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When you are travelling, there are hundreds of ways for you to spend money mindlessly. Say there is an event that you didn’t previously know of before visiting the tourist booth. Maybe you decided you wanted to go paragliding over Hallstatt, but didn’t know it before arriving. Then there is that off chance that there was a pair of shoes you just had to have. Whatever the reason, it appears you are running out of money faster than you had predicted. Now you’re scrambling to find other things to cut to make up for that money. Don’t. Stop ruining good experiences or cutting them out completely just cause you’re running a bit low. Instead, here are 11 ways you can save money while you travel. This way you can splurge a bit in other areas.
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11. Purchase Alcohol from Grocery Stores instead of Bars
Unless you are in a country like The Czech Republic, where beer is cheaper than water, it may be a great idea to buy your liquor from the store. Chances are, the 5 dollars, euros, or whatever that you were going to spend on that pilsner or IPA at a bar or beer garden will go a LOT further at the local store. Beers for less than a dollar? One for everyone! Oh wait, I came alone. Shit. Well, more for me!
10. Get Connected with the Locals
This can help in a myriad of ways. Locals will normally know the place like the back of their hands. This will help when needing to know where to avoid or where to go. Both in terms of prices as well as safety. Just you wait until you learn about the different prices! A lot of places will have a price for tourists that is far higher than the price they give to locals. Not to mention, it is great to meet new friends wherever you go.
9. Sleep on the Bus, Train, or Plane When in Transit
Any traveller knows or quickly learns, that when it comes to travelling, one of your largest expenses is where you’re going to sleep. This can easily chunk away at your travel funds if you allow it to. Within this list, we have a couple of options to help with that. The first is sleeping on your method of transport. It does 3 things for you. First, if you use a bus or train overnight, tickets tend to be cheaper. Second, it makes it so you don’t have to pay an additional amount to sleep during your travel time (1+ nights, depending on how far you are going). Last, but certainly not least, by the time you wake up, chances are you will have arrived at your destination.
8. Use CouchSurfing, WWOOF, BlaBlaCar or some other type of sharing app.
CouchSurfing is a worldwide company that connects travellers with locals for a place to crash for a couple of days while they are in town. It is normal for the traveller to bring their host a gift of some kind, and quite often hosts will give their guests advice. This was free when I signed up back in 2008, but I am not sure how it is now with Covid. WWOOF is a place where you can offer up help with some chores around the farm (usually) in exchange for a place to sleep and food to eat. This however can cut into your journey, but it’s up to you. BlaBlaCar is a ride-sharing app. You type in where you’re going, and where you’re leaving from, and it will give you options with how much space and how much money they would like for the journey. These, as well as others, can save you money in both travel and/or a place to stay.
7. Volunteer in Hostels
In a lot of places all over the world, hostels will allow you to volunteer there for room and board. That can be anywhere from working a bit in reception, doing some cleaning/housekeeping, or working in the bar and/or “restaurant.” Doing this can allow you to connect with your coworkers and some of their local friends, or even with other travellers. All who know the area you are in, or going to, a hell of a lot better than you.
6. Buy Groceries instead of Always Eating out.
You may think this is a no-brainer. If you do, then you have probably never been to Southeast Asia, where every meal is dirt cheap. Yet it still adds up. Now you don’t have to cut eating out all the time, but if you cook about sixty to seventy percent of your meals, you just might be able to afford that “Luis Wutton” purse you just had to have. No judgment here, but that may be a knockoff. Might want to look into it. Just saying.
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5. Use Public Transportation, Rent a Bike, or Walk as much as possible
I know, I know, Uber is so convenient. The bus is icky. Your feet hurt. It happens to us all, but your wallet will thank you for it. There are a lot of places where the taxi drivers are just crooks, the public transport is unreliable and the only way to go is either walking or renting a bike. In others yet the public transport is so on point it doesn’t really make sense to use anything else. Any way you choose to go with this, your wallet will be weeping tears of joy.
4. Hostels instead of Hotels.
This. Just this. Man, there is so much I could say about it. In fact, I wrote a post called “7 Reasons to Choose Hostels Instead of Hotels”. As opposed to volunteering in them for free room and board, just staying in them is also an amazing option. Cheap places to sleep and many people to meet. What non-American individual would say no to that?
3. Adhere to the “6 Block Rule”
What is the 6-Block Rule, you ask? Basically, in a nutshell, it is “don’t do anything within 6 blocks of a major tourist attraction.” Eating, sleeping, or shopping of any kind. “But why? It’s sooo conveniently right there!” you whine begrudgingly. Well, the answer to that is simple. It’s convenient, so they will charge so much more. It is also a likely candidate to be able to find the Luis Wutton or Jerdan’s you’ve never really wanted within these areas. Just don’t do it.
2. Travel in the Off-Season
There is a normal tourist season for every place. Winters down south, summers up north, New York all year round. These times are bustling with tourists and prices are sky-high. They can charge what they want because some unlucky tourist will pay for it. However, if you visit Croatia in the fall or winter, Thailand just after the stormy season, or Canada in early fall/ late summer, chances are the prices will not be as steep. Both for tourist activities and your methods of transportation.
1. Travel in Places Your Country’s Currency Goes Further
I know that everyone and their dog wants to go to Europe. They want to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the majesty of the Colosseum in Rome, or the romance of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. While all those are beautiful places, maybe consider taking your extended holiday somewhere where your money is worth more, not less. Unless you’re from Switzerland, which if you are, welcome to my blog, and thanks for reading our English blog. If you’re from Switzerland, your money is worth more anywhere. Pshaw. That being said, If you are from North America, your money will go pretty far in most of Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America. Even some places in Eastern Europe, like the Czech Republic. That way, you have less to worry about when saving money.
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In Conclusion:
There are hundreds of ways to make your money go further. This list I compiled is what I have found to help the most in my personal travels. I split them into three main categories:
- Food and Drink
–11. Purchase Alcohol from Grocery Stores Instead of Bars
– 6. Buy Groceries Instead of Always Eating Out
– 3. Adhere to the “6 Block Rule”**
- Sleeping
– 9. Sleep on the Bus, Train, or Plane When in Transit
– 8. Use Couchsurfing, WWoof, Bla Bla car or other Types of Sharing Apps
– 4. Hostels Instead of Hotels
– 3. Adhere to the “6 Block Rule”**
- The Three T’s. Travel, Transit, and Tourism
– 10. Get Connected with the Locals
– 9. Sleep on the Bus, Train, or Plane When in Transit
– 5. Use Public Transportation, Rent a Bike, or Walk as much as possible.
– 3. Adhere to the “6 Block Rule”**
– 1. Travel in Places your Countries Currency goes further
As you can see, some of the points make it into multiple groupings. The most important to remember is #3. Adhere to the “6 block rule.” The only reason that it didn’t make it higher on the list is the other two above it can save you more money. If you choose to utilize them, that is.
Is there anything that you believe we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
