There are many cost factors to consider when you are planning for a holiday—be it accommodation, food or transport. Sure, it is possible to compromise on comfort to save some money but what if we tell you that travelling the world for free or next to nothing is not just a dream?

No, we are not kidding. People have done it and so can you!

All you need is an open mind, some planning skills, a hard-working personality and some tips from us. Here are 6 Ways You Can Travel The World (Almost) For Free.

TRAVELLING WITH BFF: The Expectations vs. Reality When You Travel With Your Best Friend.

Photo Credit: United Nations

#1 VOLUNTEER

If you have an outgoing personality and are passionate about making a change in this world, then this is the option for you. Non-profit organisations that require specific professional skills such as the UN and Peace Corps offer all expenses paid travel programs when you volunteer with them.

Those who do not mind getting their hands dirty can opt for Wwoofing, a program that provides travellers with the opportunity to volunteer at organic farms in exchange for free accommodation.

Photo Credit: The Dubizzle Blog

#2 STAY FOR FREE

Ditch the hotels and stay with the locals! CouchSurfing is a website that connects the traveller with a local host who is able to spare you a couch or bed overnight. Check out the reviews left by previous guests so you know what to expect when staying there.

House Sitting is another way of saving on accommodation fees. Guests are expected to look after the house or take care of their pets while the owners are gone for the weekend.

It is also possible to loan out your apartment by swapping it with someone else when you advertise on home exchange websites. However, do keep in mind that it is important to coordinate the dates with your home swapping partners.

Photo Credit: Cruiseline

#3 WORK

Getting paid to travel is a dream job for many of us but what options do we have? Apart from being an air stewardess, you can also work on a cruise ship as an entertainer, service crew, engineer or event manager.

Other jobs that will take you to faraway lands include journalists, travel writers, language teachers, translators, event coordinators and those working in hospitality industries.

Read: 11 Tips On How To Save Money To Travel The World.

Photo Credit: Ski Japan

#4 APPLY FOR SHORT-TERM STINTS

To offset any extra cost, apply for short-term jobs such as a camp instructor, au pair or overseas internship. Some companies provide wages, accommodation, wifi and even meals.

Summer jobs such as fruits picking and amusement park crew are popular among teenagers. In winter, many try out seasonal work at ski resorts where they also get a chance to learn skiing for free.

It is best to start researching and applying for jobs ahead of your travel schedule.

Photo Credit: NPR

#5 FREE TRANSPORT

Besides accommodation, transport is one of the biggest reasons why travelling comes with a heavier price tag. A common practice in the US is hitchhiking whereby you flag down cars passing by for a free ride. Of course, it is important to exercise caution when doing so.

Collecting airline miles is a great way of earning yourself a free plane ticket. You can accumulate airline miles by staying in international chain hotels, converting hotel points into miles and using credit cards that let you accrue miles.

Getting bumped off your flight sounds like an awful inconvenience but if you volunteer to get bumped, you are likely to receive upgrades, flight vouchers or cash in return.

Photo Credit: Runner Bean Tours

#6 JOIN FREE ACTIVITIES

Learn more about the country when you participate in free walking tours organised by locals who are able to bring you to the best places for meals or hidden gems within the city that are unknown to tourists.

Before you complain about the impossibility of traveling due to your limited annual leave, read our 7 Tips on How You Can Still Travel With A Full-Time Job.

Booking a cheaper flight is very possible, as long as you know of a few travel tips and tricks. Fret not, no complex and time-consuming techniques are required from your end and scoring a cheaper flight ticket can be easily achieved with a few fuss-free clicks.

From using Kayak Explore to determine the cheapest destination during a certain period to switching currency before you book a flight, here are 7 Tips On Booking A Cheaper Flight. Going on a vacation does not necessarily have to be costly affair after all. Bon Voyage!

#1 CLEAR BROWSER’S COOKIES

To clear or not to clear, that is the question. Industry experts have been arguing on whether the impact of your browser’s cookies affect flight prices and we say it is better to be safe than sorry.

Some believe that websites are wired to raise the price of a route you have been eyeing on and as a result, an increment of air fares is highly likely. So, you’ve got your answer: go on and clear those cookies!

To be even safer, make sure you browse in private with incognito mode on your internet browser.

#2 CONSIDER BUDGET AIRLINES

Low-cost carriers are more often than not cheaper than full-service airlines. If travellers are willing to compensate legroom space, in-flight entertainment and complimentary meals, then they would be amazed by how they can actually save up to hundreds of dollars!

Having said that, there have been some strange incidents where budget airlines actually cost more than a full-service flight. So always do your research across various airlines before making that final decision.

#3 DETERMINE THE CHEAPEST DESTINATION

If you have a flexible schedule but limited cash, then perhaps deciding on the cheapest destination would be ideal in allowing you to score the cheapest possible air tickets.

Kayak Explore is a great flight planning tool that allows you to enter your departure city, the desired month and monitor the cheapest destination to fly into—stretching your dollar is guaranteed.

#4 MONITOR AIR FARES

Camping by the computer and repeatedly searching multiple airlines’ booking portal every hour is simply not feasible.

This is when the following applications, namely Air Fare Watch Dog, Sidestep and Yapta can help take over the monitoring chores. These sites will inform you firsthand when the flight you desire has dropped in value.

#5 PURCHASE UNWANTED TICKETS

Many travellers have made the impulsive and terrible mistake of purchasing an air ticket, only to realise he/she could not make it for the trip. Or worse still, something crops up and they are unable to fly.

Depending on the airline’s policies, some may allow the change of dates and even names. This is when Jump Flight comes in handy, where you can buy discounted plane tickets from them.

#6 SWITCH CURRENCIES

Before you book a flight, do a little experiment of switching your currencies to compare the flight prices. Depending on which currency you actually switch to, some scenarios will have you experiencing cheaper air fares!

We enjoyed this beneficial advantage most recently when we actually changed from SGD to MYR. Do also use a card that is free from foreign-transaction fees.

#7 SIGN UP FOR FREQUENT FLYER MEMBERSHIPS

Registering for Frequent Flyer Memberships is usually free and we strongly encourage everyone to sign up for it.

The gradual accumulation of miles will eventually allow you to redeem air tickets or score an upgrade. How could you resist a free ticket (excluding of airport taxes)?!

The world is our oyster. But as we all travel around the world more, the world gets more hurt.

While traveling brings about tourism, it is precisely because of this correlation that the world is endangered. Tourism can bring about irreversible negative environmental, social and economical impacts, and we are being destroyed by the minute every day.

Sustainable Tourism is hence so vital in protecting this world we live in, and that means we should be considerate and only positively impact the places we visit. With the recent decision made by Italy to restrict the number of visitors to its gorgeous Cinque Terre evokes even more sentiments about tourism sustainability.

All of us have a part to play in this world – you and me, we are all responsible for this very world we live in. And when we travel, we ought to be responsible travellers too.

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Government organisations are more often than not the biggest stakeholder in tourism, and it is with constant and concerted effort that everyone fights to protect their countries’/ cities’ heritage places. It can be a temple, a museum, a park, a building or even a whole island.

Funds are managed and awarded to the various places that deserve preservation and conservation. The selection process happens once a year, and places are selected based on their natural and cultural importance to the country/ city and humanity.

Italy is home to the most number of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

With the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, these monumental places that carry heavy importance and significance are protected and preserved, and all that we enjoy today can too be enjoyed by many more generations to come.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

We are stakeholders of our world too. Whether we are living in our homeland or visiting a country/ city, the saying goes, “the objective is to create a better place for people to live in and to visit.”

Responsible tourism is displayed through our behaviour. While it all differs from individual to individual, the rationale stays – to make positive contributions to conversations, and to minimise social, economical and environmental damage.

There are many ways to being a responsible tourist, and the list starts now.

DO NOT LITTER

Well, this is basic. You do not even do this at home, so why do it at someone else’s home?

The dustbin may be a kilometre away, but walk anyway. Dumping your rubbish inconsiderately and illegally is the darnest thing you could ever do to this wonderful world that shelters you and comforts you, so do not litter wherever you go.

Let the world continue to shine in its full glory.

CONSERVE WATER AND REDUCE ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

We are somehow guilty of taking luxurious showers when we are in a foreign land, even more so if we are putting up at nice accommodations.

The logic stays – if you do not do it at home, then don’t do it at someone else’s home.

Shower as you normally would. Skip the bubble bath. Switch off the tap fully. Flush with consideration.

As with electricity. Switch off the lights before you head out. Unplug your charging devices when you are done with charging. And switch on only what is necessary.

CULTURAL PRESERVATION

To be culturally sensitive wherever we go means conducting ourselves and respecting the locals’ way of life, traditions, practices and beliefs.

We should not make the locals feel invaded, nor threaten and change their lifestyles.

A greater understanding of a local culture will also benefit our travels as we can positively interact with the locals – to better understand the place, to respect their cultural expressions and to appreciate all that they endorse and live by.

This will, too, enhance the overall host-tourist connection – which in turns encourage sustainable tourism.

SUPPORT THE LOCALS

There are many ways to support the locals and its community, so as to keep their life cycles going. This is also a form of cultural preservation, and it brings about positive economical impacts to the place.

It may be crafts that are locally produced, it may be a meal at a local restaurant, or it may be a form of performing arts. Whatever they are, it is always lovely to support the locals – within your means, of course. Whether is it a hand-sewn pouch, a dish that is prepared with only locally-farmed crops, or an ethnic dance put up by the kids of the village, tourism can be bring about positive contributions just like that.

YOUR SOUVENIR MAY BE A DESTRUCTION

It is alright to pick up fallen maple leaves and dry them up as souvenirs, but it is not alright to fill your bottle with sand from the beautiful beach that you just visited. Sometimes, we do not think too much of the souvenir that we decide to bring home, and this can be extremely detrimental.

Stop and think if what you are about to bag home is going to make a difference to the place. Like the gorgeous flower that you see en route to your destination? Or the seashells along the coast? The best way to remember that wonderful sight is to capture it on your camera.

They belong where they are, and their beauty is only to be admired, never to be claimed.

DRESS RESPONSIBLY

This is definitely important, especially if you are visiting somewhere religious or conservative. Cover up when roaming around sacred grounds, and respect the community.

Similarly, dressing up is a form of respect, and if the locals dress a certain way/ with a certain style, take a leaf and follow suit.

SPEAK WITH THE LOCALS

Learn all you can about the place that you are visiting. Learn about their history, learn about their environment, learn about their lifestyle, learn about their prohibitions.

It is through learning that we can truly appreciate the way life is – all its rawest forms and nakedness. We are all inherently different, and through our differences, we cross paths and meet; our acquaintance will bring about amazing social impacts, and it is this bond that will make the world go round.

Melody is the other half of Ladyironchef. While she seeks solace in traveling, she does not forget to love and protect the world. She has a keen interest in cultural and performing arts, and is sometimes lost in the beauty of history. London is where she longs to move to, and someday, she will spend her mornings practising yoga in Hyde Park.

Travelling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

I have always advocated seeing the world because there are no nother ways to educate and better yourself than to get out of your comfort zone and be awed by the vast horizons and boundless skies of the world.

In 2012, I vowed to visit a city once a month, I accomplished it, and was beyond pleased with myself. 2013 has kick-started well with a few trips by far, and a few more planned for the next quarter. In the month of April, we celebrate travelling, because we all deserve to learn.

Expect articles on travelling on a budget, where to stay, packing tips, places to eat and postcards from the cities worth visiting. I am a voyager, and I will always want to be one. You can, too. Here’s to leading a fulfilling life and seeing the world to enrich ourselves.

Have a happy April!

I recently travelled to New York City and it was my second time travelling by myself. I’m more of an outgoing person, so I wasn’t that apprehensive about it. But I know that for most people, travelling alone can be a really anxious thing, especially if one had to travel by herself, for example, if she was on a business trip and have some free time alone to wander about the city.

However, the good news is that travelling solo is not a bad thing at all; there are several advantages for it and further below are tips for travelling alone.

If you are planning to go on an adventure soon, you should also read this post on important things to know for solo travellers.

Advantages of travelling alone:

1. Me time

Spending a few days by yourself (and for yourself) in a foreign city where no one knows you is probably one of the best ways to focus on yourself and enjoy what life has in store for you. We got too caught up in our busy daily routines sometimes that we neglect on treating ourselves well. Travelling solo is a good way to have some “me time” to treat yourself with the new environment, atmosphere, food, and vibe.

2. Flexibility

When you are travelling alone, you can afford to be very flexible with your own schedule. You can go to anywhere at anytime you want, or make any last minute changes to your itinerary if there is a need to without being concerned if your friends would mind. Happen to pass by that cute little café down the corner of the street on the way to the museum? Just stop by, walk in, and try it.

3. Courage and independence

One of the greatest takeaways from travelling solo is probably learning on how to get out of our little comfort zones to just be out there in new places. Finding your way around the city by yourself, trying hard to speak a new language, meeting with new people along the way, and the list goes on. I guess it’s also fair to say that you will find courage from all these and take these little steps to learn to be more independent – at least in a foreign land.

Tips for travelling alone:

1. Be “thick skinned”

Definitely the most important tip – I find that we have to “thicken” our skins when we are travelling by ourselves. If you want your photo to be taken in front of that historical landmark, you have to ask other people to help you (be careful though, to make sure that they do not run away with your camera). When you’re eating alone at the bar, do not think that other people are looking at you; just think and look as if you’re a food critic so that’s why you’re eating there by yourself. When you make mistakes while trying to speak the foreign language, do not be afraid! At the end of the day, you’ll just laugh it off and have fun with it.

2. Be wise

By being wise here, I mean that you can choose to go to places that are more suitable for solo travellers. Join a group walking tour of the city to get a lively introduction of your new surroundings and meet with other solo travelers. Or view exhibitions at the museum since you have no one to distract you now while immersing yourself in those art pieces. Choose to dine at restaurants with bar seating where they are tailored for solo diners.

3. Smile

And always be friendly to the locals. People are generally nice at the core, so if you’re nice to them, they’ll be happy to talk to you too and help you if you need directions or recommendations. Remember to smile as and when you can. And you can never go wrong.

While travelling in general gives you new experiences and touches the soul, travelling solo additionally allows you to meet more new people along the way, which has got to be one of the ultimate joys of the journey. And it’s up to you to make the connections on route. You are traveling solo, but definitely not alone.

About the writer
Anlin Melina is a Business Administration and Economics student at the University of California, Berkeley, who likes travelling and writing during her free time. Melina has recently completed writing her first book, titled “Once Upon A Blue Sky”, which is a travel guide book on cities in the United States.

The winner of the giveaway is #1 Carmen. I will be sending you an email later. Thanks everyone for joining the giveaway.

Hey folks, hope you are having a good week so far. Just some quick updates: I am travelling a lot this year, so I will be blogging more about my adventures, travelling tips, and of course – food (travelling is just an excuse for me to eat more). There are a lot of exciting changes for the blog this year, and I hope to share them with you soon!

During the last week of April, we hit a new record of 23k unique visitors (daily). Thank you so much for all the love!

Also, I have revamped my Guide to Japanese restaurants in Singapore – do check it out if you are looking for a nice place to go.

Giveaway of Singapore Flyer Tickets // I’m giving away a pair of tickets to the Singapore Flyer. All you have to do is to join my new facebook page, and leave a comment to tell me your facebook username. Giveaway ends on 17th May 2359.