Before I went travelling and it seems to still be the case now, every blog of website you read will tell you to start a blog, sell your photography and do freelance work. Yes these are all excellent ideas however in reality the average person isn't going to make millions quickly ready for travelling. It just won't happen, not everyone is artistic, good at writing, or has a good eye for photography that's going to boom them to social media success! Its like saying 'become a minor celebrity' I heard that pays well? Here are my tips to traveling on a budget that everyone can do!
1. Sell all your worldly possessions! No Seriously!
Ebay, Depop, Shpock make it so easy to snap a picture of whatever it is your selling and upload it via your smartphone for other people to buy. It takes under 5 minutes and if you're like me and have a lot of clothes it could come in handy. I went through a phase of buying expensive vintage clothes and never wearing them just keeping them in my wardrobe? I'm not too sure why, and kicked myself for spending the money doing it but now I can sell them for the same if not double back to people and make a nice amount of money! For me I always use the money I make from selling clothes, bikes etc for spending money, that way if I have to lower the price or don't get as much for an item as I wanted it wont stress me out that I wont have enough for a flight or that I need the money by a certain date,this way I know its just extras that I can usually do without!
2. WorkAway
This website allows you to contact families, businesses or a group of friends that are in need of volunteers (or vica verca). There are so many different opportunities in so many different countries from working with children, farming, building earth ships to even working at a party hostel! In return for your work you receive free accommodation and food! This ranges from place to place the first place i stayed we slept in a private tipi on the beach and everyone chipped in 250rps (about £2.50) a week for all three meals and we cooked it all together. This was fab for me as the site was completely veggie so I didn't feel awkward having special dietary requirements when everyone was eating together. However I've also been to places where you're in a dorm room and have free reign over the kitchen (when the cooks aren't too busy) and everybody make individual meals. Its up to you to find out what works best for you! This is such a cheap option and I often stay there for weeks to months at time as I pay for very little, get a free tour guide to the area that can show me the best parts, really get a feel for the area not just the tourist parts (although they're good too because often if you're with a local its free or discounted in price) and there often in such beautiful areas a large hostel or hotel would ruin it! WorkAway is fab for solo travelers or even couples that get a bit bored of seeing each other everyday as you get to mix with new people young and old and get to make amazing friendships for life!
The only downside to this I would say is its not great for if you want space. Often the work is 3/4 hours a day but if you're somewhere remote it can be difficult to wonder off on you're own or even if you're in the middle of a city in a hostel there are always guests and other staff and you have to keep up appearances for the hostel! So if you're quite private or think you can have a romantic couples break its not like that! You have to get stuck in and I often find that's the best way to enjoy it!
https://www.workaway.info/ - Website address if anyone is interested or contact us if you'd like to know more about our experiences.
3. Hostels V Air BnB
Everyone seems to have such bad views of hostels and decide Air BnB is so much better, I think it all depends on what experience you'd like. I've always loved the cheapness of hostels, every time it gets me that I can have a private room for as low as £2 a night with air conditioning, bathroom, towels! Of course you can the same as this in an Air BnB however usually at a more expensive price. If you want complete privacy and know the city you're staying in well then I think Air BnB is for you but if you want privacy (which you can get with private rooms in hostels, or sharing a dorm with other travelers ) as well as meeting new people, there's usually free tours from the hostel, cheap food and drinks and usually in amazing spots then hostels are the way forward! Its bit hit and miss in both cases so research!! I love Booking.com as I go straight to the 'Low to High' ( don't we all?) look on the map, compare the rooms and voila! I've found bed for the night! Lesson here is Research!
4. Getting the best Kit
Backpacks, walking boots and rain jackets are the only things i'd say are exempt from what i'm about to say..YOU DON'T NEED EXPENSIVE SHIT!! Seriously, you don't! All bloggers that get paid from other companies will tell you that 'you need this and need this', honestly 3/4 of my backpack is from Primark the remaining 1/4 is from sports direct ( not because i'm sporty and do fitness activities I like sports clothes as they're super comfy for travelling, very cheap and cover sweat well.. nice). Your clothes wil stink the same, they will be thrown in your backpack the same, they do the same job. Don't bother paying loads for 'backpacker clothing' as there is a high chance you'll loose it, leave it in a hostel, or abandon it somewhere because you don't get on with it.
Even with different pieces of kit like 'hydration infused eye masks', little fold away bowls you wash your clothes in, or even bowls and cutlery I'd say don't bother. If you're travelling in cities and towns there is always restaurants and cafes or even street food so no need for cutlery! There is always launderettes that will wash and condition and iron a sack of your dirty clothes for about 40p? Or spend about an hour squirting multi purpose liquid on it yourself? Up to you!
1. Sell all your worldly possessions! No Seriously!
Ebay, Depop, Shpock make it so easy to snap a picture of whatever it is your selling and upload it via your smartphone for other people to buy. It takes under 5 minutes and if you're like me and have a lot of clothes it could come in handy. I went through a phase of buying expensive vintage clothes and never wearing them just keeping them in my wardrobe? I'm not too sure why, and kicked myself for spending the money doing it but now I can sell them for the same if not double back to people and make a nice amount of money! For me I always use the money I make from selling clothes, bikes etc for spending money, that way if I have to lower the price or don't get as much for an item as I wanted it wont stress me out that I wont have enough for a flight or that I need the money by a certain date,this way I know its just extras that I can usually do without!
2. WorkAway
This website allows you to contact families, businesses or a group of friends that are in need of volunteers (or vica verca). There are so many different opportunities in so many different countries from working with children, farming, building earth ships to even working at a party hostel! In return for your work you receive free accommodation and food! This ranges from place to place the first place i stayed we slept in a private tipi on the beach and everyone chipped in 250rps (about £2.50) a week for all three meals and we cooked it all together. This was fab for me as the site was completely veggie so I didn't feel awkward having special dietary requirements when everyone was eating together. However I've also been to places where you're in a dorm room and have free reign over the kitchen (when the cooks aren't too busy) and everybody make individual meals. Its up to you to find out what works best for you! This is such a cheap option and I often stay there for weeks to months at time as I pay for very little, get a free tour guide to the area that can show me the best parts, really get a feel for the area not just the tourist parts (although they're good too because often if you're with a local its free or discounted in price) and there often in such beautiful areas a large hostel or hotel would ruin it! WorkAway is fab for solo travelers or even couples that get a bit bored of seeing each other everyday as you get to mix with new people young and old and get to make amazing friendships for life!
The only downside to this I would say is its not great for if you want space. Often the work is 3/4 hours a day but if you're somewhere remote it can be difficult to wonder off on you're own or even if you're in the middle of a city in a hostel there are always guests and other staff and you have to keep up appearances for the hostel! So if you're quite private or think you can have a romantic couples break its not like that! You have to get stuck in and I often find that's the best way to enjoy it!
https://www.workaway.info/ - Website address if anyone is interested or contact us if you'd like to know more about our experiences.
3. Hostels V Air BnB
Everyone seems to have such bad views of hostels and decide Air BnB is so much better, I think it all depends on what experience you'd like. I've always loved the cheapness of hostels, every time it gets me that I can have a private room for as low as £2 a night with air conditioning, bathroom, towels! Of course you can the same as this in an Air BnB however usually at a more expensive price. If you want complete privacy and know the city you're staying in well then I think Air BnB is for you but if you want privacy (which you can get with private rooms in hostels, or sharing a dorm with other travelers ) as well as meeting new people, there's usually free tours from the hostel, cheap food and drinks and usually in amazing spots then hostels are the way forward! Its bit hit and miss in both cases so research!! I love Booking.com as I go straight to the 'Low to High' ( don't we all?) look on the map, compare the rooms and voila! I've found bed for the night! Lesson here is Research!
4. Getting the best Kit
Backpacks, walking boots and rain jackets are the only things i'd say are exempt from what i'm about to say..YOU DON'T NEED EXPENSIVE SHIT!! Seriously, you don't! All bloggers that get paid from other companies will tell you that 'you need this and need this', honestly 3/4 of my backpack is from Primark the remaining 1/4 is from sports direct ( not because i'm sporty and do fitness activities I like sports clothes as they're super comfy for travelling, very cheap and cover sweat well.. nice). Your clothes wil stink the same, they will be thrown in your backpack the same, they do the same job. Don't bother paying loads for 'backpacker clothing' as there is a high chance you'll loose it, leave it in a hostel, or abandon it somewhere because you don't get on with it.
Even with different pieces of kit like 'hydration infused eye masks', little fold away bowls you wash your clothes in, or even bowls and cutlery I'd say don't bother. If you're travelling in cities and towns there is always restaurants and cafes or even street food so no need for cutlery! There is always launderettes that will wash and condition and iron a sack of your dirty clothes for about 40p? Or spend about an hour squirting multi purpose liquid on it yourself? Up to you!