If you think that travelling to the U.S. needs to be expensive, then think again. While prices can be high, it all depends on where you go and what you do.
The purpose of this guide is to show you how to tour the U.S. while spending almost $0. You might not be able to get around the country for literally nothing, but there are all sorts of ways to save money and reduce your outgoings so your adventure doesn’t deal a deathblow to your bank account.
Get A National Gym Chain Membership
One of the best ways to tour around the U.S. for less money than you think is to get a national chain gym membership for a month. This might sound strange, but it’s a great way to get free showers and somewhere to work out, buy food, and just sit around. You can usually go 24 hours a day, so it can be a great stop-off whenever you travel to a big city.
If you don’t want to do that, another good policy is to buy a camping ground membership. Again, these allow you to pitch up when you want and access all the on-site facilities, including things like showers, which can be hard to find when you’re on the road.
Cheapen Your Food
Free food is sometimes available, but it depends on where you go. You’ll want to start with hostel kitchens. These will sometimes provide basics for breakfast, but you’ll also need to go to the grocery store.
When shopping, look for the healthiest, least-cost options. Bananas, oats and beans are inexpensive but can build you up and make you feel strong.
Also, try to find the best stores for staples. Aldi and Dollar Tree are great options if they’re operational in the areas you’re going.
You could also go to foodbanks if you’re really low on cash. Many of these will provide tins of food and even free hot meals if you ask. You won’t have much choice over what you eat, but it can be a life-saver if you’re genuinely in need and not just trying to save.
Finally on the subject of food, keep an eye out for happy hour bars and restaurants. These will often provide you with free refills and will sometimes offer cut-prices on drinks and food.
Following all these methods will usually let you get the cost of food down to between $5 and $12 per day per person. That’s pretty inexpensive, especially for the U.S. where food prices are notoriously high.
Do Free Activities
Your next strategy should be to look for things that are literally free to do. There aren’t many of these in the U.S. as a whole, but you can find them if you know where to look.
For example, there are actually quite a few things to do in Cleveland Ohio without spending money. You can go to the city’s museums, parks, and gardens if you want, and perhaps even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Plaza.
Similar examples exist across the country. Almost every major city has public amenities you can visit and explore.
One of the best policies is to go to national parks and places where you can go camping. Sometimes you’ll have to pay a small fee, but in many locations, you can pitch tents for free without restrictions.
Reduce The Cost Of Your Accommodation
When it comes to cutting the cost of your accommodation, you have plenty of options. The U.S. was one of the first countries in the world to pioneer many of the options on this list.
The best option for most travelers is couch surfing. Here, you pay the owner a small feel and they’ll let you stay on their couch, quite literally sometimes.
An even better option is house sitting. If you build up a good reputation, owners will sometimes pay you for this. All you have to do is stay in their home while they’re away and they’ll provide free accommodation to you. This service relies on trust, though, so you’ll need to work hard to build a solid reputation.
If you’re walking or cycling a long way, you might be able to join free hosting networks. These are where people give up their land or perhaps even kitchens for people enduring extreme endurance events. So, for example, if you’re walking across the country, this could be a good option.
Lastly, you could look at standard camping options. These aren’t free, but they can be extremely inexpensive. Many national forests and city parks charge up to $12 per night, or free stops if overnighting in a truck. Just check the rules in advance to see how much you need to pay.
Cut Transportation Costs
For many travelers, transportation costs are their largest expense. Therefore, cutting this expense is probably the biggest hack there is. Again, spending nothing at all is difficult, but you can get away with very little if you know what to do.
For example, you could join Facebook ride share groups. These work best in cities and can be used to get around, especially if you find a reliable commuter buddy. They can take you from the edge to the center and back again in the evening.
Using coaches to get across the U.S. is also relatively inexpensive. Many have one-way tickets between cities so you can go on a proper tour without having to immediately return to your previous location.
Failing that, the cheapest option is probably to add panniers to your bicycle. This way, you can take all your items with you.
Ultimately, lots of people travel to the U.S. this way every year. While the country might be famous for its wealth, it’s also possible to traverse it on a shoestring. You don’t have to be wealthy or even have significant cash savings to enjoy yourself. There are plenty of hacks that will let you explore this land and everything it offers.
