THRIFTY TRAVELS: My Top Five Tips For Seeing The World On A Budget

Aloha!

So again it's been rather quiet over here, I've somehow managed to get employed, by three different companies! So I've gone from unemployed to working three jobs ahh! Granted they are only a couple of days a week and the third job doesn't start for a few weeks. I'll explain more in my next post ;)

At the tearooms my boss asked if I ‘had a trust fund or something’ when I mentioned I was going to Croatia next week ‘But you’ve just come back from France!’ My priority right now is to travel whilst I can, I’m not very well travelled and I’d love to see more of the world whilst I don’t have any real responsibilities. I managed to get to France for £48 and my accommodation was free thanks to my cousin :) For my upcoming Croatia trip we somehow got flights and an apartment for £100 each which is amazing! But when you’re skint, travelling definitely goes down as a priority. I am by no means a travelling expert but here are my tips and tricks on how to travel on a low budget...

1)       For cheap flights you need to check Skyscanner-everyday!  Sign up for the e-mail updates which notify you when your journey decreases in price. I don’t really understand flight price- how can it be £21 one day and the next it’s £221?! If you’re flexible when you travel it’s worth checking the ‘Cheapest Month’ option which shows the cheapest flights of the year. If you’re not fussy about the destination search ‘Everywhere’ and it will show the bargain trips! It might suggest places you’ve never heard of or maybe you didn’t think to consider but hey, an adventure is an adventure right!

2)      When looking for accommodation check Airbnb first. You can stay in someone’s private room or there are entire apartments that you can rent much cheaper than hotel prices. I always think it’s much nice to stay somewhere with a bit of personality rather than a basic room. Croatia is the first time I’ve used AirB&B so I’ll have to report back on the experience. The lady who owns the apartment seems lovely and has 5 star reviews. If you recommend the site to a friend you get site credit which will make your trip cheaper!

Geekiest Railcare ever :')

3)      As I’m a county bumpkin I live quite far away from an airport, Liverpool or Manchester are probably my closest so both require a train journey to get there. Booking in advance is the best way to find cheap train tickets; I have a railcard too which has paid for itself many times over. When I went to Amsterdam we shared a taxi from Liverpool city centre to the airport which was around £20, when I flew to France I decided to get the bus to the airport from the city centre which cost £2.90! So it’s definitely worth planning your journey so you have time to factor in public transport if you want to save some money.

4)      Personally I’d rather go on a shorter holiday and live more lavishly rather than staying somewhere for ten days but having to scrimp on the experience. Croatia is going to be a four day break so we can afford to see a few sights, rent a scooter, go out for a fancy meal and experience the nightlife. It’s all about compromise and knowing why you want to go on the trip. If I was stressed out a two-week holiday spent on a beach, reading stacks of books might be more relevant. A fortnight somewhere may sound like a bargain deal but once you factor in eating/drinking/sightseeing for the extra days it can really make the difference to a well kept budget.

5)      Go on Holidaypirates, it’s amazing! Truth be told I’ve never actually booked something they’ve posted but it give you a good idea of where is cheap and where to stay. They often have error fares which means you can fly to more exotic places very cheaply.  They have a lot of UK deals too which is perfect if you fancy a weekend getaway glamping or to a spa hotel.

Do you have any top tips for travelling on a budget?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx