Tips for Saving Money When You Travel to a Destination

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun on vacation. In fact, you can learn how to budget your money and enjoy the activities you want to do most. If you want to enjoy road trips now even without a big budget, you’ll want to learn about the following tips.

These tips work no matter where you decide to take a trip, whether it is a cheaper location or a luxury destination. When you put them into practice, you’ll have the ability to travel even more.

Lodging

Most people assume they will stay in a hotel when they travel, but those expenses really add up. Find free places to stay so you can save money for other aspects of the trip. One option is a hospitality exchange where people stay with locals who offer a bed or couch at no cost. The idea is that you will return the favor when someone visits your city.

Here are some other options for lodging:

• World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms – pairs you with farms that need workers for free board
• House-sitting – stay at someone’s home while they are on vacation; Mind My House is one site
• Hostels – cheap lodging where you may stay in a shared room for a low cost
• Serviced apartments – rent a room or bed for cheap; some sites for this include Wimdu and Housetrip

Food and Drink

Food and drink can be another major expense, especially if you limit your trips to tourist areas where prices are generally higher. However, it is possible to cut these costs with the following tips:

• Do your own cooking – spend as much for an entire week’s worth of meals as you would for one day in a restaurant. Guesthouses and shared apartments usually have kitchens, but you can even make sandwiches in a hotel.
• Choose the lunch special – many places allow you to choose the lunch special even at dinner.
• Carry a water bottle – buying a jug of water or using tap water in certain locations allows you to cut costs while staying hydrated.
• Look for local restaurants rather than those that cater to tourists. Prices are often cheaper and the food is even better.

Transportation

To save money, avoid taxis, trains and other major transportation when you are in a city. Instead, use local buses and trains. While it may be more difficult to figure out the tables and how to get where you want to go, you can usually find a helpful person to ask.

Find out about any tourist cards, which allow you to ride for a certain period of time as much as you want at one price. They are usually valid for a week or less, but they can save you a lot of money.

Entertainment

You want to have fun on your trip, but entertainment can get expensive. Look for free and low-cost activities to help fill your days. If you can’t find anything, ask local business people. You can also find out about the local museums. They usually have a time when they offer discounts or even free nights.

Try out one or all of these tips the next time you plan your vacation. See how much money you can save for other things or just to put towards the next trip.