Frugal Travel Tips for Any Age
You want to enjoy your vacation rather than spend every waking moment worrying about the cost! Thankfully, there are a number of money saving tips you can use to ensure you’re relaxed and stress-free when it comes down to planning your trip. By adhering to the following guidelines, you can make the most of your money while still having enough left over to actually enjoy yourself.
First of all, don’t even think about leaving the house without planning your trip well in advance. By setting a budget beforehand, you know exactly how much you are able to spend and what you can cut back on so you won’t leave a huge dent in your wallet! Once you’re there, you can plan a detailed itinerary of things to do and places to go that fit well within the limitations of your budget.
If you’re flying to your destination, don’t automatically settle for the first airline you come across. You can check multiple airlines online to see who are advertising the best deals and book your flight for the cheapest price you find in your research. By providing flexible travel dates (i.e., flying on a weekday rather than a weekend) you can find deals that will save you a fair amount of money.
Possibly one of the most damaging things you can do to your wallet while on vacation is making frequent trips to the ATM. If at all possible, withdraw the money you’ll need before your trip and try to stay within that budget. Because pre-planning and budgeting are very important to do in order to save money, you’ll want to limit your trips to the ATM once you arrive or avoid them altogether.
Souvenir shopping can also take its toll, so look for souvenirs during sales, in discount stores, and other low-price retailers. You could also forgo buying souvenirs altogether by bringing back a personal memento of your vacation that doesn’t cost a dime. For example, if you’re traveling to a beach destination, you can bring back some of the sand in a bottle. You’ll save tons of money this way, and you actually have a nice souvenir to accompany your memories of the place.
Similar to researching the best prices for airline tickets, it’s also important to see which hotels offer the best rates where you’re headed. If you travel during an off-season, you can be sure to get excellent rates you wouldn’t be able to find during the summer months. That’s why it’s also important to remain flexible with your travel rates, because you can usually take advantage of lower hotel prices or promotional discounts.
Consequently, once you arrive at the hotel you may want to ask the receptionist about any special rates they may not have advertised. If you’re polite and courteous and will be staying there for several days, the hotel is usually more than happy to help you out by offering you a discounted rate for your patronage. This can easily shave a good amount of money off your vacation tab.
There are many ways you can travel cheaply without sacrificing fun. Regardless of where you are headed, you can travel frugally while still having the time of your life.
© Copyright 2007 Blindigo Magazine | Article written by Denise Shively
