It seems like every year, your friends are taking trips to exotic destinations while you're barely able to pay the bills. It doesn't seem fair. But you don't have to be rich to travel the world. We'll take a look at some creative ways to travel internationally when you have a seriously limited budget.

Try travel hacking

Travel hacking is the art of accumulating vast quantities of frequent flyer miles and rewards points from airlines and hotels, then redeeming them for free travel. Doing this successfully takes patience and strategic thinking, but advocates say there's no better way to travel the world for almost nothing. For an introduction to travel hacking, read this beginner's guide from The Points Guy.

Enter contests

Every day, hundreds of companies, from airlines to tourism boards, offer travel giveaways to destinations all over the world. While the odds are always against you, if you're diligent about entering these sweepstakes you may get lucky and win a few free trips. The Travel Onion collects contests from all over the web and sends out alerts in its newsletter. Set up a separate email account to enter contests, so your inbox doesn't get overrun. And beware of travel scams! Don't ever pay money or submit personal information, such as your credit card number, in order to enter a contest or collect a prize.

Get paid to travel

While finding a job as a travel writer is probably not going to happen, there are other ways to get paid to travel the world.

• Work aboard a cruise ship. Cruise ship jobs require physical stamina, long hours and the ability to smile in the face of irate passengers. But you will get the chance to see exotic ports and meet people from all over the world.
• Work as a travel nanny. If you have experience working with children, you could seek employment as a nanny with a traveling family. If you'd rather stay abroad longer, Transitions Abroad has a helpful guide to working as an au pair in various European countries.
• Work as a travel companion. Travel companions assist older, ill or disabled people with their travel planning, luggage, customs and transportation. If you have nursing or medical training, you can also provide assistance with personal and medical needs.
• Other options include house-sitting, teaching English and working abroad on organic farms.

Eliminate all the extras.

Stay focused on the destination, not the luxuries. If you've always longed to see the Caribbean, but you don't have much money to spend, then avoid the tantalizing all-inclusive resorts. Find a cheap hotel a few blocks off the beach and bring your own food. Pack some pineapple juice, buy some cheap rum and make your own Bahama Mamas. Is this as easy as ordering $8 drinks at a beachfront bar? No. But the sand will feel just as good between your toes.