For many travelers, a vacation far from home can bust the budget. But if you’re longing to get away, there are lots of tips and tricks to help you travel in style on the cheap. A few suggestions from consumer advocates and experienced travelers include:
- Plan Ahead – If you have a destination in mind, travel in low season. You may not have perfect weather, but the costs will be lower and you will not be rubbing elbows with seasonal crowds. A little research into your preferred region will help you find the best time to visit.
- Stay With the Locals – Skip the hotel and choose an Airbnb in a neighborhood where the locals live. You’ll have a kitchen, to help keep food costs down, and a far more authentic experience, and count on the locals to help steer you to the best and cheapest local eateries and entertainments.
- Make Lunch Your Big Neal – Prices are lower and the selections are great at lunch hour in most cities. Eating lunch out instead of dinner can save you big bucks.
- Skip the Small Stuff – We all tend to spend more than we should when we travel on things like soft drinks, coffee, snacks and souvenirs. Rinse your clothes in the sink. Take the bus instead of a taxi. The little things add up over time.
- Visit Free Attractions – Every city in the world has them. Zoos. Art galleries. Museums and monuments. Do some reading before you travel, which will also help you determine when admission fees are lowest in other places you want to see.
- Housesit – Singles or couples can travel from sit to sit—often for two weeks to a month at a time—in private homes all over the world and never pay for accommodations. Check out books like, “Break Free: The Ultimate Guide to Housesitting and learn how to get started.
- Try Camping – If you’re young and fit, and accustomed to camping, it’s a great adventure in places as far away as the Nile River or the Zanzibar beaches. At an average cost of less than $5 per night, you’ll have more money for adventure.
