How to Travel on a Budget

January 15, 2021

This is not a topic I had really thought much about, but I've had people ask me questions on how I afford to travel lately, so I wanted to address it, in hopes it also helps someone else!

"Isn't it expensive?"

"How do you afford to do that all of the time?"

"You must make a lot of money."

"Must be nice..."

I will start off with a disclaimer that I'm so thankful that I get to live in Colorado. I moved to Denver a little over 2 years ago and absolutely fell in love with the outdoors! Prior to living here, I had basically no experience in the outdoors, let alone the mountains. I heard about a "Women Who Hike" Facebook group, so I joined that. I stalked the group, the photos, scouted all of the cool locations, and even made spreadsheets of adventures/hikes I wanted to take. But where do you even start after that?

I didn't have friends here yet and I worked from home, so the only people I really knew were my mom and step dad. I had a lot of questions. If I was going to go to these cool places and experience nature, I needed to figure out next steps. I needed to figure out where to go, when to go, and how to pay for it all. I have a stable job (which I'm grateful for), but I'm not making a ton of cash and Colorado is one of the most expensive states to live in. Thankfully, I am naturally very organized, and I love solving problems. Today, let's chat about the money problem!

Going on adventures all of the time has to be expensive, right? That's where you're wrong! Here are some general tips that can be used to help save money - and then I'll share in detail about the ways I make my trips as cost effective as possible.

1. Coffee: this one almost doesn't even need to be listed, am I right? Obviously making coffee at home saves money, but I want to offer up an idea, that may seem counterintuitive. Buy a coffee maker or espresso machine that you truly love. I bought a Nespresso machine 5+ years ago and it's saved me a ton of money! I got the milk frother attachment as well, so I'm able to make my own lattes, for 1/5 of the price it costs at Starbucks.

2. Cook at home: thankfully, I love to cook, and I'm a pretty decent cook, if I say so myself! Reduce the number of times you go out to eat. Try and save it for special occasions or treats with friends!

3. Limit streaming services: most people have multiple streaming services that you're paying for. Do you really need all of those? Do you use all of them? Which ones can you cancel? Which ones could you split with a friend or family member?

4. Buy used gear: thankfully living in Colorado, there's amazing used camping and hiking gear. My best find is a Osprey backpack for $10 at Goodwill! I was so excited and all it needed was a good washing. Facebook Marketplace, secondhand stores, and even Wal-Mart have great deals on gear. I would recommend investing in a good/new pair of hiking boots, but other than that, you don't need brand new stuff to enjoy nature. There are also sites like REI's used gear section, that will save a ton of money! I bought a new pair of Oboz hiking boots last summer from REI and then found the same pair, in a different color, on their used gear section, and scooped them up! Now I have a backup pair that are basically brand new.

5. Travel bank account: I saw this idea recently and loved it! Make a separate bank account for travel funds and automatically save 10% of your paycheck for travel purposes.

6. Limit beauty services and do things at home. I try to limit how much I spend, but I do get my nails done every 3-4 weeks. It's one of those "little things" that I love doing. I get the dipping powder and it's the only thing that actually lasts. I used to do gel mani's at home, but even those would chip. Plus I was spending a few hours a month of my time, instead of paying someone else to do them, and spending 1 hour at a salon a month. For me, it's something that I don't want to cut out and makes me feel put together.

7. Unfollow/mute stories of people who influence you to shop. If there's a blogger or someone on social media, who are always sharing links to sales, maybe it's time to mute their stories (or unfollow them all together). There will always be cute things - but unless you need it, is it really worth it?

8. Budget: get on a set budget. Use an excel spreadsheet (I'm old school and this is what works best for me) or use a website like Mint.com. Do what works best for you! Live below your means so you can save money and reduce stress.

9. Don't get drinks with dinner. If you do go out to eat, don't get drinks (beverages or alcohol) with dinner. Limit it to 1 drink if you do want to have alcohol. Get a glass of beer (typically around half of what a mixed drink or glass of wine costs), or try and go during happy hour. Be creative with it, there are ways to save!

10. Find ways to make extra money. When I lost my job in 2020, due to COVID, I did Instacart for a couple weeks and it actually wasn't bad! I liked the freedom of making my own schedule and the tips really helped out. Sell extra stuff that you have laying around your place. Start a side hustle. Babysit. Dog watch. There are some easy ways to make extra cash without getting an actual part time job.

11. Gym + fitness passes: take a look at what you're spending to work out. How many memberships do you have (streaming services included) and do you actually use them? I'm a big fan of CorePower Yoga, but cancelled it, because right now, I want to save the money. Currently I'm paying for a gym membership that's only $30 a month instead.

12. Lodging + accommodation costs: I sleep in my car when I travel, which saves a lot of money! You can find free places to camp on websites like https://www.blm.gov/. More details below.

13. Travel in the off season. I currently work a 9-5, so this does not work as well for my schedule, as it would for a nurse or teacher. But if you can travel in the off season or on odd days, especially if you're flying somewhere, this can really help cut costs!

14. Stick close to home. Maximize where you're at. What's close and free? Get a National Parks Pass so you can travel nearby and not have to pay for admission each time.

15. Try to get things on sale. This is random, but I stock up on face lotion, cosmetics, and vitamins/supplements when they're on sale. This ensures that I'm getting the best price and also not running out last minute.

Here's what I specifically do to plan trips:

1. Create a list of adventures, hikes, trails, and places, you want to visit. I have a spreadsheet that has them filtered by location, so I can see what trails are close to each other, and maximize each trip. This is just how my OCD brain works ha. Rank them in the order that you want to visit, then make a plan to schedule those hikes and trips.

2. Take weekend trips! I typically will stick within 1-4 hours of Denver for weekend trips from May-October. Like I mentioned, I'm very fortunate to live in such a beautiful state! There's a lot to see - basically in any direction. I'll leave work Friday night and come back Sunday night (or sometimes Monday morning stupid early, but that is really not an ideal way to start of the week if you want it to be a productive one).

   1. If I'm taking a longer trip (ex: last May I went to Moab, Zion National Park, and Bryce National Park) then I'll try and plan that around a holiday weekend and take 1-2 extra days off of work. I actually only have 1 week of PTO (which goes fast) so this cuts down on the time that I'll be unpaid.

3. Car camp + tent camp: this is where I save a ton of money! I never thought I would be someone who sleeps in their car, but it's honestly great! My main goals when I'm traveling, is to spend time outdoors, so I don't actually want to spend money on lodging. I would much rather sleep in my 4Runner, in nature, and enjoy the views that come along with that! I feel very safe car camping (honestly more safe than being in a city, in ways) and have been able to experience some really cool things, by being able to drive there. Having 4WD and being able to go off-roading is a blast!

   1. Since I have a 4Runner, I'm able to fold down the back seats, put a twin size air mattress (hey, I'm a little boujee) in the back, and the rest of my gear goes along side the air mattress. My cooler goes in my passenger's seat. It all works out great for 1 person!

4. Bring your own food and plan out meals. This is another area where people think it's expensive, but honestly, you have to pay for food - regardless of if you're staying in town or traveling. Most people probably go out to eat on the weekends, so they may actually be spending more money, vs if they were traveling. When I'm traveling I plan out my meals, pre cook what I can (mostly to save time and make things easier), and am also able to enjoy healthy meals that fuel my body.

5. Focus on free activities! Thankfully, hiking is low cost activity. Outside of getting some initial gear (good hiking boots, backpack/water bladder, hiking poles) it doesn't typically cost anything, unless you need a permit, reservation, or National Parks Pass. Focus on trails and locations that you can enjoy, close to home, that are free.

6. Go with friends! This can be a great way to save on costs - specifically like gas. I love people, but sometimes I truly prefer to go solo. For my 9-5 I'm on the phone 24/7 and sometimes want to get away, disconnect, and be quiet. Going solo means there's less stress when it comes to planning meals, activities, and schedules. Also, if you're traveling with someone who's very different from you, it may not be the most enjoyable trip (for either one of you). So find someone who you travel well with, or skip the stress, and spend a little extra on gas.