Spending a lot of money on holidays doesnt mean you will have a better time than someone who spends less. Ive been travelling the world for close to a decade on a budget and found that following a few simple tips makes it easy to travel on a budget and still have an amazing trip.

Saving money on the road requires us to break away from a conventional mindset that travel is expensive. This mindset is pushed by a travel industry built on people spending more money, that tells us that we need to stay in hotels, eat at world-class restaurants, or go on packaged tours to have a good time. Of course, thats just not the case, and there are plenty of ways to have a good tripwithout spending a fortune.

Below are various ways to save in any destination around the world from cheaper locales like Thailand to more expensive countries like Norway. They will save you big money with minimal effort. Ive traveled to over 75 countries in the last eight years. I even wrote a book on budget travel called How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. I know how unbelievable it can sound to say you can travel the world on a budget comfortably, but I know its possible because Ive done it firsthand. Below are some of the best ways to save money in any destination because when you spend less, you can travel more.

When you dont need a luxury suite, there are a variety of options for finding housing that wont cost you much. Whether you work in exchange for room and board or simply find a cheap hostel, here are a few alternatives to hotels.

The best way to save on accommodation is not paying for it and a hospitality exchange allows you to do exactly that. Youve probably heard of couch surfing, but there are more options than that. Hospitality exchange services connect travellers with locals offering a free place to stay. Sometimes its a bed, sometimes its a couch, and sometimes its literally just space on the floor. These sites work by having users sign up, create profiles, and connect with each other. The expectation is that one day, those who were hosted will pay it forward and host someone else. Youre not required to host anyone in the future, but most people find the experience of being hosted rewarding and do host others. There are four major hospitality exchange organisations:

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOFing, matches people looking for work on farms with farms that need labour. You get free room and board in exchange for work! Its an incredible way to stay in one area for free. You dont need any farm experience either. There is no international WWOOF membership, so youll have to buy a membership from each individual WWOOFing countrys organisation. Annual membership usually costs around $US30 per country. Obviously this solution isnt for everyone and is limited to certain areas, but it can be a good way to gain interesting experience while saving money.

House sitting is exactly like it sounds while someone else is on holiday, you watch their house and take care of any pets they have while they are gone. House sitting commitments tend to be long term (i.e. a month or more) and are suited for travellers who want to stay longer in one specific place. The biggest house sitting websites are:

Perhaps the most common solution for travellers looking to save money, hostels are one of the cheapest forms of paid accommodation in the world. Hostels are places that offer shared (and sometimes private) rooms for travellers looking for a cheap place to stay. These dormitory-style rooms usually have between four and 20 beds. The more beds, the cheaper the room.

Hostel prices are about a third of the cost of a hotel room. A cheap hotel in New York City is $US100 USD, while a dorm room is $US30. In Thailand, where a hotel is $US30 USD or more, you can get a cheap dorm room for $US5. In Australia, a dorm room is $US25 USD versus $US110 for a hotel.

One option for group travellers, or even people travelling alone who arent interested in hostels, is serviced apartments. These are apartments owned, furnished, and taken care of by someone else that you rent like a hotel room. People list an extra room, couch, or property they own and want to make money from. Its like couch-surfing, except you pay for it and get your own space. There are many companies that will help you find these apartments around the world, such as:

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How To Save Money When Travelling To Any Destination