Issue #9: Budget Travel for LGBTQ+ Adventurers (No Hostels Required)

Author

Steve Morris
May 03, 2025

WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN THIS ISSUE:

  • How to travel well without selling a kidney

  • Why "budget" doesn't have to mean bunkbeds and instant noodles

  • Where to save vs. where to spend (queer edition)

  • Small group and couple travel tips to cut costs without killing the vibe

  • Tools, apps, and watch-outs to keep things joyful and stress-free

MAIN FEATURE:

You Can Travel Smart Without Living Off Crisps

"Budget travel" can sound grim. Dorm rooms that smell like socks (or something else that rhymes with socks). Sad beige toast at free breakfast. That one thin towel you keep reusing because the hostel charges extra.

But here’s the good news: You can travel queer, comfortably, and on a budget without feeling like you’re back in freshers’ week.

The trick is finding the middle path, where you’re spending enough to feel safe, relaxed, and affirmed, but not so much you come home financially broken and emotionally wrung out.

Here’s how to do it right.

❝

Sometimes the best thing you can do is spend nothing and sit still, especially when the view’s good.

Where to Spend, Where to Save (Steve’s Queer Edition)

Spend on:

  • Accommodation that feels safe and welcome (especially if you're visibly queer, trans, or travelling in a couple)

  • Direct transport because a £5 bus savings means nothing if it takes 8 hours and involves you being mis-gendered for half of them

  • At least one experience that brings joy; a surf lesson, a spa day, or a fancy dinner that makes you feel alive

Save on:

  • Eating out three times a day (self-catering is not a crime)

  • Big museums you don’t actually want to see

  • Things you’re doing out of guilt, not desire (you can skip the cathedral thing, it’s okay)

Couples & Small Groups: Share the Load, Not Just the Photos

If you’re travelling as a couple or with a couple of mates, you’ve got a massive cost advantage but only if you’re smart about it.

Here’s how:

  • Book apartments or cabins with a kitchen then split the cost and cook one meal a day

  • Choose one “splurge day” per person they get to pick the activity, everyone chips in

  • Share gear, one person brings the speaker, another the sunscreen, someone the snacks

Watch-out:
Money tensions can ruin a trip. Be upfront before you go. Set a loose daily budget, agree on what’s flexible, and remember, not everyone’s got the same bank balance.

Avoid These Budget Blunders

  • False economy flights: That £10 Ryanair ticket? Great until you pay £60 in baggage fees and spend a night sleeping in the airport.

  • Booking the cheapest room in a dodgy neighbourhood: LGBTQ+ safety matters more than a few saved quid. Use Equaldex to check the vibe before booking.

  • Overplanning with no downtime: Free stuff is still exhausting. You don’t need to “maximise” every hour.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is spend nothing and sit still — especially when the view’s good.

Free(ish) Things That Don’t Feel Cheap

  • Wild swimming spots near cities

  • Sunset hikes or forest walks from a train station

  • Queer history walks (many donation-based)

  • LGBTQ+ cafés and bookshops

  • Local picnics with market food — always a good idea

Tip for small groups:
Make a game of it. “Who can plan the best free afternoon?” Winner gets a gelato (or a foot rub, depending on your vibe).

Don’t Over-Schedule It

This isn’t a group tour. You don’t need a full itinerary with wake-up calls and laminated maps.

The point is presence. Not productivity.

Your Crew Matters More Than the Plan

Plan the vibe, not just the logistics. Agree on a rhythm. Make space for introverts, extroverts, and quiet wanderers.

Because the real adventure? It’s in the moments between the plans.

What’s Inspiring Us This Week:

What I’m trying next:
A “three-spend rule” per day: one paid activity, one treat (coffee, dessert), and one splurge if needed. Everything else = free.

What I’m listening to (again):
The Gay Travel Podcast especially the “Travelling With LGBTQ Family” episode.

What I’m bookmarking:
LGBTQ+ Couchsurfing alternatives for meeting locals without the weird energy.

What I’m reading:
Golden advice on the “5-block rule” from Nomadic Matt, a take on eating nice and eating cheap!

That’s a Wrap! Here’s how we help:

  • We help LGBTQ+ travellers find adventure without the guesswork

  • Whether you’re hiking near home or planning a big escape, we make it easier

  • Got a favourite place you want us to feature next? Hit reply — I’m listening

Your Thoughts

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Until next time,

Go beyond the usual