Trifter

Five Ideas for Inexpensive Travel

With the economy tanking and finances tightening, travel may seem like an impossibility. There are, however, a number of ways to make travel affordable. And let’s face it: with all the stress of worrying about income and jobs, who couldn’t use a break?

Here are five ideas to help assist you in making plans for an affordable vacation:

1. CouchSurfing

CouchSurfing is an online community of international participants who either host or are hosted by people at their homes throughout the world. It is not only a great way to secure inexpensive accommodations, but also offers the chance to interact with people from different cultures and who are familiar with the area you’re visiting. CouchSurfing is far more than just finding a place to stay, and they have safety measures in place to protect participants: check out their FAQ section for further information.

2. The Hospitality Club

The Hospitality Club, like CouchSurfing, is an international online community designed as a networking site for travelers. Also like CouchSurfing, it offers the chance to secure inexpensive accommodations and the ability to interact with people from varying walks of life. Participant safety is a priority and they have a number of safety measures in place. Check out their FAQ Section for further information.

3. Hostels

Hostels are a great way to save money while still securing a safe place to stay. There are tons of hostel sites online – a quick google search will bring up sites, but here are a couple to get you started:

Hostel Planet

Hostel World

Hostelling International

4. Backpacking

Backpacking is a great travel option for those of you who don’t mind “roughing it” a bit. Travel Independent is a site that offers information about backpacking including what to pack (a list generated by those who have “learned the hard way”), some suggestions about where to travel, and pre-travel preparations.

5. Travel Close to Home

A great idea for taking an affordable vacation is to travel in areas close to where you live. This is a great option for taking day trips and discovering things about your area that you never knew. Vacations do not necessarily have to involve traveling to far-away places; sometimes the most fun can be found in a place that tends to get taken for granted. Plus, you can sleep in your own bed; as fun as travel is sometimes there’s nothing better than finding luxury in the familiar.