As a full-time traveller what I’ve found to be one of the best budget-friendly travel hacks is something so simple and easy you might not even see it – or you might just recoil at the thought of it… but hear me out!

It goes without saying that cooking at home is much more budget-friendly and usually more eco-friendly than eating out at restaurants or getting deliveries, but this is usually overlooked when it comes to holidaying abroad. Of course for a lot of people going on holiday means allowing yourself to enjoy luxuries (that don’t include washing the dishes) and exploring new cultures through their restaurants and eateries, but what I've found is that it can be just as fun to explore cultural foods through their farmers markets, bakeries and even supermarkets as it is in their restaurants and cafes.

I've loved going to local weekly markets and discovering what seasonal produce is available all over the world, going to bakeries and tasting different breads and pastries, and even rifling through the shelves of a local supermarket chain and seeing what popular products I've never tried before. It's so much fun to try my hand at a local speciality to have an authentic cultural experience and save on money as well as carbon emissions.

Putting on popular cultural music or tuning in to a local radio station whilst learning a new recipe from the culture, lighting some candles, opening a bottle of locally produced wine, beer, juice or pop, feels like truly connecting with your surroundings rather than simply visiting as an outsider. It’s a fast way to really dive into a culture without needing to spend a lot of money at all. It’s also a wonderful way to support local businesses and as well as learn something about their history and traditions.

It’s also a way to collect mementos that you can treasure for the rest of your life – new cooking skills, flavour combinations, delicacies, interesting and unusual foods… just imagine the impressive dinner parties you will host, dinner date you’ll have with a special someone, or impressive family meal to blow your loved ones away… I’m sure they’ll appreciate it even more than a fridge magnet or tea towel.

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