Broke? Want to travel? Need to save money and still have a fantastic trip? I’m assuming if you’re here the answers to all of those questions are YES. I am by no means a “travel hacker,” but with these tips and a few great resources, I’ve been able to travel 2-3 times a year while working 9-to-5, with student debt. Let’s go!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you make a purchase through them. Read the Disclosure for more details.

Travel Planning Tips and Resources

1. BE FLEXIBLE! And don’t wait ‘til the last second.

The biggest tip I can give anyone who wants to travel on a budget is to be flexible on where and when you are going! If you allow yourself to go with the flow and find the cheapest flights and accommodation possible, it can save you thousands of dollars. I’d also recommend that you start scoping out travel plans around the 6-7 month mark, intending to book around 4-5 months before your trip. This formula has worked for me to snag deals, although I’ve definitely booked WAY more last-minute and further out (sometimes we get a lil’ overzealous) and still got a decent deal.

2. Be willing to hunt – utilize flight search tools.

Kayak is my go-to flight search engine, although you can check out Google Flights, Skyscanner, Expedia, or Priceline too! Kayak’s Explore feature is my personal fave; plug in your home airport and a projected travel date range (you can leave this blank for more options), and you’ll see a map of the world with the cheapest flight prices available! Other great sites to sign up for are Scott’s Cheap Flights (free, or sign up for a premium plan) and FareDrop (with a low annual payment). Flexibility is a factor here as well, but when you register for the mailing list, you’ll get an almost daily digest of affordable flight deals from in your inbox.

Check out » kayak.com/explore • scottscheapflights.com • skyscanner.com • faredrop.com • hopper.com • momondo.com • google.com/flights • skiplagged.com

3. Travel in the off-season!

Depending on your destination, this could be any time of year, but if you’re exploring Europe, check out early spring or fall/winter. Off-season travel has many benefits besides low prices. You’ll get to avoid the tourist crowds and live more like a local. Make sure to double-check that the attractions you want to see will be open; sometimes the off-season is when you’ll run into construction and maintenance because there is less demand.

4. Wait for deals (especially if you like traveling guided).

If you enjoy guided tours, as I do from time to time, sign up for emails from your favorite operators, and scope out TourRadar and Affordable Tours for additional savings. I went to China for ten days with Gate1 (air included) for less than $1,600 by snagging a weekly deal.

Check out » gate1travel.com • intrepidtravel.com • contiki.com • gadventures.com • monograms.com • trutravels.com • tourradar.com • affordabletours.com

5. Pack light.

Checked baggage can cost lots of extra money and is generally unnecessary. Learning to scale back on what you pack can allow you to book with budget airlines that otherwise charge an arm and a leg for checking a suitcase. In addition, traveling with less can relieve some anxiety and make you more mindful of your packing and shopping!

Check out » Travel Packing List

6. Accommodation.

This is probably a pretty obvious tip, but short-term rental sites like Airbnb can have significantly cheaper accommodation options than hotels. However, if you prefer hotels or even hostels, I’d recommend checking out sites like Kayak, Priceline, Expedia, Booking.com, Tripadvisor, and HostelWorld to compare prices. That being said, booking directly on the hotel website is often the most affordable price; these search engines can just give you a good idea of what’s available. Another excellent budget accommodation app is HotelTonight – if you’re okay with booking your hotels at the last minute, this app will show you hotels in your destination that have availability on that day and usually at highly discounted prices.

Check out » airbnb.com • kayak.com • priceline.com • expedia.com • hostelworld.com • tripadvisor.com • booking.com • tripadvisor.com • hoteltonight.com

7. Pre-book smartly and use affordable tours by locals!

If you’re like me, you like to leave room for some spontaneity while you’re traveling, but it’s often wise to pre-book activities that will get more expensive as your trip dates get closer. Things like tours, museums, and top attractions can be more pricey or even sell out if you don’t book ahead. For example, the Alhambra in Spain only has a limited number of tours allowed per day—you don’t want to miss out because you didn’t pre-book!

If you do find yourself in this situation, check out the app Headout; they typically have tickets left when I can’t find them anywhere else! I’d also highly recommend finding some affordable local guides on your trip – you can have some fantastic, private guided experiences that feel luxurious but are super cheap. My favorite site for this is WithLocals, I’ve had nothing but amazing experiences with their expert guides.

Check out » headout.com • tripadvisor.com • viator.com • withlocals.com • airbnb.com/experiences • getyourguide.com