The Ultimate Guide to Travel When You Have No Money

Few things are as fulfilling and inspiring as travel. If you’re here reading this, I’m going to assume you feel the same way. Unfortunately, our social feeds are often full of dream trips and vacations featuring luxury spots and big budgets. But, don’t be discouraged. It’s possible to travel with a limited budget or even when you feel like you have no money. 

The Ultimate Guide to Travel When You Have No Money

Whether you have no money or a very limited budget, especially as a student or recent grad, there are still ways to satisfy that itch to travel and see more of the world. 

Can You Travel With No Money? 

Yes! In order to travel with no money, you’ll need to be creative and resourceful, but it’s possible to travel with no budget or a limited budget. 

How To Travel With No Money

Here’s the ultimate guide to traveling with no money, including volunteer ideas, travel hacking, working and more. 

Get a Seasonal Job at a National Park 

Would you love to get off work and head straight into nature for a hike? Or enjoy stunning views all day long? Then you should consider a job at a national park! 

CoolWorks is a great resource for finding jobs at national parks, camps and similar amazing destinations. Plus, they have an option to search for roles that include housing. 

WWOOF

WWOOF or Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms is basically a cultural exchange program. Participants, also known as WWOOFers, are provided accommodation and meals from their host family in exchange for working on their sustainable farms. 

You learn about sustainable ways of living, organic food and agriculture and, of course, are able to spend your spare time meeting local people, making new friends and exploring new places. The program is offered across the globe, so first you’ll choose a desired destination, then you’ll sign up with that local WWOOF group for next steps. 

Teach English Abroad

This is a classic option for traveling with no money. You can teach English as a second language to students in many countries without even needing to know the local language. 

You’ll most likely need a Bachelor’s degree to begin with (it can be any major) and then you should consider getting a TEFL certificate. CIEE and The International TEFL Academy both provide certifications and help you find job opportunities in places like South Korea, Japan, Thailand and more. Deciding to teach English overseas is a great opportunity to meet amazing people. 

Yacht Crew

If you prefer exploring on water instead of land, then getting a seasonal job on a yacht might be for you. If you’ve ever watched Below Deck on Bravo, then you’ll have some familiarity with the roles and housing. 

Essentially there are jobs available to be deckhands, assistant chefs, servers, and more on board a yacht. You’ll work and sleep on the ship. You can find opportunities on The Crew Network. If you love the ocean, but can’t find a job on a yacht, you can also look into a cruise ship worker job. 

WorldPackers and WorkAway

Both WorldPackers and WorkAway offer similar work exchange programs. Meaning you’ll be volunteering your time and labor in exchange for housing. They have opportunities across the globe at places like farms, hostels, inns, holistic centers, schools and more. 

House Sit or Pet Sit 

Did you know you can find free homestays around the world in exchange for providing pet care or house-sitting duties? TrustedHousesitters organizes house and pet sitting for both those looking for caretakers and those providing it.

I’ve followed a travel blogger who hadn’t rented an apartment in a year because she had regular house sitting arrangements around the world. 

Go to University 

You could also go back to school abroad! I’m always shocked at how affordable schooling is in other countries, and you can often find scholarships. If you’re planning to continue your education, consider going to university abroad and you’ll get to explore a new country every day. 

Use Student or Youth Discounts

Depending on your age, use your student and youth discounts as much as possible to get discounted or free travel. You’d be surprised what discounts are available for students, so be sure to check availability of discounts for every part of your travels. 

Take Free Tours

One way to explore for free during your travels, while also learning about your destination, is to enjoy free walking tours. Free Tours by Foot is my favorite resource for free tours. However, you should always remember to tip your tour guide. 

Maximize Credit Card Rewards

Now, if you not only do not have money for travel, but barely have money for your day-to-day life, you should not open a credit card. But, if you know you can responsibly manage a credit card, then consider signing up for one with travel rewards. 

There are many popular travel reward credit cards that offer you points for purchases made on the card that can be used for flights, hotels, rental cars and more. And most of them have a bonus offer when you sign up if you hit a certain spend amount in the first 3 months. Typically, you can find an offer that gives you an extra 50,000 to 100,000 points for spending several thousand dollars. 

My hack for these cards is that I save up for a big purchase in my life, like a new computer or moving to a new apartment. Once I have that money saved up, I’ll open a rewards credit card and use it for all the purchases. Then immediately pay it off with the money I’ve saved. For me, this is a low risk way to get extra travel benefits. 

Travel credit cards mean you’ll be able to book free flights or flights booked with miles from your card. 

Explore Your Own Neighborhood  

Now this is one way to get started traveling if the other options aren’t doable for you right now. Decide to be a tourist of where you currently live. 

Make a list of places you haven’t seen yet or want to visit again, and go with fresh eyes as if you are traveling from somewhere else. And if you’re wondering how to save money for travel, being a tourist at home is just one step you can take. 

Work Remotely 

Another way to travel with no money is to earn money while traveling – I guess that’s girl mathing it. To find remote roles, check out any of these sites:

Working Nomads

Harlow Freelance Job Board

Jobgether

DailyRemote

Remotive

We Work Remotely

Where To Travel Without Money

Southeast Asia

Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia are classic backpacker destinations for good reason. You can travel for an extended period of time at a low cost, while enjoying a stunning destination. 

Eastern Europe

Poland, Hungary, Romani and the Balkans are each under-the-radar destinations compared to the usual Euro-trip, but you’ll find plenty to do during your budget travels. 

South America

Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru are all beautiful destinations that are more friendly for budget-travelers who are traveling the world. 

I hope these travel tips help you travel for cheap and free even when you feel like you have no money or little money for travel. If you want to remember the ultimate guide to travel when you have no money, then save the below to Pinterest.