How to Add Adventure to Your Life on a Budget: 5 Tips‍

When it comes to adding adventure to your life, a budget can feel like a roadblock. After all, who needs outdoor activities more than people who have limited funds? This is when being frugal becomes an asset rather than a liability. You just need to be strategic about it. Here are some great ways you can add adventure to your life on a limited budget. If you’re ready to get out there and challenge yourself with new activities (on a tight budget), keep reading for tips on how to add adventure to your life on a budget that you won’t want to miss. But first, check out these 100 ideas for free and easy ways that you can have fun and help save money in the long term!

Save Money By Planning in Advance

All too often, we let ourselves get swept up in the present moment, resulting in impulsive and unplanned expenses we later regret. But when you make adventure a priority, you’re going to want to plan ahead and book activities in advance. While booking a trip to Disneyland or a week-long tour abroad is likely out of the question on a tight budget, you can still find ways to make adventure part of your regular life. Find out what museums and zoos in your area have off-hours or discounted memberships you can take advantage of. Visit during these times to stretch your dollar even more.

Ask your local hiking, kayaking, or SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) group if there’s a way you can get involved without having to buy your own gear. You could also see if your town has an outdoor co-op or community garden where people can volunteer to help out and get free access to activities. Another idea? Make it a point to check out events at your nearby tourism center or chamber of commerce. Many offer free or discounted admission to the public, and you can often find some great excursions or eco-adventures that won’t leave you broke.

Want to do a self-paced tour of a major city or attraction, check out Wegotrip. WeGoTrip is an online service for booking audio excursions and tours. Travelers can take audio excursions created by professional tour guides and local experts. It’s as simple as signing up and booking an excursion on the website, and then you get it instantaneously. Audio excursions are contactless, and you can start to use them right after the purchase—no need to wait for the tour guide or other tourists in the group.

Hit the Free-Events Calendar

If you use a calendar app, keep an eye out for free events like concerts, festivals, or comedy nights. You can find free events in most cities on websites like Eventbrite, and even your library may have a calendar that includes free events in your area. Check out your local parks or recreation department website or call ahead to see what events they’re hosting. For example, you may be able to take advantage of a free outdoor yoga or fitness class.

You may even be able to explore a new area around you and learn more about it at the same time. When was the last time you went on a free nature walk in your area? It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day rhythm of life and forget that there’s so much to see and do right in your own backyard. A quick search for “free events near me” will likely yield tons of results—most of which you can visit without spending a dime.

You can also try using a site like Tiqets for deeply discounted tickets. What is Tiqets? It is the largest online ticketing platform in the world. Tiqets offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world. Tiqets’ mission is to help more people experience different cultures. The service brings travelers and venues together to create fantastic experiences with an amazing offering of attractions and museum tickets that will appeal to every traveler. Need some outdoor gear before you hit the road on your next outdoor adventure, check out some of the best outdoor products that will ensure you’re equipped for the trail ahead without breaking the bank.

Utilize Membership Benefits

Whether you’re a part of a professional or non-profit organization, a gym, or a museum, there may be ways to take advantage of membership benefits that will help you save money while adding adventure to your life. For example, WayAway is an innovative flight aggregator that provides travelers with the best rates on airline tickets. Users can also purchase the WayAway Plus membership plan, which gives cashback on flights, accommodations, car rentals, tours, and more. If you’re going to plan an adventure and spend money, why not take advantage of the best travel discounts available?

Are you a Hilton Honors Member? Just by signing up, you can earn points that can be applied for free hotel stays across the world. If you have a credit card that you routinely use, why not swap it out for one that earns you travel points at Hilton? Earn points from everyday expenditures like gas, grocery, shopping, bills and utilities, or anything. You could essentially have a free vacation waiting for you each year, or many small weekend adventures scattered throughout the year.

Ever heard of TicketNetwork? It offers the sports, concerts, and theater tickets you want at deeply discounted prices. TicketNetwork is an online exchange where sellers list tickets to sports, theater, and concert events around the world. At Ticketnetwork are available concerts: Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry; theater shows: The Music Man, Jersey Boys, Lion King, Cirque du Soleil; sporting events: MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAA, Boxing, and more.

Borrow From Friends or Family

If there are activities you’d like to do, but for whatever reason don’t have the funds to try them, consider talking to friends or family members who may be able to loan you the money or even the gear. Depending on the activity and the people involved, you may be able to do an informal loan with no strings attached. Or, you may be able to put the deal in writing and formalize it as a contract loan with payments and due dates. Whatever route you take, keep in mind that the person who loaned you the money is likely expecting you to pay it back as soon as possible. If borrowing money is out of the question for you, consider borrowing a set of golf clubs, some fishing gear, or a surfboard or two for you and a friend.

Go During Off-Hours

If you want to visit a major attraction, but the ticket prices are too high for your budget, consider going during off-hours. For example, many theme parks offer discounted or free tickets during certain times of the year or after a certain time of day (such as just before closing). Similarly, tourist attractions like zoos, amusement parks, and aquariums often have reduced rates during slower times. If you’re a military member and haven’t heard of Waves of Honor, you’re missing out. You can secure four free tickets per year, one for you and three for family members. And remember: if you’re visiting during a time when the place is less busy, you’ll likely have more time to explore and enjoy the experience.

Take a Break With One Thing You Love

If you’re trying to add adventure to your life with outdoor activities, but you don’t have the funds to try anything new, take a break with one thing you already love doing. For example, if you love reading but don’t have the funds to download all of the e-books that you want onto your phone or tablet, go to the library as often as you’d like and read them at home. What about your favorite outdoor activities? If you love hiking but you can’t afford the fees at a local park, try hiking in the woods behind your house or the other side of the county.

The AllTrails App is a great way to find new trails and adventures that you could try this weekend. Or if you love going to concerts but tickets are too expensive, take a look at some local venues that host bands and other live music. Maybe not as exciting as a major concert, but you still can have a fun experience that will change up the routine with some excitement.

For pet lovers that cannot bring Fido or Fluffy on some excursions, check with your local network of friends and family and see if they’d be willing to pet or house sit while you’re away. If you cannot find someone to take on this duty, you can always check out TrustedHousesitters for their extensive network of pet and house sitters that can come to your aid. With their extensive vetting process and background checks, you can be sure that with a TrustedHousesitters agent your pet and house will be in good hands and taken care of while you’re enjoying your adventure.

Conclusion

Adventure is meant to be an exploration of the world around us and of ourselves. It can broaden our horizons and show us new ways to interact with the world. For many people, budgeting can be a difficult thing to do, especially if they have little experience with it. With these 5 tips, you can learn how to budget your money and save for future adventures and expenses.

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