A friend of mine recently researched a flight to Calgary at 1 a.m., bought the ticket, then hopped on the flight later that morning at 6 a.m. Isn't that freaking crazy and sorta awesome.
The art of mini-vacationing and impulse travel isn't for everyone, but it certainly gets the job done and can be just as fun, if not more adventurous, than booking a well planned, week long vacation.
People ask me, "How do you travel so often? Doesn't it cost money?" Hell yes it costs money! I just happen to find myself in a vicious cycle of: save -> travel/spend -> return slightly poorer -> repeat. I think what people need to understand is, travel doesn't have to cost thousands of dollars.
How I travel might not meet the same expectations of every traveler but, here are 5 ways to travel cheap and travel often.
Scour discount airlines and sacrifice the hot towelettes for a cheaper price
Skip the Expedia's and Trivago's and go to smaller airline websites directly to dodge the ticket retailer cut. Be open to departing and landing in smaller cities, avoiding major airports can cut the price. For example, all you GTA-ers, lots of flights depart from Hamilton which chop the price by $75 - $100 depending on your destination.
Pro-tips:
-Search on Tuesdays and in the evening (prices drop at night, just like gas prices) for some reason airlines sell cheaper flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays;
-Travel light! Skip the baggage, take a carry on and opt out of seat upgrades;
-Browse for flights in Incognito tabs to prevent cookies from jacking up the price (if you didn't already know this, now you do);
-Book your flights 58 days in advance. Fifty-eight seems to be the magic number to get the best bang for your buck.
Take mini vacations
Unfortunately we don't get exorbitant amounts of vacation time or expendable schedules, I know.
Start shifting your vacation planning habits from, "When is the best time to take a vacation? I'll book a flight," and start thinking, "Go when the flight price is low and make it work."
Look at what opportunities ARE available? Are you changing jobs? Travel between your time off! Have some extra sick leave you haven't used? Don't be afraid to request time off even if it's unpaid and make the most of long weekends.
If you plan a weekend vacation, I advise traveling within your own country. Canada has a whole WHACK of beautiful landscapes and culture to explore. Or if you're European, (you lucky fool), just take weekend trips to Paris, London or Berlin. Or, if you're like me, go to Edmonton and visit the legislation buildings to pretend like you're in Europe*.
*See picture above
Find friends to stay with or hostel it up
Practice cutting down on your biggest costs. Before you go anywhere, ask friends if they know people who would put you up for night or two in exchange for a house warming gift. Between the six degrees of separation, there will be connections worldwide to take advantage of.
And if you're lucky, international friends and family would LOVE to host you, even if they aren't around to do so.*
*Anyone reading this internationally, you're always welcome to crash in Toronto.
If you can't stay with friends or afford $100+ on a hotel, try a hostel. Most hostels won't go over $50 for a dorm bed and all-inclusive amenities. Not to mention the added cool decor and social atmosphere is totally worth the experience. Don't knock it till you try it.
Pro-tip:
Travelling couples, lots of hostels will offer private rooms and double beds at an equally affordable price. Check out what your options are before booking the next Airbnb or hotel!
Grocery shop instead of eating out and make your own meals
Even though it's extra work, buying a load of groceries to make your own meals ultimately reduces how often you eat out, thus saving you the $30+ on the bigger meals like lunch and dinner. This pairs in tandem with the above point, seeing as hostels are always (if not, often) equipped with full kitchens.
Skip the tour and DIY your itinerary
If you make your own itinerary, RESEARCH EVERYTHING!!! (Yes three exclamation points are necessary). Planning an itinerary sets your travel course which leaves less room for error and will help make the most of your days. With that said, don't be lazy and just book a bunch of tours.
The purpose of your research should either confirm or eliminate tours as a way to fill your day. See if you can explore on your own or if a guide is necessary for a proper experience.
Tour companies and trip packages can be great, don't get me wrong. My rule of thumb is, book a tour if the activity isn't feasible to do solo. If a national park requires a guide to enter or you want to see 5 sight seeing spots in one day, it's likely you should book the tour for an optimal experience.
If you can explore safely, then skip the tour, drive/train/bus it yourself, pack a lunch, and get maps from the local tourist office. You'd be surprised how much stuff you can DIY and save a fair amount of cash.
Pro-tip:
The tours I will always recommend, are free walking tours! They give you so much information, the guides are professionally trained and often add some spunk to boring history. Lastly, they're free and can easily fill your morning, which leaves the rest of your afternoon free to explore (and now you have a rough idea of where to go).
The biggest roadblocks to navigate when you travel are time and money. But open your mind to travelling in atypical ways. You'll be surprised by the opportunity to see and do things if you work with a flexible time frame and plan ahead with a minimalist mindset.
What weekend getaways have you taken? What's the craziest thing you managed to do/see in 48 hours?
Happy travels friends,
Mimi