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? Because you can do home exchange. Here you temporarily swap homes with someone else. This can be anywhere in the world. Is there a certain place at the top of your bucket list? Then check out home exchange platforms and see if your destination is among them. Swaphouse, for example, is a free platform for this, aimed specifically at remote workers (good wifi, nice workplace). This way you save a lot on the cost of your accommodation. You can also opt for house-sitters or pet-sitters. In the latter case, you have to do something in return, namely take good care of an animal. But that still gives you more than enough freedom to explore your new place 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 really do 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 restaurants are many times cheaper. And if you do want to go to a big, well-known city, choose a place to stay on the outskirts of town. Do pay attention to the safety of the neighborhood, 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 remote 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. The 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 regularly yourself, 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 the 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 want really good food and drink. A smaller wallet doesn’t have to come at the expense of the quality of your food either. In fact, I have eaten countless times in tiny backstreets where the food was truly delicious. These are the places where often the locals come and not the tourists. After all, the tourists only come once anyway; it’s the locals you really have to keep happy. What you should especially not do is to go to a restaurant on the main street of a city. There you pay the main price anyway! Walk a little further or go into a smaller street, there you will find very cozy 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. 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 scooters 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 take a leisurely look around and enjoy your surroundings. A low budget workout 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’s 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 great workation destinations here.
