Have you ever come across images on social media sites with elegant backgrounds quoting "If travelling were free, you would never see me again" and did you think to yourselves "only if it didn't cost any money" or "if only I had a fat bank balance" at that point in time?
Did that sound exactly like you? If you really are one of those people who have a passion for touring and always dream of disappearing to a faraway land to experience the ecstasy of travelling time and again given your love for travel, however, end up forgoing this idea due to monetary constraints, this is the right article for you because we introduce to you the ways to travel cheap.
Forgo The Preconceived Notion That Travel Entails a Fortune and Follow These Tips and Tricks To Travel Cheap on a Budget:
1. Travel Cheap At Off-Peak
By off-peak times we mean the times when there is no much flow of tourists to a country and note that what may be the off-peak time for your country is not the off-peak for other countries since various tourist destinations have varied seasons suitable for touring. You can avoid price hikes and tourist crowds with proper planning.
Saving for the Next Adventure
Also, consider travelling to countries where the currency is weaker compared to your country because in such countries you can spend less of your money to get wider experiences because your money has more value in these countries. This is a great way to travel cheap.
Moreover, you can travel cheap with more for less, for different activities as well as for food and lodging. Countries like India, Nepal and other Asian countries have tourist swarms because tourists can enjoy more for less with low prices to tour.
2. Look For Cheaper Flights
There are few considerations which if made properly can help you bring down the whole cost of your flight and travel cheap; this demands proper planning beforehand; as a matter of fact, the price of plane flights go up when the date of travel is closer.
Find Affordable Airfare Deals Here
Credit:cheapflight.com
Remember that you can avoid paying more if you book your tickets a month or two before; if lucky, you could even reduce the tickets' price by half. It is obvious that your tour could be unplanned so booking a month before may not always be in the options but it is better to not leave the booking until the last minute with the intentions of getting lower prices to travel cheap. Also, you can save your air miles and utilize them for short notice trips.
3. Carry Packed Food
To travel cheap, similar to how having instant food to gulp at picnics or even offices saves you the bills of restaurants or hotels, having a reserve of packed food will save you a lot of money when you are travelling.
Convenient Packaged Meals for Travel
Be it instant noodles or dry fruits for your tummy; you will be glad that you have a backup for food when you see that food is costly at certain places. Regarding that, another idea is to find out places, especially local places to eat where prices are lower compared to fancy eateries that are targeted to the tourists in particulars; you would want to avoid such places if you are to save money and travel cheap. We recommend you to do the proper research beforehand to eat better and cheaper.
4. Shop Smarter
There is no doubt in saying that you would want to get souvenirs from the entire place you visit. Here we recommend you to go again local to travel cheap meaning you should shop at stores that are targeted to the local people and not the tourists because of the costliness of the items tourist souvenirs have.
Shop Smarter for Travel Essentials
In case of a long stay, your interaction with the people who live at the place already will help you reach such stores and buy gifts for low prices. This is an awesome way to travel cheap.
5. Choose Experience Over Materials
Another way to make your travel cheap is to avoid buying souvenirs and instead utilizing that money in creating memories by investing in experiences. This will make your wallet fatter, your baggage lighter, and the travel journey worthwhile as you take back memories instead of materials.
Essential Travel Gear and Supplies
Remember that just like souvenirs, you can always share your experiences with your near and dear ones, and it is always better to have interesting stories to tell out loud than mere stuff to show off so go ahead and travel cheap and do not worry about buying souvenirs.
6. Talk To Other Travelers
The information you acquire from fellow travellers would be much more credible compared to the information you find through secondary sources because there is a chance that the information may be outdated or in worst cases, even false. This will assist you greatly if you want to travel cheap.
Diverse Travelers Exploring the World
What better way than asking a person who has been out there and done everything you have been dreaming of doing. This will help you get prepared beforehand to travel cheap and know about all the places you need to be careful when spending enabling you to save your money by spending smart.
Moreover, during the course of the trip, you can get to know travellers headed in the same direction as you and save costs by sharing your transportation, dinner, and tours.
7. Don't Dread Walking
With the perks like getting the chance to observe better while travelling along with the cost advantages, we recommend walking as much as possible because walking is absolutely free and you get to travel cheap. Have a wonderful time travelling on foot, wandering around the villages or cities, interacting with locals and watching life.
Relish the life of a foreign land along with the exploration of the local markets, taking beautiful photographs and even plan hiking through a jungle or a hill.
8. Compare Prices
It is better to compare prices when it comes to food, clothes or even car hire services when travelling. Do not stick to a single supplier and put some thought into what prices are offered and if you could get the same product or service at a lower cost. Comparing prices is vital for you to travel cheap as you can switch to low prices.
9. Try Free Stuff
We recommend you do not hesitate to try the free stuff that includes:
- Watching a street festival, concert or fair
- Movie screening free of costs at local café or hotels
- Hiking to a nearby location
- Visiting the local market
So many things to do are free of cost so go for it if you want to have your travel cheap.
10. Bargain
Last but not least, Bargain or negotiate prices as much as you can wherever possible, especially when you are dealing with the tour agents, hotels and tour operators.
Make sure you know the right tricks and the right way to negotiate without being defaming to the person on the next side of the table. Note that it is often better to book with walk-in as you can bargain better in person if you are really flexible. Negotiation is inevitable to travel cheap.
Conclusion
Concluding that despite being considered a luxury, travelling can still be done; you have to think and spend smarter. Remember that there is no free lunch, so stop wishing it were free rather start acting with whatever resource you have and plan accordingly.
Secondly, forgo the preconceived notion that travelling necessitates big fat balance, you can still lose yourself to the world of bliss if you believe in spending smart to tour smart; a relaxing trip around the world does not necessarily cost you a fortune; it can be the other way round if you plan your trip on a budget.
Try the above tips and tricks and see for yourself how much you can see and do even with a limited budget; travel smart, travel cheap. Just go ahead and amaze yourself!