8 PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE US YOU CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO TRAVEL TO IN 2017

I have said this many times....Travel doesn't have to be expensive.  If it was, I would never leave my house.  I live in Arkansas where the minimum wage is $8.50, so many of us have to work extra jobs to earn travel money.  Some work three jobs!

The good news is that there are some places where you can consistently find cheap flights and lodging.  Places like Spain, Italy, France, Ireland,  many Caribbean islands, and almost all of Mexico.

One of your biggest expenses is airfare so be sure to check out my post on Finding Cheap Airfare HERE.

My travel companions and I have put a list of some of our favorite budget places to travel.

#1 ROME   I don't remember ever seeing Rome and a list for budget travel.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe because flying directly into Rome can be expensive.  If you fly to a cheaper destination like Barcelona, you can fly on to Rome for around $25.  Once you are in Rome, there are tons of things to see for free.  We paid to get into the Colosseum but you can walk to the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, and many more places for free. 

The public bus cost €1.50 for 100 minutes or €24 for a week so you can travel around Rome cheap.  There are tons of places to eat in Rome but if you are looking for someplace inexpensive, pop into one of the pizza shops where you can get a huge slice of pizza and soda for around €5.

#2 BARCELONA I never realized how popular Barcelona was as a travel destination until I traveled there the first time.  Barcelona is fairly easy to get around and there is always something to do.  Buses to and from the airport are very affordable (I think we paid ­€7) and if you stay in a hotel (or use Airbnb like we did) near the Placa CAntalunya, it's just a short walk to everywhere.  If you really want to eat cheap, find a tapas bar where you can pick up a tapas for €1 each. 

#3  THAILAND  The most expensive part of visiting Thailand is the flight to get there (From the US) but if you watch for error fares, you can find very reasons flights.  Once you get there, it’s easy to find cheap lodging.  I have seen apartments and resorts for as low as $35 a night.  

Food is considered quite affordable in Thailand if you stay away from restaurants catered toward tourist and stick with local street food.  You can get a plate of stir-fried vegetables for around $1 add meat for an additional few cents.  Pre-cut fruit in food carts will run .33 - .50¢.  You will also find train and bus travel very inexpensive.  

#4 COSTA RICA   Flights to Costa Rica from the United States are still fairly cheap compared to other destinations.  My daughter is flying there in a couple of weeks and she found tickets for $115 round trip from Dallas.  

There are several National Parks to explore and tons of wildlife to see. Transportation is cheap even when traveling a great distance.  It is also pretty easy to find cheap accommodations with a simple Google search.  

The food is fresh, taste amazing, and you can eat for very little money.  

#5 MALTA  You can stay in a 3 bedroom apartment overlooking the Mediterranean sea for €48 a night.  Food is very reasonable costing with everything from McDonald's  to nice restaurants about like you would find here in the states.  You can purchase an unlimited travel bus pass for only  €21 for 7 days.

#6 HONDURAS
Honduras is one of those countries that has a bad reputation.   Read the travel warnings and stay out of the areas that have the most crime and you should be fine.  I always check out travel warnings from the US State Department before traveling which is something I believe everyone should do if you are not familiar with the country.  You can read current warnings here about Honduras.  

Honduras has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  It is much cheaper that it's Central America counterparts and you can find great food and cheap lodging.  Honduras is in my top 3 places to visit simply because of it's beauty.  

#7 MEXICO
Mexico covers a large area which gives you a lot of  choices of places when deciding where to visit. Flights to Mexico are some of the cheapest to be found and lodging can be found equally as cheap.  The beaches are wonderful and who doesn't love Mexican food?    

Of course there are touristy places which may be a little more expensive but it's not that hard to find package deals.  Puerto Vallarta is considered a tourist town but I stayed in a room overlooking the beach for $99 a night. It had a kitchenette and had a beautiful view of the ocean.  

# 8 JAMAICA
I love Jamaica!  When people ask me the most beautiful place I have seen, I usually reply Jamaica.  There are a lot of resorts in Jamaica and they can be pricey but with sites like Airbnb, you can find some pretty good deals.  

Not only is Jamaica one of the most beautiful places I have been, but the food is amazing.  The Rose Hall Resort & Spa is beyond beautiful.  It's an all-inclusive resort and runs about $250 a night for 2 people. It has a beautiful winding river, swim up bar, kayaks, sailboats, and some amazing restaurants.  The prices may seem high at first ($125 a day per person) but you have to remember that includes everything!   

don't forget to check Airbnb in all of these countries.  We have booked all of our lodging through Airbnb on our last few vacations and will continue to do so. You can usually rent an entire apartment for the price of a hotel room.