Answering the number one question: How I Afford to Travel The World. – With Receipts.
This year I have been on 27 flights and to 10 different countries so far. I am very aware that this is more than normal. And when I hear “you’re so lucky” or “I want to travel the world”, I sometimes feel spoilt that I travel so much or guilty that I share my travels online so frequently.
I am very grateful for the ability to travel often and I know a large portion of this is privilege and luck.
But sometimes, when I feel guilty about travelling more than others, I also have to take a step back and remind myself that I made this happen too.
I work hard and I do a lot of different things to enable me to afford to travel so much.
How I Travel So Often
So I thought that I would lay it out once and for all. (Also, because now if you ask me how to travel the world cheap, I can send you this link instead of giving a very long winded answer!)
Here’s everything I do to be able to travel a lot. Hopefully there is something for everyone among these tips that will help you be able afford to travel more too. I tried to break it down into different categories, to avoid one overwhelming list. The more I thought about every factor that plays into affording travel, the longer the list got!
Read to the end for the receipts. I break down exactly what each flight & hotel cost me this year.
I’ve included a ton of links to help you out. A few of them give me a referral bonus if you sign up using them – thanks in advance for using them and giving me answer 51 for how I afford to travel. 😉 )
So here it is, 50 answers to everyone’s number 1 question – How I afford to travel, and how you can too.
Overview:
PERSONAL LIFE
BEFORE TRAVEL
DURING TRAVEL
PERSONAL LIFE
CIRCUMSTANCES & PRIVILEGE
A lot of the reasons I can travel are luck and a product of where I live and my background. I appreciate these may not help you afford to travel more, but it’s important I outline everything. And most importantly, acknowledge my privileges as well as my hard work.
Living in Edinburgh.
I live in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. This means I can get to Scotland’s best airport within 45 minutes of leaving work. This makes taking weekend breaks that require no time off possible.
Passport Privilege.
Holding a UK passport, grants me the privilege of visa-free travel to 111 countries. This majorly cuts down the cost of travel & my need to plan in advance for most countries I want to explore.
Owning A House.
This one may sound contradictory. But owning my own place means my mortgage is less than paying rent would be. It also means that I can make extra income from it too (see below).
Living in Europe.
Europe has so many countries in a condensed space all linked by a great rail network and low cost carrier planes, which makes visiting multiple countries or weekend breaks abroad super easy.
No Dependants.
I don’t have children, I don’t have pets, I don’t have responsibility to care for other family members. All of these factors enable me to be more flexible (and selfish) with my time.
MY JOB
While this could fall under the ‘personal circumstances’ category, there are a number of aspects of my job that enable me to travel and afford to travel the world. Therefore, I thought it would be best to give this its own section. I currently work as a corporate travel manager at Skyscanner.
Work Perks.
The number one question I get when I say I work at Skyscanner is ‘Do you get cheap flights?’ Sadly, no. But, we do get excellent perks that help me to afford to travel more often. The biggest is an incentive of £500 towards flights booked via Skyscanner. This means I’m travelling for free to Brazil in September. And I travelled for free to China last year.
Travel For Business.
While my job involves coordinating corporate travel in a travel company, I don’t actually get to travel for work that often. However this year I have had one trip to London for a conference and one trip to Singapore to work with a teammate. This means 6 of my 27 flights have been paid for me.
Flexible Working.
Skyscanner has a flexible working policy and a Staff Exchange Experience (SEE). SEE allows me to work from another Skyscanner office (at my own expense) without taking time off work to travel. Last year I spent ten days working in Miami before a two week holiday in Mexico & Colombia. That meant a month of sunshine for only two weeks off work. This year, working abroad in Budapest gives me the chance to spend nine days with my long distance girlfriend Friday to Sunday without taking any days off.
Bliesure Trips.
Bleisure = The cringe word to explain combining a business and leisure trip. When I get to travel for work, I make sure to maximise my opportunities to see somewhere new. After my week working in Singapore, I took a week of annual leave and flew to Bali for £53! Since my flights to & from Asia were already covered, I got to see a whole new country at a fraction of the cost. (I wrote about seeing Miami as a bliesure trip here)
Strategic Annual Leave.
Depending on what country you’re from, your annual leave/ vacation allowance with vary. However, you can always be smart with how you use your time. I always look for flights departing after 7pm. This means that I arrive at my destination after my working day and I don’t waste any part of my holiday time travelling.
MONEY MANAGEMENT
BOOST YOUR INCOME
The hustle is real. The best way to afford travel is to boost your income in every (legal) way you can think of. Unless you can cash in from a sugar momma or the Bank of Mum & Dad, the only way you can afford to travel is to make it happen yourself.
Find Multiple Sources.
Nowadays, I work full-time, but I continue to look for ways to bring in extra cash to fund my travel habits. In the past this has included everything from bar work to selling Poppies in a shopping centre, babysitting to temp work as a receptionist. I even did clinical trials, trialling various skin care products and acne treatments.
Airbnb.
Airbnb is not only great for saving money, but also making money. As a host, I rent out my spare room. Everything I make goes straight into my travel fund. Not only is being an Airbnb host a great way to afford to travel, you also get to meet people from all over the world that you may wish to stay with when you travel too. SIGN UP TO BE A HOST HERE.
Airbnb (again!).
No, I promise this isn’t an Airbnb advert. But it has another use for boosting your income. Find your friends who have not yet used the website, and share your signup link to get £15 off your next booking. Even better, if someone signs up to be a host, you’ll earn £198!
Freelance one of your skills.
For me, it’s writing blogs, but this applies to almost any skill you have. Think about what you can offer someone then look for opportunities to make money from it. I’ve written blogs for dopesontheroad.com and Hostelworld. For both, the money went straight towards savings for travel.
SAVE MONEY FOR TRAVEL
Its no use just boosting your income, you also need to know how to save money for travel. I save money intentionally and consistently. Having a purpose for my savings makes being disciplined a lot easier.
Open multiple accounts.
I always keep money I saved for travel in a separate account to my main income. So I always know what I have saved whenever I plan a trip. I have multiple bank accounts, and each is named with what the money can be used for. Shop around for the best interest rates and keep them up to date.
Stay Debt Free.
I have never used an overdraft, credit cards or any other type of loan (except my mortgage). If I can’t afford to travel, I don’t go.
Using Monzo.
I use Monzo for my day to day spending. The app clearly shows exactly what you’re spending where, and gives you all you need to know where you can make some cuts. (Sign up to get £5 free)
Student Loan Free.
Depending on what country you’re from, student loans can take a massive cut of your paycheck. Through university, I worked multiple jobs and put my student loan into a savings account. This meant that I could travel to America each summer and I would use my camp counsellor paycheck to pay back the loan to myself at the end of each season. It also meant that last year, I paid back everything I’d borrowed in a lump sum to be student-loan free. (As always, circumstances play a big factor, I lived at home instead of moving into a student flat, and tuition is free in Scotland).
Save Bonuses & Gifts.
Any bonuses, extra earnings or gifts I get go straight into my travel fund. For example, last month I won an award at work for LGBTQ inclusion, and immediately assigned that to my upcoming Brazil trip.
Monzo Money Pots.
Using money pots on Mozo means that all transactions are rounded up to the nearest £ and the change goes into savings. This week I’ve saved £6.47, which may seem small, but by my trip to Brazil it could be an extra £100 spending money without even noticing I’m saving.
Standing Orders on Pay Day.
I have a standing order set up to move a portion of my salary to my savings account the day I get paid. This means that I never see it, but over time my savings account builds up.
Transfer left overs out monthly.
At the end of every month, any money left over in my spending account is transferred to savings when my next salary comes in.
MAKE SACRIFICES
Okay, so the title sounds kind of extreme, but really all I mean is you can’t have everything. When I start to think about it, I realise that this could be a whole other blog of how I save money day to day, but here are just some of the ways I reduce my monthly spend so I’ve got more to put in my travel fund.
Live minimally.
People ask me how I afford to travel and tell me that they can’t, but then talk about how drunk they got at the weekend or their new £200 ASOS shopping spree. When I’m not travelling, I live as minimally and cheap as I can. This doesn’t mean I don’t have a life, but I am sensible with where I spend my money.
Only buy new clothes that you need.
I have 1 pair of trainers, 5 pairs of jeans, 3 bikinis… You get the idea. I buy with intention and only what I’ll wear a lot.All my clothes are interchangeable and I re-wear everything a LOT.
Use charity shops & thrift stores.
When I do shop, I check out local charity shops for good quality, but much cheaper (and environmentally friendly) options.
Minimise transport costs.
I walk to work when possible and drive very minimally. (I also share a car with my family so have no upkeep costs).
Minimise food costs.
I shop at budget super markets such as Aldi & Lidl, and very rarely buy brand-label versions of food. I prepare my lunches at home and take them to work, then cook dinner at home 99% of the time.
Minimise social costs.
Some may think it makes me boring, but I don’t have a massive social life at home. My monthly spend on meals and nights out is pretty low. As an introvert, nights in with friends is my favourite way to spend my time anyway.
Drink less.
Could be controversial, but alcohol is such a money drainer. I drink very rarely. And when I do, I drink moderately and mostly before heading out to clubs where the beers are 3x the supermarket price. To each their own, but this is a major way I save my salary and can afford to travel.
BEFORE TRAVEL
TRAVEL PLANNING
Planning is key when you want to travel on a budget. Spending time researching the best places & times to go massively impacts my ability to afford travelling often.
Have Flexible Dates.
One of the best ways how to afford to travel is being flexible with your dates. Travelling on a Thursday night for example and taking Friday off work can often open up new destinations, or cheaper fares compared to only travelling on weekends.
Don’t Be Picky.
Just like with dates, the more flexible you are about where you travel the more places you can go. I often decide my next destination based on the cheapest destination for that time of year or the days I can travel. My theory is I want to see the whole world, it doesn’t matter to me what order I see it in.
Consider the whole cost.
In addition to being flexible, consider the total cost of the destination & not just the flights. Where you travel will massively impact your day to day spend. Visiting cheaper destinations will make sure your money goes further. For example: A flight to Denmark may only be £50, but once you’re there the food will cost 3x as much as Budapest. (For a list of destinations with affordable luxury check this blog)
Travel In Low Season.
The best hack for how to travel for less is to choose your season wisely. Prices for flights, hotels and even sometimes attraction entries will always fluctuate throughout the year to account for busy and quiet periods. Low season is different for different countries, so this doesn’t mean only travelling for half the year. It just means planning wisely for where you go when.
FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS
Skyscanner ‘Everywhere’ Search.
Once you’re on board with being flexible on dates & destination, use the ‘Everywhere’ search feature on Skyscanner.net to see all your options ranked by price.
Price Alerts
Skyscanner Price Alerts allow you to set notifications for certain routes & dates, making sure you don’t miss an opportunity for a bargain.
Use Multi-city Flight Search
You can afford to travel more of the world if you combine multiple destinations in one ticket. Play around with flight searches in & out of different airports. A good starting place for this is to look at where flights are naturally connecting through and see how much it would cost to add a 2-3 day layover in that location. In 2016, I added a flight to Rio into my UK <-> Boston for only and extra £150.
Search Different Departure Airports
I know that may sound crazy, but if you’re travelling long haul and need to connect anyway, try a search for a long haul flight from a neighbouring country or another city, then look into what a cheap flight/ train would cost to get there. I’m currently looking at flights to Mexico and it costs £500 to depart from Manchester and £800 to depart from Edinburgh. (Edinburgh – Manchester on the train is only £30).
FIND CHEAP ACCOMMODATION
Use Airbnb.
Airbnb is one of the best ways to keep costs down when searching for places to stay. For example, in Miami for hotels are a minimum of £100 per night, I stayed in a private room in somebody’s condo, and got access to a gym, cool and balcony for half the price.
Collect reward nights & loyalty discounts.
The majority of the hotels that I book online are through Hotels.com and Booking.com as both offer discount schemes when you book frequently. Hotels.com gives you 1 free night for every 10 you book, and Booking.com’s ‘Genius’ program kicks in after 10 bookings in a year.
Price Match.
Although I usually book on Hotels.com to collect reward nights, I still search for the lowest rate online. Once you find it, you can price match to collect the rewards nights and pay the cheapest rate. This month I saved 20% on two bookings with this method.
Stay in hostels.
Despite some stereotypes and some badly made movies, hostels really aren’t as terrible as you may expect. Hostels come in all shapes, sizes, locations and price brackets but in general they are a cost effective and convenient option, particularly for solo travel. And if you’re not sold on sleeping in a bunk bed, you can still find private rooms, still at a lower rate than nearby budget hotels. (Read top tips for staying in a hostel here).
Location Location Location.
Where you stay in the city will majorly impact what affordable accommodation you can find. It may require a short metro or walk to the main attractions, but staying further away from the city centre can get you a lot more hotel for your budget. Be sure you research ahead of time to ensure the area is still safe for tourists.
DURING TRAVEL
TRAVEL FOR LESS
So you’ve saved money for travel, you’ve found cheap flights and a hotel on a budget. Now you need to know how to travel the world on a budget to make sure your adventure lasts as long as possible.
Pack Light.
It’s increasingly common that the cheapest flight tickets don’t include free checked luggage. I almost exclusively travel hand luggage only to avoid adding £20-£50 to every flight I take. The added bonus is that when you arrive there’s no waiting at carousels or risking your bag getting lost en-route.
Get a good data plan.
One way to burn your travel savings is a costly phone bill when you get home. I use Three Mobile’s GoRoam data plan and it allows me to use my full data allowance in 70+ countries for free. I save £100s when I’m abroad. And it means that I can use maps (and Instagram) on the go.
Eat Local.
Tourist Restaurants can quickly eat up your travel budget (pun intended). Save money by finding a supermarket and buying bread, fruit, cheese and snacks. Or if you want some local cuisine, head away from the main centre to where the locals actually eat.
Walk Everywhere.
Take the public transport tip a step further (literally) and walk between locations for FREE. This is my favourite thing to do anyway as i always discover hidden gems that I would otherwise miss. Also look out for free walking tours in many cities for a great orientation to your new destination.
Cook at home.
Even better, if your accommodation has a kitchen, you can prepare food for a fraction of the cost a restaurant would be. It may not be as fun, but even having breakfast and lunch prepared can make a massive difference to your travel budget.
Use Public Transport.
It may seem easier to hop in a taxi, but conquering public transport not only saves cash, but also offers an authentic experience of your destination. Do your research in advance, be patient and be ready for some networks to run a lot smoother than others! (Oslo- ran like clockwork.. Malta- still needs some fine tuning).
WORK ABROAD
I haven’t done this this year, but in the past I have been able to travel the world for free by working abroad.
Be A Camp Counsellor
A popular way to travel as a student (particularly in the UK) is to work abroad at a summer camp in America. I did this for five years and it changed my life. You meet incredible people, spend a summer abroad, learn life skills and get paid to do it. There are some upfront costs such as flights, visas and application fees, but usually by the end of each summer I broke even. The J1 Visa also enables you to travel for 30 days after you’ve finished your work. If you’re interested in checking it out go to Camp Leaders.
Teach English Abroad.
In 2016 I travelled for free by Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in Vietnam. While I didn’t have the chance to move about the country much due to my teaching schedule, schemes like TEFL enable longer term travel options on a budget. I got qualified online before I went and spent 5 months teaching in Hanoi. It was a challenging experience, but I will never regret taking the opportunity to travel for free as a poor graduate.
THE RECEIPTS
I wasn’t sure if I should add this part in, but after asking Instagram what the average spend is on a night out, I thought it could help to show what I ACTUALLY spend on my travels. Money is such a taboo topic & I’ve never understood why. The more transparent we can all be, the more realistic we can be about the goals we set ourselves.
This is everything I’ve spend on flights & my average hotel nightly rate for every destination this year.
| DESTINATION | FLIGHT | NIGHTLY PRICE |
| Hamburg | £80 | £48 |
| Budapest | £130 | Free** |
| Stockholm | £40 | Free* |
| Budapest | £150 | Free** |
| Madrid | £67 | £26 |
| Marrakech | £35 | £28 |
| Tangier | £33 | £52 |
| Budapest | £189 | Free** |
| London | Free*** | Free*** |
| Singapore | Free*** | Free*** |
| Bali | £53 | £63 |
| Paris (Disneyland) | £69 | £90 |
| Barcelona | £88 | £57 |
| Budapest | £93 | Free** |
| Athens | £111 | £37 |
| France (Tours) | £198 | £65 |
| *Collaboration with Hobo ** Stayed with my Girlfriend *** Work Trip |
AND THERE IT IS! 50 WAYS I CAN TRAVEL SO OFTEN.
I’M SURE IF I KEPT THINKING ABOUT IT, I WOULD COME UP WITH MORE, BUT 50 IS A SATISFYING NUMBER SO IM GOING TO STOP THERE!
If you’ve got any other things you do to save money and afford to travel the world, I’d love to hear about it.
You can find me @TheJennaWay on Instagram or drop a comment below.
