Our creativity is only limited by our imagination. The more we experience the world, the wider is our expanse of knowledge to work with in creating new ways of living. The more people we engage from all walks of life and from various parts of the world, the more ideas we encounter to add richness into our lives. When our resources are limited, we draw from our reservoir of experience and connections to make the most of what we have. Even though we may be short on time, money and networks, we could at least have fun and travel the world on a shoe-string budget.

10 Fun Ways to Travel the World on a Shoe-String Budget

World Tours and Cruises Talk Radio

Here are 5 More Fun Ways to Travel the World on a Shoe-String Budget:

Tip #1. Visit family and friends who live in the area you wish to explore.

Many of us have family and friends around the world. A few of us keep in touch with many of them, and some of us do not. Perhaps this is a great time to be re-acquainted with people we enjoyed spending time with at some point in our lives. Plan ahead to make sure everyone will be available to have fun creating new memories with you. Moreover, the Internet has made the world a lot smaller, allowing us to have collaborative associations with people in far flung places. Many of us have befriended several associates through the nature of our work and interests. Why not explore meeting them in person? For those who are adventurous, there are home exchange programs and couch surfing programs available as well. Exercise caution and discernment when you get into these programs as they require reciprocal services. Meaning, if you spend time at someone’s home, you are allowing others to spend time in your home. If you sleep on someone’s couch, you are allowing for someone to sleep on your couch as well. For those who would like to have a bit of privacy but not spend much money on hotels, there are youth hostels and pension houses available to you in some parts of the world as well as bed and breakfasts. To further extend your circle of friends, travel with someone who knows someone in the areas you wish to visit.

Tip #2. Host a foreign exchange high school or college student, or professional.

If you cannot leave town or you only have minimal vacation time, how about hosting a foreign exchange high school or college student, or professional in your home? If you wish to host a foreign high school student, you are not required to provide him or her a private room, but he or she must have his or her own bed, share a room with same gender roommate, and the local school allows foreign high school students to attend. For college and professional exchange programs, accommodation requirements differ depending on the organization’s hosting them. These programs are worth looking into since you will be bringing diverse cultures and languages into your home. You will develop friendships across the miles, and you would most likely be invited to visit with them in their countries.

Tip #3. Explore nature and go camping in the wild or at a state campground.

If money is tight and you only have a few days of vacation, why not explore nature. Some of these places are in the mountains, some are near the beach. Go backpacking, hiking, biking and camping in the woods. Some camp and sports gears can be rented or borrowed from family and friends. Explore state owned campgrounds with bathroom facilities, or check out privately owned campgrounds. Not only will you be stretching your vacation money, but also have the chance to breathe fresh air and get back to nature. Make sure you pick up your trash and others’ garbage you find in your campsite as to not invite wild life to come near you. Do not feed the wild animals or leave food out in the open. Exercise fire safety. Pay attention to Park Rangers’ warnings and advice on how to enjoy nature safely.

Tip #4. Take advantage of timeshare presentation offers and gifts.

Timeshare units are condominiums with living and dining rooms which allow for larger families to stay together. Many have full kitchens which allow families to save up on eating out as food costs take a huge portion of vacation budget.  Since many of these units have laundry facilities either in the units themselves or in the building, it would not be necessary to pack too many clothing for the trip. This is especially convenient for families with small children and babies as they tend to soil their garments often. Most timeshare resorts have entertainment programs, fitness centers and activity centers for all ages. Timeshare presentations are usually an hour long and they come with breakfasts or lunches. Attending presentations also come with gifts which could be dinner and/or show tickets for a luau in Hawaii or musical shows on Time Square in New York City, reduced fees to theme parks such as Disneyworld or Universal Studios, $100 worth of tokens in participating casinos in Atlantic City, among others. However, be astute as to how long you are kept in the presentation. Hold the presenters accountable for the time as a few of them will stall the presentation process so that you would have the chance to go through several sales pitches. Be amused as to how these sales pitches are conducted with strategies such as tough sell then soft sell.  It is part of the timeshare sales technique to engage you on how you fit certain criteria, so just be aware of the many closing tactics that will be employed to get you to buy a unit. Have fun with the ping-pong game with the salesperson, but just keep an eye on your time. If you wish to buy a unit, read all the fine print and ask for the time to peruse through. If you signed a contract, know how much time you have to rescind it. Be careful not to be swept away by fast talkers and unproven math logic you are guaranteed to see.

Tip #5. Offer your services to house sit with travel options (have use of vehicles).

A few real estates for sale require the presence of a caretaker while the property is up for sale. The person must be willing to do upkeep of the property such as housekeeping, being available for show at anytime which requires the property to be on a Show Mode all the time. Other owners who may be away for an extended period of time need caretakers to house sit while they are gone, take care of pets, water the plants, pick up packages and junk mail, mow the lawn and sleep in the premises. A few owners allow the use of their vehicles. These opportunities are usually found by word of mouth.

There are more fun ways to travel the world on a shoe-string budget. As there are many cultures in the world and as many minds to come up with ideas, these are just starting points. Have a wonderful time exploring the world for more options and have fun learning along the way.

By Gina Alzate, World Tours and Cruises

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  GINA ALZATE