My tips for cheap travel

I start with a premise: I'm not one of those people who believes you can travel at zero cost.

A family father who earns 1000 euros a month may have a lot of difficulty spending an entire salary on an intercontinental flight. Sleeping, eating and moving involves several expenses, so it is unthinkable for me to be able to afford a certain type of journey without a stable economic situation. My opinion is also influenced by the fact that I live in Paris, one of the most expensive cities in the world and where the expenses to be incurred in the daily life may be considerable.

At the same time, I think traveling without spending a fortune is absolutely possible. During my travels, I noticed some parameters in choosing accommodation, transport and restaurants that can make a difference if you want to travel at low cost.

1. Advance play on transport

This "rule" is now well known: it is good standard search for flights or trains well in advance, even 3-4 months before. From time to time I have found an unbeatable offer a week or two from the start, but very rarely. Then hundreds of hypotheses have been made as to which time, place or day of the week is ideal for finding cheap flights: in all honesty, I myself would have difficulty following them. I can only tell you that if you really find the plane or train that suits you, do not miss the opportunity and take the moment. Already the next day could cost much more!

2. Save on accommodation

Although elegant and comfortable, 4-star hotels or extra luxury apartments are certainly not needed. Today there are so many cheap housing options that there is no excuse for it to hold. Of these, I recommend guesthouse and small family-run hotels, which allow you to live a real experience local at reasonable prices. They also support local tourism, which is particularly important for developing countries. For those who have no problems with shared spaces, hostels remain, in all countries, among the cheapest options ever.

If you travel for long periods you can consider the option of workaway, which offers free accommodation and accommodation in exchange for some working hours per day. Very common also couchsurfing, completely free and great for those who want to get acquainted with locals. This last option is the only one I have never considered, perhaps for reasons of privacy and my fixation with hygiene. But in life never say never!

3. Local food, but also homely

Taste local food It is a fundamental experience to be tried on the road, but in some countries it can be too expensive. If so, stay in a hostel or apartment with equipped kitchen It also allows you to prepare some homemade meals, so you can feed without spending a fortune. If you are traveling in a couple or in a group, cooking together also helps to create good moments of cohesion, as well as surprising yourself for all the unusual dishes that can be found in supermarkets. I tried this approach in countries such as Iceland, Norway and Finland, where eating at the restaurant costs at least 30-40 euros: preparing meals at home has turned out to be much fun, as well as much cheaper.

4. Light Travel

With less and less companies low cost, baggage in the hold becomes almost more expensive than the flight itself. In such cases, the best solution for cheap travel is be minimalist and focus on hand luggage only. On the way there is no need to charge many things: a small trolley or a large backpack can be enough even for 2-3 weeks of travel. If only one suitcase is not enough, know that many companies include in the fare economy two hand luggage instead of one. If you can't give up bulky luggage... at that point you prefer other means of transport!

5. Travel with simplicity

Traveling cheap means first of all traveling in a simple way. If you are willing to give up luxury hotels, crazy expenses and unnecessary objects, the budget of your travels could be lower than you believe. More money saved means even more trips to do in the future. When you discover a new country, with its culture and its people, spending time and money in expensive activities is not necessary, at least in my opinion.

Sometimes only a spontaneous smile is enough, a walk in a local forest or a chat with local people to fully discover the essence of a trip. And these are experiences that do not cost even a penny, but much more precious than any other "value" object.