How to save a lot of money while backpacking

Saving money while traveling is critical for backpackers. If you choose to stay in hotels or resorts and dine at places with international menus, your budget probably won’t allow you to travel for more than a month. But if you tighten your budget with cost-effective means of accommodation, transportation, and dining, you could theoretically visit more places for an extended period. Seasoned backpacker Cashier Myricks shares tips on how to save a lot of money while backpacking.

Visiting the right place at the right time could mean the difference between spending more and saving thousands of dollars. For example, visiting a destination during peak season would mean everything would be more expensive in terms of accommodation. But if you travel during the lean season, prices are at their lowest. Plus, there’s the added benefit of not competing with huge crowds.

Besides accommodation, food is often the most expensive item on your daily budget. Cashier Myricks claims there are many ways on how to save money on food. First off, try to avoid eating at establishments near tourist destinations as those are often overpriced, and the quality is a bit of a hit or miss. Try asking locals where it would be cheaper to eat. Or if you really want to save money, buy raw ingredients, and cook meals for yourself if your accommodation has a kitchen you can use.

Lastly, finding reasonable yet comfortable accommodations is so easy nowadays, thanks to aggregate websites. While you can find great deals for three-star hotels and resorts, the real budget option for travelers is staying in hostels. According to Cashier Myricks, many people have misconceptions about hostels as being unsafe. Most hostels are equipped with security features to keep their guests safe and have facilities like lockers to keep items secure. While you may have to sacrifice a lot of privacy, you do end up saving a ton of money and meeting a lot of new friends in hostels.