When I wrote about checking off my travel bucket list, I got some push-back from Sixty and Me readers who thought I must be rich if I could visit places as far flung as Kenya and the Galapagos. They said it made them sad because they could only dream about what they can see outside their apartment window.
I’ve been thinking about that, and I’m back to say: I am far from rich. That means I had to figure out ways to see the world on a budget.
Here are some ideas that I have tried and others that people I know have used. Maybe one of them will work for you.
Prioritize Travel
This is, perhaps, the most important part of the plan.
Now that my kids are grown and off the family dole, my budget is geared toward travel. My husband and I live a very frugal life. Our house is teeny tiny. I buy my clothes at thrift stores (including online at ThredUp). We rarely eat out.
We often stay in Airbnb apartments so we have access to a kitchen to save on food costs. And, when we buy plane tickets, we travel in economy, even when the flight is 15 hours long!
Take Advantage of Points and Miles
I admit, the whole points and miles thing can be overwhelming. I could probably make my miles stretch much further than I do, but I want to go where I want to go when I want to go there. That can mean using 50,000 miles for an economy ticket rather than 10,000 miles for a first class lie-flat seat (as the points and miles gurus claim to be able to do).
Still, using a rewards credit card and putting all – literally all – of my expenses on that card has gotten me some pretty good deals on flights and hotel rooms. Plus, I have committed to one carrier – Delta right now – and I have that airline’s credit card. That gets me additional freebies like access to the lounge and seat upgrades that otherwise would be way out of my budget.
Try Pet Sitting
I have friends who have lived all over the world for free doing this.
They get a place to stay – and often a car to drive and sometimes even a paycheck! – in return for providing loving care to the homeowners’ animals. In one case, it was an elderly dog who needed little more than a few short walks and many long pets each day. Another time, it was a whole menagerie, from cats in the house to goats in the garden.
You can find opportunities to pet sit around the world at sites like Petsitter.com and TrustedHouseSitters.com.
Take the Slow Boat to Europe
I tried this for the first time in 2025. And I’m a convert!
Cruise lines call them “repositioning” cruises. They happen at the beginning and end of each season. Ships get moved from Europe to Florida, from Australia to L. A., from Alaska to Mexico.
It’s a one-way ticket that, in my case, cost about the same as the one-way economy seat flight across the Pond. For that low price, we got 15 days on the ship, three meals a day, nightly live entertainment and stops in 8 European ports before we hit the open seas on our way back to the U.S.
You can read more about my repositioning cruise experience.
Talk Your Way to a Free Week in Spain or Germany
This has been on my to-do list ever since a friend told me about it 10 years ago. I haven’t gotten to it yet because I am waiting for a time when my daughter and I can do it together. We think 2026 will be our year. Fingers crossed!
We will apply at Pueblo Ingles, the organization a friend has used several times. It recruits native English speakers to spend a week engaging in “talkathons” with the German and Spanish participants who are there to learn to speak our language. In return, the volunteers get free room and board for the week.
Here’s how the organization explains it:
“In each week-long program, a group of 15-25 volunteers (from Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, USA, etc.) “populate” one of our beautiful hotel resorts and provide conversation in English, through a diverse daily schedule. Germans/Spaniards adults are there to practice and improve their English in a natural way.
Our volunteers do not have to teach English in a traditional format; they just have to bring a positive attitude, a passion for conversation and an interest in learning about people from different countries and cultures.”
That’s it. Couldn’t be easier.
You have to get yourself to a nearby major city (Madrid, Valencia, Munich or Frankfurt); the organization will transport you from there and the rest of the week is free for the English-speaking volunteers.
There are other organizations that offer similar opportunities across Europe. Let your fingers do the Googling to find one that offers stays in the country you want to visit.
Become a Travel Writer
Yes. I know it’s not for everyone. But it is one reason I have been able to do at least some travel at a reduced price. I pay a little in cash and the rest in trade. Akin to someone who does the dishes in return for a meal, I write about the places I have visited, hotels where I have stayed and things that I have done.
I am the editor and part owner of SheBuysTravel, a website that helps women travelers know where to go and what to buy for their adventures. A story that appears on SheBuysTravel and is syndicated to our partner sites has the potential to reach more than 100 million readers. That is draw enough for many destinations to consider it worth their while to host me or one of my 200 writers.
How Will You Make Your Dreams Come True?
Ultimately, it’s about what’s important to you and finding the wherewithal to make it happen. Like so many Sixty and Me writers, I’m here to encourage you to go after the life you want, whether that means making new friends, learning new skills, or exploring new countries. Where there’s a will, there is a way, regardless of your budget!
Let’s Have a Conversation:
How have you made your dreams come true, even on a budget? Share with us in the comment section below!
