How to Travel on a Budget
Many people who dream of traveling around the world are content to simply live vicariously through the journeys of others because they believe a world tour would be prohibitively expensive. Traveling does come with its own share of expenses- lodging, food, transport etc, but there is no reason why you cannot do all of these within your means and still visit your dream locations.
By planning and researching options through discussions with other travelers who have recently visited the place, you can get an accurate idea of how to find good deals there. Here are some more tips on budget travel you can use before you start on your journey.
Use the Internet to Make your Budget
The internet is a great resource when you need to gain an idea of costs and prices in any place on the globe. Use the many online travel guides and travel blogs to see what recent visitors to your dream locale have paid for accommodation, food and transport. Make a budget based on recent figures before you start finalizing your hotel, air or guided tour bookings.
Look for Package Deals
Package deals often let you sight see in an unfamiliar city with the greatest of ease with the added advantage of cost savings. Look for hotel plus sight seeing package deals. Compare prices of various package deal tour companies/ websites to see which ones offer the most attractive deals. But make sure that you get recommendations from friends who have used the site to book their trips. It is far better to opt for a slightly more expensive package deal offered by a reliable company than end up without proper accommodations by booking through a low priced unknown.
Avoid Carrying too Much Luggage
Do some research on climate, clothing and dress code before you start packing for your holiday. Also research medical facilities, hotels etc especially if you have a medical condition or will be taking a child along. A well populated town or city will have enough facilities to address emergencies needs be it clothes, medicines, accessories, food or essential everyday things. You can avoid carrying extra clothes, bulky medical equipment or instant food with you.
Although it is a good idea to be well prepared, overdoing it will only add to your travel costs. With excessive luggage, you may need a porter at every stage, end up paying for extra baggage and even need a bigger transport vehicle just to accommodate your luggage. In addition, having to lug around tons of weight can restrict your movements considerably leaving you with very little freedom to explore all the places that you wanted to see.