Key Takeaways

• Despite high prices for airfare, hotels, and car rentals, it's possible to get away for under $500 a person.
  
  
• You don't need to sacrifice fun or good food. You just need to be more creative about where you find it.
  

Who couldn't use a vacation? But with inflation driving up the cost of food, housing, and other essentials, it's hard to know how to travel for cheap. Luckily, a nice break doesn't have to bust your budget. We talked to 7 people who all skipped town for at least 4 days in 2022—for under $500 a person. Here are their travel tips for having a lot of fun for not a lot of money.

1. Make a swap for a free stay< Lauren Serpico didn't spend a dime on lodging on a 6-night trip to Denver. She belongs to TrustedHousesitters, a pet-sitting service. For a $190 annual membership fee, Serpico, 31, can stay at pet owners' homes for free in exchange for caring for their critters. Besides feeding a cat twice a day, "I had to change her litter box and give her some snuggles, but that's about it." Serpico even gets unlimited pet-sits for her cockapoo, Napoleon, when she's away from her hometown of San Diego.

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