January 9, 2014

Tips On How To Travel Without Spending Too Much Money

 

There aren't too many things that can obliterate that post-holiday glow like discovering the damage you have done on your credit card. The thing is that wherever you'd like to travel, you don't need to worry about spending too much money, because using a few simple tips you can easily save a lot on your accommodation, food and tourist attractions. With that in mind, in the paragraphs below we're going to take a closer look at the top tips you should keep in mind before planning a vacation.

Travel tips                                                                                 ©Depositphotos.com/36724191

1. Don't Exchange Money At The Airport

You’ve just arrived in your destination country and you have no local currency; before you realize it you're in front of a currency exchange office and reach out into your pockets for some money. However, even though they have a big poster saying there's a 0% commission, the exchange rates are practically so bad compared to what you could get at a local exchange office, that you're better off exchanging maximum $100 dollars for transportation and some food until you can get in the city. Better yet, if you can change up your foreign currency before arriving at your destination, that would save you the headache of having to worry about one extra trouble. 

2. Make Yourself At Home

Now that you’ve checked yourself into a hostel and then a hotel and a hostel again, you may notice that at most of them you'll also need to pay for the privilege of a minibar. And while having access to a minibar sounds cool, do you actually drink that much so that the extra fee you pay is worth it? If not, then you should definitely ask for a room that features no minibar and thus use the money you save for something else that’s on your agenda.

On second thought, hotels and hostels can also be pretty expensive and they can easily add up to several hundred dollars in less than a week (especially if you're traveling with your significant other or your family). Nowadays though, it seems that a lot of savvy travelers are getting in on house swapping, which allows you to stay for free in someone else's apartment or house. The catch here is that they'll also stay in your home at the same time. While no one can deny that it's something which requires a certain level of flexibility and trust, there's no doubt about the massive cost benefits involved. 

There are many websites where you can find people who are willing to do this and with the most reputable ones, you'll also benefit from various guarantees, so that at the end of the day, you'll have the peace of mind everything's going to be the same as you left it before going on vacation.

3. Stay Connected Online

Some of us won't go on trips for a few days, but maybe for a few weeks or even more than a month. If that is also your case, then you know very well that some bills back home just can't wait for your return and that is why you'll need to have access to a computer wherever you decide to stay. And if you bank online, you can easily manage your financials regardless of where you are in the world. So whether you need to transfer funds to free up some money or you need to pay your bills, staying connected while on vacation abroad is not only a great idea, but it's also easy, convenient and secure. 

4. Use The Local Currency While Shopping At The Duty Free Stores

What is more attractive than shopping at a duty free store and buying cheap food, booze and why not, chocolate? Well, not many things, but the fact is that while you're shopping at one, you'd better use the local currency, because if you're paying in Australian dollars for instance, there is a hefty conversion fee of around 3 percent involved. Compared to the currency exchange of a good overseas debit card, this is much higher and at the same time, you'll also incur all the usual overseas fees. As a solution in this situation, try using your travel card deal or the last of your cash and you'll be surprised of how much money you can save.

5. Tourist Attractions

The bulk of your travel agenda as a backpacker will probably consist of budget activities, but when you're visiting a foreign country, you're there to experience the culture and lands you're traveling through. And if you want to have some really amazing memories of the places you’ve been to, then you'll sometimes need to pay some good money. For instance, you won't have to worry about paying anything if you want to hike in the Swiss Alps, but going to Thailand and hitting up a Full Moon Party may very well cost you a few hundred dollars or even more. On top of that, if you want to get a feel of what Rome is all about, you'll definitely need to visit its ancient ruins (which costs $20), but no one visits Rome without also visiting the Forum and the Coliseum. 

That is why before you want to go somewhere, you need to think about whether the experience is really worth it or not and if you can really afford the trip. After figuring that out, you need to think of some of the things you would feel comfortable doing in order to make your vacation cheaper. For instance, when visiting an information kiosk or office, you'll generally find all sorts of coupons that can help you save good money on local attractions. You'd be surprised of the wonderful attractions you can visit with these coupons and if you're lucky enough, you may even discover a totally awesome and unexpected alternative. 

All in all, traveling abroad is definitely a very liberating and mind-opening experience that allows you to explore the culture, thinking and way of life of the people in your chosen destination country. On top of that, no one says that having a limited budget should prevent you from taking all this beauty and new experiences in, because now that you have these money-saving tips, you can enjoy your journey to the fullest!

 
 
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