Wish to travel the world but don’t want to spend a fortune? Check out these easy tips that will help you to travel even when you are on a tight budget.
The most common reason that people give when asked why they don’t travel as much is, yeah you guessed it right, money! And by most people, I mean regular people like you and me – not filthy rich people, obviously. And yes, there might be several other reasons like not being able to get time off of work or other commitments, but money is often the top reason why people don’t travel as much as they’d like to.
Whether you are traveling alone or with your significant other or with your entire family – airfare, hotel expenses and all the sightseeing can take away a huge chunk of money from your wallet.
But there are a lot of ways you can still travel without breaking the bank! Here are some of my top ways in which you can travel even when you are on a tight budget –
1. Plan Ahead
I know this sounds like a cliche, but well, when it comes to traveling, planning ahead will definitely save you a lot of money. Don’t believe me? Check out the airfare expenses to any destination one week from now and say, 6 months from now. Most likely, you will be able to get a good deal when you are planning a few months ahead of time.
Plus you will get a lot of options as opposed to booking whatever is available at the time.
2. Budget Airlines
If you are traveling by air, try and find budget airlines if possible.
Recently, I came across an amazing travel article that stated that Norwegian airlines offers some of the cheapest airfares there ever are!
Of course, it requires a fair bit of planning ahead – but hello – if it is going to cost me half of what it would have otherwise cost me, why not right? But be aware that most budget airlines will have paid food and water on board. Always do your study beforehand and carry food with you, if you have to.
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3. Take advantage of Complimentary breakfast
One of the best complimentary breakfasts that we had was the time when we traveled to Malaysia. Ranging from tropical fruits to omelet stations, pancakes and even desserts, we were spoilt for choice.
Granted we stayed at 4 and 5-star hotels (hey, sometimes it’s okay to splurge, right?), but nonetheless, even mid-range hotels have a decent breakfast menu.
Many times, the breakfast buffet is open till 10.30 or 11. am. Take advantage of the time and turn your breakfast into brunch. So that way, you can skip lunch altogether when you are out sightseeing. Saves time and money!
4. Don’t be shy, Speak up
If you are wondering whether the hotel you are staying in has a complimentary breakfast but are not sure, ask them about it. If you are traveling in an offseason, ask them whether they can offer any discounts. But do it in a subtle manner. Otherwise, you’d look like someone who is fishing for freebies!
When we were in Las Vegas, upon arrival, we did not get the room that we had booked due to certain circumstances.
While the hotel staff gave us another room and apologized for the inconvenience, we asked them politely whether they could waive off the resort fee due to this inconvenience (Resort fee is very common in certain places. It can range anywhere from $40-$80 depending on the Hotel you stay in)
Turns out, they not only waived off our Resort fee but also gave us complimentary breakfast in one of their restaurants for all the 5 days that we stayed there!
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5. Check for different options to stay
Airbnb is one of the easiest and safest options to save while traveling. The first time my hubby and I decided to go to Niagara Falls, it was an impromptu plan. When we checked online, almost all the hotels were booked or were overpriced! So we decided to try out AirBnb for the first time and were pleasantly surprised.
If you don’t know what Airbnb is, it’s a network that enables people to give their homes on rent for a few days to people who are out on vacation.
Get $35 off your first Airbnb Trip {referral link}
Tip: Always interact with the owner before booking a place to know what you are getting into. We wanted a place all to ourselves, so we booked accordingly. But they also have options where the owner rents out just a room out of his entire home. Meaning, you won’t entirely have a private space to yourself.
But hey, if it works for you, that’s great! In my opinion, it is definitely cheaper than most hotels.
6. Check out what’s Free
Every destination has a few must-see attractions. While some of them are truly unavoidable, they can surely cost you a good amount of money. But you can always google things to do for free in the place you are traveling to and you will not be disappointed!
Every place has a lot of free attractions to see and oftentimes, they are the best!
Pro Tip: Use Travel Apps like GPS my City that helps travelers to save all of their favorite attractions and restaurants in one single place in your mobile and also offers guided city tours. (This app has a free as well as a paid version and it’s totally worth it!)
7. Take advantage of Public Transport
We traveled by bus to almost all locations on our trip to San Francisco and saved a lot! If a city you are visiting has a good public transport system, take advantage of it. You are better off getting a daily or weekly bus or train pass rather than spending all that money on a cab or rental car.
But if there are many people with you on your trip, traveling by public transport might not always be a good idea. In this case, you can actually save money by driving a rented car/ using a cab. The cost split up among everyone will often be less than the cost of each ticket that you shell out on public transport.
Do a little math before making a decision. Your wallet will thank you later.
So there you have it, these are some of my favorite ways to travel while still being on a budget!
How are some of the ways you save when you travel and are on a budget? I would love to hear your tips!
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Related | How To Travel Like a Pro with GPSmyCity App
This post is featured on Inspire Me Monday #131
anotherfoodieblogger
January 27, 2017Great tips, thanks!
smilingnotes
January 27, 2017Glad you liked them ?
Sara @ finditfixitorbuildit.com
January 28, 2017Always looking for ways to save money when we travel…it can get expensive with a family of 6! Thanks for sharing:)
smilingnotes
January 28, 2017Yes, it truly can get expensive, Sara. Glad you liked my post. Btw, I love your blog!! 🙂 xoxo
anroworld
January 28, 2017Wow, dear Shamira, amazing tips! You seem to develop well your blog, it does look so professional and goal-oriented! Impressive!
smilingnotes
January 28, 2017Oh Ana, you are always so supportive and kind. Thanks a lot for appreciating my blog 🙂 xoxo
anroworld
January 28, 2017Anytime, my Friend!
Sheryl
January 28, 2017Great tips! Thanks for sharing them.
smilingnotes
January 28, 2017Thanks a lot for your appreciation, Sheryl!
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lindsaleena
January 31, 2017Along the lines of the public transportation tip eating at the same spots locals do can be a fun adventure and is usually lots cheaper! You also meet local people that way (this probably applies less to places like Vegas haha, I’m thinking of Nairobi)
smilingnotes
January 31, 2017That’s an awesome point that you made and I agree with you 100%
We tried out a lot of local food on our trip to Malaysia and it was definitely cheaper as well as delicious!! ???
Alok Singhal
February 1, 2017You can take advantage of some of the good credit cards for Travel. I have liked Hilton Honors from American Express off late…got a few stays with Hampton’s because of that.
Rest is all well worth it!
smilingnotes
February 4, 2017That’s a good one, Alok! You made an excellent point!
mysideof50
February 4, 2017Great suggestions. We did a beautiful Airbnb when on a girls trip to Nashville. Hotels near all the attractions were so expensive and full. We had a gorgeous home with a pool in the suburbs. Each with our own room and bath. FANTASTIC!
smilingnotes
February 5, 2017Wow! That sounds amazing!! I’m sure you must have had a lot of fun staying there 🙂
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