10 Powerful Budget Travel Hacks
With Carl Travels

Everyone talks about "budget travel," but most advice feels pretty shallow. After years of real travel (and pulling off some seriously cheap trips), I can tell you: budget travel is an art form—a mix of strategy, flexibility, and a few smart hacks. Here are my 10 real-world tips to travel more often, spend less, and still have epic experiences.

1. Master Cheap Flights with Flexible Searches

Your flight is usually your first—and biggest—expense. The good news? You have more control over it than you think. My go-to method:

• Use Skyscanner or similar flight aggregators.
• Set your departure city (like Melbourne), but leave the destination blank.
• Choose "Everywhere" or just the country (if you know roughly where you want to go).
• Set "Whole Month" instead of specific dates.
• This shows you the cheapest places on the cheapest days.

💡 Tip: Flexibility saves serious money. I’ve saved hundreds just by flying 2–3 days earlier or later.

2. Travel Light and Outsmart Baggage Fees

Luggage fees are a sneaky travel killer—and heavy bags slow you down. Travel light strategy:

• Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane (jackets, jeans, boots).
• Stuff clothes into a neck pillow (they never weigh these!).
• Hide your laptop in a tote bag under your jacket during check-in (saves 1–3kg).
• Check in online if you only have carry-on—skips the scale drama.

I’ve turned a 15kg setup into a 7kg carry-on using these tricks—and saved hundreds on budget airlines. Bonus: You'll be way more mobile at airports, train stations, and cities.

3. Pay Smarter Overseas (and Avoid Hidden Bank Fees)

Every swipe, every ATM withdrawal abroad? Your home bank loves to charge you extra. Instead:

• Get a Wise card for real exchange rates and low/no fees.
• Use credit cards where possible—some offer travel insurance and extra protection.
• Withdraw larger amounts less often to dodge ATM fee stacking.

Trust me—Wise alone has saved me hundreds across multiple countries.

4. Get Online Instantly with a Local eSIM

Roaming charges? Airport SIM card rip-offs? No thanks. Solution:

• Use an app like Saily to buy your eSIM before you even land.
• Activate as soon as you hit the ground—no local paperwork, no stress.

I’ve used Saily seamlessly across Germany, Vietnam, Japan, Croatia, Albania, and France. Use my Saily referral code: CARLRI5370 to save $5 USD! It’s one of the easiest modern travel upgrades.

5. Stay Smart (and Sometimes Stay Free!)

Accommodation can drain your budget if you're not strategic. Here’s how to win:

• Use Booking.com or Airbnb with filters: lowest price, private room, rating above 8+.
• Couchsurfing: stay for free with locals (build a profile and references for safety; I hosted 40+ people myself).
• Workaway or WWOOFing: work a few hours a day for free room and meals.

You don't always need a five-star hotel to have a five-star experience—sometimes it’s the people you meet that make the trip.

6. Use Local Apps for Transport, Food & Delivery

Locals don’t pay tourist taxi rates—and neither should you. Apps to download:

• Grab – Southeast Asia ride-hailing and food delivery.
• Gojek – Bike taxis, food, and more across Asia.
• Uber – Still used in some parts of the world.

You’ll get fair local prices, avoid arguing with taxi drivers, and often pay less for better service.

7. Take Advantage of Free Walking Tours

One of the best things you can do in a new city? Join a free walking tour. Most major cities have them (just Google “free walking tour + [city name]”), and you:

• Get your bearings fast.
• Learn about history, architecture, culture.
• Meet fellow travellers.
• Only pay a tip if you enjoyed it (around $5–$10).

Apps like GuruWalk make it super easy to find tours in advance. I’ve had better experiences on free tours than on expensive “VIP” ones.

8. Travel Overnight (and Save a Night’s Accommodation)

Long travel days don’t have to be dead time. Book overnight buses, sleeper trains, or ferries:

• You save money on a night of accommodation.
• You wake up in a new place.
• You maximize your days for adventure.

Example: Sleeper trains in Vietnam, overnight buses in Europe, ferry rides between Greek islands. Just pack a neck pillow, earplugs, and a hoodie—and you’re set.

9. Use City Tourist Passes (Wisely)

Many cities offer all-inclusive passes like Paris Pass, Lisbon Card, or Tokyo Free Pass. These usually bundle:

• Public transport.
• Free or discounted attraction entries.
• Skip-the-line access.

BUT—always do the math first. If you plan to visit a lot of sights, they can save you big time. If not, skip them.

10. Eat Like a Local (Not Like a Tourist)

Food is one of the best parts of travel—and also a place where you can save (or blow) a lot of money. My simple rule:

• Look for busy places packed with locals, not tourists.
• Trust places with 1,000+ Google reviews and a 4.4+ rating.
• Markets, street food stalls, and mom-and-pop canteens are your best friends.

The best meals I’ve had around the world were $2 street food feasts—not $50 sit-down dinners.