When I started traveling the world on a budget back in 2012, I was only 19 years old. I didn’t have a college education. I didn’t have money. I didn’t even know how to speak English properly.
And all these obstacles could’ve easily discouraged me and let me sit in one place for the rest of my life.
But that wasn’t who I was. That wasn’t my dream.
I strived for adventure. Exciting places. Meeting new people. Learning a different culture and language.
And I did it. All without a bit of money for traveling.
Here are my top tips on how to travel the world on a budget.
Get excited and plan your next adventure today!
1. Travel as an au pair.
My first year of living abroad I was living in the UK and working as an au pair. This allowed me to soak into the British culture, learn the language and save a bit of money.
Working as an au pair, you are provided with food, accommodation, some pocket money, possibly the flight tickets and language classes. In exchange, you are asked to look after the children of the host family for about 25 hours a week.
I have been au pair 4 times. Lived in two countries and learned two foreign languages.
Who is the au pair program for?
To become an au pair, you should be a young female between the ages of 19-30, although I know a couple of male au pairs too. You should like working with children, be creative and responsible. It’s a great idea for the gap year, learning new culture and language.
2. Travel as a nanny
The second step I took to travel the world on a budget (and earn quite good money) was to become a nanny. With my au pair experience, I could easily apply for higher-paying jobs. There are many nanny opportunities around the world.
What do you need to become a nanny?
- 3-4 years of documented experience with working with children
- great references
- language skills
- in most cases, you need a driving license
- First Aid training
3. Travel as a volunteer
One of my greatest discoveries when it comes to traveling was finding opportunities as a volunteer. There are many great sites that you can register and become a volunteer in your dream destination. I would highly recommend checking opportunities on the workaway.info site first. You can also directly apply to places that might need some help with their project.
Everyone has a skill that they can trade for food and accommodation! You can work with animals, help in the garden, mind the children or work in a hostel. All of these opportunities will allow you to literally travel the world on a budget!
I have been volunteering in yoga places, on a Viking ship, permaculture projects, and more!
It’s such a great way of traveling that you don’t have to worry about the most expensive parts – the roof over your head and food. To become a volunteer you need to invest a bit in the flights or travel expenses, and maybe have some little money saved up for sightseeing and extra adventures.
As a volunteer, you are usually asked to work for 25 hours, 5 days a week in exchange for food and accommodation. The experiences are great! You meet many people that share the same values, they can teach you different things and are happy to share their place and experience with you.
Volunteering is by far my favorite way to travel the world on a budget and creating authentic experiences on the way!
Websites with volunteering opportunities:
- volunteersbase.com – a platform without any fees where you can find your next volunteering opportunity for free
- workaway.info – a platform with a fee that allows you to browse from thousands of volunteering opportunities around the world
- worldpackers.com – also a great platform to find volunteering places around the world
4. Travel as a digital nomad
This is something that I am currently working on. Having a remote job that will allow me to work from any place in the world that has the internet!
Nomadic Gene blog is a guide towards the Digital Nomad lifestyle. I will share my best skills and tips on how to become one, create unforgettable and authentic memories, and have the ability to work remotely wherever you want!
So far it has been an amazing journey, and you can check my experiences in the “about” section on the website.
Let me know in the comments if you have some questions regarding your Digital Nomad journey!
5. Travel as a hitchhiker
My greatest adventures have always been the hitchhiking ones! This is a super budget-friendly way to move around, meet amazing people and cut your travel costs to the bare minimum!
I cannot say I have tons of experience, but probably more than the average person. I hitchhiked over 12 000 km and a good chunk of that was my solo travels. This way I was able to minimize transportation costs and travel the world on a budget with more ease.
To read more about my nomadic journey, check out the about section.
Is hitchhiking safe?
Yes! In most cases, you meet nice people that offer you a free ride and great help. There are countries that you need to be more careful and have a partner with you. I traveled a great way as a solo female hitchhiker and never had an unpleasant experience.
6. Travel as a backpacker
Being a backpacker is something more than just carrying a backpack on your back.
I would say it’s a way of traveling (or living?).
As a backpacker, you are not excited to stay in luxurious hotels or all-inclusive holiday resorts. You are more likely to follow the locals, experience the culture, learn the language, and soak in that traveling experience 100%!
For a backpacker the more you can save on luxurious things, the longer you can travel! You are not afraid to sleep in a tent, dumpster dive, or eat the same thing for a week.
You are hungry for adventure and that what’s matters the most to you.
Let me know in the comments if you too have a backpacker spirit!
7. Travel on a bike
Although I haven’t done much bike travel myself, I highly believe that it is one of the coolest and most eco-friendly ways of traveling.
And one of the best ways to travel the world on a budget!
You can save a lot of money when deciding to move around on a bike. Also, combining it with things such as volunteering can almost become a way of traveling the world for free.
There are many beautiful routes around the world and if you are one of those adventurous people, why not try it?
8. Live in a tent
This has been my biggest saving when I traveled across Iceland for 1,5 months.
As you might know, Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. And the accommodation there can be rather out of budget for most people.
But there is a great deal about living in a tent. In most of the Scandinavian countries, you can pitch your tent wherever, and don’t get bothered for doing so!
Iceland is a bit tricky with wild camping, as most of the land is owned privately, you need to get permission from the landowner to pitch a tent. However, when you are camping without a vehicle you are most likely to be left alone and allowed to pitch your tent in most places.
9. House sitting
House-sitting can be a great option to travel the world on a budget and minimalize the cost of accommodation.
Personally, I haven’t done much of house sitting (well, only did it as an au pair). But there are quite a few websites and Facebook groups that you can find these opportunities.
If you like animals, there is also a way to become a pet sitter and this way see some beautiful places on the way.
