Travel on a Budget Becomes Possible with a Little Creativity

Many people like traveling. Psychiatrists often recommend it as well. If you travel, you broaden your horizons. You can make some fun memories that you’ll doubtless look back on happily in the coming years.

If you don’t have very much money, though, you may not feel sure you should travel. You can probably figure out how to do it, though, if you get creative. We’ll discuss some cheap travel tactics that you might employ right now.

You Can Take the Bus Instead of Driving

If you drive when you go on vacation, you can save money over flying. However, driving has its risks. For instance, drowsy drivers cause about 20% of car wrecks. If you’re taking a driving trip that lasts many hours, and no one can take the wheel when you feel tired, that’s a potential danger.

If you take a bus instead, you avoid this issue entirely. Many times, you can find buses that travel all around the country. As long as you’re not traveling internationally, you can look into Greyhound or one of the other popular bus companies.

You might also see whether you can get train tickets and reach your destination that way. You won’t see extensive train routes across the US, but you can find them in some parts of the country.  

You Can Drive Instead of Flying

You can also drive somewhere rather than flying. If you fly, that’s usually the most expensive option. If a bus or train doesn’t appeal, driving might seem like the better solution.

If you drive, you needn’t adhere to a train or bus schedule. You can leave anytime you want and stop whenever you feel like it along the way as well.

If you see something appealing while you’re driving, you can stop and check it out. You make the itinerary, and you’re totally in charge.

If you drive, consider bringing someone else along. They can help with the driving if you feel fatigued. If you’re traveling with family members, a spouse or partner might share the driving duties. If you have older kids who got their driver’s licenses, they can take a turn as well if they’re confident highway and city drivers.

You Can Use Credit Card Points

You might also think about using some credit card points. If you play your cards right and find the best deals, you might save up points for quite some time before taking your trip.

Some credit cards have huge point bonuses when you sign up with them. Others give you travel points or miles with every purchase.

That can make a real difference when you travel. If you cash in a lot of points, you might get a free flight or hotel room. If you can’t manage that, you may at least get a discounted hotel room or plane ticket. Using both credit card points and cash together might get you to an exotic destination about which you’ve always dreamed.

You Can Vacation at an Unpopular Time of the Year

You might also think about when traveling makes the most sense for you. If saving money occupies your thoughts, then traveling at an unpopular time of the year can save you quite a lot on the overall trip cost.

If you’re targeting a popular vacation spot, see what the prices look like during the offseason. You won’t find as many tourist attractions open, but you should still enjoy yourself. You might also head somewhere that doesn’t have such a lively tourist trade. Less popular destinations cost less.

You Can Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort

You might look at some all-inclusive resorts. If you book a hotel stay, you must often pay extra when you need meals or when you’re enjoying the amenities.

By booking your stay at an all-inclusive resort, you know what price you must pay upfront, and you’ll have far fewer extra charges. You can stay at all-inclusive resorts that include food, lodging, and even alcohol in the price.

You Can Book Hotels During the Week

You can look into booking hotel rooms during the weeknights. It makes sense you’d pay more if you’re staying over a weekend since that’s when most other families book vacations. 

You can counteract that by looking at staying at a resort or in a hotel from Tuesday through Thursday nights. Those nights usually cost less if you look at hotel websites or third-party sites.

You Can Eat in Your Hotel and Less in Expensive Restaurants

When they are on vacation, most people either get room service or eat out in restaurants a lot. That can drive your trip’s costs up significantly.

You can keep these costs lower if you reach your destination, and then you buy groceries at stores near your hotel. If you get a room that has a kitchen, you can cook and save some money that way.  

Travel with Friends

You can also travel with friends and save money if everyone pitches in. For instance, if you don’t mind sharing rooms, you can fit several people in each one. Maybe you won’t have much privacy, but it’s an adventure, and probably a cheap one if everyone splits the hotel bill.

Stay at Less Fancy Lodgings

You might save cash by booking your stay at a less fancy hotel. Motels usually cost less. You can also look into renting cabins or camping out. Any of these options can lower your total vacation costs.

If you combine some of these ideas, you can often enjoy a vacation that won’t set you back all that much. Most of the people who feel they absolutely can’t afford vacations can do it if they get creative and they’re determined.

If you haven’t traveled in many years, figure out whether you can do so on a budget. Breaking up the monotony with travel can help you gain some clarity about your life. You might feel refreshed and more sure of yourself when you return.