If you are someone who is plagued by wanderlust, you will know how hard it is to resist just packing up your bags and leaving for the mountains at any given moment. However, that is not always an option because of different reasons. Maybe it’s because you have important work left at the office or maybe you need to take care of the children.
The major reason many of us cannot travel as much as we would like to is the financial aspect. While travelling is a raw emotion for many of us, unfortunately, the world doesn’t think emotion is enough. This is why any dream trip of ours often threatens to burn a very deep hole into our pockets while simultaneously cancelling out any possibility of going anywhere in the near future.
But what if we told you that it doesn’t always need to be that way? What if you could take at least three or four major trips every year without worrying about your pocket? Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Here is a list of tips and tricks that, if followed diligently, will cut down the cost of travelling by a lot, making sure you have enough money left to go on many such fulfilling trips:
1. Search for cheaper flights:
Researching and opting for cheap flights sounds like the obvious thing, yes, but remembering certain things while booking your flights can bring down the cost even more. First, plan well in advance. The price of flights goes higher the closer the date of travel is. If you book your flight a month or two ago, you can decrease the amount of money you spend on flight tickets almost by half. Of course, trips are not always planned so booking a month in advance is not always possible. Just remember to not leave the flight booking till the last minute to bring down the cost of travel. Second, remember to save your air miles for short-notice trips. Use your air miles frugally and wisely.
2. Pack your food:
Two words: Instant, Food. Be it noodles, be it any meal that can just be popped into the microwave for some nice hot meal. Carrying instant and dry food can save you a lot more money than you can possibly imagine. Obviously, we are not asking you to always stick to microwavable meals. Instead also find out the places that locals frequent. Eateries targeted at tourists cost way more than the places locals frequent. So, research well so you can not only eat better but also save money.
3. Be smart while shopping:
You will obviously want to buy some souvenirs from the places you visit. So, our advice is to use the same trick as you did with food. Follow the locals. Try not to shop at stores that are aimed towards tourists. If you are staying longer, interacting with the locals will lead you to places where you will find authentic local goodies for very cheap prices.
4. Pack according to your needs:
We cannot stress this enough but researching a place is the most important part of planning. Research the weather so you can pack accordingly or you will have to end up buying weather-appropriate clothing when you reach. Make a list and tick off every necessity as you put them in your bag. You will be surprised how much packing well can actually help in saving your hard-earned money.
So, that’s it. If you do your research, budget yourself and plan well, you can actually save a lot of money while having the time of your life. And if you are caught in any kind of money related dilemma, there is always one answer: follow the locals. Remember that and you are good to go.
