Escaping the Bills: Full-Time Family Travel on a Budget

Written By Emma Smithson

💡 Real Talk: £40,000 a Year Sounds Like a Lot… But Is It?

You might be thinking:

“£40,000 a year? That’s loads of money to travel the world!”

But here's the truth: that’s £40k for a family of three to live, explore, and adventure full-time—and when you break it down, it’s actually incredibly cost-effective.

Let’s get real.

We’re not solo travelers bunking in hostels or squeezing into shared dorms. We’re a full-time traveling family, and we all need space, privacy, and a bit of comfort (because let’s face it, no one’s parenting at their best when they’re all crammed into one room for two weeks straight 😅, we’ve done it and its not fun but it does make you appreciate the more luxurious ones as we grow).

One room with small kitchen in El Salvador!

We all stayed in this room, Tilly on the sofa for 2 weeks… so we could explore El Salvador beaches. This was on a main road with loud trucks going past every hour too (not our best memories) but still part of the journey!

That meant Airbnbs, private rentals, or small family-run accommodations became our go-to.

And yes, we always made sure to get at least two bedrooms, because:

  • Kids need rest.

  • Parents need space.

  • Everyone needs sanity.

But the surprise bonus? It’s actually less stressful than renting back home!

Tilly in her own apartment in Chiang Mai!

There’s something so rewarding about enduring a few cramped or basic stays—it really makes you appreciate the comforts when they come! I still book the occasional camping trip or simple accommodation just to keep us grounded and grateful.

🧘‍♀️ Why Rentals Are a Life-Saver (Literally)

Living in Airbnbs or long-term rentals has been a game changer. Here's why:

  • ✅ No smart meter anxiety

  • ✅ No surprise energy bills

  • ✅ Hot water, air con, Wi-Fi all included

  • ✅ No council tax, water bills, or maintenance costs

  • ✅ No chasing plumbers or waiting for the boiler guy

The price is the price—all-inclusive, and in most places that’s a fraction of what we were forking out in the UK just to stay warm and connected.

Sure, we buy drinking water in some countries—but it’s still cheaper than a UK water bill, and often better quality too!

If something breaks? We just message the host and—voilà!—it gets fixed. Some places even offer cleaning services, which still blows our minds. Back home, that was a luxury. Now? It’s part of the package.

Scared of energy costs in the UK!

Joe showing how much gas and electric is a day in the UK (sometimes reached £15 a day) CRAZY! Luckily we don’t have to worry about having showers now as it’s all included in the price!

💡 Result: Less stress over things that don’t matter…👉 More time for things that truly do.

👇 Ask Yourself...

What if your monthly rent or mortgage, utility bills, council tax, and daily costs could actually be funding a life of freedom and connection instead?
What if you didn’t have to own everything to feel secure?

We chose flexibility over furniture. Adventure over admin. And it’s paid off big time.

💸 Life in the UK: We Were Spending More to Stay Still

Before we set off, our monthly outgoings looked like this:

  • Bills: £1,700+

  • Food: £150+ a week

  • Travel + Holidays: Basically, a small fortune

When we tallied it up, we realized we were spending way more staying put in the UK than we would traveling full-time as a family. And so, the adventure began.

✈️ The Big Leap: Budget Family Travel Begins

We set a monthly budget of £3,000 (approx. $3,800 USD) to live, travel, and explore the world. So far, we’ve stretched that further than we ever imagined—without sacrificing joy or experiences. Here's how:

🥘 Budget Travel Tip #1: Eat Local or Cook at Home

Eating out three times a day? Not realistic. We quickly learned to eat one meal out a day, usually lunch or dinner, and cook or snack for the rest. We also noticed that we were eating much less than we did back in the UK—probably because of the heat and the fact that the food we were eating was more wholesome and protein-rich, keeping us fuller for longer.Why it works:

  • Cuts costs big time

  • Reduces the hassle of constant dishes 🍽️

  • Local food is affordable and authentic (hello, taco stands, pupusa kitchens, fruit stalls and soda bars!)

Food from a local kitchen (tasty and cheap!)

💡 Pro Tip:

Avoid Western supermarkets when possible. We made the mistake of buying what we thought were familiar foods, only to spend too much on processed stuff that didn't even taste good. Stick to roadside fruit stands, local markets, and seasonal produce. Not only is it cheap, but it’s SO much tastier. Tilly loved the sweet mangoes and dragon fruit more than UK snacks—and our waistlines thanked us too!

Question for You:
Have you tried a local dish abroad that totally surprised you? We love exploring new foods along the way… more for the snack bank too 😅! The fruit surprises us every time we taste something new, mangoes became my new sweet treat!

🏠 Budget Travel Tip #2: Ask for Deals (Seriously—Just Ask!)

We started messaging Airbnb hosts, Booking.com hotels, and even tour centres asking for cheeky discounts. The result? Huge savings and often better places than we’d dreamed of.

Joe began creating promo videos for local businesses, and I started pitching his work alongside our story (which the hosts fell in love with) in exchange for discounted stays. Our first deal in El Salvador? A game-changer! Since then, we’ve saved up to 40% on accommodations sometimes more. But to be realistic, this doesn’t come for free a lot of hard work and time goes into promotional videos, negotiating and planning these deals. At times, it’s nice to not get a deal and just go for cheap accommodation without the work 😅… it’s all a balancing act!

💡 Top Tip:

Longer stays = better deals. Monthly rentals are significantly cheaper than hopping around every two weeks. We soon started to learn this as we travelled fast…. once we slowed down so did our spending!

We bagged an amazing deal here in Bocas Del Toro (Panama)- The Caribbean Hut in Paradise!

🌊 Budget Travel Tip #3: Space Out the Big Adventures

Full-time travel isn’t a holiday—it’s a lifestyle. We quickly realized we couldn't go full throttle every day. So we paced ourselves:

  • One or two big days out a week

  • "Down days" in between for free activities like:

    • Beach days 🏖️

    • Visiting local parks

    • Drawing, painting, or helping out with local animal projects

The best part? These days are low-cost but high reward—and helped us reconnect as a family.

Exploring local surroundings!

We often explore local parks when travelling, it keeps costs down and it’s a chilled day out exploring!

🐢 Budget Travel Tip #4: Slow Travel is Smart Travel

At first, we were racing through places—2 weeks here, 10 days there. But we learned to slow it down. Staying longer:

  • Lowers accommodation costs

  • Reduces transport expenses

  • Helps us connect more deeply with the community

Now, we stay 1 month+ in places and save up to £1,000/month just by being in Southeast Asia, which is half the price of Central and South America.

💡 Family Travel Hack:

Join local Facebook groups or Telegram communities for expats or digital nomads—many share private rental deals or barter opportunities!

🌎 Other Budget Tips for Full-Time Travel Families

  • Use loyalty cards & local SIMs: International roaming is a money pit.

  • Pack light: Less luggage = cheaper transport and less stress.

  • Travel insurance: Don’t skip it—accidents are bound to happen. We are with Safety Wings Nomad Insurance (it’s not cheap but worth it).

  • Volunteer or house-sit: Sites like TrustedHousesitters or Workaway can offer free accommodation. We found thet volunteering didn’t work for us as many couldn’t accommodate a family (it starts to become more work for them to accommodate our requirements). I did actually sign up to Workaway, paid the subscription, messaged hosts to help out wherever we could but had no joy in locking in to any of them, such a shame!

  • Book in local currency: Sometimes Booking.com or Airbnbs will list higher rates if viewed in GBP or USD. Also, try to message companies direct if you can- cut out the middle man and the fees!

  • Book closer to the date (last minute): To receive the best deals its better to book closer to the date as hosts would much prefer to get someone into the accommodation and pay than have no-one at all! With risk comes the reward, plus it keeps it exciting! We got some amazing last minute deals! Before I started this adventure I used to plan everything but i’m starting to realise that plans don’t really have the best outcome, now being spontaneous is much more fun and you can dive in with no expectations!

✨ Final Thoughts: From Paying Bills to Living Our Dream

We’ve gone from feeling like we were just working to survive to living a meaningful, adventurous life together. It’s not always glamorous, and for weeks we’ve been crammed into a single room with Tilly, but the joy and growth? Incredible. We’re spending less money but gaining more experiences—and it’s all on a family-friendly budget.

🚀 Want to Travel Full-Time as a Family Too?

You CAN do it—and we’re here to cheer you on!

👉 Follow our journey for weekly tips, real talk, and epic stories.
📩 Got questions? Drop them in the comments or message us—we love helping other families start their adventures.
🌍 Ready to make the leap? Start small. Cut back, save up, and say YES.

Emma Smithson