Travel is open but it might as well be still closed with how much a trip overseas is costing these days! Every dollar counts, so while you’re probably still going to plan a quick getaway trip, there may be a few useful tips you can use to save as much money as possible by cutting out unnecessary additional expenses.
Try these smart planning strategies while you’re planning to see the world:
1. Plan your travel budget
Unless you’ve just won the lottery (in which case you don’t need to read this article), you need to plan a travel budget before you actually start travelling. What’s a travel budget? Calculate how much money getting to your destination will cost, how much you’ll need to spend on food and accommodation, how much flash money you can still afford to have for shopping and other things, and whether you need medical or travel insurance.
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2. Plan shorter stays
The longer the trip, the more it’s going to cost. Planning a shorter trip might mean that you can’t fit in absolutely everything you want to see and do on your list, but hopefully the trade-off is that you will be able to afford another holiday sooner rather than later.
3. Travel during off-peak season
If you’re able to travel at any time, choose off season. Not only will getting there be cheaper, but the destination itself will also cost less. Plus, there should be less people there on vacation too at the same time.
4. Go off the beaten track
Go somewhere not so obvious. It’s quieter, cheaper, and less touristy. Popular places come at a premium because high demand equals high prices. Make your international travel affordable and equally enjoyable by travelling to a more obscure destination for a unique adventure that not many people can brag about.
5. Be flexible with your flights
The cost of a flight can vary a lot, depending on when and how you purchase it. Letting price determine the days on which you fly can be a huge budget-saver, so be as flexible with flights as your schedule allows. Flexible travel dates also give you the freedom to shop around for flights using the “Low Fare Calendar” search features that many airlines offer, which show the cheapest days to fly (mid-week and Saturday night travel can save money). Check out flight comparison websites to get a good deal too. If you do book through one of these sites, be sure to read the small print. Their change or cancellation policies might not be as flexible as you need and could cost you more than you save.
6. Fly strategically
Not many people enjoy flights that aren’t direct, where they are forced to change planes multiple times or have to spend hours in airports waiting for their next flight with ridiculous layover times. But such flights are often the lowest-priced flights, so make them work for you. Look for those flights with airline layovers in places that you are interested in seeing, and choose the ones that will give you at least five hours transit time to get out of the airport and explore the city. When shopping for flights, uncheck the “direct flights only” box, and you’ll be surprised just how much cheaper multi-leg flights can be compared to their direct counterparts. Tip: In some cases, it can also be cheaper to purchase separate, indirect flights to your destination so shop around before buying the first ticket you see.
7. Explore unusual accommodation options
Apart from typical accommodations like hotels, motels or AirBnBs, consider staying at a local monastery or trying out a farm stay for a different experience. Depending on where you travel, check out off-beat accommodation options that are usually both cost-effective and add to the uniqueness of your adventure abroad.
8. Take advantage of free attractions
Walking tours are a great way of seeing a city’s sights. Many cities offer free walking tours to local museums and places of interest, pub crawls and hiking trails, so you can save a ton of money walking around the city instead of paying for taxis.
9. Seek out bundles and packages
Social media is a great way to keep an eye out for packages and discounts on admissions fees and ticket prices to places and sites you were planning on visiting. Book tours, trips and experiences you want to do before you leave to take advantage of any pre-booking discounts.
Source: Yahoo Life
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