Tips & Tricks For Travelling On A Shoestring Budget

An estimation by Statista revealed the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide to have reached 1.32 billion in 2017. As people are travelling now more than before, people are becoming more conscious about saving and how much they spend during their travels—especially milennials. Apart from the obvious advantages of cutting costs, travelling on a budget actually helps pave way for many more trips in the future, making you a globetrotter like none other.

Here are some things to keep in mind while planning a budget trip:

When to visit
If you want benefits such as cheap flights and affordable accommodation, you should set off to explore locales in the off-season or go in the shoulder season. As an added incentive, you’ll avoid the crowds and enjoy your trip just as much—but with fewer pushes and shoves.

Booking flights

Always compare and track flight and accommodation costs. Also, you can set alerts on your top so that you don’t miss out on the best deals. You could save a great deal by makings your bookings in advance. (Although booking too far in advance also doesn’t help always.) You need to book at the right time when prices are lowest. Some travel sites track your searches and then offer you raised prices, so to avoid this you can use the incognito window.

Make your own itinerary

Instead of relying on travel agents or package tours, you should create your own itinerary. Book flights or hotels with best deals available by yourself. This will allow you to save money and you can easily avoid what doesn’t interest you.

Work smart
Working remotely for a few days while you’re on holiday can help you extend your trip and can cut down on the number of days you have to take off from work. This way, you can enjoy a new city, and keep your employer happy too.

Staying local
To reduce your accommodation expense, wander off from the traditional path of staying at hotels and try out alternatives like Airbnb, Couchsurfing and HomeAway. Such experiences allow you to savour the local culture in a more intimate manner as well.

A free lunch does exist
Research about the free activities you can avail like free walking tours, free concerts, free festivals, and free entry to museums. 

Walk the talk
The best way to pinch your pennies is to explore the city through public transport and to walk around as much as possible. Relying on trains and buses to reach your destination is another great way to keep overall expenses down, especially if you’re staying someplace for longer. 

Street Eats
Instead of only visiting fancy restaurants try out street foods, local markets or step into hole-in-the-wall restaurants. You might end up being pleasantly surprised. Also, carry light snacks and water with you beforehand to avoid extra costs.

Slow travel
Do not forget that travelling at a faster pace, i.e. many cities and locations in one trip, just piles up your expenses, so travel slowly. It’s not about how many places you see but what you experience.

While it is necessary to save money and travel in a budget, don’t forget to have fun and treat yourself by splurging a little here and there. Enjoy your next trip with these suggestions. 

The author is the CEO & co-founder of Trodly