So you want to travel more but don’t want to spend so much money at the same time. Many people vacation without planning a budget and end up paying more than what they should and return home broke or with less money. Below are the ways to spend less while traveling more at the same time.
Find a Cheaper Flight Tickets and Alternatives
You can search for cheap flights on the search engines to find a better deal by choosing the option “flexible on dates.” Sign up for fare alerts and try to check for a cheaper ticket every day since things might change over time.
Yes, this happened to me several times where the ticket prices either jumped up by 20 percent or went down by 20 percent. In the process, you can win or lose about 40 percent by acting wisely. When it comes to traveling on trains or buses, it is a good idea to check the prices of all companies and decide on a trusted company with a reasonable price.
Travel in the Low Season
Depending on where you are going, there is always a high season or low season where the prices for everything increase or even double. March break in USA and Mexico for instance. Europe is higher in the summertime and South American countries in the winter time. January to March is the high (busy) season for Brazil because of the famous Carnival, for instance.
Compare the Prices for Accommodations
Don’t be one of the people who end up paying more and choosing the wrong place where they can’t enjoy their stay. There is always a better option when it comes to accommodations. Your safety and comfort are critical especially when traveling.
Ditch the Taxi and use Public Transportation
Take a taxi if you need to in some cases where you feel exhausted or in a hurry. Otherwise, it is a smart idea to use public transportation to save money and experience the new destination. Many countries have good transportation systems, and with the ease of Google maps, you can find your way around with no hassle. On Google maps, you can enter the destination, and it will give you options on how to get there either by car, bus, train or metro and the schedules.
Eat Food from Supermarkets
Eating out at restaurants all the time can add up, and you can go over your budget. It is a smart idea to choose accommodation with a supermarket nearby, the bigger the supermarket is, the better you have more options are. You can do daily small shopping and put some groceries in your fridge or take some snacks with you.
Search for the Areas where the Restaurants are Cheaper
If you think you will be eating at the restaurants most of the time, then you can always find a good and cheap restaurant if you look for it. The city centers where the most tourists go can be expensive. All you need to do is walk 10 minutes away from the center, and you will find a good local restaurant where the food is cheaper and even better tasting.
When I was in Portugal one summer, I ended up eating at a city center where I was not satisfied with the quality of food and where it was not worth the price. The next day I discovered a local restaurant where the owner was amiable and the food was excellent. It was half the price of what I paid at the other restaurant I ate at the day before. What did I eat? I had delicious Salmon cooked to perfection with rice, salad, and French fries only for 3.5 euros. I paid 12 euros at the other restaurant which I didn’t like and didn’t even feel full. I ended up eating there all the time until the end of my stay.
Research Cheap and Healthy Places to Eat
You can check and compare the prices of the places you’d like to eat. The price, reviews, and the menu is available online. You don’t want to end up paying for a meal that can make you sick and ruin your day or even the whole trip.
Use ATM instead of Exchange Offices
The best way to get some local money is to use your credit card at ATMs preferably the ones inside banks. There is no conversion fee and most of the time you pay 5 dollars for a transaction. You can use it once to avoid getting charged more. However, if you end up using the exchange offices, you can lose way more money anywhere from 7 to 15 percent. Stay away from the ones at the airports since they charge even more.
Look for Free Events
You would like to travel more and save money. The best way to get the most of out your vacation is to attend famous events. Some events are free, and some require entrance fees. Either way, enjoy your time by seeing and experiencing the events at the destination. You can meet more people and have more fun.
Travel Light
You might not be able to save money this way unless you are traveling with extra luggage which you can avoid paying for at check in at the airport, but you can travel more indeed. Carrying heavy bags all over the place is not fun and a waste of energy. We need the strength to move and see more places. So one great tip is to pack what you need. The lighter you are, the more you will enjoy your trip.
Eat Homemade Local Food
Wherever you stay during your trip unless it is an all-inclusive resort which you don’t need to worry about buying or cooking, you can always cook as long as there is a kitchen where you are staying. Some hostels provide access to a kitchen for their guests. There are also local restaurants where you can buy cooked homemade food cheap.
Last Minute Deals, Discounts, and Coupons
If you are flexible with your time, you can always wait for last minute deals for travel packages, take the opportunity for the discounted price, sales for equipment which you might need for traveling and coupons which you can pretty much use for most travel-related purposes.
Vacation Rental if Traveling with Friends
You might prefer traveling solo, but you already know that going with friends can be more enjoyable and cheaper. Yes, it can be a lot cheaper to fly with some friends and save money in the process.
You can share your room with them instead of paying the full price, and you can get discounts for a group of people. You can rent a villa, cottage or a house for a reasonable price. Saving money on food, transportation such as taxi are other advantages of traveling in a group.
Get Help from the Locals
Asking questions about the famous attractions and areas from a local resident is a smart way not to get lost and be safe at the same time. If you are lucky, the local can point you to places where you can eat cheap and the most reliable transportation options. You can also get some information about events and parties that in the area.
Travel to Countries where your Local Money has Power
At times, you can get confused about which destinations you should go to and which ones you should eliminate for now. In this case, the most practical tip is to find out in which country you can travel more, spend and eat more by exchanging your local money.
If you have US or Canadian dollars, you don’t want to spend the most of your time in England where your local money has no power. You can travel more and save at the same time if you go to the destinations where you get more out of your money.
Matt M. Eccles is the founder of Vitality and Happiness Blog. He is a philosopher, psychology enthusiast, wellness and digestion expert, author, and world traveler who is passionate about helping others reach and experience optimum health, true happiness, and increased vitality. The purpose of this website is to motivate and inspire people to handle life’s challenges. Uplift and encourage you to succeed in life and be happy and healthy, increase life quality, and become the best version of yourself.