Travel can be expensive. From flights and a hotel, to travel insurance and sightseeing, most people return from their vacations a lot lighter in the wallet. If you’re hoping to do some travel in 2014, here are some ways to save money while still having a great time:
Travel in the “off season”
Heading to a destination famous for snowboarding? Maybe check it out in Spring or Fall instead. Flights to Europe are also sure to cost a bomb in the high season which is now from June until around September, but you can definitely get much cheaper flights in the shoulder seasons, or over the winter months.
Avoid travelling in peak times, such as Christmas and school holidays if possible. This may mean that the kids have a bit of homework to do on vacation, but you’ll save plenty of money on flights and accommodation.
Book Packages
Often travel agencies can have access to cheaper hotels and flights, as they’re already together in a package. You can save hundreds of dollars, and will sometimes find that the package with the hotel included is the same price as the flight alone. Always ask your travel agent if they have any packages for your destination.
Search for Free Activities
You’d be surprised how many things you can see for free in some of the most-visited cities around the world. Websites like TripAdvisor and apps like Foursquare are excellent for this, and for advice from the locals try Travellr and Spotted By Locals.
Source: Flickr
Do your Research
Before you arrive at a destination, make sure you’ve done your homework, so you won’t be hit with any bills that you haven’t anticipated. Know the cost of a taxi from the airport, and compare it to a bus or train. Understand the currency, and read reviews from other travellers about your hotel.
Simply knowing what to expect will mean you can budget for all eventualities, and will ensure you can get the most bang for your buck.
Stay outside of the City
Accommodation will eat up a large chunk of your budget, especially if you decide to say in the centre of the city, or the most touristed areas. Simply choosing to say outside of the city, in one of the surrounding suburbs and near public transportation can save you a lot of money, and staying in these neighbourhoods is often a great way to meet the locals as well.
A good example of this is staying in Queens, New York, instead of Manhattan, where you can save more that 50% on hotel prices alone.
Take Travel Insurance
This may seem counter-intuitive if you’re trying to save money, but travel insurance is a must. Travel insurance will protect you in the case of lost and stolen belongings, missed flights, and most importantly-medical costs. If anything goes wrong overseas you’ll want to have a policy that will cover you for any medical bills.
