My family always laughs at me, because any time we’re watching TV and a travel commercial comes on, I’ll say, “I would go there.” It doesn’t matter where it is; I want to go there. And probably take a lot of yoga selfies while I’m there.
But what’s a yogi on a budget to do? There’s so much to do, so much to see (so what’s wrong with taking the back streets? Sorry, I had to), and it can feel impossible to see what you want when your piggy bank is low. Not to fear! Here are five budget travel tips so you can go explore.
1. Compare Flights
This one is pretty obvious, but let me tell you, it’s saved me so much money. If you compare flights while planning your trip, you’re much more likely to find the best flight for you budget-wise. Some of my favorite sites are FareCompare, Skyscanner, and Kayak.
Also, put your browser into incognito mode before looking for flights. Because of cookies, if you go back and forth to different sites while booking your flight, the clever interwebs will realize that you’re looking for flights, and the fares will suddenly go up. Surfing in incognito mode keeps the fares down.
2. Traveling for a Yoga Retreat?
Yoga retreats, as much as we love them, can be insanely expensive. However, you can still get your Zen on with a shoestring budget!
Check out BookYogaRetreats.com. They have a whole section on budget yoga retreats. You can go anywhere from Jamaica, to Spain, to the Himalayas, all without breaking the bank. Look for a retreat that’s all-inclusive, and you’re golden.
3. Travel Somewhere Far Away
Going further afield normally sounds much more difficult (and expensive) than it actually is.
Look into trips to Southeast Asia, India, or Eastern Europe. You get a lot more bang for your buck, and usually the most expensive part of the trip is the flight. But because you’re saving more due to the lower cost of living, you have a bit more to spend on flights. Look to point #1, and plan in advance, and then the flights might not be so bad, anyway!
4. Couch Surfing or House Sitting
One awesome thing about the internet is it connects you with all kinds of people the world over. Including people that are looking for places to stay while traveling.
Try sites like CouchSurfing.com or Airbnb if you’re looking to stay with someone. Or, if you’d like something a little different, give house sitting a shot. Sites like MindMyHouse.com set people up the world over with house sitters to take care of their pets, or just to make sure their house is ok while they’re gone.
Whatever you choose, try and get to know the hosts first. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make a new friend.
5. Staying Longer? Try Teaching!
If you really want to get away for a good long time, look into some kind of teaching service. In the case that you’re certified to teach English as a foreign language, it’s very easy to find teaching jobs abroad (check out Dave’s ESL Cafe). Look for a language school that pays a salary and a stipend for living costs.
Are you a yoga teacher? Check out YogaTrade, a site that sets up yoga teachers with jobs around the world. When you need a change of scenery, teaching abroad is one of the best ways to travel, and get paid to do it, too.
What’re your best budget travel tips? Share with us below!
