Travel has become quite costly. Following the COVID era, the globe appears to be traveling once more, and prices just continue to soar. I’m amazed by how elevated they have reached. However, this is a consequence of increasing expenses and heightened demand. Everyone desires to travel. We’re all in search of an escape.
Fortunately, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Airfares have begun to decrease again, there are [additional deal-finding sites available](https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/find-travel-deals/), complimentary walking tours in various cities, and more chances to circumvent the standard travel system and immerse directly into the local experience through [the sharing economy](https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/sharing-economy-travel-cheap/).
As we maneuver through the post-COVID landscape of escalating prices, I’m eager to share some strategies and tips for traveling on a budget this year!
### 1. Adjust Your Mindset
Adjusting your mindset may not conventionally be considered a budget tip, but it’s crucial nonetheless. Consistently remind yourself that travel *is* achievable while taking tangible steps to turn it into a reality. Action breeds action — even if it’s just small steps.
[Begin with a “yes, I can” mindset](https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/too-poor-to-travel-mindset/). Refrain from thinking “I can’t travel” — instead, ask yourself “What’s one action I can take today to bring my trip closer to reality?”
Life is a psychological challenge. Perform one task daily that draws you nearer to your trip, and you’ll find yourself generating unstoppable momentum.
### 2. Create a Savings Strategy
Unless you’re Bill Gates, we all have to save more funds. But how do you achieve that? While life can be pricey, I’m convinced there are always opportunities to save a bit more. There’s always something you can eliminate. Small savings accumulate significantly over time.
To start, monitor your expenditures. Document every expense for a month. Groceries, rent, dining out, Netflix — everything. You cannot identify where to trim if you’re unaware of your spending habits.
After that, establish a savings account solely for travel. This way, you’ll have a dedicated area for your travel funds and can observe its growth. That progress will keep you inspired. Even if it’s just a few dollars each week, every cent matters. The more you save, the more you’ll want to save.
Lastly, start eliminating. Perhaps it involves skipping Starbucks, possibly saving on gas by carpooling to work or reducing dining out. Everyone has items they can cut. Find yours.
### 3. Snag a Flight Deal
A common concern that people express for not traveling more is the flight costs. However, let me assure you, there are numerous deals available right now.
All airlines are trying to fill seats and are providing many deals for travel in the summer and fall currently. After all, they need to recover from a year of losses and are eager to fill planes.
The secret to securing a low-cost flight is flexibility with your travel dates and destination. If you’re fixed on “Paris in June,” you’ll be compelled to pay the flight’s full price. However, if you widen your options to “France in the summer” — or even “Europe in the summer” — you can discover considerably lower fares since you’ll have much more leeway to explore various dates and locations.
I prefer using [Google Flights](https://www.google.com/flights) and [Skyscanner](https://skyscanner.pxf.io/c/214481/1027991/13416?subId1=%26currency%3DUSD&associateid=AFF_TRA_19354_00001&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyscanner.com%2F) to check my options. I input my departure city and select “everywhere” as my destination. I then plan my itinerary based on the cheapest places I can fly to.
Both sites allow you to set up price alerts so you’ll receive an email if the cost of your chosen trip drops.
And if you truly wish to uncover incredible flight deals, think about becoming a member of a flight deal platform like [Going](https://going.sjv.io/9WNaj0). It’s the top website for discovering flight deals from the US and has saved me a lot over the years. It’s not free, but new users can enjoy a 20% discount on a Premium membership with the code *NOMADICMATT20*.
Other useful flight deal platforms include:
– [The Flight Deal](https