Most people think that they need a lot of money to travel. It becomes such a fixation that they never really get to travel because they always think that the money they have is never enough. But this shouldn’t be the case. With the right and creative way of handling money you can actually stretch your travel money so you can take that trip you’ve always wanted and have fun. Here’s how to do it.
One of the best ways of extending the value of your travel money is by traveling during the off season. By going on a trip when tourists are not overrunning the place you can expect to see hotels and airfares cut prices by a significant amount. You can even expect discounts of more than 50 percent, which is very significant savings. Go online and research on the off season of the country you want to visit. Don’t be wary, off season doesn’t mean disagreeable weather.
One way of saving up on airfare is by booking your flight way early or waiting until the very last minute to get one. It may seem strange but it actually works. Booking early gets you a lot of discounts and so does getting seats at the very last minute. Travel agents will significantly slash their prices if they still have unsold seats on their tour package.
Doing your own research will yield significant surprises in the savings front. You can go to travel sites and online travel forums and ask for information about the country you plan to visit. The travelers who’ve been there will definitely have useful tips on the most affordable hotels and restaurants. They’ll even tell you if the hotels are worth the price in terms of sanitation and amenities or not. A lot of bargains and savings can be had from this tip alone.
Food can usually exert some strain on your travel money. You can solve that by staying in hotels that offer free breakfasts. A massive breakfast will power you through lunch. And when it’s time to eat lunch or dinner you can just buy some stuff in the grocery and eat it in your room. You can also try local restaurants, which are significantly cheaper compared to well-known internationally-franchised restaurants. You also get to taste the local cuisine, which is what travelers should do anyway.
Avoid using taxis as much as possible. Taxi fare is expensive. Use local mass transit instead. Use the subway or trains, which are very cheap and it will also give you an opportunity to mingle with the locals, which is always a good thing when traveling.
Read our other great money saving tips: how to save money on your vacation, and how to save money on travel agency rates.
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