Meagan Drillinger
After a lifetime in New York City, I swapped a MetroCard for a plane ticket in 2021 and have been traveling ever since. I've been to 12 countries since then, and 50 countries over the past 15 years as a full-time travel writer.
While my career as a travel writer does afford me some perks like a free hotel stay here or a free airline ticket there, over the past few years I've actually accepted fewer comps and still managed to grow my savings more than ever.
I didn't use any sneaky schemes — all it took was research and a little discipline. Here are the top 3 money-saving tips that help me afford my nomadic lifestyle.
It's not often you'll find me in Scandinavia, the UK, or even pricey domestic destinations like Hawaii or Miami. It's just too difficult to stick to an accommodation budget in these destinations.
Of course, this isn't always an exact science. Just because a country has a favorable exchange rate doesn't mean that it's always affordable.
For example, I once got stuck in the Philippines because it was the Lunar New Year — a detail I didn't think about until I got there. During this mega holiday, prices are at their highest and inter-island flights are practically sold out.
This left me stranded on Boracay for 11 days until I could afford a flight out. Granted, there are worse places in the world to be "stuck," but I couldn't afford to do much except sit on the beach. The lesson? Always check for peak season before you commit.
For the most part, sticking to countries with good USD exchange rates is a solid move. My husband and I spent November 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. The exchange rate there was USD 1 = 18.96 ZAR, which is extremely good for US bank accounts.
Here's a breakdown of some of our expenses:
We rented a one-bedroom Airbnb for 1200 USD. Splitting it with my husband, I spent $600 — thus sticking to my $1,000 max accommodation budget.
My husband and I took Ubers everywhere in Cape Town. Sounds extravagant, I know, but when the average city ride is 50 ZAR ($2.60, or less than a New York City subway swipe), it's remarkably affordable to be so lavish.
Activities were also affordable: A dinner out for two with a bottle of wine is about 40 USD in total. Plus, Cape Town is webbed with hiking trails and fringed with beaches so it's easy to stay entertained for no money at all.
I've used hotel deal apps like Hotels.com and HotelTonight, and even booked private rooms in hostels when I'm really in a pinch, but my favorite way to save on accommodations is to use the Trusted Housesitters network.
Trusted Housesitters is an online network of approved pet/homeowners and traveling pet sitters who set up exchanges: free pet-sitting for a free place to stay. Discovering it was life-changing for us. The platform has opportunities all over the world, so whenever I'm headed to a pricier destination I always check to see the pet-sitting potential. It's saved me money across California, Colorado, and even Hawaii.
If this sounds a little weird to you, you're not alone: Everyone we tell about it thinks we're slightly nuts for staying in someone else's home and watching their pets.
Truthfully, I was skeptical about the concept myself, but in the nearly three years we've been using the program, I've never had a negative experience. I have heard a few horror stories from others — dirty houses, sitters who chain-smoke inside — but our experiences have always been positive.
I think it's because we are overly thorough in our vetting process. We've learned to only apply to house sits that have tons of pictures and reviews from past sitters.
We also set up a FaceTime with homeowners well in advance, and sometimes arrive a day early to have dinner and meet our hosts in person.
My biggest piece of advice is to keep an open mind and manage expectations; this is not Airbnb or a hotel. While you can search for and apply to housesits by location, very rarely will that location be in the hottest part of town. You've got to be flexible and willing to compromise.
If you're planning to use Trusted Housesitters outside of the United States, check the country's legal entry requirements.
Travel rules and restrictions, including necessary visas, etc. vary from place to place and should all be confirmed before you accept a house sit in a foreign country.
If you're anything like me, food is one of the best parts of travel. I adore trying restaurants in new destinations and sampling the local cuisine, so it can also be where I rack up the highest bills if I'm not careful. That's why I have to make a few compromises.
When traveling, I try to make sure I have access to a kitchen of some type, whether it's a house sit or an Airbnb. I stock up on groceries to ensure I can make at least two meals a day for myself.
Usually, I'll make my breakfast and lunch and then dine out for dinner. (A great Happy Hour special will usually get my vote). If I'm in a destination for a long time, I'll often have days when I make all three meals at home. And if I'm on a road trip, I have a cooler packed with sandwiches and snacks.
Of course, it would be wonderful to go all out on every single trip. But for someone who spends nearly 100% of their time traveling, that's simply not a sustainable or feasible option.
Not everyone travels as often as I do, but everyone loves a money-saving tip. These have served me well as I've transitioned to a full-time life on the road.
Meagan Drillinger is a travel writer and digital nomad originally from New York. She now lives on the road full-time.
