Everyone wants to do a bit of travelling, but the cost can often be prohibitively expensive. With how much you’ll have to pay for, it’s easy to see why you mightn’t do it. That doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to travel on a budget. With a bit of careful planning and some time, you could make it easier than you’d think.

If you’ve always dreamt of travelling the globe, it’s worth diving into five ways you can do it on a budget, especially with how much it can help with your mental health. Not only will they make sure it’s affordable, but you’ll still have an amazing time while you’re doing it.

1. Use A Travel Card – Most banks charge you to withdraw cash when you’re abroad, but one way to avoid that is by getting a travel card if your bank offers them. They can even be prepaid cards you can use. These usually come with much lower fees, saving you much more money than you could’ve thought. If you plan on using ATMs at various points, it’s definitely worth it.
2. Compare Flights – There’ll be multiple airlines offering flights to wherever you’re travelling to, and it’s worth spending the time comparing these. Some could end up being much more affordable than you would’ve thought. While this means spending a little more time planning things out, it’ll be more than worth it, as it saves you more than you could think.
3. Research Transportation – You’ll need a way to get around when you’re travelling, and taxis could be the first thing that comes to mine. These could end up being too expensive, considering how many of them you might get. Instead, it’s better worth going for public transportation or an affordable car rental. It’ll save you a lot more money with these than you would’ve thought.
4. Avoid Organised Tours – You’ll often want to see some of the more popular sights in a particular destination, and organised tours are an effective way of doing this. They can be quite expensive, however. It’s worth going it alone and using Google Maps and similar tools to get around and see the sights you want for free. It’s more worth it.
5. Travel Off-Season – There are quite a few off-peak travel seasons during the year, and these are often much more affordable to travel during. Flights, activities, and other expenses should all be much lower. While this sometimes depends on where you’ll be travelling, it’s worth avoiding school holidays and similar times. More people usually travel during these periods, so prices will be sky-high.

Travelling doesn’t have to be an expensive process, and it could be much more affordable than you could’ve thought. You’ll simply need to know how to travel on a budget. With some proper planning and a little bit of effort, you shouldn’t have a problem having an amazing time at a low cost.

Avoiding organised tours, using a travel card, comparing flights before booking, and similar tips and tricks can all help with this. While it means putting a bit of time and effort into your preparation, it’ll be more than worth it once you’re travelling around.