We all love to travel and it’s not hard to see why. You are met with a flurry of wanderlust-inspired images across different social media platforms. But traveling around the world is not cheap and you may find many travelers racking up some debt as they finance their travels to exotic locations.
But it is possible to travel to your desired location without spending a fortune. We have come up with some handy tips to saving money on a holiday trip.
1.Planning is the Bedrock
You cannot just book a holiday on your whims. This is not only flawed approach but can be a big financial risk. When it comes to flying to popular destinations, planning ahead saves you in many ways.
Start with the flights to your holiday destination. The first tip is to start searching for the flights at least three to four months before your trip. Compare the traveling costs between the peak and off-seasons. In some parts of the year, the flights are cheaper while the weather is still pleasant to explore. The crowd and cost of living are also significantly lower than the peak season.
You can also consult some online services for flight price comparison. Skyscanner, FareCompare, and Cheap Flights are some websites where you can get the best rates on air tickets.
Secondly, look for the regional airlines like Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, and Air Arabia. These airlines often announce discounts and package deals. You can sign up for the newsletters to stay updated with any special announcements that could save you a good amount of money. Some announcements expire as early as within 48 hours, so it pays to act fast.
During the busy season such as school holidays, it is better not to fly out and return on weekends as the ticket fares are higher than the usual on the weekends.
Planning in advance not only helps you save a good sum but also helps you to make the most of your trip.
2. Accommodation costs
Accommodation is a major expense during our travel. But it is interesting to see how hospitality business landscape has transformed over the years. Various lodging options have emerged over the years to rival international hotel chains.
Travel have now a variety of unique offerings ranging from locally-owned guest houses and boutique hotels. You have various online options for a budget stay like Airbnb apartments and private room hotels.
Many cities offer interesting accommodations that offer a certain kind of appeal. There are family run vintage guesthouses and art-themed hotels that are not only different from usual hotel chains but also make your stay an exciting part of the trip.
Most of the Airbnb homes are located in residential areas. This provides the traveler with an opportunity to experience to get a feel for local life. Some of these places are luxurious and a good value for money. Although Airbnb and other such options do not offer room service, still they are worth it.
If you do not like the idea of staying in someone’s home, you can compare hotel prices online and look for any discounts.
3. Get the best of Local Experiences
Experiencing local cuisine is an exciting part of overall travel experience when you are venturing into an unknown territory. But dining out can be expensive at times especially when youdon’t know where to go.
Be smart about choosing the right place to eat. Instead of eating at a touristy spot on the main street, go to a side alley are observe what locals are eating. Most of the times, these places have good food at fair prices.
Do some research before going out. Check some local blogs and reviews to find out about the cheap outlets. You can also ask your accommodation host or local staff for recommended food spots.
When you are going on a tour, then apart from the tour cost, the group size matters a lot. A smaller group means greater bonding, chance to meet people, to explore at a relaxed pace and to experience more.
It is also helpful if you check out tours based around niche interests like food, art, architecture, history etc. There are sometimes cheaper and often more interesting than usual tours.
You can also skip the group tours altogether and come up with your own itinerary. This will give you more freedom to see the things the way you want to. It gives a unique experience than the shared one.
To have a better experience, we prefer to have your own ride. You can rent or purchase a ride if you plan to stay longer especially when you are in places like UAE or Dubai. It will give you the flexibility to move. You will save a lot on intra-city travels. You can sell any car in Dubai later or cash your car in UAE. This works out cheaper and you will have your equity saved.
To have a more local experience, travel and eat the way the locals do. By doing so you will not only save some money but also get the chance to connect with local places and delicacies.
Some more money-saving tips
Get a Travel Card: These are especially helpful when you want to save on excessive exchange rates often charged by the exchange houses. Travel cards come with a variety of foreign currencies and banks like Emirates NDB or some exchange rates centers also offer these cards.
Travel insurance is a must:Travel insurance is not a cost. It is,infact, the only thing that saves you when you miss your flight, lose your luggage or any other travel mishaps.
Keep your luggage minimum:No matter how long your trip is, just try to keep only enough outfits that can last for a week or ten days. It is better to do the laundry yourself than to pay excess baggage fees.
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