1. Pick a cheap destination.
It can be as simple as that. There are so many recourses out there to help you choose a cheap destination to travel to. Grab a plane ticket to India where you can live like a king/queen off of just $25 a day. Go to Nepal where guesthouses can be as low as $5 a night and meals even cheaper. There’s so many affordable, beautiful places out there to explore.

2. Go where the locals go. Do as the locals do.
You’re in a new country. Talk to the locals. Ask questions. It’s no secret that the locals are going to know the best way to get around and the cheapest restaurants. Aim for local buses over taxis and tourist buses. Avoid hanging out in the touristy areas as much as possible. That is where you’re going to see a raise in price. If you’re in a country like Thailand, make note that western food is going to be more expensive than the traditional thai street food. Do as the locals do and your travel expenses are going to be cut down majorly and not to mention, your experience is going to be much more authentic and memorable.

3. Hostels.
They are the best way to save money while traveling. Not only are they typically going to be the cheapest way to save on accommodation while abroad, this is the best way to meet other travelers! Sharing a room with a bunch of strangers may sound uncomfortable and weird at first but it truly is the best way to go when traveling around. It’s cheap, provides lots of opportunities to make friends and most of them have kitchens. Which leads to the next tip:

4. Cook your own food.
Cooking your own food is going to be the best way to cut down on your food costs. Hit the local farmers market if you can because a few bucks on a couple eggs, tortillas and some avocado will save you quite a bit of money for a few days. But, this doesn’t mean you should completely skip out on the local food!

5. Work.
If you don’t mind giving up a few hours of your day to work, there is so many websites to check out where you can trade your hard work for some free accommodation (and sometimes meals!). Check out websites like WWOOF.com, workaday.com and worldbackpackers.com. It wouldn’t hurt to ask the receptionist of the hostel your staying at if it’s possible to do this as well! Hostels are often always looking for some type of help! It’s another nice way to meet some locals.

6. Tours.
This is where trip planning becomes important. When you know where you are traveling, read all about the tourist attractions in the areas that you’ll be traveling. Decide what you want to do and what you don’t want do. This is important because when you’re walking down the street and you have a bunch of travel companies throwing brochures in your face, doing everything they can to sell you their tours (and they’re good at it), you will know exactly what you want to do and their sweet talk and beautiful brochures wont be as sweet or beautiful. It’s also important to do your research on all these tours so that you know which company is going to be the cheapest! PS if you’re a student, many museums offer discounts if you show them your student ID.

7. Travel slow.
We’re all about moving at a fast pace these days but traveling slow is going to save you quite a few dollars. Transportation ain’t cheap. Choose less places to stop. It’s okay to move at a slow pace, get a better experience in the places that you are in. Traveling fast can be draining and suck the life right outta ya. Travel deeper and slower.

8. Travel in the off season.
This is when plane tickets, tours and accommodation are going to be the cheapest. Because it’s not a popular time to travel, the airlines and hotels often give big discounts. Spring break and around christmas time are examples of when ticket prices are going to be at their highest because it’s such a popular travel time. Research your destination and find out when the cheapest time to go is. Another perk of this is avoiding the big tourist crowds!