Maybe you need some inspiration or are ready for an adventure. Your first thought is to pack your camera gear and hit the road. Then you start researching and decide it’s too expensive. I used to think I would never be able to travel and explore. After a little creativity, I was wrong. Here are six ways to travel without breaking the bank.
Close to home
This one might seem obvious: stay close to home. I’m not talking about walking into your backyard, snapping a few photos, and then heading home. Now, that’ll definitely save you some money! Staying close to home can mean taking a day trip to a location or even staying for a few days. We often take for granted where we live. After a little research, you’ll find many unique locations that are just a few hours away or less. Places like parks, museums, fairs, and festivals can be a treasure trove of great photo opportunities.
Low cost airline
If you’re like me, you like to travel as far as you can once a year, usually during the winter months, to escape those crazy winters. When that happens, I have to find an airline to get to my final destination. The word “fly” always makes me think of spending a lot of money. Flying can still be expensive, depending on your final destination. Finally, a budget airline can save you money.
I have been flying for many years and my go-to airline is Southwest Airlines. I am always looking for other airlines that I can access, such as Allegiant and Frontier Airlines. I have access to major airlines like American and Delta Airlines, which are less than a 10 minute drive from home, while Southwest Airlines is an hour and a half drive away. However, I still save money by driving and flying Southwest. An example is my recent trip to Los Angeles, California. American and Delta Airlines wanted an average price of $550.00 for a one-way ticket. Southwest wanted $350.00, saving me $200 and only having one layover in Denver!
Accommodation
Where you stay can be a budget killer! I won’t lie; my accommodations are pretty basic. I advise most people not to do what I do: sleep in their car. Not only is it basic, it’s a little uncomfortable and requires some research. I don’t sleep in parking lots for safety reasons, and it’s usually too bright for me to sleep. I like to find a campsite and camp for the night. I usually rent a larger SUV to fit all my gear and myself. I spent eight years in the US Army; I can sleep anywhere!
I recommend a hotel for the less adventurous. I like to use budget sites like Expedia or Priceline. Sometimes you can find a great price and even unique locations. My current choice is AirBnBI am teaching a workshop in September at a abandoned prison in Missouri. I wanted to keep costs low for the attendees. The hotel wanted $170.00 per night and $1,000.00 for two days to rent a small conference room. I went to Airbnb and found an entire house to rent for a little under $500.00 for three nights that could accommodate six attendees! This saved my conference attendees a pretty penny! I was surprised how much everyone wanted to stay together for the camaraderie and unique experience rather than staying in a hotel!
Food
As we all know, nothing is cheap these days, and food is one of them! I don’t eat out three times a day when I go to restaurants. I love breakfast, so I get up early to find a local place. I’ll have a big breakfast, and for lunch I usually eat cheap and go to the store to buy ingredients for a sandwich. I also occasionally have dinner or egg. They’re like a military ready-to-eat meal, but so much better! I won’t say I don’t splurge once or twice on a trip if I can find something unique, like The Big Texan on my recent Route 66 trip.
Location
Location can also drain your budget! Traveling to and staying at specific locations and the distance to your final destination will determine your final cost. Especially accommodation! For example, take my trip to Zion National Park in May 2022. I had two options for a hotel near the park: La Verkin or Springdale, Utah. Springdale, which is four minutes from the park, had an average nightly rate of $285.00. In contrast, La Verkin, Utah had an average nightly rate of $190.00. The difference of $95.00 a night saved me $190.00 for a four-day trip!
The time of year will also affect it! If I were to travel to a warmer climate in the winter months. Everything from air travel to accommodation can be more expensive. Add in a popular location and expect to pay more. I chose White Sands National Park in New Mexico for a trip in February 2023. February has the lowest number of visitors of any month of the year; I flew into El Paso, Texas. It was cheap, and I drove a few hours to my final destination. I ended up saving money!
Keep it short
Your trip doesn’t have to be a week or more. I find that five days or less for a trip can get a lot done. It keeps costs down and I don’t find myself running out of things to do because I’ve planned too many days. I like four-day trips. I have two total days of travel, one day there and one day back, with two full days to explore. I can add another day to get three days of exploring. Keeping your trips short will save you money and may even allow you to take an extra trip throughout the year.
Ultimately, being a smart traveler will not only save you money, it will also allow you to travel more! If you have a trip or conference on your bucket list that you want to attend, sit down, open your computer, do some research, and do the math. You might be surprised to find out that you can actually make that trip on your bucket list happen! If you are already a smart traveler, leave your tips in the comments. I’d love to hear your tips, and maybe an old dog can learn some new tricks too!
