. If you are lacking in sea-faring knowledge, there are still many other skills in demand aboard a ship (culinary, mechanical, navigational, entertainment – to name a few). Crewseekers International is a good place to start, where you can browse opportunities on ships.

16. Work on a farm

Fancy getting your hands a little dirty or perhaps getting down to basics? WWOOF is a membership charity that teaches people about organic farming through hands on experience.

Through this charity, it’s easy to travel the world with no money since you are compensated with food, accommodation and stipends for your labour on farms. With a small upfront membership fee, you can connect with farms all over the world and find both long and short term work opportunities.

17. Get a travel scholarship

If you are a student, there is a lot of funding out there for students to study abroad through scholarship schemes. The UNESCO Study Abroad Guide lists study opportunities and scholarships in 129 countries. There are also many government funded programs (around three weeks in length) such as Study China.

18. Seek out travel grants

There are many organisations that exist to fund travellers. If you want to be funded by an organisation then you will need to present a clear plan and convince them that your trip is justifiable. These organisations usually value trips that will enhance personal or cultural development in places. Both the UN and UNESCO offer travel grant opportunities.

19. Enter contests

If you are really strapped for cash, there are actually a lot of travel contests available to you. Some contests include travel writing, photography film and documentary submissions where you can win cash prizes to help fund your journey.