To lighten things up a bit we’ve decided to bring you, our dear readers, some excellent Tips on how to save on your vacations and travel in 2013. There are, for those that are a bit adventurous and don’t mind places that are a little bit off the beaten path, many different ways to save big buck when you’re away from home so, without further ado, let’s get right to them.
First, no matter when or where you go, there are 2 points that you must take into consideration before starting any vacation or travel excursion. The 1st is where you’d like to travel and the 2nd is for how long that you’d like to go. If your goal is a 1 week trip to the Caribbean your plans will be much different, and cost differently, than a month-long excursion to Bali. Both offer various ways to save but, because of the time difference, the options vary greatly.
Next, simply, is to start saving money for the trip. Frankly, if you can’t commit to save for a trip then it might not be worth taking. Open up a savings account just for the trip and start filling it. A great idea is to work out what the average expenses will be per week where you’re going and start saving that exact amount per week.
Researching where you want to go is up next. Before you book a hotel, especially if you’re going for more than 2 weeks, you should look into longer term options like hostels, apartments and even houses for rent. These are typically much cheaper then hotels and, in many cases, allow you to ‘see’ and experience a place much better.
Furthermore, if you’re going on a long trip one of the best reasons to get an apartment or house (or hostel if you can handle it) over a hotel is that you can cook for yourself. One of the biggest expenses when travelling is the food and, if you can buy it and prepare it yourself you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
Bringing the right equipment and clothing is essential no matter where you go but, if you’re going for an extended amount of time, it really becomes vital. If the temps can change and you’re caught with clothing that doesn’t protect you from the elements you’ll need to buy it wherever you are and that can be expensive. The same for shoes, umbrellas, rain gear and outdoor gear like snorkel equipment.
Once you’ve done all of these things you can sit back and feel good that, on this trip at least, you’re going to save a lot of money. Good luck and have a great time!