While almost everyone loves to travel, it happens to be one of the most expensive past-times. It is, however, possible to travel often and to travel on a low budget - the trick is knowing how to travel on the cheap.

The first thing to remember is to rarely, if ever, travel through a travel agent. Not only do you pay full prices for airfare, hotels/resorts, etc., but you also have to pay agency fees. The best way to begin your travels is to research and do all of the bookings yourself. Travel websites offer very cheap, discounted prices for hotels, airfare, excursions, and other areas of your trip. Check various websites, and do research and price comparisons on the internet. There are always weekly deals and specials on most sites, and it doesn't hurt to apply to the free weekly/monthly e-mails where internet travel sites give you warnings of sales and specials to come.

It is also very helpful to be flexible with your travel dates. The more flexibility you have of when and where to travel, the better the prices you will find. Searching exact dates and exact locations will almost always result in higher prices.

When you do reach your travel destination, it is important to continue to keep your budget low. When you eat out, try eating at not the nicest restaurants with an expensive and elegant menu, but rather the local "mom 'n pop" places with inexpensive food. These places are often of great quality and include a true touch of local flare. Moreover, if you are traveling on day trips, try packing a lunch or stopping in the local grocery store to grab food. Finally, if you are not in an all-inclusive resort and you do have to pay for alcohol, watch your spending closely and keep true to a daily budget.

With trip excursions, plan ahead of time by researching and budgeting for them. Activities and excursions, such as sky diving, sailing, scuba diving, horseback riding, mountaineering, etc. are all quite expensive. However, they can be less expensive if you plan ahead and make reservations with exact prices and guidelines prior to your trip departure.

Last but not least, travel memorabilia is not a necessity to having a good trip. If you do buy a t-shirt or a few post cards, that is fine, but keep your tourist purchases minimized. Steer away from buying all of your family and friends the same t-shirt. The best shopping you will find is in the local markets where you can bargain for lower prices on home-crafted items, which are often far more specialized than any item bought in a gift shop.

Combined, searching around for cheap hotels and airfare while keeping a flexible schedule, along with maintaining a tight budget while on vacation, can help you travel cheaper and perhaps even more frequently.