Enjoying a budget-friendly holiday is more than just taking advantage of cheap travel, as it involves getting good accommodation and food at affordable prices in the area that you are visiting. With several international locations being labeled as budget-friendly, we look at how you can travel to these areas, and do so without having to break the bank.

Make a Budget for Your Holiday

Travelling on a budget starts with deciding how much you can spend on a holiday. For most budget holiday planners this can range be anywhere from $500 to $700 but even this amount can be used to plan a trip to an international location.

Pick a Destination

Most travelers have several locations they want to visit, but often their budget just does not allow them to go to places like France where cities like Paris are notoriously expensive. However, scheduling a trip to Paris during the off-season will allow you to take advantage of cheaper air fares and hotel accommodation. If you do have a very limited budget and can’t afford a trip to France during the off-season then consider locations such as Thailand, SriLanka or Goa in India.  If places in Europe interest you,budget friendly places include Prague in the Czech Republic, Athens in Greece or Porto in Portugal.

Use a Website to Plan your trip

With websites like Wander you can plan a holiday based on your budget. The website allows for people to put in their budget the number of travelers and the duration. Based on information gleaned from major travel websites, it then calculates and displays the countries and cities within the budget and the amount travelers will have to spend.

Do Not Opt For Tours

Searching for cheap flights and accommodation is essential if you have a limited budget. Avoid pre-packaged tours because while they are labeled as cheap on paper or on websites, in reality they are created to provide a handsome profit to operators who manage them. With operators getting a cut of the profits, you have to shell out more for airfare, accommodation and food when you opt for an all inclusive tour.

Look For Cheap Airfare

Getting cheap plane tickets to Thailand or France is often the easiest part of planning a budget holiday, as there are several websites which collect information about the prices for flights. So start checking for cheap plane tickets and book well in advance. Booking tickets months in advance and doing so on a budget airline will allow you to stretch your budget to the maximum and save a lot on travel.

Look into Home Exchanges or Home Stays

Exchanging your home with another person living in France can be one way to visit the country on a budget. Generally this exchange can be arranged on various websites and are safe options as people ensure they take good care of houses they staying in. Some home owners also rent out a spare room for people on short holidays for up to a month as part of a “home stay” and this is also a good alternative.

Whether you are planning to go to Europe or Asia, there is always a cheaper alternative to a pre-packaged tour. Sitting in the comfort of your home you can pick and choose airfares, book accommodation and find information to create a perfect holiday and keep within your budget.