Traveling doesn't have to be expensive. Below are 7 of my top tips for low-cost travelling beginners.

1. Plan well in advance

Never end up booking flights or accommodation last minute. The latest I still manage to find good flight tickets is about 3-4 months before departure. Also, book flight and accommodation during the week (especially night time hours) when they tend to be a little bit cheaper than usual. Airline companies' websites operate through some algorithms that will show you higher prices when most users are connected. Try to avoid booking flights during evening hours and weekends to find cheaper options.

2. Plan everything yourself

If you want to save money plan the whole trip by yourself. There are plenty of travel blogs like this out here with thousands of tips for any destination that will help you plan your route without having to rely on tours to get around. By the way, have a look at my Destinations to see if you can find yours! Also, save what you want to visit on google maps, as you will then be able to learn the map of the place you will be visiting, which will not only help you get around better once there, but you could also plan your route more efficiently to save time. Apart from travel blogs, Google Travel is a very good option too if you are looking for things to do and visit while on holiday.

3. Search your flight through a search engine

Personally, I always use Skyscanner when searching for my next flight. It helps evaluate the most convenient option and gives you plenty of flights to choose from according to your needs.

Again when booking remember what is stated above in regard to the day and time of booking, and make also sure you are using an incognito window to get even better prices!

4. Learn to travel light

Traveling only with your backpack will not only help you save money on your flight ticket but also give you so much more freedom of movement. I used to be like the lady in the GIF, but the more I traveled, the more I kept returning home with half of my clothes unused. My approach to travel definitely changed the minute I understood that 'less is best'. I'm sure you'll change your mind too after your first backpack-only trip.

Picture what you will be wearing for each day while packing and keep asking yourself if you will actually use it! If you want to know which backpack I use head over to My Travel Kit page to find out.

5. Get ready to give up your luxury accommodation

For those non-stop explorers out there, you essentially need a place to sleep and shower. A hostel has it both. Moreover, hostels are usually in the city center and will allow you to save tons of money on transport as almost everything will be within walking distance.

Many have smaller dorms for max 4 people (usually the ones I go for), which will only cost a few $ more than a 10- or more-person dorm. However, if you are in a group, make sure you conduct a more extensive research as sharing a private apartment, might cost more or less the same amount of money. If you are traveling as a couple and want to stay in a private room, most hostels have them too. Otherwise, just make sure you use the filters on search engines like Booking.com and select the option 'lowest price first' to get the best deal for your dates. Trivago might be a good search engine to start your search with too.

6. Avoid expensive restaurants

Try more take away, grab a sandwich on the go in a supermarket, or if you still want to try something typically, search for cheap local restaurants. Go to those places with these old and ugly tables outside, that do not look as nice as other ones, located just outside the city center, they usually sell the most authentic and typical food at very convenient prices and you also get to experience local life. Again a good google search will help with that too. Or, if going for a hostel, you could simply get a bit of shopping done and cook a little meal or takeaway where you are staying (hostels have common kitchen areas that you can use, just remember you are sharing spaces so don’t expect top clean areas 😬).

7. Avoid going crazy on souvenirs

This part is especially for all my Italian friends out there. I perfectly know how tempting it is to take away memories from our trips abroad but again, the less the best. Think about how many places you will be traveling to in the future, do you really need what your buying, will it fit in your luggage, is it useful in any way or are you buying it just because you like it?

Bonus tip: Take lots of pictures and videos! It's the best souvenirs you could ever have!

Hope the above tips will help you plan your next low-cost adventure. If you have any questions don't forget to leave a comment below or drop me a message. Happy travel!