Do you want to travel but are worried about staying on a budget? Many of us want to see the world but do not always have the funds to do so. However, it is actually possible to travel without banking the bank – it just takes some planning. Follow my five tips to save during your next vacation and trust me; your wallet will thank you.
1. Cook at Home
While dining out is part of the travel experience, there is no need to eat out for every meal. Buying groceries from a local market, you will save a ton of money. Eating in also allows you to splurge when you do eat at a restaurant because you’ve saved money from other meals. When booking a room or hotel, don’t forget to see if there is a kitchen or cooking area. Paying a little more for kitchen space will actually help you save costs because you can eat in!
2. Use Apps to Find Food
When you do dine out, be sure to use apps to find the best place. Apps such as Yelp! and Foursquare can help you find the best local restaurants. There is also a “six-block rule” that recommends never eating within six blocks of a major tourist sight. Often these restaurants are overpriced and half as good. Walking further away from major destinations will help you find better and cheaper meals!
3. Buy Overnight Tickets
If you are traveling from place to place, an easy way to save money is by taking overnight trains or busses. You’ll get to where you need to go, and you also save money on a night’s worth of accommodations! While overnight trips are not always possible, it’s a smart way to save both time and money.
4. Look for Free Activities
Surprisingly if you do a little research, you can often find lots of free activities or discounted prices. Check out community calendars or local Facebook events to see what’s happening in town while you are there. Additionally, museums and other tourist attractions sometimes offer a “pay what you can” day once a week or provide discounted admissions during certain times of the day.
5. Use Apps to Communicate
Carriers such as AT&T and Verizon will charge you outrageous prices for making international calls and texts. You’ll save a lot of money by using free smartphone apps to communicate with friends and family. Apps such Skype and Google Hangouts will let you make most calls for a reduced rate, but most are free! Additionally, apps such as Viber of WhatsApp will let you send free messages over WiFi instead of paying per message.
Traveling and staying on a budget can be difficult but these five tips can help you save money. Traveling can be expensive, but with careful planning, you can bring down the cost.
Paul Deloughery is an law insurance dispute consultant and avid traveler. Check out his latest Travel blog or visit his Twitter!