My travel mantra holds that travel should be free — or as close to free as you can get! Budget travel tips usually focus on ways to find cheaper airfare or hotels, and these are a great start. But thinking outside the box can yield some extraordinary vacations that are surprisingly affordable. Here are the different ways I travel to save (and sometimes earn!) money:

Rent a House or Apartment
If you want to stay somewhere nicer than a hostel, but aren't eager to pay hotel prices, consider renting a house or apartment. You'll be able to cook for yourself and avoid the $5 bottles of water. You're also more likely to get an authentic local experience, as vacation rentals are often located in neighborhoods, rather than in tourist areas.

Vacation rentals are a great proposition if you've got kids, since they can run around and eat Mac 'n Cheese — the epicenter of childhood, by my memory — without disturbing hotel or restaurant staff.

Thoughtful gift-giving takes time, especially if you are going to make the gift yourself. So here is a list for you, in plenty of time, so you can get started planning budget Christmas gifts this year.

Food Gifts with Wow-Factor

For the most part, food gifts can be made individually or in batches if you want to give something small to a large number of people. Obviously, with food items, you should wait until much closer to Christmas to make them, but it's a great idea to start looking for the other items you'll need for these gifts like mason jars, baskets, and ribbon so you can buy them on sale.

Of course, if you want to get some practice in so you can perfect your gifts, it's much better to start now anyway! Many of these gifts are great for other occasions too, by the way. Recipes for most of the food presents can be found on Pinterest and elsewhere, but here are some ideas to get your taste buds thinking.