{"id":3491,"date":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=3491"},"modified":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T20:32:39","slug":"10-ways-to-travel-on-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=3491","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Travel on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"


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My husband and I love to travel. But now that we\u2019re a family of five<\/a>, we\u2019ve found that hotels, restaurants, and museums add up very<\/em> quickly. I know I\u2019m not the only one who wants to explore cool places without spending my whole paycheck. So! I reached out to experienced travelers for their best budget tips\u2026<\/p>\n

TRANSPORTATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Joanna Goddard<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the biggest ways I\u2019ve saved on a trip is planning around flights, not destinations. If I\u2019m flexible about where I go, I often find flights that are hundreds of dollars cheaper, which leaves more room in my budget for experiences.\u201d \u2014 Sophia Lopez<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cVisit a place just before<\/em> one of their big holidays. For example, instead of visiting Mexico City for Day of the Dead, go a week or two beforehand. That way, the flights, hotels, and restaurants will be less expensive and not nearly so busy.\u201d \u2014 Samantha Clark<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you\u2019ve reached your destination, walk as much as possible! Not only does it save on transport, but I\u2019ve discovered some of my favorite caf\u00e9s, viewpoints, and neighborhoods simply by wandering around, instead of taking a taxi or the metro.\u201d \u2014 Sophia Lopez<\/a><\/p>\n

FOOD AND DRINK<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Ali LaBelle<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy road-trip essential is our huge Stanley flask<\/a>. We fill it with coffee before leaving the house, and it prevents us from buying overpriced cappuccinos. The thermos works so well, the coffee is still warm the next day.\u201d \u2014 Diana Moss<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe best restaurant recs \u2014\u00a0especially those that don\u2019t cost an arm and a leg \u2014 tend to come from locals. So, if I\u2019m in a wine bar, vintage shop, or bookstore, I try to strike up conversations with the people who work there. I want to know the neighborhood places they love, versus the fancy, overpriced, designed-for-Instagram places you\u2019ll find on everyone\u2019s travel guides.\u201d \u2014 Ali LaBelle<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cRoutinize lunches when you\u2019re at a weeklong vacation rental by announcing that every lunch on every day will be the same thing, like sandwiches, chips, and fruit. This saves on three fronts: the planning that makes a vacation feel like this classic Onion headline<\/a>, the labor of cooking (even your second grader can make himself a sandwich), and, of course, money.\u201d \u2014 Miranda Featherstone<\/a><\/p>\n

ACTIVITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo by Jannelle Sanchez<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re traveling with young kids, check out the local library calendar. Many libraries offer fun activities throughout the week \u2014 plus free snacks, clean bathrooms, and air conditioning. They\u2019re also a great place to chat with local parents and get the scoop on other cool (and free) parks and places worth visiting.\u201d \u2014 Jannelle Sanchez<\/a><\/p>\n

LODGING<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo of Lena\u2019s house<\/a> by Joanna<\/em><\/p>\n

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Photo of Joanna\u2019s house<\/a> by Lena<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy family and I love to find places to stay on HomeExchange<\/a> (yes, like in the movie The Holiday<\/a>). We\u2019ve booked a gorgeous apartment in San Francisco; a cozy house in Bend, Oregon, where we took care of the cat and watered the garden; and a sunny home in Santa Barbara \u2014 all for free. There is a yearly membership fee of $235, but it pays for itself with one night at a house swap, given the price of hotels and Airbnbs these days.\u201d \u2014 Marian Schembari<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe do the same house-swapping approach, except with friends. We sometimes swap simultaneously, but not always. For example, my friend Lena\u2019s<\/a> family lives in a lovely house<\/a> (with backyard chickens!) in San Francisco, and my dad and I stayed there this past New Year\u2019s, while they were visiting relatives. Then, a couple weeks ago, we were upstate<\/a>, and Lena and her family stayed in our Brooklyn home<\/a>. The lodgings, both times, were cozy, comfy, and fun \u2014 for a grand total of\u2026zero dollars.\u201d \u2014 Joanna Goddard<\/a><\/p>\n

CAMPING<\/p>\n

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\u201cOne of the best ways to travel cheap is to camp on public land for free! I find spots using The Bureau of Land Management<\/a> and Free Campsites<\/a>. Some of my favorite places I\u2019ve ever visited have been free camping situations.\u201d \u2014 Elaina Jindra<\/a><\/p>\n

What would you add? I\u2019m so excited to hear more ideas!<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. A genius way to choose a vacation rental when traveling with kids<\/a> and six tips for planning the best vacation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Top photo of Samantha Clark<\/a>, by Ryan Kellman<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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69<\/span> COMMENTS<\/p>\n

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