I was having a conversation with someone yesterday who said that I won't be able to travel now that I'm a struggling university student. True, I won't be able to stay at 4 or 5 star hotels, and eat out at expensive restaurants, and live my, what some would call a hedonistic lifestyle. But, you really don't have to be rich to travel.
Firstly, if you can afford to live in a city in a modern Western country, like Sydney or New York, then you definitely can afford to travel in most of Asia or Southern and Eastern Europe. It's cheaper in those places than living at home. For example rents are cheaper, and you could rent out your existing apartment or house on http://www.airbnb.com, and come out ahead. Eating out is cheaper; a good coffee is around $4 in Sydney, but $1.50 in Spain. Beer is $5.50, and $2.50 in Spain. In Asia you can eat out at the food stalls for like $2. So, in essence, if you live in a Western Country you are really rich in comparison to other countries.
Travelling is so much easier now, and with all the information technology we can easily find the cheapest deals on flights (http://www.skyscanner.com), train trips, accommodation, or tickets to entertainment events.You can check travel reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.com before you book accommodation, or follow Travel Blogs like this one - if only to give you confidence that if I can do it, so can you.
However, if you wish to travel inexpensively you could hike, and just sleep under the stars in a bivy, tarp, or tent. (See my Ultra light Shelter system blog post). There are a number of long distance walks in Europe, like the Comino in Spain to the Cathedral at Santiago. There's the Appalachian Trail in the United States, which ever since I saw the National Geographic article, I've wanted to do.
If camping is too much of a stretch for you, then staying at a hostel in Europe is quite cheap, at around $20 a night, and you pay extra to have your own room if you like. It's definitely cheaper to rent an apartment instead of staying at a hotel.
In conclusion, you really don't have to be rich to travel. Sure, you have to be more careful with your money, but you can make it work. There are a number of options depending on how much you wish to spend. So, get out there, and get out on the road.
