While Travelling Watch Your Wallet by Money Saving Tips While Travelling !!

Money Saving Tips While Travelling

In the holiday season, money is on everyone’s mind. Every one wants to go on holiday & even though you have to watch your wallet too, that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy some of the finer things in life.

Follow these budget savings tips and you’ll be able to travel more for less!

1  Choose The Right Destination

Choose between two similar destination, Both destinations are beautiful, but one is cheaper than the other. Where you travel has a great impact on the cost of a trip. Travel to developing nations is a cheaper option. 
Travel to Thailand or Vietnam is much cheaper than traveling to Bora Bora or Tahiti. Look for places that have a good infrastructure for independent travel where you can stretch your money and make it last longer. We can stay on a beach bungalow in Malaysia or Thailand or India for10 to 20 $ a night as opposed to booking an expensive week at an overcrowded all inclusive Caribbean resort.  A Guest house in Honduras can go for $30 to $50 per night and meals at these destinations can be as low as $5-$7.  Beer is as low as a buck a bottle. Traveling to off the beaten path destinations will keep overpriced businesses in popular locations from digging too deep into your wallet and the local people of the not so well travelled places will be happy to have your business.

2  Travel Independently

If you want to travel on a budget the best way is to do it independently. All inclusive resorts may be easier but you are paying for the convenience and really, don’t you want to sample the local culture?

a. Hire local guides – We have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for less than $900 and we have been to Everest Base Camp for less than $1000 for a 14 day trek including meals and accommodation. We booked our tours once we arrived in the country and by hiring a local guide, we know that all the money we spend goes to them instead of the tour company.

b.Eat at local restaurants – If you want a truly authentic experience, eat where the locals eat. If a place is filled with local people, you can be sure that the food is fresh, delicious and affordable.

c. Picnic – Travel to Europe can be very expensive but you can eat gourmet meals by shopping at the supermarket, buying a nice bottle of wine for €2-€4 and indulging in fresh meats and cheeses for next to nothing. Bring a blanket and a basket to one of the stunning parks on the continent and enjoy a real European experience.

d. Shop at a local Market – Forget shopping at Duty Free stores or boutiques, shop at local markets for handcraft designs and handmade clothing. We have walked away with amazing works of art for bargain basement prices that have been conversations pieces for years when on display in our home. (well, when we had a home) Shopping at the local markets not only save you money, but you contribute to the local economy. Make sure to be ready to barter, it’s all part of the fun.

e. Take Local Transport or Walk – Booking tours from your hotel is expensive. Go downtown and find a local travel agent. They can take you on a tour and you’ll see a different side of the city. Or grab a map and a guide book and walk yourself, hire a bicycle or hop into a rickshaw.  You’ll have way more fun sightseeing locally than from behind the glass of a tour bus.

3  Use Alternative Accommodation

a. Camp or Hire a Campervan- We stayed in France, Spain and Italy for a month last summer in our tent. The campgrounds of Europe are luxurious complete with swimming pools, spas, restaurants and sometimes free shuttles to major attractions. All this for less than €20 a night. We rented a car for €600 for a month and paid less than €500 for the month of accommodations to camp through Europe! We camped all the way from England to Mongolia, many times for free! and in New Zealand we hired a campervan to drive around and take our time experiencing the country.

b. Free Attractions – After taking advantage of all the free attractions, museums and discounts, we barely spent anything on our European vacation. Many cities in Europe offer discounts at museums after a certain hour or even have many free attractions. Check with the tourist board when you arrive or look online to see what things are free in each city. City passes help to save a lot of money as well. Just do a simple google search like “Free Things to do in Paris.” 

c. Budget Rooms – Chain hotels are expensive, instead look for independent guest houses or B&B’s. You can stay in a beach bungalow for less than $10 if you have the patience to look around for a bargain. Use a guide book like Lonely Planet to find budget areas and accommodations. It can be done!

d. Hostels - Save on your room to enjoy your time in your destination. Hostels have come a long way in recent years and you can find many of the amenities that you will find in hotels including private rooms with bath and TV. Plus, most hostels offer free wifi and a kitchen to cook your meals saving on eating out.

4. Use a Travel Agent

Start by searching the Internet for prices and availability. When you have a good idea as to what things cost and what you want to spend go to your travel agent. They can still find you the best deal. They have an entire resource at their fingertips. They know the little tricks to find the best deal and they can compare many fares, airlines and dates at once.

a. Be Flexible – if you are willing to travel on a different day, you can possibly save hundreds of dollars on your flight. Flight costs vary from day to day. Booking on a Monday may not have the best deals as buying on a Thurday and the same can be said for flying. Flights may be cheaper if you fly on the weekend as opposed to Monday morning. Shop around and compare.

b. Check with Different Airports for departure – Flights out of a city in the States may be cheaper than flying out of a Canadian departure city. If you live near the border, it is worth checking departures from the closest American airport. Many American airports offer shuttle services from Canada as well.

read more..........