A great travel experience isn’t only for the rich – it’s possible to travel to your favorite global destination and have the time of your life, for less. And you don’t have to sacrifice good food, comfortable lodging, or fun activities to do it. All that’s required is a little creativity, flexibility, the ability to plan ahead, and the will to make it happen!

First, you have to actually get to where you’re going. Here’s a cool tip for purchasing cheap airline tickets:

Fly as a courier. If you’re a travel newbie, you’re probably asking, “What exactly does this entail?” Courier flying is the secret insider way to fly internationally for as much as 50% less than the normal ticket price – or even for free. This may sound too good to be true, but it makes sense once you understand how it works. Oftentimes, a courier company needs a courier to transport shipping documents and baggage as quickly as possible to another city, but they don’t want to use freight because purchasing an airline ticket is much less expensive and a passenger can pass through customs faster.

Of course, an airline ticket requires that a live human accompany the baggage – fortunately for the thrifty traveler, that’s where you come in. The only catch is that everything you need for your own trip must be brought in a carry-on bag, as the luggage you’ll be bringing belongs to the courier company. On the plus side, you’re usually given a round trip ticket, so you can bring home as many souvenirs as you can handle. And it’s pretty easy to become a courier. All you have to do is contact a courier company to make reservations.

Good Eats

Let’s face it – food is a big part of the traveling experience, especially if you’re visiting areas of the world known for delicious cuisine. Luckily for the frugal foodie, your meals abroad need not consist of the fast food of your native land. There are ways to eat high quality local food and stick to your budget.

One good way to save money: dine in expensive restaurants for lunch, instead of dinner. Good restaurants tend to offer the same quality of food midday for lower prices. Eat your main meal earlier in the day and your pocketbook will thank you.

Follow the locals and you’ll be sure to find a great bargain. Places frequented by the people who actually live in the area are affordable and offer great-tasting food. And knowing where the locals go to get their grub means you’re more likely to experience authentic cuisine.

Where to Stay

The answer to cheap lodging has always been the hostel, and this continues to remain the best way to travel for less. Hostels aren’t just for young people – travelers of all ages use hostels to save money abroad. Hostels cost anywhere from $12-$25 per night, but they can cost more, depending on where you go. Hostels are inexpensive because they operate dorm-style. A communal bathroom is the norm and a room consists of several beds. Hostels are great if you want to save money and make a lot of friends along the way.

But if hostels aren’t for you, seek out small, family-run hotels if you want to save a buck, or book a hotel online through a discount website. You can generally find Paris hotels, London hotels and more online relatively inexpensively. These websites offer significant discounts to the budget-conscious traveler.

It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to travel the world, once you know how to globetrot, without going broke.