Stylishly cheap travel - part one

Not surprisingly, I am reading many more articles about travelling on the cheap, and while many have great suggestions such as:

• Travel to countries whose currencies are still weak against the pound (e.g Turkey, Egypt, Australia & South Africa)
• Search around for travel deals (beware of too good to be true bargains) on and offline
• Buy your travel money before you get to the airport, and look companies that offer commission-free and that don't charge to buy back currency you don't use
• Be flexible with your travel dates & time of day.

I thought I would share with the 'interesting' ways I have used that will lead to my taking stylishly cheap holidays in five European countries (from March to May inclusive) this year.

For each of these holidays, my main cost is the flight, most of my accommodation and meals will be paid for. So how did I manage this in a recession which is really biting me in the backside? Read on ...

1. Stay with friends and relatives - no matter how tenuous the relationship
On your travels you probably met other travellers and local people, so it's a great time to set up your own version of couchsurf. If you have stayed in touch (or at least have an email address) contact these new friends and ask them if you could stay with them. If you don't know them that well offer to pay a nominal (not insulting) amount - cheaper than a hotel. Also give them an idea of your itineniary, e.g you'll be out when they leave for work, and will take your meals outside so as not to burden your host. In short you are just looking for somewhere to crash. I am fortunate to have a brother working near the Hague in Holland, hence my recent trip. Or you can use couchsurf, or if you have a nice home consider home exchange but there will be a cost for this.

2. Collect and use airmiles. If you don't use them you will lose them. I collect airmiles every time I travel which means an eclectic mix of airlines, but they are free to collect and if you travel with that airline group often you may get a free flight, upgrade or parking (among others). In 2006 I lost 50K BA airmiles because I didn't check my airmile statements. You don't have to fly to collect airmiles, you can collect them via credit cards and loyalty cards.

3. Use your skills and experience. There are many companies offering volunteer holidays, where you use your skills and experience - but aside from VSO, there's a substantial cost. Now is the time to look for ways to travel, work and be paid. If you are a native English teacher, teach English in the Far East, I mention the far east as there are still opportunities here where you don't have to have a CELTA.

Or you can do what I did and apply to have conversational English with Spanish business English students. Pueblo Ingles is offering a free week holiday to volunteer native English speakers (you don't have to have qualifications or teaching experience), all you have to do is get yourself to Madrid. I will be there from May 1st to 8th, all I have to pay for is the flight to Madrid and two nights accomodation (first and last nights) in Madrid. If you want to invest in a CELTA then you will have wider job choices, as there are many opportunities even for those with little teaching experience.

4. Turn business travel into a holiday. If you are still travelling for business (UK or abroad), then try and extend your time to cover a weekend. You'll only pay for the few days of your holiday but you will get to see more of a place than the inside of it's offices. I  will this after my travel blogging trip to Istria, Croatia, when I will spend a few days in Venice (my first visit to Italy).

5. Share your travel experiences. I set up DiverseTraveller.com to enable women to share their travel experiences, and many of the women who write for me, have a desire to become paid travel writers. Travel writing is not a lucrative career for new writers, in fact getting a break (i.e publication in a print travel magazine or getting a publisher interested in your book idea) is very difficult. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. So send me your stories, write for as many online and offline publications that you can (you might not get paid but you'll get exposure), and keep a well written blog (ramblings from your travel diary will not do). Does this work - well I am going on a travel blogging trip to Istria, Croatia for five days in April - expenses paid; all I have to do is blog about my experience (no holds barred).

This is not the end of my 'interesting stylishly cheap' travel tips, check back here next week (or subcribe so you'll know when they are here) to learn more about how I am managing to recession-proof my travel.  

Also, please do share your 'interesting' recession-busting travel tips, the best one will win something from the Diverse Traveller shop.