*I’m often asked how I can afford travel and in a 3 part series, I’ll try to cover this. However, those that travel know that there is no big secret to being able to travel for months at a time. You just have to get up and do it. So the list begins with:
1. Focus on doing, not on owning
2. Be Flexible
3.
I remember the day that Orbitz introduced their flexible dates feature. (Ok, maybe I don’t remember the exact day, but I remember that I thought it was ingenious…does that count?) If you’re not familiar, it allows you to choose up to three days before/after your original departure/arrival dates or you can pick a weekend trip in a certain month. After you make your choice, you’re given a matrix to see when the cheapest dates to travel are.
This is the type of flexibility needed to get great travel rates. I’ve been using it for years and when I started exploring long term travel, I took it a few steps further:
Fly from a different airport. When I was going to Brazil, I didn’t just search for flights in the Washington, DC area. The flight that I actually found was out of JFK and it easily saved me around $400. I took the BoltBus from DC to NY the night before for $1.00 and crashed at a friend’s house that night.
Think of a few different places. One day, I would like to create a website where you can just pick a month and maybe a departing location and then the site would search for the cheapest locations to fly to at that time. I’m just not tied to where I travel to. I spend quite a bit of time just searching for flights in different locations all across the world just to see what’s out there. I know that I want to go to Buenos Aires in April ( I decided this a few days ago), but if I find a great deal to Morocco, that’s where I’ll be.
Remain flexible when you get there. It’s no secret that I go places without any plan and this has helped me save quite a bit of money. I think it’s better to go somewhere and only have a place to stay for a couple of days. If you wait until you get there, you will probably find a better deal on an apartment/hotel/hostel just by talking to the people at the location.
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Caldeia
2 years ago
Loving this 3 part blogging of my favourite subject!
Be flexible is the absolutely best thing when travelling and getting value for it. My adventure in Brazil included a 28hr bus from Rio to Salvador because it actually was cheaper and let me tell you this: the seats are way more comfortable than in any airplane! This bus trip made me and my friend: see more of Brazil (and no there are no high ways in the north…) enjoy our time together and really catch up and discuss life, hang out and get to know Brazilian people! It was a great adventure!
We also didn’t book all accommodation but took whatever was available. At Ilha Grande we booked just the night before, this led to the fact that I met a friend from Lisbon, on that very same hostel!!! And also got friends for life whom I regularly talk to and see here in Europe. Another thing that happened was that we found a great hostel in Rio, in Sta Teresa, on the hills with a nice view and got an even better tip of a hostel almost ON Leblon beach! Absolutely great!
I don’t like travel guides and when moving to Portugal, I read almost nothing about, just facts of my uni. In this way, you somehow bump in to things that are already mentioned in a guide, but as you don’t know it’s a “must-see” you will enjoy it way more! I had a guide of course, but I read just some weeks ago, marking everything i’ve already seen =)
So be openminded with a free soul and enjoy things for what they are, may they be monuments or accommodation or transport.
shannon
2 years ago
I think I’m going to have to try that bus from Rio to Salvador. I keep hearing great things about it.
And how wonderful is Sta. Teresa!!! OMG. It’s very possible I’ll end up moving there one day. I’ve never felt like I belonged somewhere so much until I started climbing that hill. I went when the artists’ had their open houses and it was the coolest things ever. I also took a few of my favorite Rio photos there.
Rhona
2 years ago
Great tips. I also use the fly out of another airport. Toronto airport has one of the highest surcharges so I always try for Buffalo. After a simple 1.5hr drive, a $15.00 fee to park (one way) I am off. This saves me at least $400.00 also for the flight.
Rhona´s last blog ..Thanks to Girls Just Wanna have funds
shannon
2 years ago
Can I just say how much I hate airport surcharges and that I’m just finding out that different airports have different charges? Argh.