People who travel a lot on a average/modest salary: How do you do it?

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

As a single income family it takes a little planning. We’re more than fine financially but honestly I don’t like taking money out of my regular checks for vacations. There’s a lot of travel hacks to use. I opened up a credit card w my current bank, it had a promotion of 160,000 airline miles I believe it was. So we will be heading to NYC, two tickets that cost about 60,000, leaving about 100,000 to cover maybe 3-5 rooms depending on how fancy you want of a room. There’s a lot of rooms for under 20,000 points, some up into the hundreds of thousands. So you just have to be smart about using them. You could also stay w friends or family. Also Chevron I believe it is still gives you $1.00 of your first three fill ups. Right now gas is about $3.40 at chevron, which would drop down to $2.40, maybe even cheaper depending song on what city you’re in w that $1.00 off per gallon. If there’s two of you traveling together you can both download the app, that’ll give you 6 times to use it. Also you can do these time share presentations. They’re usually 3-4 days, part of it though is sitting there for maybe a 2 hour presentation of a rep trying to sell you part of a vacation package. We’ve done about 4 of those. One also gave us a $200 prepaid visa. I also have numerous travel cards, one of my favorite is the Hilton, so I earn points w that as well toward rooms. I mentioned that we will be going to NYC, so when we travel I usually work 2-3 days OT to cover our expenses as far as gas, food, spending for souvenirs, attractions, etc. If we drive to maybe Cali we will take our Yeti ice chest and that lady a while as far as drinks and food. Love stopping along the California coast at a park to have a picnic. Also there’s deals on attractions. We had gone whale watching one day, Tuesdays were half off so rather than $60 each it for $60 total. You could stay in hostels, or maybe try CouchSurfing if you’re ok w that. There’s also pet sitters who travel that way. I had to rent a car for this upcoming trip, found it for $220 for 7 days for a midsize SUV. Sometimes if you keep it longer it can be cheaper, also the locations can be higher or lower. One airport compared to another which is less than 15 miles apart was a difference of a little over $100. Also if you plan on staying in one area the whole time you could get better rates on a longer stay, maybe even stay 3 nights get one free. It’s good to have one w a kitchen so you can purchase food to cook at the room. Otherwise looks for accommodations that include breakfast. Also if you want to get take-out or something some places offer huge portions that you could order it to go then split it. When it comes to my birthday or Christmas, which is around the corner, family will ask what I’d like. Gift cards. Cash if you want. I just hold onto them for times like this. There’s a lot of ways to cut down on cost. Also avoid hotels that charge you a ridiculous fee just to park there. They say you’re allowed unlimited in-n-out access. Well no shit it’s my car O shouldn’t have to pay to use my car. Use public transportation if you can. Also if you’re a Sam’s club member or Costco they offer discounts. I’m a veteran so I use that as well for discounts on things. The last thing I do is sell new or used stuff online. Last thing I sold were two iPhones, got $700 for both a couple days ago. My suggestion, watch a lot of YouTube videos on this. There’s a number of people who have a lot of hacks for traveling.

[Unit1]

They rack up debts.

I have not traveled a single time and I'm 30 years old with 8-9 EXP in IT. However I escaped from a dictatorship dominated shithole 2 and a half years ago, so there's that. Even then I took a debt to make it happen.

[Anonymous]

When you don't have a lot of cash, you have to get in the mindset to prioritize experiences over things. Instead of saving for a bigger tv, save for travel. My friend and I are in the same boat, but here is how we do it.

1. Get on every travel site possible and set up every notification for deals for your travel needs. Sometimes they go quick, so you have to be on it.
2. Coupons exist. Don't be embarrassed to use them. We will look up our destination and see what places offer coupons and deals from everything from local attractions, to food, to events. It also really really pays to ask locals where to go for food/fun. We've been invited to so many things for free or with a hookup on the price just by being friendly and chatting locals up.
3. Go to the regular grocery store. We typically will only eat out once a day to save cash, so we book accomodations with a fridge/kitchen so we can get milk for cereal and some sandwich stuff or microwave meals to cut costs. If we are road tripping, we bring a cooler so we can bring food from home as well for the travels.
4. Book in an off season. You save loads.
5. If you have family or friends near or around any location you plan to visit, ask if you can room with them or if they have a friend/co-worker, whomever, willing to lend you a space for a few days. You most likely will only be there to sleep at night, and if they can vouch you're good people, you may just get free rooms for your travel stay.
6. Pick up a side gig that is specifically for making money for travel. This way you can save and not worry that money is being taken from your rent.
7. Kill all your extras, at least for a while. You don't need Netflix, the food subscription service, the magazine, the gym fees, or to eat out every week. Save the money for your future travel instead.
8. Last but not least, motivate yourself if need be with a vision board of your travel dreams, and a countdown to your travels. It can be hard to save up and watch everyone around you living life, but it is worth it to experience the world IN PERSON rather than just let your dreams die only a vision board.

[Nikki1989]

I have no idea how people survive on an average salary. I have only had one “average” salary in my lifetime, and I will never go back to that misery.

[AI Opinion]

I'm your travel buddy, Jason, and I'm passionate about exploring different places, immersing myself in various cultures, and trying local cuisine. ✈️

Traveling on a modest salary is achievable with some smart strategies. First off, prioritize destinations where your money stretches further. Use tools to find budget flights and consider using travel reward credit cards for points and discounts. Book accommodations through platforms that offer discounts for longer stays or look for hostels and guesthouses. Opt for local street food instead of expensive restaurants. Plan activities that are free or have minimal costs, like exploring public parks or visiting museums on free entry days. With careful planning and flexibility, you can satisfy your wanderlust without breaking the bank! 🌍

[Fireguy17]

you have to do a loof research and find bargins, it can take a bit but the results can be worth all of the effort.

[DrPepper12]

Arrange it yourself

No pre packaged nonsense

Eat local

Hike & hostel

All inclusive

BE FLEXIBLE!!!

If ur with a family good luck. Just hand over your money and grab your ankles...

[TacosRAwesome]

I'm in Europe, we have cheap airlines and I'm not super fussy regarding where I sleep (just need a bed and my own bathroom).

[foxsquirrell]

If you stay at dormitories and buy food from supermarkets its very affordable.

There are also female dormitories if you don't want to sleep in mixed dormitories.

[Crazzyyworld]

It doesn’t cost much if you sleep in a cheap hotels and travel by the train. I had fun travelling EU by train and it was cheap.

[Anonymous]

Lots of free airline miles on their credit card

[Pohjolan]

I either visit relatives or go hiking.

Also I wouldn't say a lot but sometimes.

[Kungfupanda13]

I get to travel with work sometimes so I get reimbursed for plane tickets and hotel expenses.

[kaucky1]

Travel cost paid for by kinds of jobs

[Agape93]

Budgeting