Travel on a budget

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They say travel broadens the mind - and it can certainly lead to some interesting new experiences. The downside, however, can often be the chunk it takes out of your budget once you've covered the total cost of flights, accommodation and spending money.

However, there are ways that you could see the world without seeing your budget shrink hugely in the process.

Let's take a look at a few ideas.

Travel
It's often the cost of flights - once you've priced in luggage allowances, taxes, etc. - that works out to be the costliest part of travelling. You can potentially save £s on air travel by:

• Booking a last-minute deal. If you can be a bit flexible with your travel times and dates, getting a deal at the 'final hour' could save you a fair bit of money. Check online and keep your eye out for the most affordable packages.
• Choose a 'budget airline'. As long as you're not looking to fly in extravagant style, booking flights with a low-cost airline could be the most cost-effective option - though there'll probably be restrictions on luggage and little in the way of in-flight 'luxuries'.
• If you're going for a weekend away with a few friends, why not take the car and all chip in to cover the fuel costs?

See the world without blowing your budget
Author: Jarcje (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)


Accommodation
Rather than splashing out on the hefty cost of a 5-star holiday resort with all the extras, why not consider more affordable ways of bedding down?

• Consider staying at a hostel. As long as you don't mind sharing facilities with other travellers, staying at a hostel can be a great way of getting an affordable place to sleep - and if you can get one close to the centre of wherever you're staying, it could help you to cut down on travel costs too.
• Do your friends or family have a place to stay? If you know anyone with an apartment or holiday home going spare for a week or so, you could ask them if they wouldn't mind you staying - and repay the favour if they're ever looking for a place to stay in the future.
• Rather than choose 'full board' at a hotel, why not opt for a cheaper 'bed & breakfast' deal instead? For lunches and dinners, you could head to the local supermarket and stock up on rice, pasta and other cheap, but filling, foods - and take turns to cook.

So, if you're looking to take a break but are worried about shouldering the cost, following just a few of these tips could help you to get away at a fraction of the price.

Article by Daniel Culpan a writer at ThinkMoney.com

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