How I Travelled the World on Budget in my early 20s (Without Being Rich!)
by Jade Tattoli
I still remember the first time I told someone I wanted to travel the world and make my life feel like a movie… They looked at me and said, “Yeah… but don’t you need a ton of money for that?”
I get it. I’m not rich, and I don’t have a sugar daddy (lol). But I believe life is meant to be lived now—not just when you have thousands saved up. Here’s how I’ve managed to travel for months with very little money—and how you can too. Because the truth is: you don’t need a ton of money to live fully.
The first thing I did to start traveling on a budget was volunteer for my accommodation—working a few hours a day in exchange for a place to sleep and sometimes food.
I found that travelling this way did not only save me so much, but also made me live fully.
Being a volunteer made me experience more then just the country, it made me discover the culture behind it. There are plenty of platforms to find volunteer opportunities, but the ones I see most people use are Worldpackers, Workaway, and WWOOF.
Each one is a bit different. Personally, Worldpackers became my go-to. Why? According to me: hosts responded faster, the reviews were honest, and most importantly, I felt safe to know a team of humans were behind this app ensuring my safety. Thanks to that, I’ve stayed and worked in hostels 5 minutes from the beach, hostels in the middle of the jungle and even on a tiny island once. In exchange for a few hours of help, they would give me some food and accommodation. What I love is that every volunteering is unique, you can do gardening, social media jobs, reception, painting, name it. There’s plenty of options…You’d be surprised how many skills you already have that someone else is looking for.
If you ever want to try it, choose the app that best suits you. For more farming and ecological projects: use WWOOF. If like me you want to stay in the hostel vibes: use my $10 discount code JADETATTOLI on Worldpackers!! Now that you know how to save money on accommodation, you’re one step closer to travelling on a budget.
Food was the next thing I had to rethink.
Yes, most volunteering provide food, but not always enough for 3 meals a day. So what do I do when it’s not included in my volunteering? We have to think budget! Eating out every day? Not sustainable! Street food? Much better! But most days: I just cook! I always carry a set of reusable, collapsible containers with me. Super handy for leftovers, market finds, spontaneous picnics…
I cook once and keep the rest, which saves time and money. Use local ingredients. It’s not your 5-star restaurant, but it sure helps you live on a small budget.
Now that food and accommodations are covered, let’s talk about activities because this where the fun starts. We all know it can get pricey, so ask yourself: Is this really worth it? Remember money is time while travelling on budget. For example, I was in Mexico for 5 months with 3000$ CAN in my pocket… I planned to spend about 50$ CAN per week on activities, but when something truly felt worth the experience, I didn’t hesitate spent a bit more. How long can you keep going before needing to stop and earn more? The truth is, some of the most magical things I’ve done while traveling… were free!!! I’ve gone on hikes, explored hidden waterfalls, joined local festivals or spiritual ceremonies, all of that for 0$ because connection is everything. Volunteering often comes with access to free or discounted activities. But beyond that, I learned to trade skills. Sometimes, I offer to shoot videos or take photos for a coffee or tour company in exchange for an experience. Most people say “yes”.
That’s the beauty of this lifestyle: it runs on connection, not just money. So get out of your comfort zone and create your own opportunities.
You don’t have to wait until you’re rich.
You don’t have to wait until everything makes sense.
It just needs a brave first step!