Traveling on a budget

Everyone wants to take a trip somewhere other than home, but for most people, it requires saving up for a long time or holding credit cards hostage to do so. Traveling entails proper preparation, research and good recommendations from people who have already taken a trip to a particular destination of your interest.

Budgeting for a trip calls for extensive research before your trip. Don’t be fooled by ostentatious advertising from airlines, travel agents or companies. They won’t tell you the disadvantages of going to a certain location and you don’t want to find out the hard way.

Here are some tips for traveling on a budget:

1. Find out the cost of the airfare, including taxes, fees, and insurance (these can add up)
2. Do some airline comparison-shopping. Ask about any customer promotions or incentives that may be coming up soon. Get specific dates.
3. Try to get a travel partner to go along with you if you are single or traveling alone.
4. Make sure you know a lot about the hotel you will be staying. Call the hotel and ask questions.
5. See if the receptionist at the hotel can tell you of a safe place where the locals eat (those restaurants are cheaper than eating at the hotel), but you have to be very careful.
6. Find out when it is not peak time at the hotel (this is the best time to get lower room rates)
7. Pack a sandwich for your trip. Most domestic flights sell their food and the airport food is very expensive. If you are traveling internationally, then that is quite different.
8. Purchase your tour package from the travel agent if possible (it is usually cheaper when you purchase it beforehand), but ask the travel agent to recommend the package that sells the most.
9. Pack up to three bathing suits. This will prevent you from purchasing any more if you need to or when one gets wet, you will have two more.
10. Get a hotel that has a microwave and refrigerator
11. Go to the local grocery store and buy food that will last you at least for two or three days of your trip.
12. When you eat out, take your left over back to your hotel room. You may be able to use it for dinner.
13. You may not need a rental car. Book a hotel that is close to all shopping areas.
14. Before you take the trip decide how much money you are willing to spend each day and try not to go over your budget.
15. The hotel usually has free nightly entertainment for each guest and you are no different. However, you are expected to buy at least one drink. Do just that. Buy one drink and you might be lucky for someone else to treat you to a drink. You never know.
16. Include at least one night of fine dining in your budget so you can experience new cuisine, but pick either a nice local restaurant or one that has prices that you can afford.
Traveling can be so much fun when you are prepared. There are some unexpected things that can happen, but for the most part, you can have a fantastic trip when you know what you are getting for your money.