If you’re about to embark on a journey, knowing how to save money while traveling might make all the difference you need – even more so if you’re traveling on a budget. There are many great ways to save some cash while traversing the globe and make your money last longer.
Since we’re not talking about a weekend break or a short trip, long-term travel requires some time, effort, and a decent dose of planning. Your main goal is to stick to a manageable budget. Let’s see what you can do to make smart moves that pay off long-term.
1. Eat Out Less by Cooking More
Restaurants and even street food can be expensive, depending on your destination. The first thing you should consider is to start cooking and eating out less. Just think of your previous trips and how your restaurant bills tend to add up very quickly.
While there are countries where you can eat for less than $10, most of the world is more expensive. One of the best ways to solve this is to do your own cooking. Find local stores, buy local ingredients in supermarkets and markets. Aside from saving money, you’ll learn to cook some easy dishes as well.
2. Travel Off-Season
During certain times of the year, some places become more expensive than they usually are. Avoid high season periods such as traveling during summer, New Year, Christmas, and spring breaks.
Avoiding these times of the year, you can find accommodation at discounted prices, much more affordable off-season deals, lower flight ticket prices, and more. Colder seasons are also an excellent way to enjoy fewer crowds.
3. Avoid International Roaming Charges
The chances are, you will want to stay connected while traveling abroad. Consuming data while roaming can get very expensive. When traveling, these roaming charges can run off with your wallet, coming up to bills reaching thousands of dollars. Thus, specialists typically recommend turning off data roaming whenever you embark on a new foreign adventure. How to stay connected then, you ask? Well, you can try travel-specific plans or purchase a local SIM card at your destination. Additionally, you can also go for Wi-Fi networks all the way, but this solution also has its problems. We will discuss them in the following section.
4. Remember to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi
Wherever you go, avoid using public Wi-Fi unless you absolutely have to. How so? Well, network managers tend to leave Wi-Fi hotspots relatively unsafe. For instance, all your traffic might be left unencrypted, meaning that others could spy on you. It is recommended to use Atlas VPN to ensure that your browsing is safe and private.
5. Choose Hostels Over Hotels
Hostels are always an excellent way to save some money while still enjoying classy accommodation. Hostels are typically much cheaper than hotels, but that’s not the only reason why you should consider choosing hostels over hotels.
Hostels make for quite a memorable experience as they are places where you can meet different people, make connections, and so much more. They provide a worthy cultural experience and a chance to learn a lot about other countries and cultures. Also, they are a budget-friendly and cost-effective way to travel for months.
6. Avoid Traveling to the Most Expensive Destinations
If your main goal is to save while traveling, it would be best to avoid the most expensive places to travel like Singapore. One day of travel in Singapore goes over $100 per day, even if you know how to save your cash.
Even convenience stores and street food meals are expensive there, not to mention taking a cab or riding the metro. Do your research on the trends and the price of travel before you buy a plane ticket.
7. Discover Things to Do for Free
You can find things to do for free whenever you go. When you arrive, the first thing you should do is going for a walk to see a city you’re in, its architecture, parks, and buildings. Aside from sightseeing, you can also find ways to explore the arts and enjoy nature. You can spend an entire day in such a manner without spending a dime.
The chances are that you’ll need to use the internet quite a lot to find your way around the city you’re visiting, and using a VPN is the best way to ensure your connection is safe. We also recommend that you consider getting a local SIM card as it can also help you save money while staying in touch with your friends and family.
8. Use public transport
Any country you visit is bound to offer public transportation options. Be it buses or trains, they are typically much more affordable than grabbing a taxi. In many cases, taxi drivers might overcharge you. Thus, it is not necessarily the best for frequent use.
Many countries are well-known for their convenient and fast public transportation. Take Seoul in South Korea for example. Visitors have emphasized the cleanliness of its subway system. In Tokyo, tourists have noticed a similar vibe. Its public rail system is one of the best in the world! However, you might still want to skip trains during rush hours. It is said that things might get crazy, and the depictions of full trains in Tokyo are very close to reality.
Additionally, whenever you are using public transportation, pay attention to the rules. For instance, in Japan, the trains are typically rather quiet. Thus, lower the volume on your headphones to not disturb other passengers. Of course, learning how to work around the schedules and maps might take some time. So, you might consider learning about public transportation options before reaching your destination.
Conclusion
These couple of tips are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the things you can do to save money while traveling. Use a credit card when possible to save on conversations. It’s also important to mention to do your research on the rules and laws in your destination to avoid paying hefty fines. Pack your bags, grab necessary documents, and don’t forget to have a great time.
