Travelling can be an exhilarating experience: you meet a lot of different kinds of people, eat yummy food, soak up some culture and relax on the beach with a drink in hand. But traveling requires money. The good news is that the amount might not be as high you initially believed.
How to Travel on a Budget
You might be seeing a lot of your friends enjoying frequent trips and tours. You might be wondering how they are doing it. Read on to find out how to have an incredible and stress-free time traveling on a budget!
Have a plan in place
If you want to save money, you need to know what you’re doing on your travel plans. Being organized is key to having a budget-friendly vacation. Now we’re not saying to have an hour-by-hour itinerary, but you should at least know how long you would be spending in each city and country and what hotel you’d be staying in. Chances are that by planning, you would have fewer unexpected expenditures.
Find out the places you want to visit. Figure out how much money would you need. Throw in some extra to make up for emergencies. Once you have a figure in mind, you can work on saving that amount. Save some money each month. You might have to compromise some of your expenses to reach the desired figure. Just remember the goal whenever you feel the need to splurge.
Be flexible about your travel dates
Being flexible can potentially save you hundreds of dollars! Sometimes, flights tend to be cheaper on weekends as opposed to Monday mornings. Be flexible about your dates and strategically pick the date with the cheapest flight. Try to travel off season (avoid trips during school holidays in particular!).
Figure out the best time to travel to your destination and then set your dates to a week before or a week after that season. Being flexible about your dates means getting a better deal at your hotel too!
Pick a destination that’s fairly cheaper
If you’re still undecided on where you want to go, consider picking a location where you can get more bang for your buck.
In Thailand, for example, you can stretch your dollar and make it last a lot longer as compared to traveling within Europe. South East Asia is excellent for backpackers and food, hotels and transport won’t burn a hole through your wallet. Plus, Thailand is becoming a very popular destination for many travelers. The beautiful island has a lot to offer to its tourists, including their famous Thai massages.
Consider applying to an international travel bank
If you are a frequent traveler, you might want to apply to an international travel bank. A top complaint by most travelers hoping to save some money is the foreign transaction fees and ATM fees that they’d have to pay when they get back from their vacation. You can lose a good amount of money in international withdrawals and transaction fees.
To avoid this, research on international travel banks. Luckily, there are a few banks that are excellent to use when traveling abroad to avoid any hidden transactions, so that you can stay on budget during your trip! They could even save you money on ATM withdraws.
Be savvy with your accommodation
Avoid expensive hotels and opt for dorm rooms in hostels instead! Some hostels also have an option to get a private room with a private bathroom, so if you’re more than two people, it may be worth looking into. You’d be surprised at how much money you’ll save by avoiding a fancy hotel. Search for your hotels online. Be sure to look at hotel reviews before you make a choice. Find out if they are near to tourists spots.
Another great option is booking a private place via Airbnb. Although you probably will not get the little fancy soaps and lotions as you would at a hotel, booking an Airbnb will halve the price as well as give you an authentic experience living the life of a local! You can also put up your apartment for rent on Airbnb while you travel. This can help you pay for your accommodation easily while traveling.
Public transport
When traveling on a budget, public transport is your best friend! The state of public transport has greatly improved in the last few decades. Buses and trains are much cheaper than taxis and planes. Traveling on an overnight train would also save accommodation costs for one night. It’s a win-win situation!
I find that traveling on public transit also allows you to observe the country’s culture and people more closely. You don’t only save yourself money, but you immerse yourself fully into the country’s culture.
Happy traveling! We hope these helpful traveling tips will get you on the plane to your favorite holiday destination.
