Recently, I had the pleasure of traveling from Atlanta to Seattle and back again. And I learned how little you actually need to spend to travel.
1. Use a fuel efficient car to travel in.
We used my 2005 Honda civic on our trip and even though it was a little cramped it was great on gas! If you’re worried about space you can also use an $18.00 car top carrier which can carry quite a bit of gear.
2. Travel with friends.
During my trip there were three of us to split the cost of things and that helped immensely. Who really wants to travel alone anyway? This is also helpful because not one person is in charge of driving the entire time; giving everyone plenty of time to admire the new surroundings.
3. Camp.
An average KOA campground costs about $25 per night and has clean and easily accessible utilities. Also, there are many opportunities for free camping in national and state parks. If you’re planning on searching for these, search for dispersed camping in whatever area you’re looking. You will obviously need a tent if you don’t have one already, but there are some alternatives to paying retail. First I would suggest asking your circle of friends to borrow one but if that does not work you can try Amazon, Craigslist, or any of the many second hand gear stores around.
4. Don’t eat out, cook your meals.
Just like when you are at home, it costs a lot more money to eat out rather than to cook your own food. We used a two burner Coleman stove on our trip that I already had in my gear arsenal(cost was about $100), but there are many cheaper options than that. For instance, Coleman’s 1-burner butane stove for $18 at Walmart is a cheaper option that you don’t need to lower your standards for. An even cheaper option for those of you interested is a small stove made out of an empty cat food can. I have used this myself and it works just as he says. Click here to learn more about this option.
5. Stay with friends around the country.
Last year I was so fortunate to meet people from all around the world while living in Australia, so during my cross-country trip I was able to stay with my friend Janessa and my old roommate Keegan. Cutting out two days of camping may not seem like a big difference but when you are traveling on a number as low as $400, $50 is an 8th of your total trip cost. If you don’t have many friends across the U.S. check with friends in your city. Don’t be afraid to put the question out there, you never know what opportunities might arise.
Hopefully these ideas have helped you in your search for cheap travel! If you have any ideas to add yourself please feel free to add them in the comments below. Happy trails!
