Just because you are on a budget, it does not mean that you will have a boring time while travelling. There are a number of things that you can do to save money when you travel, which will free up some extra cash to spend on the things you really want to spend it on. You will have to cut down on costs unless you are rich or your family has loads of cash.
Transportation
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive; you can often get great deals on tickets for all means of transport be it coach, train, ferry or flying. Thinking ahead is the key here; you’ll always get a better deal if you book in advance online especially on flight tickets from the likes of fly.co.uk, compared to walk up prices at the ticket desk. Compare prices and snap up the best deals meaning you’ve got more money to spend whilst you’re away.
Travel insurance
You can never understand just how important travel insurance is until you do not have it when you need it. It is advisable to get covered before you leave for your trip, because you never know when Murphy will come knocking.
Protect your things
No matter how much you try to blend in, a tourist just seems to stand out in a crowd and there are my petty thieves that will take advantage of the fact that you are new in a certain place. Before you know it, your wallet or camera could have disappeared. Be sure to keep your valuable items close to your body so that you can feel if someone is trying to grab your stuff.
Accommodation
Finding a place to stay is going to be the most expensive part of your holiday, but there are some simple ways that you can drastically cut down the costs of accommodation. Look online for the backpacker’s hostels before you leave for your trip. They are so much cheaper than staying in a hotel
Shop around
Do not make the mistake of taking the first offer available. Do your homework regarding flights, accommodation and so forth, and you will be surprised at exactly how much money you can actually save. Certain stop over flights can work out a lot cheaper than a direct flight.
Negotiate
It is possible to get what you want for as much as you want to spend; you just need to know how to go about doing it. Street vendors are always willing to let items go for less, but you need to know how to get them to agree on the price that you are willing to pay. Never just accept the price that they are asking for items.
Exchange rates
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to change their money at the airport before they board the plane, and then they end up paying way more than they should have paid. Rather go to a post office or foreign exchange shop before you leave – the rates are always better!
Ditch the cell phone and go for the Internet
If you limit the amount of time that you spend on your cell phone and rather use the Internet to communicate with family members and such, you can save loads of cash. Use Face book, Twitter or Skype as an alternative to calling people when you are abroad.
Food and drinks
Nobody said that you need to eat out at a restaurant every single night. Why not buy food and drinks at the local take always or coffee shops? Not only will you pay less for these items, you will not have to tip the server for services rendered. Plus, there is the fact that if you make your own food, you will also be eating a lot healthier.
Budget
It is imperative that you decide on a budget and stick to it! Figure out how much you can spend and then divide it by the number of days that you will be away. By doing this, you will be able to see exactly how much you can spend on a daily basis and there will be less chance for you to get sidetracked.
