With people tightening their belts ad pinching pennies because of gas and oil prices nowadays, traveling seems like something that most people can no longer afford. However, if you pick your destinations with care and take full advantage of the following tips, you will definitely succeed at making your next budget travel a stress-free one. Read on.
1. Take overnight buses and trains.
This tip will kill two birds with one stone and save you both money and time. By choosing to travel on an overnight bus or train, you can save on a night of accommodation and cover a considerable distance, as well.
The good news is that overnight trains are usually quite comfortable for a night’s accommodation. Plus, if you find yourself in a beautiful country, you could wake up to a great sunrise that will make it into your most cherished memories of traveling. Europe’s overnight trains can be quite expensive, though, so make sure you check out the prices first.
2. Choose hotels that come with extras.
Several hotels will give you a bed to sleep in, while others will throw in a complimentary breakfast and dinner, as well as Internet, airport pickup, coffee and tea, and walking tours. Smaller hotels will generally be more eager to please, though, since they thrive on word-of-mouth recommendations and referrals.
3. Take day trips.
If you do enough research, you will find some great day trips that will definitely be worth your time and money , most of all if you will be paying in the location’s local currency. Also, several places simply cannot be visited alone or would be too much of a hassle to even be visited altogether.
However, since a lot of day trips come with entrance fees, lunch and transportation, it would be smart to do the calculations beforehand and find out whether they really are good deals or not first.
4. Book locally or look online.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you should book with big and famous online bookers. Instead, look for local, smaller agents who can recommend reputable hotels in the vicinity that will fit your needs as a traveler. Bigger booking sites will usually only list overbooked hotels – remember that – so make sure you look for a smaller yet reputable booking site instead.
5. Get some help when you need it.
A lot of individuals that are on a budget travel tend to be reluctant when it comes to getting professional help. However, having an agent by your side will actually save you a lot of money and time. After all, agents know about the best under-visited places out there and they will know which hotels are new and which ones offer specials. In general, agents won’t make any commissions from you, either, so you are sure to reap a lot of benefits in the end.