How to travel on a budget in your 20s

Lots of us love the idea of jumping on a plane and seeing a bit of the world. Many people get later in life and regret not having travelled when they were younger. Life can feel a little backward. When you are older, you probably have the cash to go travelling but maybe don’t have the health. When we are younger we have the drive but not the bank balance. This is why when travelling earlier in life, we need to do it with an eye on our cash. Let’s have a look at how to travel on a budget in your 20s.

Make your plans

Firstly, when looking at how to travel on a budget in your 20s, you need to make a plan. Where do you want to visit? There are some sights you simply might want to witness within the next few months and other places that are further down your list of destinations. Make this all-important list and figure out how long you want to spend in each place. Where you want to stay, the places you want to dine, the hotspots you want to take photographs of. When you make your plans, you can see how things can actually pan out. If you are already in one country, it might be cheaper to jump on a plane to another one, rather than come home and organise another trip. Write everything down, figure out where you want to go, who you want to go with and how much it’s all going to cost. When you know this, you can nail down exactly what you can afford and what your ultimate travelling plans are. 

Stick to a budget

Budgeting is so important. When looking at how to travel on a budget in your 20s, you need to first have a budget. What is that budget? What is that pot of money going to allow you to do? Stretch your budget as much as you possibly can, making the absolute most of every penny. It might mean taking a long route to get to your destination, taking a night flight or travelling during a different month, but if that saves a wedge of cash, it’s worthwhile. Accommodation is a huge part of travel too. Where will you stay, where will you sleep? Think about the people you know around the world as well. They might not even be friends or family, but people you know through other people. Maybe a brother of a colleague or an auntie of your best friend. By calling in favours and having the odd night here or there on a sofa, you can keep your cost down. You might even be able to housesit for someone or use their home as a base whilst you spend a couple of weeks in one country. Budget for your food as well. How much can you afford to spend each day on feeding yourself? It’s also worth looking at insurance. You might be planning a dream trip but having some insurance can help settle the mind too.

Join an exchange student program

If you are a student, have you considered joining an exchange program? This can be an affordable way to see another country, enjoy travel and meet new people in different cultures. There might be an exchange program recommended by your university or a simple online search will bring up plenty of options. See if any of these will allow you to visit a place on your bucket list. Maybe when doing your research you discover another wonderful destination that you would love to travel to. These are well worth looking into and if you have parents who are concerned about your travelling, having the backing of an established program will certainly help ease their worries. 

Get a job abroad

Another way to see some of the world is by getting a job abroad. Maybe you can work in a bar as a casual member of staff, doing a few shifts each week which will also give you a bit of extra cash to live on whilst you enjoy trips around the country of your choice. Perhaps you can use the skills you already have and find a job that will further your career whilst allowing you to enjoy a new way of life and different culture. Teaching English as a foreign language is a great way to help people develop whilst also putting yourself in a place you can explore, travel around and enjoy. A job abroad, even a part-time one, for just 12 months, can be an eye-opening way of seeing the world. 

Work remotely as you travel

Of course, you could also choose to get a remote job. These jobs can literally be done from any corner of the world, as long as there is a Wi-Fi connection. Work from a laptop in a coffee shop in Sydney. Travel across America whilst working from a van. Log on as you island-hop across Asia. The possibilities are endless! You might have to be available at certain times but a lot of the time you can work when you want as long as the work gets done. You could work for a company that pays you a salary or set up yourself as a freelancer. Explore the world whilst you work. 

Look into voluntourism

A coinage of volunteering and tourism, voluntourism is a great way to see the world and give back too. By volunteering in countries where there are projects, you can help communities whilst embracing a different way of life. You’ll probably be getting your hands dirty, building homes, digging wells, and helping to modernise places, even with running water. You’ll meet amazing people from all walks of life, as well as the people you are helping themselves. This can be a great addition to your CV when you head back home too. This is a great of how to travel on a budget in your 20s.

Find a balance

It’s a great idea to find balance when looking at how to travel on a budget in your 20s. Organise short trips to expensive places and plan longer stays in budget-friendly locations. You might have those key places you want to visit but keep yourself open to changing those plans and enjoying the freedom of travel. Balance is important so you can keep control of what you are spending, whilst also enjoying those once-in-a-lifetime moments!

Get planning, get your plane tickets and enjoy seeing this wonderful world we live in.