You definitely need to take a good rest and go on a long summer holiday these days, especially after the Corona crisis forced all of us to stay home, unable to go out, relax, and enjoy for almost four months. Scientific research recently proved that traveling helps improve your mental and emotional health. We're encouraging you to take a new trip to shake off your stress and negative energy and come back with a bright outlook on life. Here are 10 tips to help you travel at the lowest possible cost.
First: Set your priorities very clearly
You don't have to spend a lot of money on your trip if you set your priorities and needs clearly. For example, if the main thing is your tourist destination, you can loosen up a bit on transportation costs as long as it's safe and comfortable. If you care a lot about exploring the city for most of your trip, you don’t need to stay somewhere expensive. a simple hostel that’s safe and comfy for the few hours you rest is enough. And if you want to eat a certain dish for lunch at a restaurant in the city, you can prepare breakfast and dinner yourself and eat them at your hostel. Of course, we’re not telling you to miss out during your trip. but by setting your priorities, you'll save a lot of money and effort.
Second: Do good research for the cheapest flights
Don’t rush when choosing your travel dates or the airline you’ll fly with. You should do more research and check out different airlines to find cheap flights to your destination. There are many apps you can use while searching for low-cost flights like WhatBudgetAlso, you should understand well that even with different airlines, the services during the flight are quite similar. Despite the expensive business class perks, you're the best candidate for this money. You should book your flight a few months before your trip and try to book midweek to keep costs low. Book both departure and return tickets so you don't worry about how to get back if you run out of money during your trip. Also, make sure the plane lands at the airport of the city you want to visit and stay in, not another city, to avoid extra transport costs to your final destination.
Third: Look for free places to stay
If you want to travel abroad but haven't decided where, we suggest choosing cities where your relatives or friends live so you can stay with them for free, getting a couch or bed to sleep on. Besides free lodging, you'll also get plenty of helpful advice from them which will improve your trip a lot. If you don’t have relatives or friends abroad, you can pick your tourist spot and use apps for free stays like CouchSurfingto get a bed, couch, or even a floor spot for free.
Fourth: Let others rent your home
Yes, what you read is right. Just like you’re looking for free or affordable lodging where you plan to travel, there’s also a foreigner in your country or on their way there who wants affordable housing. So if you can rent out your home to people like that, don’t hesitate at all. With that money, you can easily travel abroad and fulfill one of your big dreams.
Fifth: Cook your own food during the trip
Of course, we don't mean you should skip the city's tourist spots, its lovely streets, and your special tours, or spend most of your time cooking. but what we mean here is instead of wasting money on all three main meals at restaurants, we suggest you eat light, homemade food at your accommodation for breakfast and dinner, and have a special lunch at a well-known restaurant in the country you visit. Even the most famous restaurants often offer meals at somewhat reasonable prices, so you can enjoy without overspending, same goes for tasty drinks.
Sixth: Be flexible and take advantage of hotel deals
If you dream of traveling, you need to be flexible from planning your trip until the end. you can give up your long-planned travel dates and accommodation to benefit from surprise hotel offers announced without prior notice. so if you are flexible and adventurous, follow these deals and grab the one that suits you.
Seventh: Travel outside the tourist season
If you dream of visiting a certain country without picking a specific city to stay in for the whole trip, choose one of its unique cities with cultural heritage that’s less famous globally than the capital, for example, because flights and travel costs will be much lower than you think, and you can then move to nearby cities via different local transport. If your destination is the capital or a major city, visit outside the tourist season to avoid high costs.
Eighth: Pack your luggage early
Don't wait until just before the trip to pack your bag and luggage. That way you won't stress out or forget important things, which might force you to buy stuff in the country you visit, and that will definitely cost you a lot and hurt the budget you set before your trip. Only buy souvenirs or things on your shopping list from that country.
Ninth: Use public transportation
You’ll probably want to mix with locals and get close to their culture and habits. You might want to walk around the streets and alleys without a certain destination. So we advise you to use public transport like trains, subways, buses, and others instead of planes or taxis. This way, you get to live the local vibe and save a lot of money.
Tenth: Get help from experienced people
It’s never a good idea to pick your next travel spot without checking with people who already know a lot about the city you want to visit. They’ve been there before, and they’re the best to help you learn everything about the trip, from flights to getting to your destination. Plus, they’ll share their good and bad experiences while staying and touring there. They'll also give you tips and ways to travel with the lowest cost possible.
