Traveling outside the country on a budget
My answer may actually surprise you! There are a few things that you'll need to do in preparation but once they are done, traveling overseas is actually quite easy and can be done on a budget. We'll cover just a few of the most common things I get asked about.
Passport
One of the first things you will need is a passport. Its actually not too difficult to come by. Adult passports usually cost around $135, but they last ten years. So its a pretty good investment especially if you would like to take multiple trips outside of the states. Just head on over to travel.state.gov if you need to apply for one. (If you aren't from the US, contact your countries travel offices)
Plane Tickets
There are a few secrets to purchasing plane tickets. One of the best ways to get cheap tickets is to go through google flights. Just type in where you will be flying from, and where you would like to go.
Your best bet is to book your flights at least 4-6 months in advance, or show up at the airport the day of to get your tickets on the next flight. Airlines want to make sure all their seats are full and tend to overbook to guarantee a full flight. Sometimes this works to your advantage, as you get a discounted seat, or you may be asked to leave a flight and can be compensated for doing so. Remember the huge social media frenzy over a few people getting kicked off flights? Yeah, thats why. Its completely legal too.
The day you decide to fly also has a huge impact on price. If you choose to fly out on spring break and fly out on a Monday, chances are your price will go through the roof! I always play around with the days of the week that I am going to fly out and fly back. If Mondays prices are too high, I will check Tuesdays, and so on. I usually make sure to fly out and back on Tuesdays or Thursdays, because most people traveling on business will not be flying those days. I also make sure I book before or after summer vacation, spring break, the holiday season, etc., because people are less likely to be flying during those times too, therefore prices go down. Even if it means not traveling when everyone else is, if you want to do things on a budget this is the way to go.
Also, play around with the airports, sometimes there will be cheaper places to land, and cheaper connections to make. Making connections are usually not too difficult especially if you communicate with the airport employees. They are there to help you.
Do your research!
Make sure you know the laws of the land where you intend to travel, if you need a travel visa, make sure you get one! You do not want to be spending money on a flight and find out last minute you cannot stay. Check to see if you can stay for the duration you are planning on staying. There is only a certain amount of time that you can spend in one country, and every country varies.
Also make sure you learn some things about where you are going, such as culturally acceptable practices. Even in England, there are very different words and terms for similar things over here, and a lot of huge misconceptions. I was told that they didn't have ketchup over there, and that I might have to pay to use the bathroom in all public places! These were definitely myths, there were places where we could use the bathroom for free, and they did in fact have ketchup there!
The last thing I will touch on is to pay attention to current events and the news, and check to see where your local US Consulate or Embassy is. Staying safe is very important, especially if there are places that are considered dangerous where you are traveling. Keep that information handy if you need to go there for whatever reason. Take time to learn what the emergency numbers are for the country you are traveling to.
Staying connected
Traveling outside of the good ol' USA can rack up a pretty hefty phone bill if you don't know what you are doing. Make sure you know how to turn your phone on airplane mode and use the wifi, and contact your local phone carrier if you need to adjust your phone plan. Some carriers have different phone plans you can purchase that will allow your phone to work on their towers. However, sometimes its cheaper to purchase a loadable non-contract phone to keep in touch while you are over there. Do your research on how to make phone calls, phone numbers have very different layouts in other countries. It is possible to make calls to the US but I would suggest going where there is wifi and using apps like Skype and Facebook Messenger to stay in contact with friends and family.
Power adapters are a necessity! Check what voltage and country you are traveling to and get a power adapter for your electronics. They are really cheap to come by. I got mine at Walmart before I left.
Pack and go!
Traveling outside of our own countries can be a really awesome experience. I have learned so much and have really enjoyed seeing things I didn't know I could see in my lifetime! Pick places you would dream of going, and check the prices on things you would love to see. There are so many places in the world that are not as expensive as we perceive them to be. As long as you do some research and budget and time everything right, you can have an enjoyable vacation without the constant worry of finances.
One of the first things you will need is a passport. Its actually not too difficult to come by. Adult passports usually cost around $135, but they last ten years. So its a pretty good investment especially if you would like to take multiple trips outside of the states. Just head on over to travel.state.gov if you need to apply for one. (If you aren't from the US, contact your countries travel offices)
Plane Tickets
There are a few secrets to purchasing plane tickets. One of the best ways to get cheap tickets is to go through google flights. Just type in where you will be flying from, and where you would like to go.
Your best bet is to book your flights at least 4-6 months in advance, or show up at the airport the day of to get your tickets on the next flight. Airlines want to make sure all their seats are full and tend to overbook to guarantee a full flight. Sometimes this works to your advantage, as you get a discounted seat, or you may be asked to leave a flight and can be compensated for doing so. Remember the huge social media frenzy over a few people getting kicked off flights? Yeah, thats why. Its completely legal too.
The day you decide to fly also has a huge impact on price. If you choose to fly out on spring break and fly out on a Monday, chances are your price will go through the roof! I always play around with the days of the week that I am going to fly out and fly back. If Mondays prices are too high, I will check Tuesdays, and so on. I usually make sure to fly out and back on Tuesdays or Thursdays, because most people traveling on business will not be flying those days. I also make sure I book before or after summer vacation, spring break, the holiday season, etc., because people are less likely to be flying during those times too, therefore prices go down. Even if it means not traveling when everyone else is, if you want to do things on a budget this is the way to go.
Also, play around with the airports, sometimes there will be cheaper places to land, and cheaper connections to make. Making connections are usually not too difficult especially if you communicate with the airport employees. They are there to help you.
Do your research!
Make sure you know the laws of the land where you intend to travel, if you need a travel visa, make sure you get one! You do not want to be spending money on a flight and find out last minute you cannot stay. Check to see if you can stay for the duration you are planning on staying. There is only a certain amount of time that you can spend in one country, and every country varies.
Also make sure you learn some things about where you are going, such as culturally acceptable practices. Even in England, there are very different words and terms for similar things over here, and a lot of huge misconceptions. I was told that they didn't have ketchup over there, and that I might have to pay to use the bathroom in all public places! These were definitely myths, there were places where we could use the bathroom for free, and they did in fact have ketchup there!
The last thing I will touch on is to pay attention to current events and the news, and check to see where your local US Consulate or Embassy is. Staying safe is very important, especially if there are places that are considered dangerous where you are traveling. Keep that information handy if you need to go there for whatever reason. Take time to learn what the emergency numbers are for the country you are traveling to.
Staying connected
Traveling outside of the good ol' USA can rack up a pretty hefty phone bill if you don't know what you are doing. Make sure you know how to turn your phone on airplane mode and use the wifi, and contact your local phone carrier if you need to adjust your phone plan. Some carriers have different phone plans you can purchase that will allow your phone to work on their towers. However, sometimes its cheaper to purchase a loadable non-contract phone to keep in touch while you are over there. Do your research on how to make phone calls, phone numbers have very different layouts in other countries. It is possible to make calls to the US but I would suggest going where there is wifi and using apps like Skype and Facebook Messenger to stay in contact with friends and family.
Power adapters are a necessity! Check what voltage and country you are traveling to and get a power adapter for your electronics. They are really cheap to come by. I got mine at Walmart before I left.
Pack and go!
Traveling outside of our own countries can be a really awesome experience. I have learned so much and have really enjoyed seeing things I didn't know I could see in my lifetime! Pick places you would dream of going, and check the prices on things you would love to see. There are so many places in the world that are not as expensive as we perceive them to be. As long as you do some research and budget and time everything right, you can have an enjoyable vacation without the constant worry of finances.
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