How to sustain a budget travel lifestyle

One way to ease the stress of working too much is to travel and explore new places. More people are bringing out the wanderlust in them and looking forward seeing new places, making new friends, discovering new culture and having fun while on the road. Traveling may be expensive if you’re planning to do it as a habit but here are some tips on how to sustain a budget travel lifestyle.



My travel habit started out in 2012 after a trip brought me to different towns in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. It was an awesome experience and that journey made me realize that traveling is not just for the rich but  also for the budget conscious traveler like me.
I was excited seeing more trips in store for us. But it wasn’t easy. I have to prioritize and allocate my time and money providing for my family, paying the bills, taking care of our business and working full time. Traveling was the least priority so it took a backseat for a while. So I started a different approach from my daily routine and with the help of different travelers that I’ve met and spoke to and reading different travel blogs, things made a turn and now I travel more frequently. 
I also created my own travel website to document our trips and inspire others to travel as well.

How do I sustain my budget travel lifestyle?

I wait for cheap airfares

Anywhere in the world,  traveling now is made more affordable with the introduction of cheap flights. The three major airline companies in the Philippines (Philippines Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia) offer low fares on domestic and international destinations. Skyjet Airlines is also joining the bandwagon and is participating in different travel expos and offering discounted air fares to interesting destinations as well.

In some cases, the airfare could go as low as Php1.00 and it is the best deal even if taxes and surcharges are added to it. To get notified when will these promotions occur, just follow and like the social media accounts of the airline companies.  You can also check their website for  regular updates.

I plan my trip

You will be availing your low airfare ticket 3-6 months after booking so you have plenty of time to plan your trip. Do some research on which places to go to, what things to do and where to stay so you can budget your money well. Read travel articles of the destinations you’re planning to visit. Personally, I follow travel blogs of the poor traveler, two monkeys travel, pinoy adventurista, detourista and pinay solo backpacker. If you plan your itinerary ahead of time, you are assured of a hassle and worrisome free trip.

Filipino travel bloggers to follow

I save for my pocket money

To maximize and enjoy your trip, having extra cash in hand is a necessity and it’s better to put aside some money to be used for your future trip. Saving helps you limit your expenses. It gives you control over your spending and freedom to choose which one is appropriate. Having a credit card also helps because instead of paying cash for your hotel accommodation, you can charge it to your credit card thus giving you more flexibility for other things.

I visit travel expos

Check out different travel expos. Travel agencies converge and participate at this event to offer discounted rates on travel packages. You might want to consider this because it saves you time and effort to look for a destination. It covers almost everything, from the airfare, hotel stay, city tour and other land arrangements. One good thing also in getting a travel package is there are payment options and terms available. You may want to compare first  how much is the difference when getting an all in travel package against a do it yourself travel itinerary and select which one best fits your budget.

I do online work

This is the simple way to earn extra cash for your travel goals. You can either work part time or full time while in the comfort of your own home. You can also work remotely and live the laptop lifestyle. The amount of money you will be earning depends on how long you spend working and how fast you complete the job. There are countless ways to earn online.  Some people treat their home based online job as their bread and butter because of its unlimited income.

The Laptop Lifestyle

You may want to try out doing online tasks to add more funds while waiting for your next trip. There are lot of online job platforms offering online tasks. You just need to be wary of sites that act as a legitimate platform but otherwise a scam and does not pay. One site I trust and where I do my online tasks is at Clixsense. It is a legit company where your payment is guaranteed through Payoneer.  I also write articles and do research work for a client in Upwork to add more to our travel budget.

Work online to earn exta cash

I hope this helps as a guide for your future trips.

Until our next tips and advice, see you on Tara...Let’s Go!