When you get the urge to travel, but find yourself low on funds, check out these tips for traveling on a shoestring. Food, lodging, and transportation are all areas where you can save cash during your trip.
Bundling for Discounts
It can be cost-effective to purchase a bundled vacation package that includes flight and hotel or theme park tickets with lodging. When checking out this option, make sure you learn the cost of each bit separately as well as together. It is also beneficial to check several sources. You may find a better deal through an online travel site than from “authorized” websites. Do also run a quick search to make sure that other customers are generally happy with the bundled deals they received.
Check Foreign Exchange Rates
When traveling abroad, you will need to exchange your money for the local currency. Exchange rates change constantly, and the rate you are quoted from one bank is not going to be the same as rates from other banks. Do a bit of rate shopping to find the best rate, and be aware that when you exchange back to your home currency, the rate may have changed.
Cook
Instead of eating out for every meal while traveling, plan to cook some meals yourself. Your motel may have a small microwave and cooler, or you may wish to bring a hotplate in your luggage. You can bring some cooking ingredients with you, but shopping locally for your food can be an adventure in itself. Shopping local markets for the ingredients to a simple home-cooked meal may not only save you money, but also let you see a part of the area that you would otherwise have missed.
Walk
Rather than taking a taxi to a location near you, walk! This is not only a money-saver, it is also a way to enjoy more of the area and get a bit of exercise. Walking does have the inherent risk of passing by a cute boutique that you may not have otherwise noticed, however. Enjoy the boutique, but keep your money in your purse.
Travel Off-Season
Certain days of the week, usually Tuesday and Wednesday, are ideal for getting the best rates for air and rail travel. Traveling to popular tourist destinations is less expensive when you plan your trip for the off-season. Popular summer attractions are less expensive in the winter and less crowded as well. If you must take a vacation during the summer due to school and work schedules, you can save by traveling to a destination where it is off-season. Instead of visiting the Caribbean in the summer, visit Australia. This way you can still find off-season prices since traveling to Australia when it is summer in the U.S. is not as common.
Traveling can seem nearly impossible if your wallet is bare. However, if you adhere to the advice in this article, you will discover that having a great trip is possible even when you are a bit strapped for cash.
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