Seeing the world on a budget

I've heard from so many people that they aren't able to travel because they can't afford it. Well thanks to many years of traveling with and learning from my wonderfully thrifty parents, I have a repertoire of ways to travel on a budget. (I even planned a wonderful honeymoon to Iceland for around $2,700 and my next trip to Nicaragua should only cost around $2,000 for 2 people!) Here are some tips for you to see the world when you don't have an unlimited bank account:

1. Be flexible - You can be flexible in a few different ways:
a) Flexible dates - If you want to go to a certain place and can go at any time, subscribe to receive emails from airfarewatchdog.com! You put in your route info (for example: notify me of cheap flights from Washington, D.C. to Portland, OR), and they send you emails when there are cheap flights on your route. You can also tell them to send you monthly/weekly (or even daily) emails listing cheap flights out of specific airports. They also tweet deals on flights (which is how I knew about the cheap tickets we got to Mexico in December!) The only thing with them is that you sometimes have to be flexible with your travel times.
 In addition, when using travel sites, check the box that says "check 3 days before and after", you'd be surprised how much fares change day to day.
 Also helpful is traveling in the off season! We love going to Mexico in November-December. No one else is there, so it's like we have the beaches all to ourselves.
b) Airport/airline - One additional thing to be flexible about is the airport you want to fly out of (or just your airline, some are incredibly cheap!) There are 3 airports in the DC area, and if you're on a budget it might be worth it to make the drive through the horrendous traffic (although from past experience, it's better to pay a little more and fly out of a less stressful airport...that would be Dulles in the DC area.)

2. Don't decide your destination first - If I have a certain time frame in which I want to take a vacation, I make a list of potential places. Then I go on Orbitz, put in my dates, and see what the tickets cost for each of the destinations. That's one of the reasons I chose Iceland for our honeymoon! The other destinations on my list cost double in airfare.

3. Pack everything in your carry-on - and your "one personal item". This will save you time as well as money. Unless you fly Southwest, pretty much every airline will charge you $30+ to check a bag. Prioritize what items you want to bring, and you can fit everything into a carry-on.

4. Avoid buying airport food - it's a given...airport food is freaking expensive and downright overpriced. Packing some Goldfish and a couple Nutri-Grain bars could save you $10-15. Additionally, I always bring a re-useable water bottle (if you're crunched for space, they make foldable ones) and packets of Crystal Light drink mix. Fill it up at a water fountain after you get through security, and it'll save you from paying $4 for a bottle of water.

5. Don't book a room at Buckingham Palace - if you're on a budget, you can find hotel rooms for good prices if you lower your standards a little bit. Don't go booking a room at a hotel that has cockroaches, but do you really need a five star room? Probably not. I always check Trip Advisor for reviews on budget hotels. Important things to look for that could also save you money are:

a) complementary breakfast - in some places, meals are expensive, so it's worth it to find a place with a meal included

b) shuttle to the airport - this saves you from having to pay for a taxi

c) free parking - if you're driving, you don't want to have to pay to park

6. Book tickets at the right time - it's best to buy plane tickets on a Sunday between 7-14 weeks before your trip (someone actually did a study to show that this was the best time - NOT Tuesdays like most people say).

7. Plan out your meals - if you're staying by a grocery store or if you can bring lunch meat and bread, all the better. It's not necessary to eat out for every meal, and sometimes you feel more like a local if you stop in at the supermarkets or farmers markets. Before departing, check out restaurants that are rated cheap and have good reviews on Trip Advisor.

8. Pitch a tent - when traveling cross-country, you don't need to stay at a hotel every night. Bring your camping gear and find sites with bath houses to stay at.

9. Travel in numbers - splitting gas and hotel rooms 4 ways is cheaper than splitting it 2 ways. Ask your friends if they want to adventure with you! Staying at home for the summer is for squares.

10. Look for discount books - From experience, I know there is one for the Tucson area in Arizona and one in Reykjavik, Iceland. These can get you free or discounted entrances to museums, zoos, etc.

11. Check for bundles - not staying at a resort, but sometimes sites like Orbitz.com will offer discounts if you book your flight and hotel with them at the same time.

12. Turn your phone on airplane mode - People lived without them for years. You can go without yours for a week, and it will save you from horrendous roaming charges. I say to turn it on airplane mode because there are a few things I still use mine for abroad: calculating exchange rates, taking pictures, and looking at my "saved" locations on Trip Advisor.

One final thing is to check for discounts! If you have AAA, ask hotels if they have a AAA discount before booking (a lot more do than what you think). In addition, you can get discounts for being seniors, college students, etc.

Update: Check out this article on myths for booking cheap flights: http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/14-myths-about-booking-cheap-flights.html?id=21513305