Nice, Rio de Janeiro, The French Riviera, Florence, Belize and Aruba, if these are the kind of places you want to visit, then you my friend have been bitten by the travel bug much like I have. If travel is your passion and money is a problem, don't let that bother you. All you need to do is travel on a budget. This doesn't mean you will be slumming or starving yourself just to see the wonder of a new place. It just means you will have to give up first class seats and five star hotel luxuries.
Here are some tips for traveling on a budget and exploring a new place.
Make planning your best friend. Plan out a daily budget for yourself. This is the best way to make your money stretch. Tell yourself that this is how much you will spend in a day including food, stay and travel.
If you don't have enough money to live in a hotel, then consider staying in a hostel. These are cheaper, you get a bed and a bathroom to use and that's more than enough. As it is, most travelers only use hotel rooms to bathe and sleep, you can do it cheaper in a hostel. And you get to meet people your age and make friends in a new country. Who knows maybe one of these could be your next tour guide. And if you really don't mind slumming then buy a tent and save yourself some bucks.
The best time to travel on a budget is off-season. This is the time when everything is cheaper. Hotel rooms are cheaper, airfares are cheaper and food is also cheaper.
Always check for discounts. Ask your travel agent to give you the best-discounted deal possible.
If you are traveling to a country like France where you need to travel a lot within the country itself, find out how you should travel. Taking internal flights is definitely expensive and so is renting a car. Consider traveling by bus or train. Not only do you save money, but you also get to see the beautiful landscape peacefully.
This may sound strange but don't book your hotel in advance. Avoid all-inclusive packages. These are rip offs. After you land in your destination look around for places, the local prices are much cheaper than when you book in advance from your country. You may even find a nice hostel and save money than booking into a hotel.
Always invest in travel insurance. In an unfortunate situation, if you fall ill or lose your luggage, your travel insurance will cover you and it will be cheaper than paying for the subsequent expenses in a foreign country.
If you are staying in a hotel, avoid room service. This is expensive because of all the taxes. Instead ask the locals to point out the cafés and restaurants serving local dishes. You save money and get to try out authentic cuisines.
