Save Money while Travelling

Although this Blog is dedicated to travelling the Developing countries & Underrated destinations, most of these Money-Saving Travel Tips apply in western countries as well. Volunteering, and working in order to travel for free is not covered in this post. We’ll start by covering in-depth the essential travel expenses: accommodation, transport, and food.

1. Accommodation

Things to avoid: hotels, resorts, eco-lodges & accommodations provided by all-inclusive tour packages.

Instead, go for:

1.1. Hostel / Guesthouse / Motel

How to find a good deal?

Online Agency

If you’re interested in legit affordable accommodation, the easiest way to find it is at Booking.com. That website is the most widely used around the world. Most of the accommodation establishments that care about their online presence, can be found there. Hostelworld.com used to be the most popular for backpackers, but nowadays, everything listed there can be found at Booking.com. Also, the same bookings tend to be listed for lower prices.

Search Engine

Alternatively, for smaller, lesser-known locations, you can try to use Google. For example, if you wanna go to Himare, Albania, type in Google Search: “Himare Albania hostel“. You’ll be able to find one of the hostels that is not listed on Booking.com. It’s called Sun Bakers Hostel, and that one is the best deal in the area.

Walk-in

This option is related to less-developed countries & lesser-known destinations, like West Africa, or Central India, for instance, where many affordable guesthouses are not listed online, and the hostels are non-exist. In those destinations, the lowest prices online will be around $30/night. However, with a little bit of adventure, by walking around, you can easily get yourself a private room for $5-12. Here are a few ideas on how to get this done:

• Walking around, or asking the locals – In order to avoid walking with a large backpack, what I like to do is, I go to a local eatery, get something to eat, and then I ask them If I could leave my backpack there, while I am looking for a place to stay (and I offer them a few bucks for that service). Alternatively, you can walk into the first hotel you see, and if the price is too high for you, ask if you can leave your backpack at the front desk, while you are looking for something within your budget.
• Start scanning guesthouses from the window, once your bus enters the city. Once you spot one that looks affordable, pinpoint the spot on your GPS app, and head there once you get off the bus.
• Another (more convenient) thing you can do is, book a pricey place you’ve found online for one night only, then explore the town while looking for a cheaper guesthouse, for the rest of your stay.

1.2. AirBnb

I am sure everyone’s heard of this popular globally used website for getting a room, shared room, or the whole property, directly from the owner. Many hostels and guesthouses advertise here instead on booking.com, so Airbnb is also a great option to find commercial accommodation as well.

In developing countries, Airbnb can be a great way to get connected with a local that will play the role of your host, guide, and friend.

The website is based on mandatory reviews, which means, after you finish your stay, both you and your host are obligated to leave a review. It forces both the visitor and the host to be responsible, in order to keep their Airbnb account alive.

Airbnb charges a fee to the host, but travellers should be aware of unexpected (but still transparent) fees, that majority of the hosts like to add. Those are the Cleaning Fees and the Service Fees.

1.3. Camping

If you are travelling with your own tent, here are several ways you can use them during your trip:

• Pitch your tent at the campsite – The most common form of camping (although, such sites are pretty scarce in developing countries). If you travel without a tent, keep in mind many campsites are renting tents nowadays.
• If you are trying to get a place in a hostel that is full, but they have a spacious yard, you can ask if you could pitch your tent in the yard.
• Wild camping – In many western countries, this is completely legal, as long as you keep a proper distance from anybody’s property. In developing countries, wild camping is loosely regulated. I’d say, as long as you find a safe & discreet spot, you’ll be fine! Somewhere in nature, you pitch your tent at night and move on early in the morning.

1.4. Couch Surfing

Unfortunately, the days of Couch Surfing seem to be over. Some corporation has purchased this revolutionary website and started charging member fees. Many hosts don’t see a point in paying for membership in order to provide free accommodation. Some hosts are trying to charge for their room. That being said, their ads don’t belong on there. Alternatives to old-school Couch surfing do exist, and the most popular ones can be found here. The only problem is, none of them have a large global member community, so if you use them, it’s less likely you’ll find a free couch at the location of your choice. Nevertheless, check them out. Maybe you get lucky…

1.5. Improvising…

Stay with the locals you’ve just met

I know it doesn’t sound very safe, but here is my rule: If a random person approaches me and offers me to stay at his place, it might be risky. On the other hand, if I approach someone and ask if I can spend a night in their place (and offer some cash), chances of getting robbed are significantly smaller, aren’t they?

In what situation would you consider asking to stay with the locals you’ve just met?

• In extreme countries like Niger, life is cheap, but accommodation is expensive. If you offer a local 3x less money than the cheapest hotel fare, you’ll make him rich, it’s a win-win scenario!
• If you arrive late and many guesthouses and hotels are already closed, or it is too late and unsafe to search for accommodation. Here’s an example from my travels:
  • When I arrived in Kaduna, Nigeria it was 2 AM + heavy rain. Tuk-tuk drove me to the guesthouse where I had a booking reservation, but it was closed. We were banging on the door, but nobody opened it. So I asked the Tuk-tuk driver if I can crash at his joint and I’d give him $5. He hesitated a bit before agreeing. Ironically, as much as some readers would find this scenario unsafe for me, the tuk-tuk driver was the one that felt unsafe:)
• On your bus journey, you meet some nice locals and start chatting with them. As the journey progresses, the relationship grows, and before the end, they invite you to stay at their place. So, instead of leaving your money at a random hotel, you rather treat these new friends you’ve just met and enjoy their company during your stay.
• You ended up in a small village without tourist facilities, so wild camping or crashing at a locals’ joint would be your only options.

Sleep while travelling

For your journey, choose a night bus and save one 1 night of accommodation! Peru and Bolivia have upcharge options for sleeping seats. India has awesome full-bed buses that operate at night.

Sleep at the airport

This could be very convenient if you’re having a flight with a very early departure time, or a very late arrival time. Great way to save money and stress! I have described this with more details in my Save money on Flights post. You can try and do the same at train stations and bus terminals. I’ve never done it, but I am sure it can be comfortably done in some locations.

Wild Camping (as described above)

2. Transport – long distance

Things to avoid: flights, private rides & car rentals

Car rentals could be a very affordable option for 3 travellers, however, you need to keep in mind, in developing countries, there is a lot greater risk of getting robbed in your car, than in a public bus. Also, police at checkpoints or land borders love collecting bribes from travellers in a private vehicle, while they rarely hustle travellers using public transport.

Instead, go for:

Public Transport

• Bus vs train – In Africa this is not an issue cause trains are pretty much non-existent. Elsewhere, it depends from country to country.
• In many developing countries (especially West Africa), busses do not have a set departure time. They simply leave once they get filled. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
• In many countries, vans & fourgons (12-15 seaters) are a legit alternative for a classic bus. In west African countries, for many long-distance journeys, they use regular-sized cars (just old and beaten up). The advantage is, they get filled more quickly.
• Keep in mind, if you find yourself in a chaotic & unorganized terminal, asking about the transport to your desired destination, they may try to sell you a private ride. So make sure they put you in the vehicle with the other folks!

Hitch-hiking

We all know about the money-saving benefits of hitch-hiking, and the risks involved. However, as much as it sounds risky to lift your thumb in an unknown area, I have never heard of anybody experiencing any hostilities while hitch-hiking.

Here is another tip, in order to make sure your hitch-hiking journey will indeed be money-saving: When I hitch-hike, once somebody stops, I immediately offer some money (which most of the hitch-hikers never do). I do it for 2 reasons:

• Even if I’m trying to travel for cheap, I still think it is the right thing to do. Traveling is not my necessity. Nobody is pointing a gun in my face and forcing me to travel. It is my choice, so I have no right to expect others to help me. On top of that, we all know, owning a vehicle and driving it costs money.
• I wanna make sure I don’t get an unexpected bill at the end of the ride. Let me explain… In some countries, especially Central Africa, people like to provide a service, or any kind of assistance, and ask for money at the end. They avoid giving you the price in advance, so you don’t walk away from them. Once you get their service, you’re kinda obligated to pay them.

3. Transport – short distance (intercity)

Things to avoid: taxis, or any form of private transportation.

The exception to that rule would be a motorcycle taxi or tricycle (a.k.a. tuk-tuk or rickshaw), like the one on the picture on top of this post.

Instead, go for:

• Public transport, busses/vans/shared cars) – In many African countries, regular cars are used instead of busses. They drive on designated routes and pick up/drop off passengers along their route. So belong into the category of public transport, not a private ride. Fun fact: In Uganda, public buses (15-seater vans) are called “Taxi”, while the regular taxi is called “Private Hire”.
• Rent a bicycle – make sure you test it first. In some of these countries, they could be in non-driving conditions.
• Walking – If you follow the idea: It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey… I’d reccommend walking as much as possible.

4. Food

Things to avoid: restaurants, fast food (in developing countries, western-style fast-food restaurants are considered cool & trendy. That being said, they are not the cheapest meal option)

Instead, go for: Cooking, grocery stores, street food (local eateries, street stalls), and street markets

If your accommodation doesn’t have a kitchen, here are a few improvising options:

• A portable electric heater might be useful. I always travel with one. They look like this. The weaker models are used for boiling water for tea. The stronger ones can be used for cooking rice, for example.
• At your guesthouse, you can improvise by asking your host, when they cook a family meal if they can cook some extra, in order to make a plate for you in exchange for a few $$
• If you meet some friendly locals, you can suggest to them you’ll buy groceries, so they can prepare a mutual meal.

Fun fact: In Kenya, small local eateries are called “Hotels”. They do not provide accommodation at all. Only the cheap local meals.

5. Stay healthy

This tip may not necessarily save you tons of money, but it would definitely make your trip more enjoyable.

Things to avoid:

1. Vaccines (it is more likely they will decrease your immunity than they will protect you)
2. Medicine, antibiotics & pharma products
3. Eating fried, processed, and sugary food
4. Stress
5. Party all night
6. Heavy & hallucinogenic drugs
7. Heavy alcohol & sugary cocktails
8. Expensive travel insurance

Instead, go for:

1. Strengthen your immunity through a healthy lifestyle (keep reading #2-7)
2. Natural medicine / Superfoods – here are some of the stuff I consume on daily basis, whether I travel or not: green tea, chamomile tea, ginger, turmeric, goji berries, chia seeds, and drink warm water (it hydrates better)
3. Eating fresh natural food; plenty of fruit, veges; snack on nuts, seeds & dried fruit
4. Meditation & yoga
5. Sleep well
6. (If you have to) Mellow stuff like weed, or legal euphoric herbs like coca leaves (South America), khat (East Africa), dokha (Middle East), or betel nut (SE Asia)
7. (If you have to) Low proof booze like beer & wine (and hydrate with water afterwards)
8. Well, if you follow these recommendations, it’s less likely you’ll need it.

Some other things to keep in mind:

• Spending your money on fruit, veges & natural superfoods will not necessarily be cheaper than processed food & sugary snacks. However, the goal is to avoid the expenses of getting sick.
• Even if you religiously rely on a pharmacy, no need to pack thousands of pills. Every country in the world has tons of pharmacy stores.
• If you are taking a 2-week trip, don’t have to worry too much about your well-being. However, if you are taking a multi-month trip, and you are not taking care of yourself, sooner or later, your body will crash.
• If you do get sick, don’t be judgemental and trust the doctor in the country you are visiting!
• Wherever I go, I carry a small spray bottle of sanitizing alcohol in my pocket. I use it frequently at the places where I eat, or at the toilets I use.

6. Rely on Wi-Fi or buy a Sim card

Things to avoid: Routing service from your home country

Instead, go for: Wi-fi or local SIM card & cybercafes

• Even if I am in a country where Wi-fi is scarce (West Africa), I would rarely buy a Sim card, unless I need to apply for a visa for another trip, and have to leave the phone number on the application.
• With Maps.me navigation app (and pre-downloaded data of the country I am in), I can easily survive several days without going online. If I do need the internet, I rely on cybercafes. Small tip: when you’re looking for one, make sure the neighborhood in which the cybercafe is located has electricity 🙂
• If you are getting ready for a longer journey, you may wanna make sure your phone is unlocked, so you can plug in another SIM card in it.
• If you really need to make a phone call, and you don’t feel like buying a SIM card, just ask some local if you could use their phone and offer them a dollar, or so.

7. Find your Base and settle there

Things to avoid: Jumping from town to town – taking frequent long-distance trips and spending nights in different towns almost every day. I am not suggesting to travel slower, to see less, or to be a lazy traveller. Just to organize your trip differently…

Instead: Find your Base and settle there for several days.

Any good Base will have:

• Many things to see and do inside, as well as outside of it, easily accessible for daily trips
• Many affordable accommodation options
• A decent supermarket, hopefully some street market, and plenty of cheap bytes options

Benefits of setting a Base:

• You’ll save money on accommodation, food & transportation.
• You can comfortably unpack at your accommodation, supply with food, fill the fridge, etc…
• You’ll have more opportunities to meet people and connect with them. They could be a great source of interesting and/or useful information.
• No need to worry about looking for accommodation every night.
• Overall you’ll be less tired/stressed out.

How to find a good Base?

1. Cities

In most cases, a good Base will be a large city, which is also a popular tourist destination. Here are some of the important factors for your research, if you consider making a certain city your Base:

• Check the accommodation options online
• Besides searching for “Things to do“, you can also type in your browser “Daily tripsfrom…” or “Things to do outside of…” in order to find out if there are any interesting daily trip options.
  • A small tip: if you find a nice trip option 3-4 hours distant from your Base, that will be too far away for a Day trip. In that case, you can ask if you can store your luggage at your accommodation spot, then take a 2-day trip with only a small backpack.
• Look at the map, and observe the surrounding of your potential Base See if there’s any lake, mountain, historic town, or a beach nearby (for your daily trips).

Keep in mind, a great Base doesn’t necessarily have to be a large city. Cuzco in Peru is a fantastic Base with plenty of things to do and the city has less than half a million people. On the other hand, if your Base is a mega-city (more than 5 million people), it could be impossible to take daily trips, cause it takes forever to get out.

2. Centrally located towns

In this case, transportation is an important factor to look at. Transportation between small towns can be scarce (unless they are located along the important national route). Make sure you find your accommodation close to the bus stop.

3. Small Islands

If you are planning to visit an island with a size lesser than 1000 km2 (386 sq ml), you can just look for affordable accommodation, and settle there during your entire stay. From there, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the whole island. Even, take boat trips to smaller islands nearby. In order to reach the most distant parts of the island, you might have to wake up early and know what time does the last bus leave. That being said, just like in the previous example, make sure your accommodation is close to the bus stop.

8. Travel during the Off-season

Things to avoid:

• Travelling in July, August, for Christmas & New Years (these are the vacation periods for the majority of the world’s tourists)
• Travelling for a major national event (Rio in January during the Carnival, or Tokyo during the Summer Olympics)
• Visiting a country in the month of its’ favorable weather (the Caribbean in April, or SE Asia December – March)

…because:

• During those periods, flights, accommodation, and many activities are more expensive. In some cases, the price difference could be substantial!
• It is much harder to find available accommodation
• The location you are visiting could be potentially more hostile for robbing, pick-pocketing, and all kinds of scams.

Instead: Take a trip some other time of a year, or choose a different destination

If you are dying to visit Rio during Carnival, instead, you can attend the same event in any other major city. It will be as spectacular, just less touristy. Brasil is a big country, so plenty of destinations to choose from.

Another thing to keep in mind, people have the wrong idea about the rainy season in the tropical parts of the world. That doesn’t mean it rains all the time and everything is flooded. It simply means it is the time of the year when they get most of the yearly rainfall. I generally travel the world from May to November and I spend most of the time in tropical countries… so you can call me a rainy season traveller. In my experience, some days have indeed been negatively affected by the heavy rain, but never ruined. On the other hand, many days were breezy & cloudy. In the other words, less hot and more comfortable. Keep in mind, in the tropical world, rain can feel very refreshing!

9. Travel to cheaper countries

Countries to avoid: US, Canada, Uruguay, Western Europe (especially Scandinavia & Switzerland), Australia, New Zeland, Japan, South Korea, Brunei, Dubai

Instead, go for: Eastern Europe (outside of EU), Central America, Peru, Bolivia, SE Asia, India, Pakistan, West & East Africa

Here are some of the countries that are not as cheap as you might think (cheaper than the western countries, but significantly more expensive than the ones suggested above): Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Croatia, Estonia, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia & Hungary.

Check out the Some Nomad Stories Travel Development Index, where countries are rated based on the travel expenses & quality of infrastructure.

10. Travel to visa-free countries

…or to countries with cheap Visa!

This is actually contradicting with some of my travelling suggestions, because, many expensive countries are visa-free (for citizens of Western countries). On the other hand, many exotic developing countries that I promote charge a lot for a Tourist Visa.

Here’s the simplified categorization by Visa prices for US, Canada, EU & Australian citizens:

• Visa-free countries: South, Central & North America, Europe & Southern Africa (again, this is simplified)
• Easy-to-get affordable Visa: Most of Asia & East Africa
• Expensive Visa: West & Central Africa (especially Nigeria, Congo & Angola)
• All-inclusive Visa*: Turkmenistan, Bhutan & North Korea (The only way you can enter and explore any of these 3 countries is with a guided tour. So the Visa price will include: accommodation, guide, all of the transport, meals, and tours)

11. Don’t hire a guide

Beware of the guide scams

• At some tourist sites, they might try to charge you the fee that comes with the guide, or they may lie to you that you can not enter the park without a guide. In some places, that is actually the fact, so that’s why it’s important to do your homework and be prepared.
• In many developing countries, random people could approach you while you are walking on the streets, and offer you guided services. They also might scare you by telling you how you’ll probably get robbed without their presence.

How to get around without a guide?

• Rely on the GPS/navigation app like Maps.me or Mapy.cz, where you can pre-download the country/region you are visiting. You can do the same with Google maps, however, I never use it, cause it’s not as detailed.
• Online research – there’s soo much info available out there. If you spend some time and do the research, you’ll easily be able to explore your destination on your own.
• Gater the info from the others – The staff at your accommodation, other travellers you meet, people on the streets (I like to ask for the advice at the local eateries where I have my meals, or at the street stands where I happen to buy something).
• Follow the people, that look like they know where they’re going
• Use the language-translation Apps (if you don’t speak the local language)

So, if you still feel like you could use a guide…

Let’s say you are visiting a non-touristy country on your own, where you don’t know the local language. You feel like you could really use a local, not only for help with the language barrier and navigation but also for safety, socializing, and getting to know the culture and lifestyle. Instead of finding such a person at the agency, you can get much cheaper and friendlier service by improvising…

1. Look for your accommodation through Airbnb, Couchsurfing, or any similar site. Communicate with the hosts before you book, in order to find the right person for you.
2. Local guesthouses or small eateries are great places to meet locals and make new friends. Then you use your new friend as a guide, and you treat them with dinners, booze, and presents, instead of paying a legit taxed tour guide fee. If you come back to eat at the same place for the 3rd or 4th time, I am sure you’ll be able to establish a friendly relationship with the people that are feeding you.
3. Find somebody through social media.
4. Go with the flow, and let things happen organically. However, you need to keep in mind, If someone approaches you on the street market, and offers you guided service, that person might try to squeeze you as much as possible at all times, and the relationship may not feel as friendly and organic. The more you travel, the better you’ll get at reading the people and establishing the right relationships!

12. The cash dilemma…

Generally, this is your money-saving strategy:

Avoid: Withdrawing money from the ATMs. Your home bank will charge you a fee, the local bank will do the same, and you’ll withdraw the local money at a terrible rate. Also keep in mind, in some countries, your ATM card won’t work at all.

Instead: Travel with cash (Dollars, Euros) and use the Money Exchange. Airports usually have the best conversion rates.

However, if you’re taking a multy-month trip…

You probably wouldn’t wanna travel the world with a pile of cash. It almost feels like, you are asking to get robbed. So the best thing you can do is diversify! I take my multi-month journeys with several hundreds in US dollars, several hundreds in Euros, 3 ATM cards (all different accounts), and 2 credit cards. I keep/hide those at different slots within my belongings.

13. Don’t visit too many tourist sites

As a religious promotor of less touristy destinations and non-touristy activities, I have to admit, tourist sites are usually popular for the right reason: they provide interesting things to see and experience. I also visit tourist sites. It’s just, I am selective, and more importantly, I spend most of my time exploring non-touristy locations, and doing non-touristy stuff. Bottom line is, being selective and more creative, is a great money-saving travel strategy.

When should you say “NO” to visiting a certain tourist site?

• If you’ve been to a similar site yesterday – Popular tourist destinations tend to offer many sites of the same category. Kenya’s got safaris, Rwanda’s got Gorilla trekking, Costa Rica jungle ziplining, and so on. So if your destination provides several similar tourist sites, choose only one. Then, if you had a fabulous time, consider doing another one, but do your research, cause you wanna make sure it’s different from the one you did yesterday. Otherwise, you’ll probably get disappointed.
• If you can have a similar experience around the site – A great example would be Kruger Safari in South Africa. If you rent a car, you can drive around the Kruger Reserve on the public roads, and see the wildlife. There is even a road that goes right through the park. Well yes, you will probably spot more creatures if you enter the park, and the guide which is good at spotting the animals drives you around… Again, don’t say NO to tourist sites, just be selective and creative!
• If the content is something you are not interested in – The European museums would be a perfect example for this one. I’d say 90% of the world’s population have no appreciation, or passion for the art of paintings or sculptures. Yet, 99% of the tourists that visit Paris go to the Louvre. Do you think they are enjoying themselves inside? Do you think they can understand the beauty & significance of Mona Lisa? Well, you know the answer for that one. So again, do your research on the site you are considering visiting. Then, ask yourself if that is something you are actually interested in. Do not feel obligated to visit a popular site, just because you are in the area. Travel the world your way!

Instead of attending many sites, consider:

• Visiting street markets
• Walking around in the busy streets, or neighborhoods surrounded by great views and nature
• Exploring the no-fee sites (or low-fee sites): beaches, hiking trails, parks, riverbanks, hills, etc…
• Asking locals about fun and free things to do in the area

What about the “Wonders of the World”?

If you are in the area nearby Peruvian Machu Pichu, Egyptian Pyramides, or Zimbabwean Victoria Falls, should you pay the fee and go for it? I would definitely suggest “YES”, but in order to avoid the crowds and have a better experience, get there either super early (at least 30 min before they open) or an hour before closing time.

Final thought: Over the years I had many disappointing experiences from visiting various entrance-fee sites. On the other hand, all of my favorite moments, and memorable experiences occurred in no-fee environments.

14. Don’t party too much

Experiencing the nightlife is definitely an important part of learning about the lifestyle of the country you are visiting. I have been doing it over the years, and I would suggest you do the same, but you need to keep in mind, no matter how cheap the country you are visiting is, attending nightlife will affect your budget, and maybe even your safety.

Some of the nightlife expenses travellers usually don’t think about:

• Less public transport options – Because of that, and because of safety, you’ll end up spending extra $$ on a taxi.
• Less cheap food options – You won’t be able to find street food, so you’ll end up spending extra $$ in a restaurant. Also, even cheap local eateries tend to have higher prices in the evenings.
• Getting wasted, and caring less about your budget – Some locals might hustle you to get them a round of drinks. Let’s say, if sober, you’d say “No”. However, while wasted, you might decide otherwise…

I would highly recommend getting in the habit of waking up early. That way you’ll be able to get the most out of your day, and it would be easier for you to say “NO” to the nightlife. You’ll prefer going to sleep early instead. Set the alarm every day at 6, 7, or 8 AM at the latest. Just like you would during your working week.

15. Don’t buy touristy souvenirs

In developing countries, the only people that buy souvenirs are Western tourists. For that reason, the souvenirs tend to be sold for western prices. That being said, you should…

Avoid: Buying anything at the sites like National Parks, or touristy souvenir shops… Unless you are getting magnets, but make sure you never pay for them more than 2 Eur, no matter what country you are in. Pretty much anything else, other than being overpriced, will be bulky, fragile, or heavy.

Instead: Go to street stalls or local shops, and look for some small ordinary things, which would be considered unusual, or unique in your home country.

I like to use paper bills from the local money as a gift- the remaining leftover, before leaving the country. Every country in the world has completely unique bills, with interesting content printed on them. That being said, it makes it a great souvenir!

Did I miss anything? Possibly. If you know any money-saving travel tips, please share them in the comments below.