I'm often surprised by how easy airports make everything. It can be your first time in an enormous airport and finding your way to the gate won't be that bad.

They're set up in a way that facilitates the traveling experience. I am someone who takes advantage of this and doesn't expect delays or loss of luggage.

This could be because when planning a trip, we often get so excited about our destination, we leave the question of how to get to and from the airport for last.

"They'll have plenty of options," and "I'll find transportation it's not a big deal," we'll think.

We might not consider the amount of money we'll have spent at the end of our trip on, say, delicious food or elaborate necklaces that, let's face it, we'll never wear.

So, what if you're on a budget? Suddenly, the possibility of airport transportation digging a hole in your pocket on the way is a very real, worry. But worry not, here are five creative ways to get to the airport on a budget.

1. See if a Couchsurfing host or friend can meet you

If you're into Couchsurfing, or happen to be staying with a friend you've met in the course of your travels, see if it'd be convenient for he/she to pick you up at the airport.

During Dave's 2007-2009 trip around the world, his Couchsurfing host in Tahiti greeted him at the airport.

Later on the same trip, a South African friend he made in Koh Phangan, Thailand met him at the Cape Town airport and gave him a ride to The Backpack, a hostel he recommended.

Not only are these scenarios free, but you'll have some quality time to catch up during the trip.

2. Use the shuttle provided by a hostel

This one is not "last-minute" and not always available. However, some hostels offer airport shuttle transfers for free, or if you're staying a minimum number of nights.

This could mean that you're staying in a neighborhood you didn't plan on staying in, like a more touristy area, and that you'll have to have this detail sorted out before you even land in the city.

3. Ride local-style on a moto-taxi

See what the locals do that's within your budget. That could include a taxi-style motorcycle or "moto-taxi" offered in many countries, such as Thailand.

These taxis are less conventional than the cars, but can be a real thrill. Hop into the backseat of a motorcycle, and have an eccentric ride to your flight.

4. Gather other travelers and make luxury affordable

If you're all about simplicity and quick execution, ask around at your hostel to see who's heading to the airport when you are and book Blacklane's airport transfer service together.

They have luxury vans and SUV's to accommodate up to five passengers with their bags, allowing you a chance at a comfortable ride on a budget.

Blacklane is available in over 180 cities around the world. Unlike other services, you can book ahead and schedule a day and time when you'd like to be picked up. You can also choose the car that best fits your crew and budget.

Trip planning can be hectic, so they'll remind you on the day of your flight via e-mail and SMS.

5. Take the train

Some cities, like Vancouver and Tokyo, have an airport train station that connects directly to the train/subway/buses in the metro area. This makes going to and from the airport simpler and more affordable.

You'll have to remember to plan ahead as waiting times and train schedules could delay your arrival. City maps will usually help you when finding of the correct stations and transfers.

With these tips, suddenly you won't feel so bad about the eccentric souvenirs you purchased; you'll soon be on your way home.

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This story was brought to you by Blacklane.

If you're like me, you'll find traveling hard. This is because you want to see the world, but you worry about the impact you're having upon it, due to your nomadic desire.

There's no denying travel is important. It opens your mind and gives you a type of education a classroom never could.

So, there must be ways in which we can see our planet, in all its glory, while doing as minimal harm to it in the process.

With that in mind, here are some ways you can be kinder to the environment while traveling.

1. Don't country hop

One thing I've noticed among my own people at least (Australians), is that there is a tendency to "compare countries."

Everyone has their "number," which they know of by heart. Whoever's been to the most countries has to be more worldly and, therefore, a better traveler, right?

Well. Everyone has their style of travel, but I think it is important to remember that it isn't a race. There's nothing wrong with spending an extended amount of time in a country.

It gives you the opportunity to get a better sense of its land, culture and people, which can't be anything other than a rewarding experience.

Embrace the concept of slow travel. Give yourself time to appreciate each place you visit. You're a lot kinder to the environment and yourself in the process.

2. Book flights as a last resort

Plane travel is often inevitable due to its convenience. For example, I know I won't be jumping on a boat from England to Australia any time soon. The 24-hour plane trip is upsetting enough!

However, traveling by flight isn't the be all, end all. Trains, buses, boats, car sharing, heck, even bicycles are often on offer as alternative forms of transport. They're often a lot more pleasant than flying, which is becoming more and more of an ordeal as time goes on.

Rather than flying around Europe, consider using Eurail, Eurostar, or Interrail. The prices can be decent when booked in advance. Or, organize a whole adventure based on a train ride, such as the famed Trans-Siberian Railway.

Sometimes the journey can be just as sweet as the destination, and you rarely get that when traveling by plane.

3. Take a water bottle and bag

This is a favorite of mine and pretty straightforward. Plastic bags and bottles are pointless. Bring your own bottle and put a reusable bag in your pocket or day bag. You'll stay hydrated, and the bag will be there if you need it. Easy.

4. Be wary of greenwashing

Green is the new black and eco-tourism is a concept that is only going to grow in popularity. However, just because a company says they're going green, doesn't necessarily mean they are.

I liken it to organic food. Organics are an ongoing craze. As the word itself is not required to adhere to any regulations, you'll often find it slapped on products that, well, aren't organic - not in the slightest.

Be discerning and do your research.

5. Don't adopt a wasteful attitude, bring what you need and put thought into it

I see a lot of guides on the internet, which say things like "don't worry if you forget/don't bring 'x' item - you can pick it up on the road!"

Yes, you can, but you should only do this as a last resort. If you already own a fairly new toothbrush, then do you need to go to the expense of buying another? Especially if you just end up discarding it at the end of the trip.

If you put a bit of pre-planning into your travels, you can often cut down on expenses on the road. Make a list of what you think you need and try to stick to it.

I've found I'm less likely to forget things when I do this, or over pack. I don't need to buy unnecessary items, which means more money for important things, like food.

6. Make your toiletries, rather than buying travel sized versions

I can't think of how many times I'd buy those useless itty bitty deodorants or shampoos, only to lose them in the back of the cupboard when I arrived home.

These days, I tend to make my toiletries. It saves me money, and I like the fact that I now have a better idea of what I'm putting on my skin.

7. Leave no mark

This one's a bit of a stretch of the imagination, but it's a good one to remember none the less. It's a case of being mindful - such as avoiding single-use items and not producing unnecessary food waste.

Unfortunately, the reality for many of us is that we can't spend our lives traveling. Boo!

Luckily, we have the option to live vicariously through other's adventures due to the power of the written word. So, that's something.

If you find yourself bouncing off the walls of your home, unable to distract yourself from the itch in your feet, I recommend you dedicate a few hours of your day to getting lost among the pages of the following travel memoirs.

Travels With Charley - In Search of America

A restless John Steinbeck procures a camper, christens it “Rocinante,” rounds up his poodle Charley and embarks upon a road trip across America.

Along the way, he offers his insights, views and overall analysis of his country and its people, much of which will resonate with anyone reading the book today.

The USA is the kind of country that's just begging to be driven across, with its incredibly diverse landscape.

To hear states like Maine and Montana get described in detail by an award-winning novelist is a treat.

There have been some questions over time about the authenticity of Steinbeck's experiences - how much happened verbatim and what was simply made up.

The man was a novelist at heart after all. Either way, it's both an excellent and memorable read.

Buy it on Amazon

The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost: A Memoir of Three Continents, Two Friends, and One Unexpected Adventure

Rachel Friedman's travel memoir grabbed me in a way that many other books on the same topic have failed to.

Friedman has recently given up on what she thought was her dream of becoming a professional classical violist.

She moves to Ireland to work in Galway for four months, hoping to figure her life out.

Here she meets Carly – an Australian girl addicted to travel. Carly convinces Rachel to join her in Australia and then South America and they have some pretty fabulous adventures together.

Rachel eventually heads back to America, having met her soul mate (a Kiwi in an Irish bar in Peru) along the way, finally feeling ready to take on her life as a young professional woman.

There was a lot I liked about Friedman's book. But if I'm going to condense it it's this - it wasn't preachy, instead being totally relatable.

We all feel a little lost in our lives from time to time, and it’s commendable and uplifting to hear or read about someone who is actively doing something about it, rather than the alternative – moping from now until the end of eternity.

Buy it on Amazon

What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding: A Memoir

Kristin Newman predominantly works throughout the year as a comedy writer in Hollywood, something anyone could guess from reading her novel.

The wonderful thing about working as a comedy writer (or, one of the wonderful things as I'm sure there are many) is that it allows you from anywhere between three to 12 month's "off" a year, in Newman's words.

So while everyone around her is getting together, marrying and doing their bit to keep the population going, Newman travels. To Russia. Iceland. Brazil. Argentina. Paris. Australia. New Zealand. Hawaii.

All over the world, while having multiple love affairs along the way.

I'll be honest - there were parts of this book that I found hard to read. Newman is quite frank in the descriptions of her sexual exploits, and as it turns out, I'm a prude. Yet, her book is amusing.

At its completion, I felt that familiar itch in my toes and days later, found myself looking up flights to Argentina in a moment of boredom.

Buy it on Amazon

The Road to Little Dribbling - More Notes From a Small Island

Bill Bryson seems to be one author that people either really, really like, or passionately hate. I fall into the former group and have been slowly and steadily making my way through his books over the last few years.

I read his novel about the United Kingdom - Notes From a Small Island when I first moved to London. I was quite pleased to find out he'd soon be releasing a sequel, marking the twentieth anniversary of his first book.

The Bryson who has penned this novel writes in a different tone from the first.

He is still very much in love with his adopted country but spends much of his text comparing the Britain of now to the Britain of ages passed. He wonders if much of his nitpicking is due to his age.

Well, I consider myself to be in the first flush of youth and I agreed with much of what he said.

Among the many tidbits of facts and historical information that scatter the pages of all Bryson's books, he speaks in earnest of the importance of conservation.

Having lived here for some time and seen a vast amount of it myself, I can verify that the UK is as glorious as he says it is. It deserves to be taken care of.

Buy it on Amazon

With luck, these books will hopefully both feed and fan your wanderlust, until you find yourself hitting the road for some adventures of your very own.

Moving overseas is an adventure that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

Since moving overseas, I've grown as a person and discovered more about the world than I could ever have anticipated.

That said, it's also the hardest thing I've ever done. There are many downsides of expat life, which don't always get mentioned.

I'd equally recommend anyone considering spending a decent amount of time abroad to approach it with great trepidation for the following reasons.

The Homesickness. Oh, the Homesickness

Homesickness is funny, as it tends to hit you when you least expect it. I was terribly homesick when I first moved to the UK, and everything set me off.

The weather, seeing dogs in the street, pictures of my friends at the beach on Instagram... even hearing the famous Australian soap Home and Away theme song.

There's nothing you can do to combat it, either. Just try to keep busy and distract yourself. It gets easier over time, but it never truly goes away.

People Will Forget About You

It's all rainbows and puppy dogs when you first move overseas. People say they miss you. They email you. They send you letters. They call you.

However, over time, the contact becomes less and less. Emails go unanswered, and your phone can remain silent for days.

It's easy to forget that life in your native country will continue, with or without you. We're all wrapped up in our own lives, and for some, it's simply a case of "out of sight, out of mind."

It hurts; there's no doubt about that. However, it will teach you who your real friends are.

The people who take the time out of their days to email you, send you Christmas cards or birthday presents, set aside time to Skype, or even visit you are truly your forever friends - the ones you know will always be around, no matter what.

Cherish them, and make sure you do the same in return! These are the friendships that can indeed go the distance. When you reunite, it will be as if no time has passed.

Related: How to Cure Homesickness

You Won't Be Able to Avoid Culture Shock

It can be pretty strange to live in countries with cultures similar to your own. An Australian in the United Kingdom. A Canadian in the States. An American in New Zealand.

Australian culture bears many similarities to that of the English.

We're skilled in self-deprecation, are equally as wild about cricket, and share a particular enthusiasm for excessively consuming alcoholic beverages.

So, I often get lulled into a false sense of security. England feels a lot like home in more ways than one.

Then, someone will do or say something that will completely spin me out. Or I'll unknowingly say something considered obnoxious and immediately alienate everyone in the room.

It's an immediate jolt back to reality and can sometimes act as a trigger point for our old friend, homesickness.

You'll Miss Key Events, and it Will Bother You

Since I've moved overseas, I've missed engagements, weddings, significant birthdays, and my baby brother's graduation.

If you're lucky, you may be able to time visits back home with some of these events. However, you won't be able to attend everything. You'll disappoint people and feel like you're missing out.

My advice? Stay off social media on the days you know something big is happening. You'll feel better for it.

Your Life Won't Magically Become Ten Times Better Overnight

There's a lot to be said about living in the moment. If you're not fully content in life, you're living in your own country... who is to say you're going to be any happier in another?

I spent many years in my hometown of Sydney, daydreaming about what my life would be like when I moved abroad. I had pretty high expectations when I finally made the move to London.

It was a much more complicated process than I had initially thought. I had to find a new job, a house, a gym, make new friends, and get my bearings in a new city.

These were things that I already had at home and had taken entirely for granted.

It can take anywhere between six months to a year to settle into life in a new country, and during that time, you're going to continually question why you ever left home. Stick it out. It's worth it, I can assure you of that.

You May Never Want to Return Home

You may not want to stay in your current city forever, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll want to go home. Instead, you'll spend hours looking at maps and researching places online.

You'll be plagued by the same questions again and again. Where can you go next? Will you be able to find work there? Which part of the city will you live in?

The biggest problem with expat life is that it becomes addictive. You're continually doing new activities, meeting people, and traveling to the most exciting places.

Once you've tasted life overseas, you may never want to return home.

There are many downsides to expat life, but it's worth riding them out. Life is not constant - it is a series of peaks and troughs.

The better you weather the bad, the more rewarding the good times will be.

I like to think that I am a typical backpacker, always trying to find the best deal. After all, the more money I save, the longer I can stay on the road.

Even a $10 savings can be one night's accommodation somewhere as cheap as Thailand.

So when I was invited to review Dealspotr for Go Backpacking, I jumped at the chance to learn how to save more money.

Dealspotr is a new site that gives shoppers cashback in the form of Amazon gift cards just for sharing the great deals they find, including travel deals.

It claims it's the best community for finding and sharing deals, and unlike so many other cashback sites, no purchase is required.

It's built as a Twitter-like social media platform for bargain hunters, and you get compensated for participating in the community and sharing any deals that you find.

Signing Up

The home page is easy to use, and setting up an account is effortless.

You choose whether you want to sign in with your Facebook account or email.

For signing up, I received several hundred Karma points and two new badges for activating my account. Not bad for 30 seconds' work.

Each karma point earned is a step towards an Amazon gift card. For example, I needed 1,000 karma points to get my $5 gift card reward.

The right-hand box on the home page has suggestions for "a few things you can do to be awesome."

I really like the conversational tone as it sounds friendly and made me smile when reading it.

The "ways to be awesome" are incentives to earn more karma points such as:

• Follow at least 20 stores.
• Follow 10 people.
• Post your first deal.
• Upvote five good deals.
• Comment on a deal.
• Add a profile image & a bio.

Following a store means that the store will appear in your recommended daily feed so that you can keep up to date with any store discounts and deals, whether online or in-store.

Hot Deals allowed me to choose coupons that you can either use in-store or online. I chose coupons for online deals with travel and events.

Saving Money When You're Traveling

There was a wide choice of coupons from familiar sites such as Travelocity, Fandango, and TripAdvisor. 

Car hire coupons were available from Enterprise, Avis, and Budget; airline coupons from the likes of Emirates, Delta, and Southwest; and hotels including Hilton, Westin Hotels & Resorts, and Hotels.com - a meta-search engine.

Clicking on the blue "Follow" button allowed me to add a company to my list of organizations that I'm following.

When I clicked on Booking.com, it showed me a list of savings for that particular website from 20% off to save on Miami Beach hotels.

All I had to do was click on the green "Activate" button to be sent directly to the page and the deals.

I especially like this section, which is perfect for saving money when you're already on the road and traveling.

Before going on a trip, it's also a good way to save money on products such as shoes.

In the option for in-store, there was a deal for "Women's clearance items: up to 80% off at Nordstrom Rack."

I could then click directly on the website for Nordstrom Rack and check out the boots and clothing, which had significant savings, such as a fringe trim boot reduced from $79.00 to $31.60 - a 60% savings.

Just clicking on Hot Deals showed me dozens of offers to choose from.

There were discounts on books such as Paper Towns by John Green for $12.62 and 15% off a wireless mouse.

Target appeared to have the best offers, especially the one for $10 off any purchase of $20 - great savings!

The site gives you promo codes, and free shipping offers too.

The "Verify and Earn" function helps the Dealspotr community by testing, verifying, and recommending each day's best deals.

You can earn bonus Karma points for spotting winning deals and also by flagging bad ones.

One way of earning extra karma points is to "Post a New Deal" by pressing the blue button on the right-hand side.

This is a way of adding a new deal if you see it in a store or on a store's website.

You can link directly to the deal and describe the discount so that others can also benefit from the deal.

This brings you even closer to an Amazon gift card.  

My Conclusion

I like the concept, and I think this is a great website if you are looking for things to buy before you travel and take with you, such as footwear, clothes, items from Target, etc.

It's also ideal when you're on the road for discounts on flights and hotels when planning the next stage of your journey.

It's easy to use, and I will certainly be staying logged in and claiming as many bargains as I can.

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This story was brought to you in partnership with Dealspotr; all opinions are of the author.