I’m a Retiree: 5 Ways I Travel on Just a Social Security Budget

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Living on a fixed income from Social Security definitely puts a damper on those retirement dreams of kicking back on a Caribbean beach or touring the Venice canals. With precious nest eggs to protect, retirees can’t go too wild with spending. But you also don’t want to be cooped up at home watching daytime TV for the next 30 years.  

The good news? With some crafty tricks up your sleeve, you can still feed your wanderlust without going broke. Just ask Shirley R. from Phoenix and Bob D. from Burbank, California — two globe-trotters who get by just fine seeing the world on their modest Social Security checks.

Discount Hunting Is a Must

For Shirley, becoming a world-class discount hunter was job No. 1 when she stopped working. “The very first thing is being diligent about finding deals and discounts on absolutely everything travel-related,” she said. “From letting deal sites like Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) do the hard work tracking down airfare bargains to taking advantage of senior discounts, it’s about leaving no stone unturned.”

She whips out her trusty AARP card constantly to score discounted hotel rates, senior cruise pricing and even discounted rental cars whenever she and her husband hit the road. Package deals that bundle the hotel, flights and activities into one price also save them a nice chunk of change.

Offseason Deals

Bob takes a similar approach, but with one big twist — he only travels during the offseason when destinations are cleared out and demand is low. “You can save a fortune just by avoiding places when they’re most in demand from families and crowds,” the retiree said. “Shoulder season is the way to go if you can swing it.”  

He shoots for travel dates in the spring and fall shoulder months to cut costs by as much as 50% compared to primetime summer. Holidays like spring break are also out since that’s when prices go through the roof. 

Home Swapping or House Sitting

Shirley relies on another move to drastically cut accommodation expenses: “By doing a home swap or house sitting for someone else, you can get free accommodation absolutely anywhere for weeks at a time.”

While playing pet-sitter and house-keeper for a few weeks may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Shirley loves the chance to really soak in the local culture and live like a true resident rather than being crammed into a cramped hotel room. The savings versus paying for a room can be massive, especially for extended vacations.

Retirement Travel Crews

Bob tapped into the power of retirement travel groups and communities to team up with likeminded retirees and save in numbers. “I’m part of a few traveler clubs and groups specifically for retirees, which helps with group rates and finding travel buddies to split costs,” he said.  

From booking bigger lodgings suited for multiple couples to scoring group tours and activities at a discount, consolidating retiree buying power moves the needle on affordability.  

Credit Card Rewards

Finally, neither Bob nor Shirley would be able to sustain their jet-setting ways without squeezing every drop of value from that OG frugal weapon: travel rewards credit cards.

“I use my credit card’s points for free flights and hotel nights whenever possible,” Shirley said. “It does take discipline to always pay it off each month. But done right, these cards can provide free travel.”

Bob also says travel rewards cards are a “game-changer” for budget travel as a retiree. By hopping from card to card for the big welcome bonuses while putting all his spending on whichever one he’s working toward a new bonus, he can easily rack up hundreds of thousands of points annually to redeem for free travel.

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With pro-level penny-pinching tactics like these, Shirley and Bob prove you can absolutely travel the world as a retiree surviving purely on Social Security income. So don’t hang up your bucket list just because you’re on a fixed income. Where there’s a will, there’s a way for retirees to keep exploring all their wanderlust desires — even on a tight budget.

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