by Russell Hughes
This is the pandemic’s world, we’re just living in it. But there is good news because the end is in sight for many of us.
Vaccine roll-outs and the re-opening of society have got those of us with itchy feet twitching to be out on the road again. Even the thought of an airport queue, something that normally sends a shiver down the spine of every traveller, suddenly doesn’t seem so bad.
However, this is still a pandemic world. Household budgets have been slashed, which means creativity is important. A whole generation of people is going to have to learn how to travel on a budget.
This is why we’ve come up with these tips on how to have an unforgettable travel experience for less than you think.
Concentrate on Your Budget
We all want to have the dream holiday experience, but sometimes reality is a crueller mistress than we’d like and we have to settle for something a little bit less… once in a lifetime. So pick your dates, and then search for the cheapest destination first and build your experience around that.
SkyScanner is great for that. You can plug in your dates and create an open search that brings up the cheapest destinations first, which’ll do wonders for your budget.
Take Advantage of the Conversion Rate
If you can land a cheap flight to a country that has a favourable exchange rate, well you, my friend, have hit the jackpot. American tourists are often at an advantage because the dollar is a strong currency, and you can get way more bang for your buck than toursits from places like South Africa or Isreal.
This does take a little bit of research, but travelling on a budget often does.
Hostels are the Way Forward
Accomodation can take up a lot of your budget, but there’s no reason it has to. The key is to not be afraid of the budget places, like youth hostels. A lot of these places cater to everyone, not just the younger crowd, as long as you don’t mind sharing some facilities.
Larger groups can book out whole rooms, while there can still be some cheap deals to be found on private rooms or dorms that hold just a few folk.
Websites like HostelWorld offer a really good comparison service, which’ll help the budget traveller to find the best deals around. Programs like WWOFF even lets travelers live for free, often on a farm, in exchange for some work.
Plan Your Meals
As you may have figured one of the themes of this article is planning ahead and this extends to meal choices as well. Eating out is always one the highlights of any trip, as you get to sample the delights of a different culture.
That means you’ll need to chose which meal to skimp on, and which to go big on. Want a luxurious dinner? Then plan ahead and buy your own breakfast and lunch. Maybe a supermarket run on your first day could sort you out with some lower cost options to keep you full throughout the day before your glorious meal at the end of the day.
We hope these suggestions are helpful when you plan your next vacation. Are there any tips and tricks you’d like to share?
