You can save on travel in dozens of different ways. The most important thing is to discard all stereotypes and refuse the services of modern travel agencies. In fact, just this one step will allow you to reduce the cost of your trip by an average of 30-40 percent. However, this is far from the only way to reduce costs to a minimum. Read more about how, without sacrificing coziness and comfort, in our new article.
- Plan your trip in advance. This approach will allow you to competently plan each stage of your trip, and also save a lot on tickets, which, like French wine, only become more expensive over time.
- Choose the dates correctly. As a rule, midweek flights are significantly cheaper than flights departing on weekends and holidays. In addition, it is essential save on travel, sometimes it is possible by choosing buses and trains departing at night or early in the morning. A good confirmation of this is, for example, the Polish carriers Plusbus and Polskibus, which often sell such tickets 2-3 times cheaper than usual. Often the cost of tickets is even reduced to 1 zloty ($0.27).
- Track promotions and discounts. Today on the Internet there are a huge number of different sites, blogs and public pages that generate super offers from a variety of companies in Europe and the CIS. Here are just a few of these blogs: vandrouki.by, lowcostavia.com.ua, www.piratesru.com.
Good options and interesting tips can also be found on the Vinsky Forum. For those who speak at least a basic level of Polish or English, the sites www.fly4free.com and lastminuter.pl are an excellent solution.
Please check these pages periodically and ask: how to save money on travel will decide on its own.
- Replace hotels with apartments.
As a rule, this option is much cheaper. And the level of comfort of hotel rooms is noticeably inferior to modern apartments. You can find suitable solutions on the AIR BNB website. As a nice bonus, you will also receive a small discount on your first booking (if you register using the link provided). Among all the home rental services, the AIR BNB website is definitely the best solution for independent travelers.
- Use metasearch engines.
If you cannot refuse hotel services due to certain stereotypes, before booking, be sure to check the room prices on various housing rental services. Compare prices and also good save on travel allows, for example, the site RoomGuru, as well as some other similar portals.
- Learn to couchsurf (a network of free accommodation for short trips). This option is especially relevant for expensive countries, such as Norway, Iceland or France, where the cost of apartments and (even more so) hotel rooms is sometimes simply prohibitive. You can find suitable solutions on the website https://www.couchsurfing.com/. You can read what couchsurfing is, as well as why it is good.
- Fly low-cost airlines.
The prices of low-cost carriers are an order of magnitude lower than the cost of tickets of conventional airlines. In many directions, such transportation costs 10-15 times cheaper! Take this option into account and you will always know how to save money on traveling in Europe and other regions of the earth, while choosing the best options for recreation. The airports closest to Minsk from which low-cost airlines fly are the airports of Lublin, Gdansk, and Kaunas. Special buses regularly go to the last two from the Central Bus Station of Minsk. Ticket prices, as well as baggage requirements, can be found on the websites of low-cost airlines (here are a few examples).
- Choose the right airport.
As a rule, the cheapest way to fly to Europe is from Europe (for example, from Vilnius or Riga). But for long-distance destinations, it is often better to look for options from neighboring Russia (from St. Petersburg or Moscow). The most interesting offers from Ukraine usually include flights to and to Cyprus. Flying to Latin America is usually the cheapest from.
- Use air ticket search systems. Often, on sites such as Buruki or Aviasales, ticket prices are even lower than those that can be found on the airlines’ own websites. In addition, such platforms allow you to simultaneously “see” the prices offered by different carriers, which also helps save on travel. You can also view tickets for the desired destinations. It is better to search for low-cost airlines through this site.
- Don't ignore compound routes.
This option is relevant for traveling both by land and by air. For example, the best way to get to Kyiv is with a transfer in Gomel. And in - with a transfer in Brest. The same principle applies to trips to Poland, Estonia and many other countries. At the same time, you can choose cities from both one and the other side of the border as a transit point. For example, moving Minsk-Warsaw will cost you one and a half times more than moving. The trip Minsk-Bialystok + Bialystok-Warsaw will cost approximately the same amount. The reason for this phenomenon is that domestic flights (especially those operated by local carriers) are usually significantly cheaper than international ones.
- Use Bla Bla Car services.
This service allows you to find drivers in advance who are on your way. The essence of this method is quite simple: register in the system, select the route you need and, among the proposed options, look for a driver who, like you, is going to the specified place. Thus, by “reserving” an empty seat in someone’s car, you can easily travel from one city to another, get to distant attractions, or simply drive from the airport to the center without resorting to a taxi.
- Plan your finances correctly.
I understand that during any trip we tend to spend more than in normal life. However, this does not mean that you should throw money left and right. An extra three dollars here, five more there... This seems like nonsense only at first glance. But by the end of the trip you will have accumulated a very decent amount. You can plan your expenses in different ways. But personally, I use . It has analogues. However, I like this particular program more than all the others. If you need to plan a budget, calculate cost estimates and simply eliminate unnecessary expenses, this is simply an irreplaceable thing.
- Track Groupon promotions.
This platform sells discount coupons, each of which will allow you to save from 30 to 90 percent of the cost of the selected service. Moreover, branches of this system operate in dozens of different countries on our planet. Dinner in a Parisian restaurant, a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia or a ready-made “package” tour to the Carpathians - all this and much more can be purchased at a good discount. Below are a few links as examples.
https://www.groupon.es/# (Spain)
That's all for now. We hope our article is about how to save money on travel, was useful to you. Don't put off your dreams until later. And remember, travel is the only thing that makes us richer when we buy it.
How to save money while traveling? We will tell you how to spend a cheap vacation and get a lot of impressions and positive emotions.
If you want to keep your travel budget from ballooning, you'll have to plan your trip carefully from the very beginning. First, look for something in your destination country. Secondly, buy .
Significant expenses await an inexperienced tourist immediately after he leaves home. So, here is a current list of 27 rules that will save you thousands of rubles:
1) Print all tickets and required documents in advance
Prepare a folder with you on your trip where you can put all the necessary documents in printed form. Be careful, for many people the online rule is relevant, a printout of which you must take with you to the airport. If it is not there, then you will have to urgently look for a printer and print it from your laptop. It costs a little less than a plane ticket. But still. An unpleasant aftertaste is guaranteed.
2) Don't eat at the airport
The airport is created for two things - to send you on a long journey and to collect as much money as possible. So prepare sandwiches and water in advance. They will help you hold out at the first stage - until you enter the landing zone.
3) Read the menu carefully
If your level of English is not perfect, then funny situations will happen to you due to the language barrier. The real problem is that you will pay for them. Read the menu carefully (preferably with a dictionary) to understand what exactly you ordered. And try to accurately formulate your thoughts. For example, if you simply ask for juice on a hot day, they may bring you freshly squeezed juice instead of regular juice. The volume may be the same, but the cost is 2-3 times more.
4) Baggage is an expense
If you fly with low-cost airlines, you will most likely have to pay for luggage. But it's not even about the plane. A heavy suitcase makes moving around the city difficult. You have to take a taxi or use the metro where you could walk. Besides . Moral - don't take too much.
5) Exchange rate
Before leaving for the host country, try to change your currency (rubles) to the required one (dollars/euros, etc.). This will be more profitable than carrying out such an operation upon arrival. An even bigger blow to the budget is a double exchange. This is when here you exchange rubles for dollars, for example, and upon arrival at the place of deployment you exchange dollars for local “tugriks”. The solution may be to use a bank card, but for this it is necessary to clarify all the pitfalls in the bank.
6) Wi-Fi should be free
There is no need to pay for Wi-Fi at the hotel. Most likely, you will be able to catch a free network in a nearby cafe and calmly write letters to your homeland while drinking hot tea.
7) Souvenirs are a waste of money
Your main souvenirs from any trip are emotions, impressions, photographs and videos. Everything else will most likely gather dust on a shelf or in a sideboard. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, then take one magnet or some kind of collectible item and that's it. If you really want to bring something, then it is better to take functional things (dishes, clothes, tools, etc.).
Cook it yourself
This is the cheapest way to eat while traveling. True, for this you need to go through a small quest. Find a place to cook (you need a kitchen or something similar). Find a place where it is profitable to buy groceries. To do this, you need to move away from the tourist paths. Don't be lazy and deal with food every day. This is the hardest thing.
9) Look for promotions in cafes
Almost every eatery has special promotions. Check out the nearest eating places around your place of residence. Somewhere there may be a profitable breakfast, somewhere an evening discount. During the day you can look for business lunches.
10) Do not use battery-powered gadgets
A small thing, but still. If there is an analogue gadget with charging from the mains, feel free to take it.
11) Read about promotions in places of entertainment
Before going to a museum, water park, theater or other similar establishment, go to its website. Firstly, you can most likely buy tickets without queuing there. Sometimes even cheaper than at the box office. Secondly, the website indicates the categories of people for whom discounted tickets are available (in case you are a student). Thirdly, museums sometimes work for free (). Maybe you are lucky and today is just such a day.
12) Legs instead of subway and taxi
Want to save more money? Walk! Is it hard to motivate yourself? Translate in your mind the cost of travel by transport in rubles. The slight feeling of not spending money will warm you when walking along the colorful streets of an unknown city. It is clear that walking on foot is not always possible. But you can plan your walking routes in advance in order to arrange attractions by territorial sectors and not waste money on travel.
13) Buy tickets online
It's faster and sometimes cheaper. Suitable for both the cultural and entertainment program and the transport component. After purchasing tickets, you should print them out and take them with you. If you go to popular tourist cities, then your main prize will not be material at all. You will save several hours of very tedious standing in queues.
14) Do not use communications while roaming
Nowadays, almost any gadget allows you to contact your relatives using free Internet in a cafe. Install Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram or whatever your heart desires. Simple programs will allow you not only to write messages, but also to call home. So there is no reason to spend money on classic mobile communications.
15) Use tourist passes
Major tourist cities have special cards for guests. They allow you to ride in the area of local attractions and open the doors to museums, cafes, theaters and other colorful places. You should read about such a map in the place where you are going.
16) Bargain at the markets
If in eastern countries bargaining is part of the culture and there is absolutely nothing without it, then in Western Europe and the States they treat it coolly. But even in some Paris, Washington or Oslo you can find a common language with street vendors of immigrant origin.
17) Don't buy city maps
They can be obtained for free - in hotels or tourist centers. But it’s better to play it safe and print it at home.
18) Apply for TAX FREE
Do not forget that when making large purchases in a number of countries, you can return VAT as a non-resident. To do this, you need to issue a “tax free” check. This will save up to 20% of the cost of the product.
19) Apply for a student card
If you are a student, then get yourself an ISIC card. It is done for a period of one year. Its cost will be recouped on the first trip. You can use it to buy student tickets to museums, get discounts in cafes and much more. Domestic student programs, unfortunately, do not work. There are similar cards for young teachers (ITIC) and people under 30 years of age (IYTC).
20) Chat with locals
In addition to general conversations about the weather and local attractions, try to find out where they sell cheap products and which places are the best places to buy things and souvenirs.
21) In an unclear situation - go to a gas station
It just so happens that in most countries at gas stations you can find a clean bathroom, relatively inexpensive products and the ability to make a phone call. So keep this fact in mind when planning your route.
22) If you love thrills and freebies, hitchhikers are for you
is a separate art of travel. It's not to everyone's liking. But it's worth a try. The advantages are obvious financial savings and speed of movement. The downside is the possibility of running into inappropriate characters.
23) It is better to take tickets for the middle of the week and for night flights
Transport companies are trying to make maximum money from those people who urgently and quickly need to get from one place to another, who are willing to pay for comfort and convenience. Therefore, you should stay away from such people. Most often, the best budget trips can be found closer to the middle of the week, late in the evening or early in the morning. Don't forget to use this to save your budget.
24) No minibars in hotels
Minibars in hotels are taboo. If you want beer or water, then go to the nearest store. It’s better to buy all this in advance, so as not to look for a supermarket in dark alleys at night.
25) Take water with you to the city, rather than buying it every time
You can buy water once, and then use the bottle to carry personal boiled water. During the hot season, the cost of simple drinking water goes through the roof. And people are ready to pay for it.
26) Take advantage of Groupon discounts
This site and its analogues are widely popular in Europe and the USA. You can find some discounts on restaurants, coupons for entertainment events and much more.
27) Take a first aid kit with you
Buying medicines in another country without sufficient knowledge is like Russian roulette. In addition, you cannot get a number of medications without a prescription. So you should stock up on everything you need in advance and prepare it. And don't forget.
One more point as a bonus.
28) Housing: the longer, the cheaper
If you are buying one-way tickets and have not decided on the length of your stay in the city, then take this fact into account. In some countries, renting housing for a month can cost the same or even cheaper than for more traditional and shorter tourist periods (1-2 weeks). Take advantage of this and book immediately for a long stay. You'll leave early. And no one will look at you askance.
The rules, which were derived from the experience of thousands of travelers, will allow you not to abandon foreign destinations even with a very modest item in your personal budget allocated for vacation, writes Rockefeller.
Rule 1: Whoever gets up early gets discounts
Planning ahead is one of the main rules of an economical vacation. It makes it possible to catch the best deals from airlines, which usually sell out first - and tickets are one of the most expensive components of a foreign holiday. In addition, many hotels and travel companies offer discounts to those who book a room or tour in advance. It’s easier (and cheaper) to do this via the Internet - using the sites www.all-hotels.com (hotel offers around the world), www.evrocheapo.com (booking cheap accommodation in Europe), www.hostels.com (hostels around the world world) and others. Leading Russian tour operators warn that this year there is no need to wait for the “last minute tours” beloved by Russians, but this does not mean that there will be no cheap tours at all. It makes sense to constantly monitor the news of airlines and travel agencies. For example, on www.avia.Travel.ru you can compare prices for air tickets from different companies, as well as find special offers. Among the specialized unofficial platforms where the hottest information about budget offers appears is https://community.livejournal.com/cheaptrip
Rule 2: Rely on yourself
Those who do not want to overpay for travel, as a rule, organize it themselves. Buying a ready-made tour has its advantages, eliminating certain hassles, but you have to pay for the services of an intermediary. Meanwhile, you can do everything yourself - make a route, get a visa, and use the Internet to book air tickets and a hotel in almost any country in the world. There are many resources on the Internet where travelers share their experiences of independent travel. Read reviews and advice, ask questions - for example, on the popular forum dedicated to independent travel https://forum.awd.ru, in the community https://community.livejournal.com/ru_travel, etc. If you speak English, go to the portals www. virtualtourism.com or www.tripadvisor.com, where travelers from all over the world share their impressions of countries, hotels, and restaurants.
Rule 3: Visa without intermediaries
Applying for a visa on your own is not as scary as many people imagine, and in this matter it is quite possible to do without the intermediary services of agencies - of course, not free ones. First of all, check out the list of countries with visa-free or simplified entry regime for Russians on the website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs https://www.mid.ru/dks.nsf/mnsdoc /04.04.02 - You may not have to register anything at all. If a visa is required, it is best to find out the conditions for obtaining it on the website of the embassy of the country where you are going - the addresses can be found using any Internet search engine. You can also use the database https://www.nwa.com/services/timatic.html (in English), where this information is brought together. You will need to pay a visa fee, which varies by country (the average is $50, but can be lower or higher), and also prove your ability to pay. The latter can be done by presenting a bank account statement, and in a number of embassies it is enough to show traveler's checks for the required amount. It is also better to find out all the details on the websites of the embassies of specific countries.
Rule 4: At the right time in the right place
If a planned vacation suddenly turns out to be unaffordable, then you can “bring it closer to reality” by changing the time or direction of the trip. Prices in the “high” and “low” seasons differ markedly, and for those who want to visit the country of their dreams at all costs, it is better to choose a month when most tourists do not flock there. For example, at ski resorts the “high” season falls on Christmas and New Year holidays, as well as February-March, and the “low” season begins around January 10 and lasts until the end of the month. The “high” season for holidays in the Mediterranean is from July to September; if you want to save money, try to choose other months if possible: in October-November, the “velvet season” begins in many Mediterranean countries. Study the weather forecast, find out the water temperature. The first can be done on numerous weather sites, for example, www.gismeteo.ru, www.weather.com, www.intellicast.com. Water temperatures are usually published on diving portals, such as www.diveglobal.com. If the country is not so important as a type of vacation, you should prefer cheaper popular routes instead of more expensive exotic ones: as a rule, even if the cost of the vacation turns out to be approximately the same, then the flight to an exotic country will “eat up” the lion’s share of the budget.
Rule 5: The hotel is not the goal!
On any trip abroad, the hotel is the place where you want to spend the least time. So what's the point of paying extra for a room? Many European and American tourists have long preferred hostels over hotels, and Russians are joining this trend. There are a large number of portals on the Internet where you can choose and book a hostel in almost any country in the world. The largest ones are www.hostels.com, www.hihostels.com, as well as links to portals by country are contained in a special section of Wikipedia https://wiki.hostelmanagement.com/wiki/List_of_Hostel_Chains. By the way, hotel prices have also dropped - according to the Russian Union of Travel Industry, discounts on hotels in Paris are currently about 13%, hotels in Prague have fallen in price by 20%, and for a room in a number of London hotels you now have to pay 30% less.
Rule 6: Save on local transport
If you want to see as much as possible during your trip and spend as little as possible, use the most economical means of transport. Somewhere local airlines will be more profitable, somewhere - railway communication, somewhere you will win if you travel by bus. Take a look at the www.seat61.com portal, where you can find links to the railway websites of various countries. Do not be too lazy to find out from experienced tourists - at least by reading reviews on forums and blogs - how the situation is in a particular country. Consider renting a car - for example, in the US it will cost about $400 for 2 weeks, which will be much cheaper than public transport, especially if you take a car together. The easiest way to rent a car is through the Internet - for example, on the websites www.carrental.com, www.budget.com, www.eurocar.com and others. Just do not forget that you will need international driving license - they will need to be issued in advance in Russia.
Rule 7: Be aware!
Rule 8: Less cash is better.
The dollar and euro continue to grow, and its decline is not expected in the near future, so the sooner you can buy the currency, the better. You cannot do without the use of financial instruments. Cards are needed at least in order to pay for tickets and services via the Internet. Traveler's checks will be useful both as a way to save money in foreign currency, and to confirm solvency when applying for a visa, and to protect money. If checks are stolen, damaged or lost, they can be fully restored free of charge, usually within 24 hours. In addition, when traveling, both a card and checks will come in handy as a means of paying for purchases or services. You should find out in advance from the bank how much it costs to use ATMs in the country of destination. As for checks, they can usually be exchanged for local currency with a commission of 0.5 to 3% of the amount, but there are more than 100,000 points around the world where checks are exchanged for local cash without commission. You can find their addresses using the website www.aetclocator.com, and additional information about traveler's checks can be obtained from the website www.amex.ru.
Rule 9: Save on flights
Air travel is often the most expensive component of a trip, and reducing its cost is not only possible, but also necessary! First, buy your ticket in advance: airlines sell out the best deals first. Secondly, round-trip tickets are more profitable, so it is better to build a route around the country according to the “complete circle” principle, arriving and departing from the same airport on the same flight. Fly with budget airlines, so-called discounters - their offers can be found using specialized sites, for example, www.skyscanner.net, www.flylowcostairlines.org, www.wichbudget.com, www.flylowcost.ru. LiveJournal has a community dedicated to cheap flights - https://community.livejournal.com/low_cost_air/. And finally, instead of two short trips, it is better to arrange one long one - for two to three weeks. And it is not at all necessary to limit yourself to one country - especially if you are going to Europe, where additional visas will not be required to cross borders between states.
Rule 10: Read!
Save money on guides and tour guides. Arm yourself with guidebooks, maps, historical reference books, chat on forums and thoroughly study your destination country. For example, in LiveJournal (www.livejournal.com) there are a large number of thematic communities dedicated to different countries of the world. The easiest way to find information of interest is in Russian using the search engine https://blogs.yandex.ru. If you want “pictures”, study photographs of travelers on www.zooomr.com, www.photobucket.com, www.fliсkr.com and other photo sites. Having chosen the most interesting, create your own route. The degree of freedom will be much higher than when purchasing an excursion tour - adjustments can be made at any time. It is advisable to learn at least the most necessary phrases from a phrasebook in the language of the host country - in case you still go astray, for example, using www.wikitravel.com. If you prefer ready-made routes, then you should visit the following sites: www.roughguides.com, www.frommers.com, where guides are published in electronic form.
Evgeny Marushevsky
freelancer, constantly traveling around the world
When you go traveling around the world, you don’t want to overpay, which especially often happens to beginners. It’s good that there are experienced tourists who know how to save money and share their secrets.
Flights
With the right approach, you can save a lot on flights. We know 24 ways to do this, and they are all listed in the article. Here we will give examples of just a few of them.
Follow special offers
Some carriers sometimes have sales of tickets at bargain prices. You can find such sales on the Special Offers page - promotions from all popular airlines are collected here.
If you are a regular customer of the carrier, count on regular seasonal discounts.
Fly with transfers
Choose what is more important to save - time or money. It happens that it is financially more profitable to fly with transfers; it will be cheaper. But such a flight may take longer. Here the choice is yours, set your own priorities.
A real example, two options: a 12-hour flight with a transfer for 4,897 rubles and a 4-hour direct flight for 19,934 rubles
arrow_left A real example, two options: a 12-hour flight with a transfer for 4,897 rubles and a 4-hour direct flight for 19,934 rubles
Earn miles
Other modes of transport
Transportation costs when traveling are very expensive, even without airfare. Let's think about how to save money on this.
Be careful when purchasing bus and train tickets
When traveling by train and bus, choose flights that depart at night or early in the morning, their prices are lower.
Buy tickets in advance online, it will be cheaper and eliminate the need to stand in line at the box office.
- It is profitable to book bus tickets on;
- train tickets - to (Russia and CIS only);
- if you travel around Southeast Asia, then by (trains, buses and ferries).
Cooperate with fellow travelers
To get from the airport or train station to the city center, you most often have to take a taxi. Don't be shy and chat with plane or train passengers. Perhaps there will be fellow travelers, and divide the fare by three or even four people.
Look for travel companions on the Internet
Use the services of services where you can find fellow travelers in cars. It's simple: register, enter the desired route, and among the options that appear, choose a driver who goes to the same place as you. Thus, by booking a free seat in someone else's car, you can get to another city, to distant sights, or simply from the airport to the center, without resorting to taxi services.
The most popular service for finding travel companions is.
Find out everything about local transport
Wherever you go, immediately find out everything about local public transport. Everyone understands that it is cheaper to travel by bus than by taxi, but constantly spending money on a one-time travel card is also unprofitable. For example, in large European cities the cost of a ticket ranges from 1 to 3 euros. Check in advance on the websites of these cities or with local residents about more economical options.
Buy unlimited travel passes
Most cities offer unlimited passes (for one day, week or month).
But, for example, in Amsterdam they are so interested in tourists - for the same travel card the cost is constantly reduced depending on the frequency of trips. It is convenient to purchase such a ticket for a day full of excursions, when a lot of travel to museums and other attractions is planned. Each subsequent trip will cost less and less.
In Amsterdam you can buy a travel pass right at the airport
arrow_left In Amsterdam you can buy a travel pass right at the airport
Accommodation
Housing is another item where you can save a lot of money. During vacation, a person spends most of his time on excursions or walks around the city, so he spends a minimum amount of time at the hotel, in fact, only spending the night. There is no point in overpaying for rooms in expensive hotels.
Stay in Business Hotels
If you travel around Europe by car, stay in business hotels. This is something between two- and three-star hotels and hostels. They are usually not located in the city center. Europeans use such housing when they come for work. The level of comfort is quite decent, and the cost per day is from 10 to 15 euros.
If you have a large group, book a suite
When you are traveling with a group of several people, it will be more profitable to take a luxury room at the hotel, it has folding beds and sofas. It will be cheaper than taking 2-3 separate rooms.
Stay in apartments, hostels or campsites
If the trip is long (a week or longer), then it is better to rent an apartment. This option is always cheaper than a hotel, in addition, there is a kitchen where you can cook on your own and thereby save on food.
It's even cheaper to stay in a hostel. You will definitely have a clean bed, shower and Wi-Fi.
When traveling by car, stay at campsites. In Europe, they are equipped with all amenities, which will significantly reduce the cost of living.
Use couchsurfing
Couchsurfing - free accommodation with local residents - is gaining popularity. You will not only save on housing, but also learn a lot of interesting things about the city and the traditions of the country. The owner will tell you where to go, what to see, where it’s cheaper to buy food and eat.
Nutrition
In general, there is a good article on this topic. It's not just about saving, it's general advice. Now let’s talk about savings.
Dine outside the center
Don't dine in the tourist area, walk a couple of blocks down. Not only will you work up an appetite in the fresh air, but you will also taste national dishes at half the price. In addition, the central tourist area is always full of vacationers, and as a result there are queues at public catering places.
Cook it yourself
If you rented housing with a kitchen, then shop at the market or in stores where locals buy food and prepare the food yourself. This option is especially good for those who watch their diet and adhere to a healthy diet. We made oatmeal for breakfast and cut up a light vegetable salad for dinner.
If you plan to cook yourself, then take a bag of oatmeal, buckwheat and a bottle of vegetable oil with you on your trip so as not to spend money abroad on these products. For Western European countries, products such as buckwheat and pearl barley are considered almost exotic and are expensive.
Eat street food
A good way to have a tasty snack is cheap street food, which is prepared on small counters and trays right in front of you. In each country, in such mobile stalls they prepare something of their own national:
- in Austria - Vienna sausages;
- in Italy - pizza;
- in the Netherlands - amazing pickled herring;
- in Florence - lampredotto.
Street food in Florence
arrow_left Street food in Florence
This option is not suitable for those who lead a healthy lifestyle, because street food is deep-fried, contains a lot of dough, and is fatty. Although, where else will you try local street food? Maybe sometimes it’s worth making exceptions to the rules?
Save money at restaurants
Dine out at restaurants during lunch. The business lunches offered are delicious and cost 30-40% less.
If you are thirsty, ask the waiter to bring you regular drinking water. It's usually free, but you'll have to pay for bottled ones.
Order the dish of the day and the special wine at restaurants. As a rule, these are very tasty and not expensive menu items, which also change daily. The portions are always large, so you won't leave hungry.
Go on a picnic
Instead of spending money on lunches in cafes and restaurants, have picnics. This is especially fashionable in European cities - even the locals themselves love to have a snack in recreational areas and shady parks. Purchase food for a picnic at the city food market.
This will turn out to be much cheaper, healthier, and what could be better than lunch in the fresh air. In addition, by purchasing products from local cheesemakers, farmers, winemakers and bakers, you are doing a good thing - supporting natural production.
Locals in Parque Ciutadella, Barcelona
arrow_left Locals in Parque Ciutadella, Barcelona
Don't walk without water
Of course, there are things that are simply necessary for a long walk to local attractions. Being carried away by the beautiful views, you can completely forget about food. As a last resort, you can be patient and eat at home in the evening. And you can’t do without drinking water, the feeling of thirst is unpredictable and sometimes very strong.
Popular tourist places are full of stalls, but sellers often charge prices for water and drinks 2-3 times higher than in local supermarkets. Why pay 3 euros for a small bottle for two sips? It is better to buy a liter bottle of water in the supermarket (in the evening or in the morning, going on excursions). Throw it in your backpack, and when you are very thirsty, you will appreciate this advice.
Internet and communications
Use free Wi-Fi
To save on Internet traffic abroad, remember that free Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, as well as in many public places, such as libraries or fast food chains.
If you find Wi-Fi, you can call home for free. To do this, use instant messengers with voice communication capabilities, such as Skype, Telegram or WhatsApp.
Buy a local SIM card
If you want to always be in touch, then the option with free Wi-Fi is not suitable. It is better to buy a SIM card from a local operator and use it for mobile Internet, calls and sending SMS. It will be cheaper than roaming.
In Thailand, SIM cards are sold directly in local supermarkets
arrow_left In Thailand, SIM cards are sold directly in local supermarkets
And finally, small but very useful tips that will also allow you to save a little.
Look for last minute tours
If you do not travel independently, but use the services of travel agencies, then do not neglect last-minute tours, they are 45-50% cheaper.
Apply for visas without intermediaries
Don't deal with intermediaries. If you need information on an entry visa, register directly on the website of the country's embassy. Read the information, prepare a package of documents and submit to the visa department.
Travel during discount season
If you love shopping, then combine your vacation with the sales season.
Travel on weekdays
Try to travel on weekdays. On weekends, the influx of tourists to popular cities increases. Accordingly, housing prices increase, and in order to get into museums, you will have to wait in long lines.
There is a study in the article that shows that air travel is cheaper from Tuesday to Friday. This is also true for trains. Therefore, make a plan and route for your trip so that you can move from one point to another on these days.
Relax with company
It’s convenient and profitable to travel with a group and share the costs of living, renting a car, buying gasoline and food.
Take a vacation out of season
Instead of traveling during peak season, try staggering your vacation by a month or two. For example, people usually go to ski resorts during the New Year holidays, when prices are not only inflated, but inflated to the limit. If you plan your trip for February or March, you can save a lot.
Use online guides
Don’t buy paper maps; there are many relevant travel guide apps on the Internet.
TripAdvisor app. You can look at the nearest hotels, restaurants, parks and any other tourist places with reviews on the map at any time
arrow_left TripAdvisor app. You can look at the nearest hotels, restaurants, parks and any other tourist places with reviews on the map at any time
Don't shop on the main streets
Do not buy souvenirs in classic tourist places; prices there are 2-3 times higher. Walk a couple of blocks deeper into the city. There in the souvenir shops you can buy the same thing, but cheaper.
The situation is similar with local exotic fruits. At the central bazaar the price is several times higher than in trade stalls. There is plenty of time on vacation, don’t be afraid to move away from the main streets.
Go on free excursions
All over the world, free excursions are offered in major tourist centers. Use a search engine to search for “free walking tours” in the city you are interested in. Get a list of volunteer sites that offer free walking tours every day. Young enthusiastic guides will show you around the main attractions and tell you a lot of interesting and useful information. At the end of the walk, in gratitude for their work, it is customary to donate a voluntary contribution.
If you travel around Russia, rent bicycles and scooters
In Russian resort cities, renting bicycles, hoverboards and children's scooters is popular. The further you are from the city center, the lower the rental price.
Another feature: for one hour of rental you will have to pay 150 rubles. If you want to drive far along the embankment, you need 2-3 hours, so pay 200-300 rubles. A day's rental costs 500 rubles. You can arrange an unforgettable cycling tour around the city and its surroundings. You’ll take a break whenever you want, stay longer in beautiful places, take photos, and won’t rush to the rental office faster because the hour is coming to an end. You can safely return the vehicle the next day.
If you are vacationing in Europe, purchase special tourist cards
Most European cities offer tourists some kind of season tickets, thanks to which you can ride public transport for free, visit some attractions and museums, and even eat at a significant discount in a number of restaurants.
Let's take Barcelona as an example. A card for this city costs 35 euros. By purchasing it, you get the opportunity to:
- ride free public transport in the central part of the city for two days;
- receive large discounts at 25 museums, clubs, restaurants and the zoo;
- free entry to 15 attractions and museums;
- purchase goods at a discount in a number of souvenir shops.
The same tourist map of Barcelona
arrow_left The same tourist map of Barcelona
If you're on vacation in Asia, buy housing locally
In Asia, many hotels are not included in the global reservation system. Therefore, when going there to travel, book a hotel room for 1-2 days. Once you arrive, you will find cheaper accommodation.
If you're on vacation in Asia, rent a motorbike
It is convenient to rent a motorbike to move around the city's Asian streets and surroundings. Tariffs are available per day and per month. Daily rent is much more expensive. If the vehicle is needed for two weeks, then it will be more profitable to rent a car for a month and return it earlier than to pay for 14 days.
