Ideally, we would like to travel as much as possible, for as little money as possible. If money were no object, we would prefer to go on workstation even more often. Remote work offers the ultimate way to enjoy a free life, but it also comes at a price. Still, you can enjoy a remote (work) life to the max even on a low budget. Here are some clever tricks for a low budget workation.
Do a home exchange
Did you know that you can even stay in another place completely free of charge? After all, you can do house swaps. In the process, you temporarily swap homes with someone else. That could be anywhere in the world. Is there a particular place at the top of your bucket list? Then check out home exchange platforms and see if your destination is among them. For example, Swaphouse, a free platform for this, aimed specifically at remote workers (good wifi, nice workspace). This will save you quite a bit on the cost of your accommodation.
You can also choose house-sitters, or babysitting animals. In the latter case, you have to do something in return, which is to take good care of an animal. But that still gives you more than enough freedom to explore your new place, all for free! I did this once at an apartment with a sweet cat in Kuala Lumpur.
That was an awesome experience and a nicer apartment than I could afford on my own. Win-win.
Choose an affordable destination
It sounds obvious, and yet we still do it far too little. In fact, the places that are really still very affordable are often less well known. Think for example of a country like Albania. Incredibly beautiful, versatile and also definitely very cheap compared to countries like Spain and Portugal. Consider places with a low cost of living and good Internet connections. These countries often offer affordable accommodations and local food at friendly prices.
Scoring a low budget accommodation
If you still really want to go to popular Spain, for example, do not choose a big city like Barcelona (kassaaaa), but a small town or village. There, accommodations and hospitality are many times cheaper. And if you do necessarily want to go to a big well-known city, choose a stay on the outskirts of a city. Do pay attention to neighborhood safety, but there are really good options everywhere. Always check reviews online well in advance so you know where you end up.
In general, also, the longer you stay, the cheaper it is. Especially if you are going to work remotely for a month, for example, you will pay a different price for accommodation than if you were going for 1 week.
Go on workation in the off-season
The rule of thumb is: go travel in the off-season. That really saves a lot of money. An additional advantage is that it is also a lot quieter. Less crowded and literally more space I really like so much. If you have the freedom to travel off-season, by all means do so. Prices are lower, it is easier to find low budget options and there is more room to negotiate the price sometimes. That latter is not possible everywhere, but I have regularly scored a nice deal that way on Airbnb.
Traveling as cheaply as possible
Unfortunately, the time of cheap last minute deals on airline tickets is over. On the contrary, the earlier you book, the lower the price often is. I prefer to travel by train, but that is far from low budget. Here’s a call to governments to make trains cheaper!
What I found to be the cheapest way to travel long distances in Europe was to use carpooling. Blablacar is a fine app in my opinion. You can see exactly what rides are offered, who your driver is and reviews of that person. You can also choose the option for co-passengers, which I always did because I liked the feeling of not just getting into the car with someone. Of course, old-fashioned hitchhiking is also possible, but I’m not comfortable with that as a solo female traveler. Cheap it is!
Affordable food abroad
There are 3 ways to keep the food and drink budget as low as possible: 1 cook your own food regularly, 2 eat local produce, 3 choose a less popular restaurant. Cooking yourself is almost always cheaper than eating out, unless you are cooking star-worthy meals, but I won’t assume that for a moment. Buy your produce mainly from the local market, which is often better than the supermarket. It is also great fun to visit markets, then you can see what a country has to offer in terms of culinary delights.
During your stay, of course, you’ll want really good food and drink. A smaller wallet doesn’t have to come at the expense of the quality of your food, either. Indeed, I have eaten countless times in tiny backstreets, where the food was truly delicious. These are the places that often attract locals and not tourists. After all, the tourists only come once anyway; it’s the locals you really need to keep happy.
What you especially should not do is to go to a restaurant on the main street of a city. You’ll pay top dollar there anyway! Walk a little further or go into a smaller street, there you will find very atmospheric places and very good food. Don’t trust it? Then just check Google and Tripadvisor beforehand for the restaurant’s score.
Free activities and attractions
We Dutch love free things. Skimpy people as we are. But there is nothing wrong with that. Even abroad there is often more than enough to do that you don’t have to pay for. Go into nature, enjoy the beach, the park or check which museums are free to visit. Some destinations also have certain days when something is free. Ask the host of your accommodation about that, they know exactly when you should be where.
Use public transportation or walk
During your workation, you will naturally explore your new surroundings. Use local public transportation instead of expensive cabs or rental cars. Bike rentals or scooter rentals are often available. Or take a nice walk. Walking is not only good for your health, but also for your wallet! That way, you can also look around and enjoy your surroundings at your leisure.
A low budget workation requires careful planning and smart choices. By being strategic with your spending, you can combine the benefits of working and traveling without spending a lot of money. It is not only a chance to be productive in a different place, but also to broaden your horizons without affecting your bank account. Read more inspiration for fun workation destinations here.
