Compliments of the internet age, resources to find affordable (and even free) travel options exist these days in droves. Everything we need in order see the world is ours for cheaper than it ever has been before, yet still, very few people decide to drop everything and go.

So when money is no longer an obstacle to experiencing the world, what’s stopping people? A lot of the time it comes down to internal resistance; you either want it badly enough or you don’t.

One of the biggest obstacles to traveling more is actually deciding to go. It’s making that internal commitment and putting a practical plan into place to achieve the goal. Because it’s one thing to talk about how nice it would be to travel more, but most people lack action. And they lack action because it’s more comfortable to procrastinate than it is to make the decision to change your life and potentially jump into the unknown.

The following are 7 great ways you can travel more, though to actually benefit from these tips, you first have to be open to actually giving them a go.

7 Ways You Can Travel More

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Work Abroad / Find a Job Which Sends You Overseas

Two of the big obstacles in the way of traveling more are (1) money; and (2) career. So why not find a job which sends you overseas? Or even better yet, why not get a job overseas and work abroad?

There literally thousands of opportunities which will allow you to make money while continuing to travel the world. You could teach English overseas, work in hotels, find a cruise ship job, work on a farm, become a flight attendant, find construction work, become an Au Pair, surf instructor, bartender, massage therapist … the list goes on.

And then there’s the potential to work online and become location independent (blogs, graphic design, become a freelance photographer, social media manager / influencer). If you’re not picky, there are plenty of jobs out there which will allow you to travel while you work. If you’re worried about coming back to your career, find an opportunity overseas which will look good on your resume when you return.

Use the Sharing Economy

If you’re willing to take advantage of the sharing economy, most of the time you can travel for free! There are now so many platforms which connect travelers with locals for free accommodation, meals, rideshare, you name it! Here is an idea of how to get by without spending any money at all:

Accommodation: CouchSurf, land a house-sitting job, home exchange, volunteer, certain work exchanges.

Transport: Hitchhike, bike, or walk. Also: free flights with travel points.

Food: Go to markets at closing time and get the unsellable stuff, ask restaurant owners for extras, table dive, barter or trade labor.

Clothing & other necessities: Barter or scavenge.

The above platforms/strategies will not only save you money, but will put you in contact with locals and allow you the opportunity to experience local life. Win/win!

Sacrifice

No matter what your dream, making it happen will always take sacrifice. Saving money takes sacrifice. Traveling the world takes sacrifice.

Some of these are fairly insignificant, and easy to de-prioritize. Others are a little more difficult to endure, and will often be the primary obstacle preventing others from traveling. My best advice is to sit down and weigh up whether your goals are worth the price, and what you’re willing to pay to get there.

Are you willing to stop meeting friends for dinner and instead invite them over for a homecooked meal? Are you willing to give up your $5 morning coffee? What about selling your car and riding your bike to work every day? Or not buying new clothes. Do you really need a new iPhone every time an upgrade is released? Like most great things in life, the ability to travel more comes down to what you’re willing to sacrifice.

Use Online Travel Agencies

Use online travel agencies to find the best discounts on hotel accommodation and flights. Jumping over to an online travel agency like Traveloka allows you to make a quick and easy comparison of airline and hotel accommodation prices at a glance.

But it’s not just fares, it’s having access to schedules, too. Using online travel agencies you can run flexible date searches, put together multi-airline itineraries, and package your hotel and air fare for half what the flight would have cost alone.

They’re open 24/7 so you don’t have to drive for mile or wait until opening hours to speak to an expert, you can get information on public holidays, weekends, and after hours, and it’s easy to check out what people say about them.

Decide to Travel Full Time

If you’re willing to leave everything behind to travel full time, full time travel can be less expensive than living at home. You might not believe me, but it’s true.

“Traveling 365 days every year is less expensive than traveling just five or ten or fifteen days per year. And the reason for that is simple: living at home requires a huge amount of overhead that doesn’t exist on the road.”

You will no longer be spending money on rent/mortgage, car payments, homeowners insurance, property taxes, home furnishings, home maintenance, TV, internet, work clothes, gym memberships, vacations etc. All of those expenses get cut for the cost of living on the road.

Traveling full time gives you the luxury of traveling slowly, and this always equates to cheaper travel. You can buy groceries instead of eating out. You can sign a cheap short term lease as opposed to paying nightly rates at a hotel. And you get to see more of a country than you otherwise would.

If you’re willing to leave everything behind to travel full time, full time travel can be less expensive than living at home.

If you’re willing to leave everything behind to travel full time, full time travel can be less expensive than living at home.

Study Abroad

Traveling the world while studying full-time probably doesn’t sound the least bit realistic, but for those wanting to complete their studies while dabbling in a bit of international travel, the good news is that achieving this is absolutely possible.

With so many colleges and universities now offering flexible online degrees, combining higher education with a desire to travel the world is becoming more and more doable, and an increasing number of students are finding it easy to study and be location-independent while completing their courses.

Though if you’re studying onsite, why not diversify your degree and study abroad. Even if you can’t invest 6 – 12 months in an overseas exchange, many universities run short, intensive units during semester breaks which will allow you to travel and earn credit towards your degree.

Depending on your country, the Government might even have grants available to help you financially. Visit the student exchange office at your university for more info.

Copy all of your important documents and email scanned copies to yourself.

Pre Departure Checklist: Everything You Need to Organize Before Leaving to Study Abroad.

Volunteer

Volunteering around the globe is an awesome way to travel, and one serious perk is that if you find free or low cost placements, it can save you a lot of money on the road, keeping you travelling for longer.

Many of these kinds of placements that you find through websites such as HelpX or Workaway work on a subscription basis. You pay around $20 for a one- or two-year subscription, then flick through the worldwide opportunities and email the placements directly once you have chosen them.

The World Wide Organization of Organic Farms (WWOOF) is another great platform, where you can travel to many different countries and work on organic farms. WWOOF-ers work for around 4-6 hours per day in exchange for food and accommodation, and then have the rest of the time to explore the destination.

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Megan is an Australian Journalist who has been travelling and blogging since 2007, with the main aim of inspiring others to embark on their own worldwide adventure. Her husband Mike is an American travel photographer, and together they have made the world their home.

Committed to bringing you the best in adventure travel from all around the globe, there is no mountain too high, and no fete too extreme! They haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on their list.

Follow their journey on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram.

Photo credits: Featured photo by Steven Gerner. Passport in bag photo by by Kevin Spencer. Study abroad girls by CollegeDegrees360.