Collaborative Post
Being short of money can force you to put your travel plans on the backburner. Whatever you had planned, it’ll have to wait, you tell yourself.
But do you really need a lavish budget to travel? No, actually. It turns out that there is a whole group of people out there who specialise in getting around the planet on as little money as possible. And they’re here to share some of their wisdom with you.
Here’s what they do.
If you’ve been using your credit card for any length of time, you’ve probably built up a healthy number of air miles. In some cases, you might have thousands of miles saved - easily enough to fly you and your family to your destination of choice. But even if you haven’t, you can often save a substantial sum of money off your bill. So much, in fact, that it is the same as taking a short-haul flight.
Travel Off Peak
If air miles aren’t an option, you can also try travelling off-peak. Airports tend to be much quieter at midnight on weekdays than during the days at weekends because fewer people want to travel. In response, operators lower their fares and ticket prices tend to be a fraction of what they would be usually.
Hotels and restaurants are the same. They usually ramp up prices in the summer to discourage too many people from booking rooms. But in the off-season, nobody wants to travel and that forces them to lower their prices substantially. Many families can save up to 50 percent off big ticket holiday items.
Drive
Flying is fast and convenient. But in many cases it is actually cheaper to drive to your destination if you have the option. Driving allows you to split the cost of fuel between people you're travelling with and share the cost of parking. You can't do that with an airline ticket.
Use Your Credit
Sometimes, the time is right for you to take a trip. You’re in good health, you have work, and you want to try something before you get too old. In these cases, it might be worth using your credit.
If you don’t have a good credit score, you can also use buddy loans. These rely on the credit score of somebody else you know, allowing you to access the money that you need.
Prepare Your Own Meals
Okay - so maybe you can’t cut the cost of your accommodation or transport. But you can always make your own meals to save money. Nobody is forcing you to eat at the hotel restaurant (unless you go for an all-inclusive package).
Buying the food you need at the supermarket and then cooking it at your rental massively cuts costs. You might not have a gourmet kitchen, but if cheap travel is your goal, there’s nothing better.
Traveling on a budget isn’t easy. But it is better than missing out on all those adventures because you are stuck at work. Remember, you can still have fun even if you aren’t spending a fortune.
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