Travel certainly does broaden the mind, but it also empties the pocket!
If you’re a travel fan, and you love to get out and explore the world and your surroundings, then you’ll know only too well just how costly it can be. Of course there are ways around it, and it’s a case of knowing what to do in order to keep cash in your pocket, but there’s no denying that seeing this wonderful planet of ours means budgeting with a capital B.
If you’re eager to find a few ways to save money and cut costs whilst you’re travelling, check out these five ideas.
Look at flight options
Sometimes flying direct is the costliest option available, so you may have to go around the houses a little and fly indirect. If the stop-over isn’t too long then this shouldn’t make too much of a difference, provided the saving is enough to cover the inconvenience. Shopping around and heading online to Skyscanner will give you the best options for cheap flights, and you could even look at your baggage needs to see if you could save by simply travelling with hand luggage, if your airline is particularly generous with cabin allowance. It’s really about thinking a little outside of the box.
Be flexible
Being too rigid with your travel needs and dates will only mean more money paid out. Try and be flexible, and keep an open mind on all options available to you. Sometimes flying mid-week is cheaper than flying at the weekend, and booking travel arrangements yourself is often cheaper than booking a package deal. Be as flexible as elastic and you will save money.
Don’t be afraid of hostels
You might have an image in your head of an old-fashioned hostel, almost like a dormitory, but these days hostels are more like budget hotels, and if you pay a little more then it may even be possible to have your own room. Large cities tend to have many options for hostels, which are always cheaper than hotels, and do exactly the same thing – somewhere safe and clean to lay your head, whilst you head off an explore during the day. As long as it’s clean, what more do you need?
Make like a local
If you’re staying in a particularly touristy destination, then try and make friends with a few locals and find out where they go to eat and drink. Tourist streets will always have inflated prices, but if you head back into the side streets and go where the locals do, you will find cheaper prices, bigger portions, and a more authentic experience, which is basically what travel is all about. Double bonus!
Pre-booking is your friend
If you’re wanting to head to an attraction, such as the Eiffel Tower for instance, then make sure you think ahead of time and pre-book your spot. This not only means you’re not waiting around in queues on the day, wasting precious time, but it also means you’ll take advantage of early bird offers and group savings, if there is more than one of you booking.
Saving money whilst travelling is simply about being a little clever, a little flexible, and thinking ahead.
