Traveling to another country is always a fun and interesting experience, but it can also be quite expensive if you’re not prepared to control your spending habits. On the other hand, you don’t want to be too cheap either because you might wind up feeling like you missed out. Luckily, there are plenty of ways you can see all the best sights and scenery a destination has to offer without breaking the bank. With that said, here are four tips you can use to save money while visiting another country:
1. Send Money Back Home
The first thing you may want to do once you’ve decided you’re going to limit your spending during your trip is transfer money to a family member or friend whom you trust, so they can hold onto it as a reserve. If you’re walking around with a bunch of money in your account, you might fall into the temptation of splurging on something expensive. By putting a cap on your available funds for the trip, you can strictly enforce a set budget.
2. Opt for Free or Low-Cost Attractions
It’s easy to overspend when you’re visiting nothing but top-notch tourist attractions, shopping malls, and restaurants. Consider taking the “beach bum” approach instead – enjoying nature’s beauty for free. Beach bums have virtually no living expenses, yet somehow many of them manage to live in beautifully exotic destinations whereas other people pay thousands just to visit the same place for a week. While we’re not advocating intentional descent into homelessness, the point is there are plenty of parks, beaches, landmarks, and other natural attractions that won’t cost a penny to see.
3. Commute By Bicycle or Walk
If you rely fully on the public transportation system, chances are there will be places that are beyond the reach of the bus or train routes, especially the more majestic rural wonders of the area. Taking a cab is going to be expensive, especially if you’re trying to go out of town. Consider the advantages of buying a bike for commuting while on vacation. You can spend $100 on a functional bicycle and have the ability to travel at no cost other than leg power, or you can spend $100 on a single taxi ride – the choice is yours.
4. Go Camping Instead of Staying at a Hotel
Everyone wants to stay at a luxury hotel when they’re on vacation, but you could do so much more with your money if you camp instead. Many national parks have campgrounds, so you have the added benefit of being able to sleep near major landmarks and attractions. You might not get a pre-packaged continental breakfast and spa treatment, but waking up to fresh air, serene surroundings, and fantastic views makes it almost as good. In fact, someone would argue that camping is more fun than staying at a hotel.
Vacations Don’t Even Have to Be Expensive
A lot of people think that vacations are so prohibitively expensive that they can only be taken once or twice a year. The truth is, if you have the free time available, with discounted flight tickets or a vehicle that gets good gas mileage, you can take a decent vacation for less than $1,000 as a single individual.
Other ways you can save money on vacation include using rewards credit cards, taking advantage of online booking deals, and traveling to countries where your currency is worth more. Ultimately, the best way to have the most fun for the least money is to thoroughly plan your trip and allocate a budget for everything beforehand.