A savvy globetrotter has shared her ingenious way of exploring the world for less than £1000 – claiming her European travels cost less than taking the train around the UK.
Natalie Barrett, 41, from Leeds, longed to break free from her mundane Monday to Friday routine, and would regularly spend hours trawling the internet to source the best deals for a few nights abroad.
But, with the average trip costing around £1,000 per person, as well as needing to take a large amount of annual leave at work each time, the process became more draining for Barrett than enjoyable.
However, the digital platform manager has now mastered the art of budget-friendly trips, allowing her to visit nine countries in just five months – and it only cost her £800.
In total, Barrett has managed to visit Switzerland, Spain, Albania, Denmark, Sweden, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in less than a year.
Barrett, who frequently shares her travel experiences and tips on Instagram under the handle @travelmorewithnat, aims to inspire others to seize the opportunity to travel without breaking the bank.
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She said: ‘I loved the idea of being able to travel and experience a taste of a location in a day for relatively little money.’
Barrett’s impressive strategy revolves around being flexible with travel dates and taking advantage of midweek flights, which are often the cheapest.
She explained: ‘To get the best deal, I look at what flights are coming up cheapest and if it’s a place I want to go to or haven’t been before. I can usually be flexible on dates, which really helps to find the bargains.
‘I often travel midweek, as that is when the cheapest flights are; although my annual leave allowance is limited, so for future trips I’m trying to find some weekend dates.’
Barrett, who used to go abroad up to three times a year, usually travels with her boyfriend, her sons or to meet up with long distance friends – but now, she prefers to take trips solo.
The financial comparison is stark – according to LNER, the average return train ticket from Leeds to Newton Abbot costs £390.60 in standard class.
In contrast, the savvy mother spends no more than £150 per person for her international trips – bar one single journey.
For instance, her journey to Geneva and Montreux cost a mere £115, covering parking, flights, train travel, and food and drink. A similar trip to Alicante set her back only £72.
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In Copenhagen and Malmo, she spent a total of £150, while a visit to Prague was just £110.
Even trips that included hotel stays, such as her visits to Tirana and Struga, remained budget-friendly at £103, while her visits to Dubrovnik and Mostar, including flights and hotels, cost her £250 altogether.
She said: ‘Each trip tends to be between one or two days, otherwise the costs start to rack up with accommodation and more meals, as well as sightseeing to factor in.
‘I try and visit more than one country if staying longer than day, which works out better value than visiting each location on separate trips.
‘I’ll usually take my own breakfast, snacks and even a packed lunch to save on costs, or get cheaper to-go food rather than have a sit down meal.’
So far, Prague tops her list of favorite destinations, with Alicante close behind. Looking ahead, Barrett plans to visit Belfast, Romania, Monaco, Brussels, and Milan, with day trips to Lake Como, Verona, and Bergamo – all for less than £500 in total.
The mother claims that her solo trips have given her a new lease of life, adding: ‘My quality of life has improved so much, travel is definitely good for the mind.
‘I get so much enjoyment out of the planning and being away, exploring new places and getting some sunshine. It helps physically too. I get backache from my desk job, so being on my feet walking more helps so much.’
Barrett insists she would ‘love’ to visit places in the UK more often, but is usually thrown off by extortionate costs, adding: ‘In the UK, a day out in London would cost far more than any of these trips for me, with peak train tickets costing £250+ alone.’
‘I’d love to see places like Devon and Cornwall, but the length of travel and price of accommodation especially there always puts me off when you’re not guaranteed good weather and places to stay cost several hundreds of pounds a night when I’ve looked.
‘It’s far cheaper and faster to go abroad and you have much better chance of sunshine.’
Meanwhile, Jack’s Flight Club has revealed how you can visit 30 destinations across seven countries from New York to Venice… using only 25 days of annual leave and spending just £1,358 on planes and trains.