Do you need a lot of funds to travel the world? Think again. As we welcome the new year, the desire for new travel experiences comes alive. But what if I told you that with a proper budget, you can tour beautiful destinations without breaking the bank?
Travelling on a tight budget presents you with a win-win situation. It boosts the economy of the place you visit and ensures you have enough fun. In this article, get practical tips that will help save costs on your next vacation. Read on to catch up on how to travel on a budget.
Travel on Budget: Do Your Assignment
Whenever the phrase “travel on budget” is mentioned, you probably think of a travel experience full of inconvenience. That’s not true. Budget travel is all about smart planning and wise choices. Understanding your travel goals helps you set realistic budgets and make room for fulfilling experiences without overspending.
Start by researching destinations and comparing transport, housing, and food prices. Travel blogs, forums, and social media are great platforms for cost-saving travel tips. Find a budget-tracking app that is easy to use to monitor your travel expenses. Splitwise and TravelSpend are great tools for budget travellers.
Spread your research tentacles by exploring tourism sites such as booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Turo. Most of these sites offer amazing discounts, helping you save extra cash. It is advisable to book your flight, train, or bus tickets early to ensure lower costs.
Normalise Travelling At Off-Peak Season
Trips during holidays and festive periods cost more as demand is high. The low seasons are better for budget travel. This approach makes your journey affordable and enjoyable.
Aside from money, you can minimise travelling stress. Navigating the airport, train, and bus station is much easier due to the smaller crowd. For example, travelling around mid-January and early September attracts a low-cost offer and less crowd.
Set A Travel Budget
After doing your due diligence by researching, it’s high time you set your trip budget. Add up your travel expenses to determine how much money you will need to save for the trip. Based on your research, budget a realistic fund for your total trip and divide it by the number of days you have set to stay.
To set a realistic travel budget, you need to factor in the following expenses :
- Visa permit and medical requirements.
- Transportation ( to, from and within the destination)
- Luggage fees, if applicable, have light luggage.
- Housing ( calculate based on the number of days you intend to stay)
- Food (Groceries, restaurant meals, snacks and drinks)
- Toiletries and sundries
- Phone and internet expenses (either you consider roaming or purchasing a local SIM card. )
- Other expenses, e.g. visiting a heritage site, museum or park.
If you would love to have an insider’s view to set an accurate budget for your next destination plans, you can use Numbeo. Numbeo breaks down the prices of goods and services for each country and city. It gives detailed information about even the most minute things, including transport, food and beverages, accommodations, clothes and leisure. With this app, you can make accurate calculations.
Travel On A Budget, Making Wise Choices
Choose Affordable Destination
Successful travel on a budget move starts with affordable destinations. Do you know there are beautiful destinations that cost little and give an authentic experience? Regions like Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia are great places to visit, as they are culturally rich and affordable.
The exchange rate is also an important factor to consider when deciding on a destination. For example, Thailand, South Africa, and Laos are great places to explore because their currency exchange rate compared to dollars is lower. Enquire about the currency exchange rate of your pre-destination to make a great decision.
Cheap Transportation Options
Transportation is an inevitable part of any trip, and your decision will influence your travel budget. Apps like Flights, Google Flights, and Kayak help you compare prices and stay alert for discounted airfare. Consider options such as morning airline tickets and stopover flight options. If a combo option of flight and accommodation can save you extra cash, look out for it. When you finally get to your destination, prioritise public transportation. It is a sustainable and affordable way to travel.
Accommodation On Budget
Cut travel expenses by staying in a hostel instead of an expensive hotel. A shared apartment or room is cost-effective and also offers you an opportunity to meet new people who are explorers like you. Try out Airbnb and Couchsurfing. These two are great websites that make it easy to locate local people who are ready to share an apartment. Get some free tips from your host on good restaurants and tourist spots that you can visit.
If you have family or friends in your desired location, stay with them to save on accommodation costs while exploring and discovering new gems you never thought existed, with little or no penny spent on accommodations.
Spend Wisely On Food
Eating at restaurants is quite costly compared to home-made food and supermarket meals. If you are getting an apartment or hostel, confirm the amenities available for easy cooking. Get information about the local market. If you know little about cooking, stick to a healthy local supermarket. To further ensure that you spend little on meals, try different supermarkets to ensure you eat at the most affordable shop.
Affordable Fun Activities
So many fun activities cost little to nothing, depending on the location. Museums, religious places, and heritage sites are great locations for a budgeted travel experience. If you love to have fun at the beach, visit local beaches like Labadi Beach in Ghana. You can also explore the historical landscape Trevi Fountain or Pantheon in Italy for free. Visit websites like Eventbrite and Meetup to get updated on the events that are available for free in your new location.
Enjoy low-cost outdoor activities such as hiking, bicycle-sharing, and waterfalls. Explore websites such as Travelzoo and Groupon to qualify for discounts on outdoor activities. If you are a student with an ID, you stand a chance to qualify for discounted sightseeing at some European art gallery. Your activities can be fun and pocket-friendly.
Pay With Ease
The mode of payment is crucial when travelling within a budget. Many card providers, either credit or debit, deduct up to 3% for every international transaction. This frequent debit might lead to excessive spending, ruining the budget travel plan. To avoid or reduce such occurrences, convert some money to your destination currency. Purchases using a card and withdrawals before you move will also help you reduce the purchases you make using a card.
A prepaid travel card allows you to have foreign currency at your disposal. Pre-load the card and withdraw it from your new destination.
Payment in local currency is beneficial, as you can save some extra costs that might arise from unfavourable exchange rates presented by retailers. Ensure that your payments are made using local currency.
Pack Properly
One simple hack to travelling on a budget is packing smartly. Use cubes to create compartments for easy luggage compression to fit a box. Pack the most important things, such as neutral outfits, to match and blend properly with day-to-day needs. Proper packing guarantees few expenses when you get to your destination.
Travel On A Budget and Earn
Working vacations are great and aren’t expensive anymore. You can cover your expenses by adding value to the environment you visit. You can get paid by training people in skills such as skiing and skating. If you are great at any language, especially English, you might add value that could convert into money.
Bilinguals can register on freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr to sell their translation skills, making their trip affordable. The longer they stay, the more they discover hidden gems, making their trip more enjoyable.
Conclusion
Vacations don’t necessarily have to be expensive. After proper research and smart choices, you can travel on a budget without missing any fun part of your trip. Regardless of your travel experience, if you set a budget and normalise travelling during the off-peak season, your journey becomes more affordable. Take your time to pack properly and earn while enjoying everything your new destination offers. It is time to explore the world and see the wonders beyond your walls.
