Budget Travel: A Few Tips to Traveling the World Without Breaking the Bank

Whether you’re new to traveling, or a seasoned veteran, anyone is interested in saving money while visiting a new location. 

Travel is expensive, and with the high volume of tourist traps that are designed to take your hard-earned cash at every turn, you’ll want to be aware of ways that you can save no matter where you travel. 

Even traveling around the United States can put a serious dent in the bank account. This is why it’s beneficial to learn how to travel on a budget. You’d be surprised at how much you’re able to save just by learning a few tricks and doing some preliminary research.

No matter where you travel, you’ll notice that there are a few universal ways to save money. You, of course, can plan your trip way ahead and give yourself over a year to work and save specifically for your trip, but “budget traveling” is a growing trend as most Americans would rather save where they normally would spend. 

Plus, if you’re like most people, when you’re ready for a trip, you’re ready to go as soon as you possibly can, and waiting over a year to go is least ideal. Maxing out your credit card is probably not a good idea, but you if you need to you can take out a bad credit vacation loan.

Here, we’ll discuss a few ways you can save money while traveling, and these are tips you can take with you no matter what part of the world you’re in. 

Getting Around

You might think that transportation is necessary when traveling, and you’d be half-right, depending on where you’re visiting, of course. 

Many places have public transit available, but in some places, all you need is a bike or the shoes on your feet. There’s really no need to break the bank when traveling, especially if you don’t have to.

One of the best ways to save money on transportation costs is to not use it. This sounds like a no-brainer, of course, but you’d be surprised at the fact that you really can go without transportation in most places. 

In addition, instead of paying for costly cab fare, consider using a rideshare service when in a new place. All you have to do is download an app and order a ride to take you wherever you want to go. These services are generally cheaper than taking a cab, and it definitely beats riding the bus.

Shop and Eat Local

Places overseas are notorious for catering to Americans with the types of products and cuisines that we’re used to. And while it’s nice to see the comforts of home sometimes, especially when you’re far from anything familiar, these places tend to be the most costly.

If you’re interested in saving money while traveling, and you want to really experience the culture of an area, seek out where the locals eat and shop. These venues will be far cheaper than the restaurants and shops that cater to tourists. 

For example, you can find a Mcdonald’s in just about every civilized country across the globe. But when you’re away from home, why go to the same place that you could when you’re driving home from work? So skip McDonald’s and have breakfast in Queenstown local cafes to make the most of your travel experience.

Make your experience one to remember, and experience life as the locals do. In doing so, you’re sure to expand your cultural knowledge and make some good memories in the process.

Study Prices Carefully 

When engaging in overseas travel, it’s easy to get lost in the details when it comes to currency exchange rates, tariffs, and duty tax. In addition, if you’re traveling overseas, you’ll want to know the value of the currency you’re exchanging, as this can be confusing in some areas.

Staying at resorts can also result in your falling into price traps as well. For example, you just finally checked into your room and it’s been a long day, but you look to your right and see the “complimentary” mini-bar. Well, though that midday cocktail does seem inviting, be sure you check the price for using it.

Some hotels charge twice the amount for a small travel bottle of liquor or wine, and if you leave the mini-bar bear, this may also result in an empty wallet. 

It’s also good to take note of some laundry service prices at hotels and resorts. Many of these services charge by the item, and you could end up paying more than 10 dollars just for washing a pair of socks. And the price adds up, so just imagine paying 500 dollars for washing a full load of laundry. 

Many people believe that traveling the world is an expensive endeavor, but there are plenty of ways to see the world without breaking the bank. One way to save money is to take advantage of the best vacation loans. These loans are designed specifically for travel expenses, and they often come with low-interest rates and flexible repayment terms. 

All in all, there are many ways to save money while traveling. And you can find interesting ways to cut costs just by doing a bit of research prior to traveling.