Questions or comments we hate on budget travel

I love going on a budget trip and I love coming back. But comments from some of my friends really piss me off sometimes. Have you ever heard any of those?

1. You have too much money. I don’t earn much so I can’t travel. What is budget travel?

When I was making the most money in my life, I wasn’t able to travel. Or sleep, or eat properly or have any sort of social life. I was so over stressed! Getting a day off was a challenge. Most people I worked with would book expensive mini all-inclusive trips and run back to the office, to earn more. No time to budget travel.

This is how not to budget travel. We found this fancy bar in Rovinj, Croatia. Guests can drive in with their boats.

You don’t need much money to travel on your own, you need time and energy. Money for budget travel can be saved with making a few changes in your life. Don’t buy the last model of i-Phone, maybe check out used clothes store, don’t go out for a drink and drink tap water at home (as long as it is OK to drink) once in a while.

2. You can budget travel because you speak foreign languages and I can’t. I would get lost and nobody would understand me.

This one is one of my favorites. Almost every nation in Europe speaks its own language. I can speak a lot of English, some German and can recognize a sadly small amount of French words. In Italy, I wave my hands a lot and smile to people.

I improved my language knowledge trough travel and working abroad. Before that, I used to do all my English homework and sometimes read an extra book. Today, learning languages can be free. Sign into Duolingo, visit a local library and borrow a language course. Check your area for local language exchange groups.

The fastest way is to immerse yourself in a foreign culture where speaking a foreign language is your only option. It takes more time learning at home, but you will get there sooner or later.

3. You are so brave to go alone.

There are people who love solo travel. I am not one of them. I love to share new experiences with another. Having someone to take care of my luggage when I go to the bathroom is also a plus. I travel alone when it is the only option or it is the type of event that I am the only one in my circle interested in.

Recently, I heard a story from a girl, who had an expensive ticket to a music show abroad. All expenses paid, transport organized, but she was planning to go with a friend. They looked forward to this event for months. The friend got sick last minute and they both stayed at home. She says she wouldn’t feel safe going alone.

I believe you can be safe on your own if you follow some basic rules. Take care of your belongings and don’t drink too much or take drugs. Not standing out or looking like a typical tourist also helps. Here are some more tips for solo travel from Rough Guides.

4. When you get children, it will all be over. You won’t be able to go anywhere with them.

Kids love to explore new places with their parents.  Photo by Ryan McGuire

I believe one can travel with children. They are not born spoiled little brats, they are raised to become one by their parents. It is my firm believe, that you can teach your children to love to travel and explore. They will probably not enjoy going to historical museums but there are so many other child-friendly activities you can do with them.

We had so much fun in Cinque Terre. Check our Travel with Kids section.

Some children can’t travel because of their health condition or disabilities. But most would only benefit from spending more time with their parents on a road trip and camping and less time online.

5. I checked prices at the local travel agent’s and I can’t afford anything. Not in my budget.

Neither can we. They live from arranging everything for you. If you do some basic research online, you can save a lot. For budget sleeping, we use Airbnb (discount for new users) and Couchsurfing or camping. There is a nice banner to Booking.com next to this text, where you can find rooms, apartments or houses for every budget.

For transport to and from airports, check this discount on Goopti for inside Europe trips.

Plan in advance and buy plane and train tickets when they are cheaper. When abroad, check where locals eat. Those places are usually a lot cheaper than the ones advertised by your local travel agent.

And finally …move.

If you have dreamed about going somewhere all your life, stop whining and plan how to go there. I am sure there is a way for you to save some money and learn a few basic phrases in a local language. If you are sure that you need expensive clothes and a new car, maybe budget travel is not for you. In that case, please don’t tell me about your dream trip every time we meet because I am tired of the same old story.

Since goblins love to travel, but usually do it on budget, we use Airbnb. By using this link to subscribe, you get 30 eur of your first trip, and we get a little discount on our next. If you are not into Airbnb, there is a Booking.com banner on the right side of our page. Travel as much as you can.