Budget travel

If you’re a bit strapped for cash that doesn’t mean you have to forfeit your holiday – you might just have to be a bit more inventive about your destination, where you stay and how you get there. You might even find that budget travel is your favourite way to go…

Budget travel doesn’t have to mean taking a holiday that’s bottom of the pile. It could be about searching hard to find the best package deal or allowing more time for cheaper transport options such as ferries or trains. When you get to your destination you can choose from cheaper accommodation such as campsites and hostels, or even stay with a family. Alternatively, some clever research may reveal that a certain destination puts the exchange rate in your favour or has cheaper living costs.

The choices are endless, but once a tight budget has led you to try out more inventive, cheaper options, you may find that you prefer them to your previous ‘luxury’ holidays.

When to go

When you travel can affect the cost of transport and living costs when you get there. Holiday seasons and school breaks such as Christmas or Easter, where many Brits want to migrate to sunnier climes, are popular and drive prices up. Key dates or celebrations such as the Rio Carnival in Brazil or Pamplona Festival in Spain can also deluge a destination with tourists from all over the world. To get the cheapest travel possible at these times, you either need to book well ahead or choose an alternative destination. You can find out about popular dates around the world at www.whatsonwhen.com or see destination guides at www.lonelyplanet.co.uk. For families, www.mumsnet.com/bigissues/travelcalendar.html gives an inspirational month-to-month calendar of where to go and when, with budget options for each place that is child friendly.

Where to go

Some countries simply have a cheaper cost of living and this means that you can spend less money when you’re there. These destinations are often favoured by backpackers who want to make a tight budget stretch further by paying next-to-nothing prices for accommodation and transport. They include many developing countries in Asia, Africa and South America – India, Thailand and Mexico are still popular – and Eastern European destinations, although prices are going up where locals have become savvy to rising tourism. Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides are helpful for travel in these areas and include the long-trusted Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, South America on a Shoestring, Central America on a Shoestring and Europe on a Shoestring: Big Trips on Small Budgets. You may also find that the exchange rate works in your favour so that you get more for your money in terms of accommodation, transport and eating out. This has recently been the case in America – great for weekend shopping breaks to New York or sunshine breaks to Florida or California.

Where to stay

The accommodation you choose can really drive up the price of your holiday. The quantity, type and cost of budget accommodation really differs from place to place, so make sure you do your research in this area when planning your trip. For example, some hostels in Western Europe can be as much as £50 a night if you want a double room, whereas a dorm in India could cost you a couple of pounds. You can search more than 15,000 hostels in over 168 countries at www.hostelworld.com. Camping can be a great option, weather permitting, especially if you bring your own tent. It means you don’t have to fork out for several rooms if you have a large family and a taste of the outdoors can be a real tonic for kids. Check out more than 8,600 inspected campsites in Europe at www.eurocampings.co.uk or even camp in Florida with www.keycamp.co.uk. The book Cheap Sleeps Europe is also helpful for InterRailing or even last-minute weekend breaks to the continent. The rise of boutique hotels across the globe means you can get luxury for less if you want a treat – a small but funky or cosy hotel for £80 a night rather than a huge, glamorous establishment for hundreds of pounds. For the definitive guide to boutique hotels, visit www.mrandmrssmith.com. You could also get accommodation thrown in as part of a package deal, although this may mean that you don’t get to see it until you get there. Try www.cheapholidays.com or www.mytravel.com for budget beach or resort holidays. Last but not least, more people are choosing to stay with a family or swap houses to keep accommodation costs down. See www.couchsurfing.com or www.hospitalityclub.org for family stays and www.homebase-hols.com or www.homelink.org.uk for home swaps.

How to get there

For advice on how to fly cheaply to your chosen destination, see our feature on cheap flights. It includes tips on who to fly with, how to book, and avoiding hidden costs. You might find that train travel is cheaper and, with new improved links through Eurostar, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to factor in loads of extra time to get there. See www.eurostar.com for tickets to Paris, Brussels, Lille and connecting trains to many more places in Europe. With an InterRail Global Pass from www.raileurope.co.uk you can travel cheaply in up to 30 participating countries – great if you want to explore. With railways such as the TransSiberian Express you can even get as far as China and on to Japan. See www.trans-siberian.co.uk.
Ferries are not as popular as they used to be but do mean that you can take your car direct and often overnight. The sites www.directferries.co.uk or www.ferries.co.uk offer a wide choice of ferries to destinations in France, Spain, Ireland, Holland, Germany and Scandinavia with major operators such as P&O or SeaFrance.

Working your way around

A working holiday can also be a great way to finance a trip and is now popular both as part of a gap year or for shorter breaks. This option often means that you will be provided with accommodation and some living expenses or even a wage, and will only need to pay for your flights. A great guide for working, travelling and living abroad is www.payaway.co.uk with ideas of what kind of work is available, a directory of organisations that offer paid and voluntary work, a Jobs Abroad Bulletin and travel tips. Remember, if you are working abroad then you need to make sure that you are adequately covered. For the types of work that we cover, check out the Direct Line travel insurance policy documents online.

Travelling on a budget doesn’t mean you can afford to scrimp on your travel insurance. Apply for a Direct Line travel insurance quote and you’ll see that we offer single trip cover and annual travel insurance for most destinations worldwide. See how much you could save today.

Related information:

Working holidays – advice on working abroad and how to make sure you have the right travel insurance

Last minute travel – how to find the best holiday deal and book at the last minute

Family holiday guide – read about the best options for taking the whole family away together