My first backpacking trip wasn’t with a backpack. It was a rolling suitcase, dragged wherever I went. But all the adventurous spirit and the search for savings were there. At 20 years old, I had spent three months working like crazy at a McDonalds, in the United States, and working as much overtime as possible to save money for this trip. I wouldn’t have any dollars other than what I earned from this job, so the entire trip planning was designed around cost containment.
The visa I got, the J1, allows you to work for three months and have a month of vacation, what they call grace period. There are people who manage to save a lot of money and even prefer to leave the United States and enjoy a season in Europe with the money they earn. I thought it would be better to get to know the country where I was living and leave it to see other continents for other opportunities. Furthermore, when I went, in 2008, the crisis had just broken and it was not easy to find a second job, as was the case in previous years.
Attention: It is not a good idea to travel to the United States without international health insurance, as hospital costs there are very high. Read here how to find cost-effective insurance (and with a discount!)
My backpacking trip to the United States
Before starting the trip, we left one of our suitcases at the house of our boss at McDonalds, in Concord, the capital of New Hampshire. Yes, I had two suitcases weighing about 25 kg each. Only I know how much I suffered carrying that junk. The problem is that in addition to this being my first big international trip, I was also living in cold weather of minus 30 degrees in Lincoln – it was a lot of coats and boots. Still, I learned the hard way that reducing your suitcase is one of the secrets to the success of any trip – but I admit that I only really learned this art during my trip around the world, years later. Making small and useful suitcases or backpacks is, in fact, an art.
Braving the blizzard in Lincoln, NH
My backpacking trip to the United States included Boston (and a day trip to Salem), New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. From there we had to go back to Concord to get our bags and go to Boston again to catch the flight back to Brazil. At first, we wanted to include San Francisco in the itinerary, but we lacked time and money.
Cheap transportation to the United States
We decided to do the short bus stretches, that is, from Boston to NY, from there to DC and also from LA to Vegas. The bus company chosen was Greyhound, which is the biggest and most famous there. But I confess that it is not the cheapest. There are other smaller (and less safe and reliable) companies that make the journeys. But as we bought some of the tickets online, we preferred to use the more famous company – at that time I was a junior in having the courage to get on a lame bus. Bus tickets in the United States are very cheap, costing around 30 dollars each way. However, nowadays I advise you to keep an eye on flights from Low Cost airlines, including on short routes. Depending on the season and promotion, it may be cheaper.
We traveled from DC to Vegas on Virgin Airways, which at the time had just been launched on the market. The flight was very cheap and sensational, with a super complete individual in-flight entertainment system and snacks. The return to Boston was made by Jet Blue, owned by Azul. The flight was also great, with the same benefits as the outbound flight. Both, in fact, much better than my international American Airlines flight.
How to eat without spending a lot
Food is something that can be very cheap in the United States, if you don’t pay attention to details like nutrition and calories. It turns out that the fast-foods There’s a beautiful thing there called “Dólar Menu”. In other words, a “complete” meal costs 3 to 5 dollars. Those who feel bad about eating potatoes, sandwiches and soda every day can swap the potato for salad and the soda for juice, for example. In fact, one thing I learned working at McDonalds is that if you are at the level roots savings can replace your refrigerant with tap water (tap water) and pay nothing for it. I didn’t reach that level, but here’s a tip.
Furthermore, there are countless varieties of chains fast food. There are those known internationally and those that only exist there, so you can explore a chain at each meal. You can also take advantage of the countless family-sized food options at “Family Dollar” supermarkets that sell large packages of food for a dollar.
Is this your first trip abroad? Discover our e-book with exclusive tips
Inside the coolest roller coaster ever: The Simpsons, at Universal Studios, LA
Accommodation for backpackers
Without a doubt, it is the most expensive item on the trip. In the USA I only stayed in hostels. As I had a Hosteling International (HI) membership card, I stayed at establishments that had this banner, because that way I could get a discount of around 15% on accommodation. The average price in the United States is 30 dollars (it can rise in big cities or in high season). All the hostels where I stayed had breakfast, so we took the opportunity to eat a lot and save some fruit for a snack. The New York hostel gave us discount coupons for a play on Broadway and organized a cheaper trip to a huge nightclub that I no longer remember the name of. I really enjoyed them all and recommend HI in the United States.
How to save on accommodation in the United States
To save even more, consider participating in a Work Exchange program, the type of experience where you work a few hours a day in exchange for accommodation. Although most people immediately think about “working in a hostel”, there are countless types of opportunities for the most diverse tastes: organic farms, NGOs, surf camps, language teaching and more.
In addition to making the trip cheaper, this can also be a unique experience, almost a low-cost exchange, which will provide you with greater integration with the local community and other travelers like you. Here on the blog we are partners with World Packers and our readers have a 10 dollar discount on membership (which costs 49 dollars). Just apply the coupon 360MERIDIANS. Find out more here.
Other savings
I really disappointed my mother and sisters when I didn’t come back with a suitcase full of shopping. Still, I brought good gifts for everyone, bought at one of those huge outlets there. When I went, I created a personal rule of not buying anything over 30 dollars and it worked very well. The United States is indeed the country of consumerism and things there were very cheap by our standards. However, this was not my focus as a backpacker without a backpack. In addition to a gift for each family member, I bought a computer and an MP3 player which were a bargain and didn’t break my budget – of course, I researched a lot and bought them from the cheapest store.
Guided tour inside the Capitol in Washington, DC
Entrance fees to places and tours have a common average price. There are many large museums that are free and only ask for a non-compulsory donation for entry (although this is not publicized). Other than that, there are many free tours, such as walking along historical trails in the cities, monuments, parks and squares or the free tour of Staten Island, to see the Statue of Liberty.
Anyway, I believe that with an average of 60 to 70 dollars a day it is possible to go on an economical backpacking trip in the United States. I highly recommend it and plan to go back there soon.
