When we see other people’s Instagram posts hopping from one place to another, collecting memories and going on endless adventures, we may think we wish we could do the same if only we had the funds. Well, there are ways to travel while being on a budget. If you don’t mind roughing it out for a few nights and getting local then you don’t have to be envious of those Instagram posts anymore! There are many ways to collect passport stamps without spending a fortune. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning a trip.
Firstly, when planning your trip it’s best to be flexible. Sometimes I like to work backwards if you will… Instead of starting your plan by keeping a specific country in mind, then finding that the tickets are expensive, try doing it the other way round. Find the cheapest tickets and whatever country that happens to be, that’s where you go! When you search online you’ll find that the cheapest country to travel to will change from one month to another. The best way to plan is to pick the month you want to go and then choose from the list of the cheapest places to travel to within that month. For example, if you want to travel in August and the cheapest countries to go to are Malaysia and Indonesia. You then compare the prices of accommodation and activities and then pick the country that offers the best value for money in the month of August. This way, you still get to travel even if it’s not the countries at the top of your bucket list. An adventure is still an adventure regardless of whether it’s a far away country or one that is nearer, which brings me to the next tip.
When choosing places to travel to, try to keep it closer to where you are. As common sense would dictate, traveling to closer countries will be less expensive than let’s say traveling to a whole different continent. If you are using the Philippines as your HQ then the nearest and most of the time cheapest countries to travel to are the ones that are in the Southeast Asian community as well.
For the other aspects of your travel plan such as your flights, there are ways to cut down on cost. Aside from flying with a low cost carrier instead of a bigger airline, you may also opt to forgo the check in luggage. If you are doing quick trips that are not longer than a week, you can just take a carry on case with you. Sometimes, there are options to book cheaper tickets if you don’t have check in luggage. As long as you pack efficiently you should be able to just have a carry on case with everything you’ll need for your trip.
An adventure is still an adventure regardless of whether it’s a far away country or one that is nearer...
You can also cut down on costs when it comes to accommodation by staying local and making use of hostels and BnB type places. Stay away from those large hotel chains and choose something more local. You’ll have to do a little digging online when it comes to reading the reviews on local hotels and hostels but more often than not you’ll be able to find decent places with decent prices. There are a whole bunch of sites you can read through to find the best type of accommodation for you and of course one that doesn’t hurt your wallet.
When it comes to food, again, stay local. There is so much good food to be had at the local restaurants and even food stalls. It’s usually cheap and will fill you up. Not only that, but you’ll really get a feel for the true local cuisine. Some of these market stalls and such have been passed down from one generation to another which means you will be getting authentic dishes cooked with the best ingredients.
If you really want to make the most of your trip and want to see other cities in the country you are traveling to, there are budget friendly ways to go about it. You can skip a night of paying for accommodation if you travel during the night. For example if you want to go from one country to another and the flight is quite long, try taking a night flight. That way you can sleep on the plane and arrive refreshed and ready for a new day of adventure. If you want to go from one place to another within the same country, consider looking at overnight trains and buses. You can sleep on the way there and back which means you just saved two nights of sharing a hostel room or a tiny hotel room. Using this strategy will not only be kinder to your bank account, but it also allows you to broaden your horizons. You don’t have to be confined to the city you land in. You will be able to see other parts of the country if you are willing to sleep on a moving vehicle for a few hours.
As the saying goes “work smarter, not harder”, which is essentially what you need to do if you want to chase that wanderlust feeling. Traveling doesn’t have to cost a lot if you plan properly and strategize well. For as long as you are flexible and aren’t that fussed about the hotel robes and business class seats, you’ll be surprised at how far your budget will take you!
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