budget” section, but it’s still a bit pricey for my taste.
Traveling can be an expensive hobby. After all, it’s not something you can do on a shoestring budget. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to find affordable travel options. I recently subscribed to Condé Nast Traveler, and while it’s a great magazine, I couldn’t help but be taken aback when I saw they were recommending a $25,000 safari as an “average fall getaway”. It’s no wonder, as Condé Nast is known for its luxurious travel recommendations.
But what if you don’t have Jeff Bezos level bank accounts? What if you’re looking for stories, experiences and tips that are accessible to the average traveler? That’s where I’m at and I’m looking for mid-range travel suggestions.
R/Shoestring is a great place to look for budget travel options, but sometimes it can be too frugal for my taste. I’m looking for something that won’t leave me sleeping sitting up on a train.
Unfortunately, magazines that cater to budget travelers are few and far between. Most magazines rely on two sources of income: advertisements and subscriptions. While advertisers are willing to pay for ads in magazines that cater to luxury travelers, they have much less to gain from a magazine that caters to people on a budget. People on a budget are also much less likely to pay for a magazine subscription. This combination of factors makes it difficult for a magazine that caters to frugal travelers to be successful.
Lonely Planet does have a “budget” section, but it’s still not quite as affordable as I’d like. I have had some luck using tour-radar to find mid-range travel options, though. There used to be a magazine called Budget Travel, but I think they went out of business.
At the end of the day, I’m looking for great travel writing recommendations that will give me an idea of what budget travel looks like, while also being realistic enough that I won’t be sleeping on a train. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!