Buzz
Everyone enjoys leisurely days, exploring beautiful destinations for relaxation and sightseeing.
18 Money-Saving Tips for Traveling
However, when it comes to traveling, it often means spending money. How can you save even during long journeys?
1. Plan Your Trip
Before your trip, plan meticulously and thoroughly. You can utilize top travel websites with search tools to find the most convenient and affordable means of transportation to your desired destination by any means such as plane, bus, train, car, ferry, etc.
2. Travel During Off-Peak Seasons
This is the golden rule if you want to save money on your trip. Typically, peak seasons to avoid are summer and winter. Prices tend to skyrocket, from food and accommodation to transportation. Also, consider whether your destination will be crowded during that time.
3. Visit Fewer Destinations
Many people have a habit of listing numerous places they want to visit, then strive to tick them off as a way to mark achievements, 'check-in' extensively on social media. However, this approach will drain your budget on transportation tickets. You'll only stay briefly in each place and won't fully experience its culture and lifestyle.
4. Travel in Groups
You can travel with friends or family to share expenses. While many prefer solo travel for freedom and comfort, if saving money is the goal, it's best to find a few friends willing to travel with you. This method can save you about 50% of the expenses.
In addition, don't forget to book cheap flights through various flight search websites from all airlines worldwide. Many surveys indicate that cheap flights are usually available between Tuesday noon and Wednesday.
Most airlines release cheap fares on this day. Some airlines increase prices on Fridays, and if there are no competitors with higher prices, they start reducing fares on Monday or Tuesday.
8. Exclusive Credit Card
If you use a credit card, you also have the chance to earn free flights. Visit the bank to inquire about travel-specific credit cards. The more you use, the easier it is to accumulate points. When the points reach a certain level, you can redeem them for free flights.
9. Affordable Accommodation
You can absolutely use some tricks to find affordable accommodations. For example, contact friends or relatives in the place you're heading to ask them to recommend a good place or let you stay at their place.
Depending on your relationship with these individuals, you may or may not have to pay a fee. Out of courtesy, you might still have to spend some money, but certainly not as much as staying in a hotel. Furthermore, by staying with acquaintances, you can take advantage of their introductions or even visit famous landmarks with them.
Additionally, there are other options such as couchsurfing (a service where hosts allow a friend or stranger to stay for free), house sitting (homeowners entrust their entire house to someone and consider them as house sitters), home exchange (you swap homes with a stranger from any country in the world. You'll live in their house while they live in yours for a specific period of time), volunteering for a particular organization where they provide you with free accommodation and/or food in return.
10. Useful Information
Continuously update information from travel bloggers or famous travel websites to receive valuable advice.
11. Luggage Weight
You should also determine your luggage weight before the trip to avoid having to pay any additional fees at the airport.
12. Side Jobs
During your travels, you can still pick up some side gigs to cover your expenses, such as teaching English or being an au pair - a form of international cultural exchange where young people go abroad and live with a native family for a period ranging from six months to a year without any living expenses.
13. Travel Blogging
If you enjoy writing, you can start a travel blog to share your journeys and travel experiences. Many travel companies and brands will sponsor your trips. In return, you'll have to allow them to advertise or write promotional content about their services. However, building an engaging travel blog to attract these companies will require a significant amount of time and effort.
14. Walk
During your trip, take every opportunity to walk as much as possible. This is not only beneficial for your health but also helps you save money. Typically, individual fares for public transportation may seem small at first, but if you take multiple trips, it can add up to a considerable amount. Only resort to this method if the destination is too far. Avoid taxis as much as possible due to high prices. Moreover, walking can lead you to places or sights that are rarely displayed on maps or cannot be seen when using public transportation.
15. Currency Exchange
Avoid exchanging currency at the airport as the rates here are usually very low. Instead, withdraw from local ATMs using your card.
16. Cooking
You can also save money on food by living like a local (eating street food or at local restaurants instead of tourist spots), buying cooking ingredients at the market...
17. Interact with Locals
Chatting with locals as much as possible. You may learn about free events to attend such as festivals, concerts... or some tips to avoid scams or paying excessively high prices.
18. Free Communication
Don't forget to use free apps to connect like Facebook Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp, or Viber instead of spending money on traditional services. If roaming fees are too high or you're in areas with limited public wifi, you can use a wifi hotspot device and buy a sim card for it.
Source: Binh Minh/Tuoi tre
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Reference: Travel Handbook Mytour
MytourMarch 20, 2018
