Here are some slightly unorthodox ways to stretch your travel budget. These tips are more suitable for a solo traveller because the ideas below may not be reception to not everyone.

  1. Opt for Transit instead of Direct Flights
  2. Consider Night Bus instead of Train Rides or Flights
  3. Public Transport, Walk / Cycle / Scoot
  4. Know your Accommodation Options
  5. Skip Some Meals
  6. Skip Some Tourist Attractions
  7. Closing Words

Opt for Transit instead of Direct Flights

Direct flights and cross-city train tickets can be expensive.

Opting for transit flights is one of my favourite way to visit an additional city “for free” during the layover. In fact, it usually reduces my total cost to reach my intended destination.

I would always try to a minimum of 6 hours layover so that I have enough time to clear customs and travel to the city. Usually you do not need to collect your checked luggage during the transit.

In my recent trip to UK in 2022, I took a transit flight from Singapore to Paris via Helsinki, with about 8 hours of transit time each leg to visit Helsinki city. In the first transit, I visited the city centre and took a ferry to a nearby island. In the second transit, I went to try out Finnish sauna, which was perfect for a transit break.

The choice of an odd-hour transit flight shaved almost a grand off my flight ticket compared to a direct flight to London, which was my original intended destination. This was also due to the surge in air tickets after the easing of covid measures.

I also took a 10-hour transit trip to New York during my flight from Singapore to Montreal, and visited a restaurant that I remembered fondly.

Consider Night Bus instead of Train Rides or Flights

The night bus option is not for everyone, but it can slash your cost considerably by saving on a more expensive high-speed train ride and one night accommodation. It is a double-win if you are able to accept a less comfortable night sleep.

In my trip to Japan in 2017, I took night bus to-and-fro Tokyo and Kyoto this way, and transported my luggage using Taqbin. The luggage arrived right in my destination hotel and I could straight to my places of interest the moment I hopped out of the bus. Triple-win on stretching the time!

I also cancelled my train ticket and travelled by bus from Vancouver to Seattle, and changed my hotel to one just right beside the bus stop. Besides the cost-saving, I saved a lot of travelling time.

I also take night buses to and fro Singapore to Malaysia for hiking trips occassionally. This is not too bad because the customs clearing is near the start or end of the trip.

If you were wondering why I took a transit flight to Paris when my intended destination was London, that was because I took a night bus from Paris to London. However I do not recommend this. There is a customs in the middle of the 10-hour bus ride, followed by a 2-hour ferry ride where you need to leave the bus on the ferry.

Public Transport, Walk / Cycle / Scoot

Try to avoid the typical hop-on-hop-off buses round the city for tourists, they are usually expensive and operates on a rigid schedule.

Taxi, private hires or car rental are not cost effective for a solo traveller.

Public transport and walking are very good ways to explore a city, because you have total freedom to stop or hop into an interesting place. Cycling or scooting is great for covering more distance if there are bike or scooter sharing platforms in the city you are visiting.

In order to manage your energy for walking the whole day, you can consider:

  1. Go out without a bag. Or a very light one if you must.
  2. Practise Chi-Walking (Google it!). It is a Tai-Chi method of walking that allows you to walk on and on without feeling tired.

In some countries, hitchhiking is a common way to cover some distance. I have done it a few times in Canada.

Know your Accommodation Options

Besides commute, accommodation is the other big ticket item in the travel budget. It is also the most cost-inefficient expense for a solo traveller due to the lack of sharing.

There is usually a wide range of accommodation options from hotels to hostels that cater to all budgets depending on whether you are willing to sacrifice some comfort, privacy or longer commute.

As mentioned above, a night bus option can save you a night or two of accommodation.

It is also generally cheap to stay close to nature, if you enjoy such experience. You may find such options in guided hikes on Meetup where you would usually be matched to stay with a same-gender traveller.

Sometimes, you may find exotic options on Airbnb or direct websites. I once stayed in a small Japanese Buddhist temple in Seattle. It was a shared hall used for praying in the day and converted into a sleeping area at night which can fit up to four mattresses. However, I got the whole hall for myself as I was the only person during my stay due to the off-peak season.

If you enjoy a more intimate interaction with locals, you may want to check out couchsurfing where you sleep in the couch in local’s house for free. I have tried sleeping with a dog on a couch before.

Skip Some Meals

Obesity has become a bigger health problem than hunger, according to a British study.

We can survive on much less food than we think. Intermittent fasting is good for health and detox.

Skipping some meals when travelling saves you money and time which you can do something else. It also saves you some calories quota for sinful food if you come across something really appealing along the way.

Skip Some Tourist Attractions

Travelling is not just about squeezing in as much attractions as possible into your brief stay in the city.

When I think back about my past travel experiences, seldom do I reminisce on the visit to a tourist attraction.

Instead, I remember the moments when I engage in a conversation or going through an experience with a local or fellow traveller; or just mindful moments in the present. Such experiences are often free and memorable.

Some ideas for free or low-cost activities for a solo traveller:

  • People watching
  • Window shopping (don’t bring too much money)
  • Plan a scenic walking route / Free walking tours
  • Volunteer somewhere
  • Attend neworking events
  • Visit property showrooms

Closing Words

Travelling does not have to cost a bomb.

Even though I no longer travel on a very tight budget, I am glad that I went through the phase of very low-cost travelling. It taught me to be more resourceful and more appreciative of the more luxurious options that I can now afford.

由俭入奢易，由奢入俭难。