Budget Traveler’s Tips and Secrets
International travel does not have to translate as trip to the poorhouse. With a little savvy, most of the time adventurers enjoy themselves more when they learn how to travel with the natives, pick up the natives’ tricks and tips, and return home. Gap-year wanderer, telecommuter, or just plain ol’ someone who’s gotta go farther on fewer shells, here are these frugal travel tips and insider tricks that’ll feed you and take you farther on your bread and blow your mind.
1. Plan Ahead—but Be Flexible
Number one travel budgeting tip is to achieve that elusive balance of planning and spontaneity. To see and book a flight and hotel well in advance clearly pays, particularly in high season holiday season. Google Flights or Skyscanner can be used to compare shop and price alert your destination.
But with the privilege of being able to change your dates and destination is a wealth of unvalued bargains. It costs less to travel during off-season, and traveling during off-tourist season (traveling during off-tourist season or even before or after peak tourist season) will cost less and be less busy.
2. Choose Value Destinations
You will have some that are very expensive and some that are less expensive. Southeast Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia), Central America (Nicaragua and Guatemala), and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria and Romania) are pennies on the dollar compared with Western Europe or North America or Canada.
Research where your dollars travel furthest. Look at cost of living, housing, public transport, and food.
3. Travel Smart and Light
Save on bulk airplane bags when light traveling. Beach bag or carry-on is adequate, especially if the destination is beach resorts. Pack small amounts of multitasking gear that can be swapped out with each other and quick drying clothes that can be hand washed.
Never and ever forget to pack the essentials such as refillable water bottle, power bank, universal charger, and photocopies of necessary documents. Proper equipment will save dollars and hassle along the way.
4. Take Budget Airlines and Public Transport
Low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, AirAsia, and Spirit Airlines can be flown around the world for a fraction of a dollar. Always take the loophole—naturally they will attempt to charge you hold bag, seat choice, or in-flight meal. In the event it gets to you’re nice and bypass, it’s the prize worth.
The cheapest way of commutation after reaching would be to go by public transport. Train, bus, metro, and even bicycle on rent is fantastic ways to enjoy the sightseeing without paying a king’s ransom from the wallets. Google Maps, Rome2Rio, and Moovit are good places to search for trying out new public transports.
5. Budget your Accommodation
Skip the pricey hotels—sleep in hostels, guesthouses, homestays, or couchsurf. Sites such as Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Airbnb carry tens of thousands of them at any price.
For international trips of a few weeks or longer, house-sit or work-exchange arrangements (such as Workaway, WWOOF, or HelpX) where you help get some work done in return for board and room. More authentic, and less expensive.
6. Eat Like a Local
It is far too simple to spend all your travel budget on restaurant food consumed daily. Dine, instead, where the locals dine—street food, market stalls, and home restaurants are always less expensive than tourist restaurants.
Shopping without a companion is possible in markets and cook yourself. Most hostels and Airbnb apartments provide kitchens, and dining inexpensively is thus easy.
7. Seek Out Free Activities
There are lots of things to see and do and things to do for low or no cost in any town. Free guided walking tours of the city, public parks, museums with no entrance fee, street performers, and art museums are some of the low-cost options.
Discover what is occurring on your travels by going online and looking up street performers, town fairs, and local events. Discover apps like Eventbrite, Facebook Events, or Meetup to discover what is occurring on your travels.
8. Use Travel Reward Programs and Cashback
Earn reward points from travel reward cards, air reward plans, hotel reward plans, and hospitality reward plans with rewards given in the form of cashbacks, miles, or points. All these can be redeemed at the right time in the form of free night stay in the hotel or free flight.
There are some credit cards offering sign-up rewards equivalent to hundreds of dollars’ value of travel. Just make sure to pay off the amount in full so that no interest is charged.
9. Travel Overnight
Save on both transport and accommodation by taking overnight buses, trains, or budget flights. While it might not be the most comfortable night’s sleep, you’ll save a night’s accommodation cost and maximize your daytime for exploring.
European overnight train journeys, Asian and South American city bus travel will typically include reclining seats or sleeping berths for comfort perfection.
10. Be Cheap, Not Cheapskate
A penny saved is a penny earned, but be not a cheapskate regarding safety. Do not make bottom-line deals that are too good. Be not a cheapskate purchasing travel insurance—unforeseen foreign medical bills will ruin you.
Also, keep your things tidy, especially if there are tourists around or close to public transport. Well worth investing in buying an effective anti-theft pack or money belt in the unlikely chance of traveling to a region with a bad reputation for being stolen from.
Final Thoughts
Budget travel is not stingy or cheap on great experiences. Maybe it is a matter of more cultural interpenetrations, people interactions, and indulgence. Travel well, save well, and one can travel penniless on this earth.
The world awaits—mount up and ride out and carve one’s own way, step by penny-pinching step.