It’s no secret that holidays can be expensive – that’s why so many people only tend to do them once a year (or even less). It’s because they can’t afford them and he prices just keep hiking up year after year. I’ve done my fair share of travelling and let me tell you – it doesn’t always have to be expensive. You just need to adjust and be willing to give up a few luxuries.

Having less money to throw around when you’re travelling actually enhances your experience as you’re more likely to immerse yourself in culture and try new things. You tend to relax more and let go when you’re not constantly worrying about money and budgets so I’ve sourced together 5 ways you can afford to travel without breaking the bank.

Consider Work And Travel Packages

This one might not be viable if you have children and a family but if you’re travelling solo or with a friend it’s something you should definitely try!

There are so many companies that offer work and travel packages throughout countries all over the world. You get board, food and spends all in exchange for offering your services. You can work on farms doing anything from picking fruit, planting, milking goats; or you could go for the more traditional holiday company route. Holiday companies often offer you the chance of living abroad if you can represent them in their destination resorts.  You could be doing anything from assisting airport transfers, repping in hotels, campsites or cleaning accommodation. The money’s not great but you get a roof over your head!

Work & Travel Packages are great because you get to travel for longer, meaning more cultural immersion, more opportunity to learn new languages and skills and a much more authentic experience (as opposed to staying in a 5* all-inclusive that could be anywhere in the world).

The only downside to these packages is that the work can be inconsistent and extremely hard. If you choose to work on a farm you could be working anywhere between 2 hours – 10 hours per day, some days not at all, and others double shifts. It is all dependent on the crop, time of year and your employer. If you go down the travel company route then prepare to work long hours! It’s not all work and play. I once worked for a very well-known British Holiday Company and I worked around 70 hours a week. I loved it though so I didn’t mind.

This option would suit somebody who is willing to trade in a luxury, aesthetic lifestyle for a life of hustle, culture and travel.

Explore The Local Areas by Foot

It’s easy to get caught up when you’re abroad in throwing your money away on taxis, buses and whatever other sort of public transport is available. You wouldn’t pay £15+ a day on taxis at home so why do it there? Try walking around the local villages and enjoy your surroundings. Or if you’re not a fan of walking or have a long way to go, why not hire a bicycle?  In fact, many cities around Europe class cycling as their main mode of transport these days: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Strasbourg, Malmo.

t also helps to burn some of those unwanted calories off from all the extra ice cream!

Even if you decide not to walk/cycle you could even consider purchasing a 3-day or 7-day public transport pass. You can usually hop on and hop off trains/trams and boats depending what city you’re any as many times as you want! Great to get around and even better for when you’re getting lost!

Buy Local And Cook

One of the biggest expenses when you’re on holiday is eating out. Now I’m not saying you should totally cut back and not treat yourself but why not try going down to the local supermarket, stock up on some local delicacies and experiment with cooking yourself! You can usually make a whole afternoon/evening of it, it’s fun and it will save you a fortune! You could maybe go out to dinner one evening and then the next evening stay in and cook something. 

Don’t Buy From Gift Shops

Although the bright and flashy souvenir shops and airport stores might be hard to resist, you should try to think outside the box. Your friends and family don’t need that £7 magnet or keychain to know that you love them and where thinking about them while you were away. Instead, try the local bazaars where items tend to be much cheaper, hand-made and more personal. Your loved ones will appreciate the personal touch and so will your wallet!

Rent An Apartment (Not A Hotel)

Gone are the days where you need to book into a top-notch hotel to feel like home in a foreign city. It often works out much cheaper to rent out an apartment, especially if you’re travelling as a family or a large group (4 or more people). The prices tend to be less, you get access to a kitchen and amenities and also free Wi-Fi as opposed to forking out for the ‘extras’. Some great benefits from booking an apartment over a hotel also include:

• Seperate bedrooms from the living room make it sooo much easier to get the kids to bed
• You usually have a washing machine so can do your own laundry (saves having TONNES to do when you get home)
• If you’re travelling with friends you can book a 3 or 4 bed apartment and split the cost between you

Admittedly you don’t get fresh towels and bedding every day, but who needs their bedding changed daily?! If you’re travelling alone I’d also highly recommend sites such as AirBnB where you can rent out a room in someone’s house for cheap and maybe even get a free tour guide and friend for life!

Feel free to try out these tips when booking your next little get away. I hope they manage to save you some money and if you have any of your own tips you’d like to share, please post them in the comments section below.