How to travel cheap or what's worked
for me
Travel to third world countries
Don't buy souvenirs
Get your airfare on sale
Transportation will be your single most expensive thing. It is
essential that you research the best fare. The internet makes this
easy. Sign up for all the e fare specials. Last minute fares etc. I
save a ton by letting the special e fare tell me where I'm going.
Use Air hitch to go to Europe
$169 is an absolute bargain. I have used it and it is real. I even
managed to fly first class from NYC to Copenhagen, Denmark using
them.
Take the cheap buses
Do not take taxis
Don't buy unnecessarily expensive travel
gear
Use a digital camera -don't use film
cameras
Sleep at the cheapest places
Eat at cheap local places
Supplement your diet with cheap foods
like ramen noodles, make you own sandwiches etc
Use a electric immersion heater and
ceramic cup to boil water in your room for coffee, tea, soup,
oatmeal etc.
Don't use guides for anything
Live cheap at home so you can travel
more often - read "Your money or your life" to put things in
prospective
Don't use travelers checks
Always ask for a discount
I have saved a bunch of money by simple asking for a discount.
It's fun to try. I room is already cheap but I've save even more by
asking for a reduced rate. It helps if you are staying longer than a
day or two and you are using cash. In João
Pessoa, Brazil, I talked the
manager down from $12 a night to $10. The room was the best in the
hotel with a beautiful view of the ocean. There may have been 50
rooms but this was the only one with a view. I know its not a big
price difference, but it's sort of a thrill to get a nice room at a
good price even cheaper.
Don't give money to beggars
Don't agree to any street hustle that
your offered
Hitch hike (although risky) it's free
transportation
Choose a budget focused travel guide
book
At the heart of my cheap adventures. Their are only two - Lonely
Planet and Let's Go. No other books come close. Nothing pisses me
off more than a book telling me about $50 dinners and $200 hotel
rooms.
Don't over pay
The important thing to remember when traveling in a third world
country is not to pay first world prices for things, believe me, the
locals will be happy charging you American prices. It's funny
whenever something was kind of expensive I would say they’re
charging American prices. You need to be careful even though
something may seem inexpensive it could be much more than locals
would pay. |
