9 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY AT YOUR TRAVELS AS BACKPACKER

​ME Talk - A lot of time I get questions about how it’s possible I can travel so much. So, I think it’s time to write it down in a list with 9 tips. These tips are mainly based on how I travel: on a budget.

ME TALK | ON A BUDGET | BACKPACKING

This article is an update of an earlier article from October 2018, because things can change very fast.

1. Flight tickets

I always use travel search engines to find cheap flight and I also look for tickets from and to nearby airports. Two search engines I use the most are Skyscanner and Momondo. The first one is very easy to search for a flight if you still don’t know where you like to travel too. You can choose ‘any destination’ and then you get results sort by price to destination in the whole world. With Momondo you also can choose a continent where you like to fly too.

Most of the time when I see a flight on one of them I check double at the other one. And sometimes you can find a cheaper price for the same flight. Both websites direct you to the website where you can book the flight.

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Skyscanner
​www.skyscanner.net

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Momondo
​www.momondo.com

2. Accommodations

Because I traveled many times solo I always went to hostels, they are way much cheaper than hotels. Maybe you don’t have a room for yourself, but that’s not the reason I like to travel. I like to meet other people. And a hostel is the perfect place to meet others and to socialize. The most of my hotels I search with Agoda, Booking.com or Trivago. These websites have an offer from hostels and other sleeping accommodations all over the world. And honest, my favourite one is Agoda. Mostly I can find her the cheapest accomodation.

Sometimes I also used Couchsurfing, you sleep in the home of other travellers, and the only price you had to pay was sharing your stories and socialize with each other. But since they made to pay for their forum, I stopped using them. Travellers like me and many others made their forum huge and now everyone suddenly have to pay. I looks me unhonest. But if you still think it's a good way for you to travel, take a look at their website. Travellers are bye the way also welcome at my place when I’m not travelling, take contact with me at the contact page from ME Magazine.

The third advice I can give you is to use discount codes. A lot of travel website have discount codes which you can use. In the past you could also find discount codes at ME Magazine, but we stopped with that. Our team isn't so big and it took a lot of time to keep that page up-to-date. If you like to join our team, always welcome. 

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Agoda
www.agoda.com

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Booking.com
​www.booking.com

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Trivago
​www.trivago.com

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Couchsurfing
​www.couchsurfing.com

3. Food

The biggest tip to save money about food is don’t go to expensive restaurants but eat local or street food. Buy some food and drinks in a supermarket and cook sometimes at your own in a hostel. The most hostel have a kitchen what you can use. Or cook together with other travellers in a hostel. It’s again a nice way to socialize. In Asia a lot of supermarkets have also a little terrace where you can sit down and drink some coffee or other drinks.

Places like Starbucks are not done. First you pay five double for your coffee, and second in my opinion as coffee lover: the taste is to sweet and terrible. I can't imagine that someone think this is really coffee. And now I'm going to get a lot of haters who adore Starbucks. And if you really like to go to some restaurant, look for lunch a buffet restaurant. ​And guys, don't take this too seriously either. These are just tips, you can do whatever you want.

4. Transportation

Avoid expensive taxis or share a taxi with other travellers. Use local busses and trains or rent some motor cycle. Maybe you travel slower. But why to hurry when you travel? And you see so much more from the country during slow travelling. Because I love walking, I often go on foot when the distance is less than 5 kilometre (3 mile). When you’re more adventurous, try to hitchhike in Europe.

5. Tours

Don’t do expensive tours or join at organised group activities. Do things bye yourself or with other (local) people you meet. In cities you can find sometimes some free tours. You can give the guide what you like and what they deserve in your opinion. Rent a motor cycle or a bicycle and search. I have the experience that the most local people will help you to find your way around.

6. Touristic places

Don’t spend to much time there. These places are always more expensive. When you stay in less touristic places you save money and you will discover more unique and authentic people, places and experiences. You will discover the country.

7. Travel slow

Like I told you above: don’t be in a hurry. Take some time to walk at a beach, to sit down and watch the sunset or sunrise. Do some hiking trip or just hang around in the city and listen to street musicians and watch the people around you. There are always some things to do what are free or almost free. When you’re in a hurry you always will spend more money at transportation, food and others.

8. Souvenirs

It’s not important to have a t-shirt or others stuff from the city or country you travel to. Buy not too much from these things. Many years later they will be broken, or you have boxes full of stuff. And the things you will remember are the experiences and the people you met. 

9. Budget

Write down the money you spend. You will discover very fast where you’re spending way too much money about and it help to save you money during your travels.

Have a nice travel.

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PUBLISHED BY
Thierry Hanan Scheers
With a backpack  and hiking boots Thierrry Hanan travels around the world. Final destination? Somewhere, nowhere and everywhere.
Backpacker & Storyteller

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ME TALK | ON A BUDGET | BACKPACKING

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