Thrifty Travellers – 6 Secrets to Travelling on a Budget
When money is tight, you may think you’ll never be able to go away on holiday. That feeling can be even more discouraging when you see the credit card bills of friends and family who trotted the globe before you. In reality, there are ways to travel with a shoestring budget – but you have to be smart with how you go about it. These travel secrets might help.
Be Smart with Money
Saving up for a holiday can take years, but sometimes your sanity levels mean you need to leave now rather than in a year or two’s time. Rather than use your credit card to pay for everything, look at other options such as fast cash loans. You can find reasonable interest rates and repayment terms to suit all budgets.
Travel at Off-Peak Times
Most people go to tropical islands and Europe when the sun is shining, but the demand can drive up the costs. The best way to travel when you have limited funds is by ensuring you go to new countries outside the peak season. You still get to enjoy the fabulous atmosphere – but you also get fewer crowds. You merely need to be able to put up with the odd day of undesirable weather.
Scour the Internet for Deals
Before you visit your local travel agent, find out what deals are available online. While you won’t be able to trust everything you see, you will be able to get a better gauge of what’s available and whether a travel agent offers any additional value. There are bound to be deals everywhere you look. What’s more, if you can leave at a moment’s notice, there are always those last-minute flight deals that are hundreds of dollars cheaper than regular tickets.
Currency Counts
If you want to ensure you get the best bang for your buck on holiday, and the destination is less important than the time away, then choose a country where your currency is valuable. For example, if you live in the United States, look for countries with currencies that offer more of their money for less of yours. An excellent example is New Zealand. In 2019, NZD $1 fluctuated between $1.40 and $1.50 USD.
Be Flexible
If you are fortunate enough to work in a job that you can put on hold at a moment’s notice, then traveling on a budget will be easier for you than anyone else. If you can be flexible with your flights – leaving one day earlier or later and returning a few days earlier or later – then you can save hundreds of dollars.
Light on Luggage
Checking in luggage can be a significant cost – always running the risk of incurring overweight fees and tacking quite a lot of money onto the price of an airline ticket. You can avoid all the hassle of lost bags, expensive tickets, and overweight charges by taking carry-on luggage only. If you need to, research laundromats in proximity to where you are staying for peace of mind. Wear as many items of clothing as you can on the way back (while still being comfortable) and save bag space for shopping.
Even if your income is not as impressive as it could be, you can still travel in style. All it takes is a bit of thriftiness, smart thinking with loans, and time researching the best deal. You will then be able to travel with change to spare!
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