3 best ways to travel on a budget
Travel can be expensive, especially if you are used to travelling first class and staying in fancy hotels. So, if you want to start saving money while travelling instead of coming back broke – keep reading to find out three of the best ways to maximise your budget. You never know, you might be able to travel more if you use these money-saving tips!
1. Compromise
Saving money is all about compromise. Of course, if you’re not willing to sacrifice your queen-sized bed, business class airfare or central location, then it will cost you a pretty penny for the privilege. But most of us aren’t made of money! So, if you want to travel on the cheap, then working out what you are willing to sacrifice to save money is going to be an essential step. Taking more affordable flights, staying somewhere out of town and buying food from local supermarkets will make a big difference to your budget.
You could go self-catering, stay in a cheaper area, or you could even stay in a hostel instead of a hotel. While this might give you less privacy, you are sure to save a lot of money, which you can then spend on having fun!
2. Do your research
Researching the place you will be staying is crucial if you don’t want to end up falling into tourist traps and spending too much money. Researching the best places to eat, drink and be merry will not only save you money, but it can also help you to have a more authentic experience, as you will be living life as the locals do! Locals know the best (and most affordable) places to shop for groceries, dine out and have a good time, so make sure you ask around for local tips and tricks when you get there.
It is also a good idea to research the laws and regulations of your travel destination if you don’t want to get in trouble with the law! For instance, in Cyprus, it is illegal to drink anything at the wheel, even water! So make sure you always do some investigation before leaving home!
3. Take a cheaper flight
The three biggest expenses for travel are transport, accommodation and food. So, finding a way to reduce the cost of one (or all) of these items will drastically reduce the overall cost of your holiday. Compromising on transport is probably the most difficult to do, but this will obviously depend on where you are travelling. Usually, a flight will set you back around $500-1500 for a roundtrip, although it can get much more expensive if you insist on flying first/business class!
However, there are ways of paying less for flights if you are willing to sacrifice a little bit of comfort and convenience. For instance, taking trips at off-peak times can significantly reduce the cost, and taking a flight which has a layover in another country will be cheaper than flying directly. Although these money-saving tips are sometimes inconvenient, you can potentially save a lot of money if you are willing to get up early and/or wait around in another airport for a second flight.
