Choose destinations with value for money.
Where to go for warmth is a wide choice. But take Sydney off your bucket list. It may be the climate in Australia, but the prices keep up with it. Same for Barbados. Check out Ecuador, Honduras, and Colombia. Yes, Columbia has seriously cleaned up its act. Now she just has to fix her image and she will be the new “Destination”. So now would be the time to go to Medellin. The weather all year round in Bogata is very cold. The daytime high hovers around 20C and may drop to five at night, so you won’t really be melting there.
Do you want a trip to Europe? While you may have always wanted to go to Paris, Prague or Budapest are in a similar league – but much cheaper. In fact, a rough calculation is that Eastern Europe is 25 to 50 percent cheaper than Western Europe. Not quite touristy.
Book tickets online to get the best deals.
Get your tickets early and try to avoid the high season when everything is very expensive. With online options, travel agents join kitchen maids as a career choice. So do your homework and save.
The other side suggestion is to make a last minute reservation if you don’t really care where you end up. Just make sure you have your passport, visa, and vaccinations lined up. Then hit “I don’t mind – inspire me!” button and see what pops up.
Find affordable housing.
Finding a place to lay your head at the end of the day has always been an expensive item. There have always been hostels, but they are aimed at backpackers and may not appreciate the party types feeding in the room next door at 2am B&B is another option, but existing hostels tend to be a little pricey.
So, Airb & b comes in, which is an economical option for staying at home. Other sites to check out are Homestays and Wimdu. With the increasing lack of time, ordinary people are renting out their spare bedrooms at affordable rates. On this site, you can review listings—complete with photos and details about the person who owns the home—and they come in a variety of formats, including least to most expensive.
Save a fortune on meals.
Homestays often provide breakfast, but it’s often little more than a piece of toast and a stick of butter and jam. Stock up on fruit, rolls, peanut butter, etc. and make a hearty start to your day. Buy cheese in the evening and it will be good in the morning. Get an immersion heater, buy a one-cup plunger pot and make your own coffee. Breakfast in will save you serious money. Then eat your big meal for lunch. Many of the restaurants – including some very popular ones with Michelin stars – offer daily specials and are good value. After eating hearty meals in the morning and afternoon, you are all set and can grab snack type food for dinner. Which is healthier for you.
Travel like a local.
Instead of relying on taxis – which can get expensive very quickly – study the bus and train system at your destination. Another good reason to do a homestay is that many of them offer airport pick-up at a reasonable rate. And your host can tell you how to get around town.