The Best Budget Travel Tips That Will Save You Real Money

Traveling can be expensive, but there are ways to save money while you travel so you can afford to travel longer. Whether you are traveling the world on a budget or just want to see if you can save a few dollars or euros on your family vacation, these are 14 different ways to help you save money while you travel. And it can help you find a way to travel on a budget.
Filmed in London, England
Copyright Mark Wolters 2018

USA Today & 10Best's #1 Independent Travel Videographer 2014

FlipKey by TripAdvisor Top 10 Travel Bloggers 2014
Grab Wolters World Merchandise & Travel Gear at

Our Gear:
Sony Alpha 6000: Our favorite camera for vlogging. One of the best selling cameras of all time and its not too expensive.

Osprey Meridian Carry-on Size Travel Backpack: This is THE backpack that all of the Wolters World family use. It fits in the overhead compartment, gives you a great day pack and has an awesome warranty. We always travel with one.

Duafire Travel Adapter: helps you plug into most countries plugs around the world.

Travel Strip: One plug for your normal device, four USB plugs as well, it saves a lot of trouble and outlets when you travel.

Backup Battery Pack: Essential for travelers wanting to have a backup batter charge for their phones, cameras, and devices.

Hey There Fellow Travelers! Thank you for watching our honest travel vlogs from all over this wonderful world. If you would like to get in contact with us please follow us & send us a message via our social media channels below. Also, if you like our travel videos please feel free to share them with other fellow travelers.

Follow Us At

[Cosmosandchisme]

Going to grocery stores and markets (and even convenience stores) in different countries is one of the most fun things to do!

[EibaProductions]

I have also an explicit tip for you: Look for free walking tours.
They are mostly held by locals and they are for free (most of them ask for a tip at the end) and they are really good.
Like I was in Cologne, Germany last weekend and did such a tour, and i got to know some insider tips and got to see some attractions, I would probably not have noticed.

[szymonzielinski]

I spent 2, 000 dollars on a week trip to Japan in November. A trip with a travel agency would cost twice as much. Two weeks in the Philippines cost me $ 1, 000. It was a month ago.My advice: don't exchange money at airports; don't use taxis; reserve everything beforehand; use the local marketplaces; always ask the locals, they know better than you; look where you have a hotel and what are the options to get to it: don't go to Europe in July and August because it is the peak of the tourist season and it is terribly hot for visiting monuments .

[sativaqueen]

Not gonna lie, I am actually one of those people who enjoys cooking while I'm on vacation. Its interesting to see what ingredients you can get when you travel different places, try to imitate local dishes, and it gives you more of a feel of what its like to live there, because in a lot of countries, eating out is a big deal and is relatively infrequent (although this is starting change due to globalization). My family went to Italy a few years ago and we did this. As an American, I found it interesting how most of the grocery stores in Italy are really small compared to the ones in the US. We ate out quite a bit on our trip, but a good portion of our meals were homemade. We saved around a few hundred euros by doing this.

[DV-czkz]

One thing I love about the UK is there are campsites absolutely everywhere! I landed in Glasgow on a nonstop flight from Las Vegas, NV and I knew I wanted to save money on hotels so I bought a tent when I got there and I camped all over Great Britain for 3 weeks. I saved lots of money and it really was the best trip of my life.

[lesliemoiseauthor]

I love the very practical, common sense advice Wolter's World shares.

[ahmd]

I have spent six months in London in the last 2 years and I NEVER paid for a museum or any tourist attractions. I have an old Rough guide to London. I highly recommend London hidden walks by Stephen Millar (Highly recommended and very interesting)

Ok, I did not get into London Tower, The Westminster Abbey or some other highlights but who cares, I spent 4 days in the Museum of London and they have 4 daily free tours which will cover all 16 Galleries in the museum...NOT TO BE MISSED

[MajorKlanga]

Top tip if visiting London: don't go to Madame Tussauds; it's expensive, has long queues and you'll be massively underwhelmed.

[A]

Great tips, especially about the food! I bought some cheese, a baguette and some chicken from a market and had a picnic on the river Seine. It was great eating great food while seeing Notre Dame. Your videos are excellent!

[reneelamshed]

So excited for our trip to Europe in 2024. Ive been watching all Wolters World episode. Thank you.

[XxMatchboxMandiixX]

Love the tips! I love eating out in new cities and going to coffee shops and pubs and the like. I usually eat and drink at home, and only get 1 drink or a small/cheap side dish or split dishes when I go out. That way I can try the food and enjoy the atmosphere and experience without paying for multiple big meals and drinks every day.

[Saffron.Aerowyn_]

Thanks for the budget tips, Mark... as always, informative, inspiring & served with a SMILE.

[ribaholic]

Staying in a nearby town to save money on lodging also cost your time traveling too and from to place you want to see. Yes, staying in Vicenza will save money over staying in Venice, but you also become a "day traveler" in that instance and lose to spontaneous opportunities afforded by staying RIGHT THERE.
When I travel to Italy, I always expect to pay the most for lodging in Venice. I bite the bullet and pay, usually staying at a mom & pop inn. This way I can stay out until midnight or later walking through the quite city. Or get to St Mark's Square early in the morning when there are ten other people, not ten thousand.
You just have to decide what your purpose is. I travel on a tight budget but have decided I want to stay close and I pay accordingly. the cost is not always that outrageous. Of course, I'm not looking for or expecting luxury accommodations.
Look around before you buy. you might be surprised what you can find at a better than reasonable price (50 meters from Duomo in Florence, two double beds, GREAT air con and last year, just 65 euro per night in the height of summer)

[hughm]

The railway pass is good advice. I was going to use a railway pass but it would have ended up costing almost three times as much as buying the tickets individually. Don't automatically assume a pass is going to save money.

[LivingFree]

Everything you say is spot on. We were in Europe for 4 months this last fall. First Ireland, then London then Spain for 3 months. We used Airbnb for all of them since there are 4 of us and like you said in many hotels you can only have 2 people per room so it was less expensive for us and we had a kitchen so we could eat breakfast, lunch or dinner and snacks at home. We at out on occasion but often in Spain for example we could bring home empanadas, chorrizos, cheese, baguettes, lunch meat and more for dirt cheap compared to eating out. When we did eat out like you said as well...we would eat early, which we prefer anyway and have the special of they day which was often a great deal. The last time I was in Spain was 19 years before this and what I love that has changed is I can bring my leftovers home without getting strange looks. Before it was not customary to take leftovers home. Now, they ask if I would like to take him home. I hate to have food go to waste and our kids are always willing to eat leftovers lol :) Excellent video as always :)

[kmsmarkscott]

Hey Mark, my son and I are planning a trip to England then Scotland to trace or ancestry during the summer after he graduates high school. I happened upon one of your videos. Your content was informative, enlightening and engaging. So much so that I ended up watching 5 more of your videos packed with great travel tips. Here's the thing, were not even going on this trip till summer, 2019. It's months till we have to prepaid. You're good, you.
Thanks so much for all the great info. This is our first trip abroad so what you are doing is invaluable and so appreciated.
Keep up the great work and God bless.

[domjohnm]

Great stuff as always. Some of the things that I have learned along the way...
Find public markets where the locals shop for your meals. An excellent experience, cheap, well prepared food and a great way to learn about the local culture for nothing.
Buy high quality, incredibly comfortable walking shoes.
Pre-order vegetarian meals if you're being served on a flight. Especially on the Chinese airlines. They're usually a lot better than the regular meals and you always get your food first.

[cindy]

Taking public transportation also gives you a more local feel than being in the bubble of a taxi. You get to hang out with the locals and see their system.

[ziggylink]

Mark, love your videos. You are truly doing a service for all current and aspiring travelers.

Just wanted to comment, my wife and I had an awesome experience with public transportation in Rome. We stayed a little outside the city center, however our place was right next to a tram station that connected to Termini. It was a breeze to use (once I understood how). A one way trip (includes tram, metro, bus transfers) is only 1.50 euro! Can't beat that!

Mini rant - It feels like I am being ripped off here in the states, I live in the Washington D.C. area. For example, a one way trip from the suburbs to the Smithsonian costs $6.00 one way during peak hours. Not to mention it takes forever (fewer trains and 10+ stops). At the time of this writing it would take 44 minutes to go 18 miles on Metrorail according to their official trip planner tool (Shady Grove to Smithsonian).

Mass transit tip for Rome: Most tram stations/buses do not have ticket machines. However, tickets are readily available for purchase at any tobacco shop (about just as common as Starbucks in the us) without markup. You MUST buy this in advance before getting on the tram! What I did, after getting into the groove of things, was purchase an extra set of BIT passes while on the return trip at Termini for the next day. The clock does not start until they are validated for the first time (100 minutes from validation).

[positivevibez]

I've only just come across this video. Some very handy tips here. I always find your videos very useful. London is an amazing city and so easy to get around on the underground.