How to Travel Around the World for Cheap

Have you always wanted to travel around the world? It is a goal that many people have, but too many are dissuaded by the costs of such a trip. While it will definitely require some money, a trip around the world is within the financial reach of most people if they save and plan carefully.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Find a travel buddy. While traveling alone can be fun, sharing some costs with another person can be a significant way to save.
2. Look for a ticket bargain. You will probably want to get an around the world or RTW airplane package. For a single price you get a ticket with a set itinerary of several stops in different countries. These packages are almost always cheaper than buying your tickets one at a time. For the best prices, shop around with several different companies, and look at their bargain packages - while you can set any itinerary with RTW tickets, usually popular itineraries selected by the company are significantly cheaper. Finally, consider a ticket that drops you off in one city and picks you up in another if you can travel cheaply from one to the other overland.
3. Plan your itinerary. While you may not want to stick entirely to cheaper locations, making shorter stops in expensive countries and significantly longer ones where the cost of living is cheap is an excellent way to save.
4. Stay in hostels, in the dorm if possible, for the cheapest rates. Searching for hostels on the internet can help you compare prices and make reservations ahead of time, which ensures that you won't have to settle for an expensive hotel room at the last minute. If you don't want to stay in the dorm, sharing a room with even one person can still help you save. (Hostels are also great places to meet other budget travelers and pick up tips.)
5. Buy groceries and prepare your own meals. Most hostels have kitchens, and even if you don't want to cook you can eat much more cheaply by buying convenience foods from markets than by eating in restaurants all the time. Also, many 'round the world travelers spend a surprising amount of their budget on drinking in bars, so if you limit your drinking or even buy alcohol from a store, you can definitely save some money.
6. Walk or take public transportation if at all possible. If you have plenty of time and limited funds you will probably find that almost any city in the world is walkable, and you will save lots of money by doing it.