A great travel experience isn’t only for the rich – it’s possible to travel to your favorite global destination and have the time of your life, for less. And you don’t have to sacrifice good food, comfortable lodging, or fun activities to do it. All that’s required is a little creativity, flexibility, the ability to plan ahead, and the will to make it happen!
First, you have to actually get to where you’re going. Here’s a cool tip for purchasing cheap airline tickets:
Fly as a courier. If you’re a travel newbie, you’re probably asking, “What exactly does this entail?" Courier flying is the secret insider way to fly internationally for as much as 50% less than the normal ticket price – or even for free. This may sound too good to be true, but it makes sense once you understand how it works. Oftentimes, a courier company needs a courier to transport shipping documents and baggage as quickly as possible to another city, but they don’t want to use freight because purchasing an airline ticket is much less expensive and a passenger can pass through customs faster.
Of course, an airline ticket requires that a live human accompany the baggage – fortunately for the thrifty traveler, that’s where you come in. The only catch is that everything you need for your own trip must be brought in a carry-on bag, as the luggage you’ll be bringing belongs to the courier company. On the plus side, you’re usually given a round trip ticket, so you can bring home as many souvenirs as you can handle. And it’s pretty easy to become a courier. All you have to do is contact a courier company to make reservations.
Good Eats
Let’s face it – food is a big part of the traveling experience, especially if you’re visiting areas of the world known for delicious cuisine. Luckily for the frugal foodie, your meals abroad need not consist of the fast food of your native land. There are ways to eat high quality local food and stick to your budget.
One good way to save money: dine in expensive restaurants for lunch, instead of dinner. Good restaurants tend to offer the same quality of food midday for lower prices. Eat your main meal earlier in the day and your pocketbook will thank you.
Follow the locals and you’ll be sure to find a great bargain. Places frequented by the people who actually live in the area are affordable and offer great-tasting food. And knowing where the locals go to get their grub means you’re more likely to experience authentic cuisine.
Where to Stay
The answer to cheap lodging has always been the hostel, and this continues to remain the best way to travel for less. Hostels aren’t just for young people – travelers of all ages use hostels to save money abroad. Hostels cost anywhere from $12-$25 per night, but they can cost more, depending on where you go. Hostels are inexpensive because they operate dorm-style. A communal bathroom is the norm and a room consists of several beds. Hostels are great if you want to save money and make a lot of friends along the way.
But if hostels aren’t for you, seek out small, family-run hotels if you want to save a buck, or book a hotel online through a discount website. You can generally find Paris hotels, London hotels and more online relatively inexpensively. These websites offer significant discounts to the budget-conscious traveler.
It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to travel the world, once you know how to globetrot, without going broke.
Can You Afford a Summer Break?
With prices rocketing to astronomical highs, the prospect of vacationing with children this summer can dampen one's insatiable wanderlust. But before ditching the idea of a summer sabbatical, how about stomping on the less traveled by-ways? There are great getaways in the heartland, which you never heard about yet these are equally enchanting and entrancing without your money clip or your wallet running on empty.
To get things going, the first thing to do is to plan the vacation ahead of time and decide where to go, where to stay, and how to have the fun and adventure on limited resources - meaning, vacationing like the Vanderbilts without having to end up with an empty money clip.
Instead of sailing out to far exotic places, visit the neighboring states - the nearer the better - and along the way, pay a visit to family and friends. You'll have a good time remembering the good old days, and your kids will have the chance to catch up with their cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.
Summer Treats for Different Trips
For a successful budget vacation, select nearby states with lots to offer in terms of family fun and spectacular views. Add up the cost of all the bus rides for the entire family and the stops at lodging houses along the way (if necessary). If the expense is just a few hundred dollars more, opt to gas up and drive away into the summer sunset and enjoy the views after stuffing your money clip with the budget for the day.
If you leave in Boston, Pasadena, or New York and love to gawk at old but opulent mansions, head out to Newport in Rhode Island to tour the pre-World War II Rosecliff house. Or, if the Blue Mountains and a laid-back atmosphere is your cup of tea, Carroll County in Virginia is your answer.
Holidaying couples can have stretches of isolated beaches or shorelines without having to go to the Caribbean in Cape May. Drive out there if you're anywhere near Philadelphia. At the beach, you won't have to take a bulky wallet; your money clip will do. Like a boy scout, you'll have to be ready just in case.
Or, you can visit family along the way. A night or two with the relatives can ease up the vacation budget without diminishing the fun. You won't have to check your vacation fund or your money clip to see if you can still make a go of it to the nearest vacation spot.
Helpful Tips
Here are other tips to vacation cheaply:
* For the road trip bring tons of non-perishable food because restaurant food is costly.
* Instead of checking into hotels and renting a vacation cabin, pitch a tent in a populated and designated camping grounds.
* Cook meals for the family in the campsite. Eating outdoors is exciting and out of the ordinary for the kids long cooped up school cafterias.
* For sightseeing in neighboring counties, take the bus, instead of gassing up your pick-up truck.
See? There are endless possibilities to enjoy your summer on a budget. Just take a good look around and plan ahead and hold to your money clip.
Both Susan Alvis & Bradlley Mckoy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Susan Alvis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marketing, Nutrition and Motorcycle Tips. This article was written by Omri Amir for/. EasyToBook offers discounts of up to 75% off of hotel prices. You’ll find Amsterdam hotels, Barcelona. Susan Alvis's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
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