Five tips for travelling and holidays on a budget

So many places to see, so little time, and, in many cases, even less money.

For many, the travel restrictions put in place during the pandemic have only enhanced their wanderlust, but budgets are tighter than ever.

If you’re already dreaming of your 2022 travel bucket list, below, we’ve rounded up alternative ways to save money as you globe-trot.

From joining free walking tours to saving cash on attractions with a tourism card, here’s our guide.

It might conjure up images of The Holiday - and accommodation might not always be as glamorous - but house swaps provide a fantastically economical way of seeing the world for those in the know. Just as you might be considering how to get away but don’t have a place to stay, someone else somewhere in the world is thinking the same. If this person is in a country or city you wish to visit, and vice versa, why not strike a deal? While you are in the new city at their house, you will stay in their house, while they will stay at yours back home — and everyone saves cash. Love Home Swap and Home Exchange are popular sites that facilitate house swaps.

Walking tours were developed to give tourists a different way of enjoying a new city. Most are free, though some require a small fee. Either way, it’s a healthier, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly way of enjoying a new destination, plus you’ll make friends along the way. SANDEMANs arranges free walking tours in cities across the UK and Europe, including Lisbon and Berlin.

Tourism cards can help reduce costs for travellers who want to see all that a city has to offer. They typically offers discounted access to major tourist attractions in a given country or a city. We Love City Cards, for example, offers benefits, priority access and discounts to attractions in 29 European cities and 16 countries.

Airlines often reward loyal customers with discounts, upgrades, lounge access and, sometimes, even free flights. So, where possible, try and stick to the same airlines when you fly so you can build up points to redeem for free travel perks.

One way of seeing a major tournament or sporting event (if you aren’t lucky enough to nab tickets) is by volunteering. Many large-scale events are too much for organisers to handle alone so they require volunteers. FIFA makes use of thousands of volunteers for events like the world cup, for whom their entire trip is free. The organisation typically covers accommodation and food for volunteers, who will then have time to explore the destination while they’re in town.

Alexandra Riemann is the founder of TravelSisters, a female-only travel app. instagram.com/TravelSisters.co