"If traveling was free, you'd never see me again" WELL! News flash! It isn't and will never be. We have bills to pay, rent and groceries that are, believe or not, priorities. So, how do we travel with all of this coming our way? With these budget travel tips saving money will be the easiest move. Fret not, you won't have to compromise on luxury or anything that makes travel experience worth your while.
1. Consider staying in hostels
This doesn't even count as a compromise, thanks to classy decor, dedicated facilities, and of course, your chance to meet new people on your travels. Many people travel the world cheap by staying in hostels, and you won't believe the amount of money this single step will save you. A comfortable bed in a hostel would cost you around 8-20 USD, depending on where you're staying, while booking a room in even a 2 star property will cost you minimum 30 USD, and that is when you're touring a budget destination.
However, even though I stress on staying in a hostel, I wouldn't recommend going for dorms if you're on a honeymoon or traveling with kids, as some hostels do not allow admission for kids.
Benefits other than money saving:
Free breakfast (in most hostels)
Meeting new people
Many hostels arrange their group tours
Laidback vibe
Common area usually lets you watch movies, play boardgames, read books; the possibilities are unending
Hostels are usually centrally located, so you can walk upto various attractions
Tips:
Research well and compare different hostels before you book
Carry an eye mask and earplug if you find it difficult to sleep amidst people. However, many times roommates are considerate about your sleep and even hostel discourage behaviour that can disturb people sleeping.
Talk to the receptionist to get some tips regarding exploring the locale
Don't worry regarding
Hostels with kitchenettes let you cook your own simple food
2. Carry the snacks along
If you're planning a budget trip, this can be the second most important tip for you! So, when you're packing, make sure your luggage also has a bunch of snacks that you can easily carry around without having to worry about it getting stale or the spill. I do understand that food is something that completes a travel experience, and you indeed must not go through days without gorging on local delicacies either. The trick is to create a balance, my friend.
Benefits other than money saving:
Saves you from hunger pangs
Best for vegetarians traveling to not-so-vegetarian-friendly countries
Tips:
Carry ready to make food items as well
Don't pack huge items as it will only make your luggage heavier
3. Gorge on free breakfast
When compiling budget travel tips, this one comes as a key factor. Most times, as we know, breakfast is served in buffet and is unlimited. So, it's best you fill your tummy properly before you go out to explore. Though you may not last all day with that, but at least you can skip lunch. No! I am not suggesting you to starve.
Benefits other than money saving:
You won't be walking around hunting for good eateries just as you begin your tour for the day
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
Tips:
Don't go overboard
4. Book in advance
This cannot be stressed enough. We all can see the price difference when we book in advance, specially when booking flights. Even when the fares fluctuate we have enough time to compare and finally book when the fare is cheapest. Many hotels/hostels come with offers such as one night free or a huge discount if you book in advance. This is an essential budget travel tip for international vacation, as the airfare takes away huge chunk of what we intend to spend.
Benefits other than money saving:
You have more options when it comes to timing of departure, or a special sea-view room
Tips:
Don't book flights more than three months in advance, as the fare will not be cheap enough
Research well before you hit the payment button
5. Shortlist the attractions you really want to visit
Why is this even here in this list of budget travel tips? How is it going to save me money? Think of the times when you visit an attraction and return to your hotel, spending money on Uber; and later you realise another attraction from your bucket list is merely 300 meters away from the one you visited? You are going to spend the money on transportation yet again, plus let's not even talk about the energy and time wastage. You could head to an altogether different region today, but NOPE you gotta go back because you were too lazy to research so you could know which place is near which one.
Now let's take another angle, you pay a good amount of money to enter an attraction and you later realise it was overrated and that you could invest your time visiting a place which was actually interesting for you. Well, to save yourself from these situations, you gotta, I repeat, you gotta elevate your research game.
Benefits other than money saving:
You save yourself a great deal of time, as you can explore attractions in a specific region you're visiting in a particular day
You have your itinerary designed in your mind
You'll have a clear vision regarding how you're going to reach the mentioned place
Tips Download essential travel apps like Google Trips and TripAdvisor
Get in touch with people who've been to this destination to know secret spots and other insights
Create a planner
6. Make your travel dates flexible
This might just be a holy grail if you are fishing for best way to get cheap flights. I understand there are times you have to be rigid about your dates, specially when you're working. But if you're okay with changing your travel dates, it's the best thing you can do to your pocket. Many websites such as Make My Trip indicate most cheap airfare for each day in the coming months, which is a great tool indeed.
Benefits other than money saving:
Helps you in planning and researching since you have plenty of time in hand
Tips
Don't spend too much time comparing
7. Talk to locals about alternatives
I remember gawking at the charges chart at the entrance of City Palace Udaipur and wondering if it's even worth spending about INR 750 for an evening boat ride. But then I talked it out with locals and they gave me a cheaper alternative, boating for INR 150. All I had to do is board a bus or take an auto to reach the other point for boating. So, yeah! that's how we end up making the most of our budget holidays. If you interact with locals, you could get a fair idea of what you could and should be charged in a taxi when traveling from x to y. There are so many possibilities I cannot even list.
Benefits other than money saving:
Insight to local culture
You may get to know about places that are far away from tourist radar
An opportunity to make new friends
An icebreaker if you're so in love with that cute guy/girl at the counter
Tips
Be a little cautious about who you're talking to, don't interact with someone if you find them suspicious. Also, don't let out all the information about your budget, itinerary or who you're traveling with, etcetera; unless you think it's safe.
8. Choose public transport for commuting
We all know this might be the cheapest way to travel around the world. Plus, with metros/subway/MRT (or whatever they're called in your country), have made it easier to even a clueless traveler to explore around with ease and no confusion. And even if you do feel confused you can always ask away. This is not just economical but also helps you ditch traffic congestion as you roam.
Benefits other than money saving:
Metros always helps you reach places at the fastest pace, plus there's air condition to save you from scorching heat
Tip:
Don't shy away from asking if you're boarding the right metro. Also, don't forget to always check.
9. Be flexible with your destination
For someone thinking of a budget trip, this has to be a consideration. You can be dreaming of cheapest way to travel around Europe, but little would you know the same amount money you'll spend in Europe might let you live a royalty in countries like Cambodia Thailand, Nepal, India etc. So, if the destination is right, you don't have to worry much about saving either. But just because I am saying it doesn't mean you'll let go off your dream destination. NOPE! I am suggesting you to be flexible only if you can.
Benefits other than money saving:
Cheaper alternatives may allow you to live luxuriously
Tip:
Usually cheap airfare and low-cost visa come as major factors determining the destination
Hope you find these budget travel tips extremely helpful. If there are any that you would like to share, leave a comment below!
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