The biggest misconception about traveling often is that it’s a hobby only explored by people with lots of money. I’ve got some tips for you to go away on a budget.
1. Take advantage of air miles and travel points
If you love traveling that much and you don’t have the finances to back it up, you need to start taking advantage of points and miles for free flights and accommodation. For example, you could get an American Express credit card. Redeeming 50,000 points is worth $500 in several instances.
2. Travel in the shoulder seasons
If you’re going to be travelling on a budget, it’s really important to pay attention to the different periods of a calendar year when travel prices are hiked. I always recommend traveling just before or after the best times suited for whatever destinations. Hotels and airlines lower prices during these periods to attract potential customers.
3. Have a destination matching your budget cost
Before packing your bags, you should know approximately how much every aspect of your holiday would cost. People tend to budget for the most expensive items such as flights and accommodation, when in reality, the most ignored parts of your trip like the cost of food are equally important.
4. Consider cheap accommodation
One option to consider when travelling on a budget is sacrificing comfort. Cheap accommodation options for solo travellers could range from Au pairs to hostels. There’s so much to benefit from these options, especially for young travellers. Hostels are easier environments to get immersed in a new culture and possibly learn a new language.
5. Avoid foreign transaction fees
One of the biggest mistakes travellers make is using their bank cards in foreign countries without paying attention to their fees being charged. Some credit cards charge as much as 3% for every transaction as well as a standard fee for ATM withdrawals. The best options to consider when avoiding foreign transaction fees are foreign-transaction-fee-less debit cards. You can also get travel reward credit cards that charge zero transaction fees.