Hey there, in this simple write-up I’m going to share some tips on how to travel with a tight budget. By tight, I mean literally, no shopping at all (except buying souvenirs for your loved ones aha, or else they might think you’ve forgotten them).
For the past six months, I’ve been to ten (10) cities in four (4) different countries, which are Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Japan. Then from August onwards, I’ll be off to explore another three (3) countries (Myanmar, Indonesia and Brunei).
Oh and I’m not one of those people who solely travel the globe full-time after selling all their possessions and quit their jobs. I still have a full-time job in Malaysia and at the same time, doing multiple part-time works for the sake of settling loans and commitments, as well as buying flight tickets whenever promo deals come my way. But one thing you need to know is that I’m a loyal customer of Air Asia and with AIRASIA, NOW EVERYONE CAN FLY! It’s true though, they make it possible for everyone to soar above the sky and reach more than 100 destinations around the world.
Okay back to our topic, how I afford travel? Most of my friends thought I have like this huge amount of money in my bank and can spend effortlessly to whatever I want. To be honest, I have less than a month pay in my primary account, which I will never touch unless for emergency purposes only. Side income? Yes, I do have one side income, but that won’t be necessary for all of you if you know how to plan and sort things out (financially).
So, here’s how I do it:
FINANCIAL PLANNING
Everytime payday arrives, I’ll transfer half of my salary to another bank account, just to set aside a sum of money for flight ticket purchases, hotel reservations and expenses when traveling. This also ensures me to secure a sum I need in my primary bank to survive monthly expenses (foods & drinks, cigarettes, commitments).
How much money (all-inclusive) I normally aim for per trip? To be frank, I went to those destinations mentioned above for less than MYR1000 per country, including accommodations, flight tickets and foods (maximum eating twice per day only, often one dining, depending on destination).
Crazy isn’t it? How is that even possible? Okay let me continue.
FLIGHT TICKETS
Please, please, please be extra alert when airline companies announce cheap and hot deal because the price won’t remain the same even just after five minutes interval. Oh you better believe me. In my case, I prefer Air Asia. Why? They often announce FREE SEATS and crazy PROMO price unlike other airlines in Asia. For me, Air Asia is the best in its league.
So, don’t miss out on the fun. Purchasing a cheap flight ticket gives me a sense of happiness, especially when recently, my return ticket to Osaka only costed me MYR258!! Could you believe that?! I was so happy because Japan has always been on my bucket-list and now I can proudly say that I’ve been to Japan (but only to Osaka, Kyoto & Nara though).
Plan your trip, you have to book early, there’s no other way! Ideal travel date should at least be 105-21 days from your booking date because there is a so-called “Prime Booking Window” to every destination. You just have to check regularly. That’s all.
Besides Air Asia, there are tons of other purchasing medium such as TRAVELOKA, KAYAK & EXPEDIA which offer discount codes from time to time, so be sure to turn on your notification for any upcoming deals!
HOTEL & HOSTEL
Well this one is based on one’s preference. But as for me, I have no issues sleeping in a cube, sharing toilet with other gender and most importantly, mingle with new friends. But if you prefer to be alone, then I think it’s going to cost you more depending on the country you are visiting.
My style of travel is more of a backpacker I would say so it doesn’t matter much to me, because I don’t go for absolute comfort. Cheap and affordable hostel will always be my number one choice. So, how do I book?
Online booking sites normally offer you deals and discounts which are cheaper than the usual, standard price. In that sense, it is a must for you to open multiple tabs on the internet and compare prices so that you can get the best price out of it. By using this method, you can actually save up more than you imagine.
Go for reliable sites like BOOKING.COM, TRIVAGO & AIRBNB. These sites have been used and trusted by millions across the globe. Is there also a prime window for hotel booking? Not that I know of but usually, the sooner, the cheaper. Price could go high during the weekends and special occasion days. Just be sure to plan your trip early and lock the accommodation date couple of week prior departing.
LENGTH OF TRIP
Trip length will determine how much money you need to bring. This is crucial and should not be taken lightly because if you are traveling alone like me, you need to have a proper day by day budget allocation. Rough estimation won’t do.
As for me, the ideal trip length varies by destination. The longest I’ve been so far based on the MYR1000 budget is seven (7) days in Sri Lanka. It was an adventurous trip, filled with eye-opening experiences, unlike other nations I’ve been to before. I discovered the meaning of life, friendship, and daily struggle of the less fortunate.
I wasn’t on my own though when I visited Sri Lanka, there were four (4) other adventurous friends of mine. Although we’ve made plenty of research beforehand, shitty things were bound to happen anyway. On our first day there, one of us got pickpocketed on a bus. ID card, ATM cards and a sum of money all got stolen. But we decided to carry on with the trip and got each other’s back. We shared everything, from foods to bed, while keeping track of our daily budget so that we would avoid extra-spending. Luckily it worked! We overcame and survived the worst nightmare.
As for me, I often filter my destination so that it matches my budget. Believe me, you can do lots with a MYR1000, but in order to do that, you have to book cheap flights and accommodations first. Length of trip may differ upon destination, but try to work on the manageable ones instead of referring trends.
Here’s an example of my cost-breakdown: p/s – in MYR not $$
I hope you find these tips useful at some point and thank you so much for your time.
Young In Malaysia 