Travel used to be a luxury for the wealthy. However, budget traveling today can be shockingly cheap if you learn to plan ahead.
There are numerous ways to save money before and during your trip. Budget traveling is not difficult if you know what you’re doing.
Budget traveling starts with a wise choice of destination.
Southeast Asia is a budget classic. In addition, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam are all wonderful inexpensive locations. However, there are good, budget traveling options worldwide. For example, traveling to several South American countries is quite cheap.
Pre-book your flights for budget traveling.
While booking months in advance can be tough, it can save you a lot of money. However, booking flights depends on the season and your destination. Nevertheless, CheapAir claims that the cost of overseas tickets remains stable for months. Then, about 90 days before departure, they may change and go up.
I suggest daily checking airfare tickets four months before your trip. Then, you can take note of the prices and their range. Therefore, when you buy your tickets, you know when they’re a terrific deal.
Off-Season Budget Traveling
During peak season, which is mid-June to August, tourists throng popular places, driving up rates. Therefore, traveling in the off-season allows you to save money and escape the crowds.
Large Dorm Rooms – Lodging for a tight budget
Generally, the bigger the dorm room, the cheaper it is. Therefore, when arranging your accommodations, choose the cheapest dorm rooms. In addition, it’s cheaper to stay in co-ed dorms. This is a terrific strategy to save money on road trips, especially longer ones. But only if you’re okay with sharing a room with others.
Prepare your own food.
Constantly dining out can quickly add up. Therefore, you may save a lot of money by cooking your own meals after purchasing groceries. Most hostels have kitchens. However, you will want to verify this before reserving.
Budget traveling means participating in free activities.
The activities can be the most expensive part of a trip. Zip-lining, tours, and shopping can all be expensive. Therefore, find free activities to do while traveling. You can hike, visit a park, relax by the beach, or walk.
Going to art galleries or museums when they are free is also good budget-friendly activity. For example, every first Saturday of the month after 6 pm, the Louvre is free. That said, if you can’t go for free, it’s fine. Spend money when it’s worthwhile.
Budget traveling means avoiding tourist traps.
Many destinations have become tourist traps, where tourists overpay to be near the attractions. Tourist traps include places like Ireland’s Blarney Stone, gondola rides in Venice, Pisa’s Leaning Tower, the London Eye, and Canada’s Niagara Falls. Tourist traps are often contrived, crowded, and overpriced.
Get Tourist Cards
A city tourist card might save you a lot of money if you want to visit multiple attractions within one city. For example, the London Pass offers 1,2,3,6, and 10-day passes. Therefore, you may get to the Tower of London, Kensington Place, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul’s Cathedral with it.
Buying the pass instead of paying for each individual attraction also saves money in London, which is a costly place to visit. Passes like this are available in many cities. However, this only works if you plan to visit several sights in a city. Therefore, do your homework. After that, decide how many of these attractions you truly want to see. That’s when you can figure out if buying the pass is worth it.
Take the pressure off your budget. Use credit card miles and rewards.
If you travel regularly, air miles and reward credit card programs can help fund your trips. The ideal travel credit card depends on your location, income, etc.
A rail pass is very budget-friendly.
A rail pass might save you a lot of money if you plan to use a rail system frequently. The Japan Rail Pass and the Eurail Pass are notable examples of train passes. However, how much money you save depends on your schedule. For instance, how often you use your rail pass within its time limit. Therefore, to maximize the value of your rail pass, do some cost analysis before your journey.
Use Student IDs
A student card typically entitles you to savings on entry costs. Even if you aren’t a student, your previous student card may work if it isn’t too old and has no visible expiration date. Student discounts can save you a lot of money on the road!
Traveling on a budget? Split costs with someone.
Traveling individually costs more than traveling in a group. Food, accommodations, and car rentals are all more expensive when you’re alone. Therefore, you can save a lot of money by splitting the expenditures with others.
Budget traveling can be amazing. Being able to study, travel, and meet new people is fantastic! In addition, it is becoming more economical, allowing us to travel more if we like.
If you follow these recommendations you can travel without breaking the bank!
