April 5, 2012

How to Save Money When You Travel

We all know the feeling of saving up for months before taking off on your travels or even just scrimping and saving before your holidays. We have asked and blogged about many tips and techniques on how to save money so you can enjoy a future trip without worrying about your financial state. However, for some the money saving continues on the trip as travellers who want to see the world will do so despite any financial restraints.

So, that got us thinking, what is the best way of saving money when travelling? How can you see all you want to see on your trip without sacrifices because of limitations on your wallet? Here are a few suggestions as to what you could do to take out your wallet less and help you save money while travelling.

 

Take advantage of student status

If you happen to be a student when you are travelling then make sure you get an International Student ID Card (ISIC). This comes in very useful when it comes to sightseeing all over the world as most attractions will offer discounts for those with a valid student card. Also, this student card can offer discounts in stores and restaurants, the key here is to always ask! Having a student card is a great way to save money on your travels.

Do your research on public transport

If you plan on using public transport in any city make sure you look into the travel cards and their prices. Most subway and bus systems offer various means of payment from single ticket options to multi-trip cards to tickets for certain timeframes. Single tickets can often be the more expensive option, so think about how long you will be in the city and how much you plan on using the public transport before you buy your transport tickets.

Haggle

Now you can’t really get away with doing this in department stores but if you are shopping in open air markets then make sure to try out your haggling skills. In fact, in a lot of cultures it is automatically expected that you haggle down on the original prices – they set them high so you can get bargaining! Put your haggling skills to good use and it could save you money on a lot of purchases.

Dorm up

Whether you’re travelling alone or with some people, one of the cheapest options for accommodation is dorm rooms in hostels. It is hard to beat the bargains you can get from booking a bed in a shared dorm. It can be a little daunting if you are on your own and doing this for the first time, but there are great options to choose from in many hostels such as female/ male only dorms and smaller dorm rooms. Also, if you are travelling on your own they are a tried and tested means of meeting new people as well as saving money!

Ask the locals

In many of the tourist heavy cities such as Rome and Paris you can find it hard not to go to the tourist traps as they are convenient and accessible. However, these places are normally a lot more expensive and are not good value for money. If you want to properly experience local cuisine or nightlife away from the tourist areas there is a really simple way of finding out where to get it – ask the locals. Whether it’s the locals working at your hostel or a friendly shop assistant or tour guide you have met that day, ask them where they would eat out or what area offers best value for money and entertainment. You will find that these suggestions will often be the best places you eat and drink at on your trip, and save you money too.

Free days

Some cities are great for sightseeing as their museums and galleries can be free all year around. However, when you are visiting places that don’t have this luxury, make sure you check out the admission fees and times before you go as a lot of them are required to have some free entry hours. This little bit of research can save you some money and it’s a great tip to remember if you plan on visiting a good few museums or galleries.

So there are our tried and tested tips for saving money while you travel. Even if you have some savings and money to spend on your travels you should keep these money saving tips in mind so you can spend your hard earned cash on other nice things. And if you have any other money saving while travelling tips, leave them in a comment below!

By: Tracy Lynch

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