How to travel the world for free or very cheaply

Have you ever wondered how I or some of your friends on Facebook can leave and travel to amazing places? I promised to share with you how to have more fun.  So, I will share with you some tips on how you can leave your city and start to explore the world.

Tip #1  We actually want to travel and believe it’s possible. Co-workers and colleagues ask me all the time how I travel well and cheaply. Then after I tell them, they tell me all the reasons it can’t work for them. I reply, “silly rabbit, if you didn’t plan on using the information, don’t ask me anymore.” Lol

I’ve heard it all:

1. I have bills and it costs too much to travel
2. I have children and you can’t travel with children
3. I don’t have anybody to travel with and can’t go alone
4. It’s dangerous outside of the US or my hometown and I’m scared to leave home.

So, let’s take all of that clutter out of your mind and dream with me. I get so excited talking about travel, I’ll have to save some information for future posts.

Tip #2 Make some trade-offs and set up automatic deductions from your checking for travel. After a year of saving $100 a month, $1200 would pay for two 5 day cruises or a trip to the Caribbean. I took the train and drove a hooptie for 3 years so I would have my travel budget. I don’t recommend that per se but maybe you can forgo an expensive purse in exchange for a plane ticket somewhere. Maybe you have to cut cable or just switch providers so your bills are lower. I just switched from Verizon Wireless to T-mobile for my cell phone.  I signed up for Netflix and cut cable. Then I switched from Xfinity to Verizon for my internet service. Those 3 changes will save me $1900 over the next year. I’m already planning where I can go a year from now with that money.

Tip #3 Consider taking a road trip or the bus.  And this could be an option for mothers with small children. There may be an amazing beach, mountainside, national park or historic site that’s worth driving to in your own state.  Two nights of different scenery may energize you and inspire your kids.  Local family vacations inspired me as a kid to want to experience and do more. Also new bus companies like Megabus and Boltbus have wifi and fares as low as $5 if you buy your tickets 3 months in advance. If you’re within five hours of DC, NYC, New Orleans, Memphis, Houston, Charleston, Philadelphia…GO! My mom and I rode from DC to Niagara Falls on Megabus for $60.

Tip #4 Learn about Travel Hacking.  Travel hacking is an advanced strategy and requires a little discipline. But, it is well worth it. If you google travel hacking you’ll discover a wealth of information on how travelers are using credit cards that earn travel miles and hotel points; and see new places for less than $100. It is just really important to pay your credit card bill in full every month before considering this strategy.  Tons of websites that we use everyday, like Amazon, will award us travel points just for our business. Every airline has an online shopping portal you can use to buy products from your favorite stores and earn miles. And since I don’t mind saying no multiple times, I’ve sat through time share presentation sales pitches for discounted trips to LA ($200 Air/Hotel for Two) and Las Vegas.  If I’ve peaked your interest, read my other posts on how I traveled to Thailand, LA, Chicago, and Barbados for less than $400 total for airfare. Are you ready to pack a bag? Feel free to ask questions in the comments.