Unless you’re a trust fund kid or you have a bottomless bank account, you need to keep to a budget while travelling. Here are 5 hacks to help you stretch your holiday budget.
1. Buy travel insurance
When you’re planning a trip, you will look at all the ways you can save money, such as not paying for additional baggage or looking for low-cost carriers.
However, you should never, ever scrimp on travel insurance.
Travel insurance will save you money should you encounter any emergencies while overseas.
For example, if you have a medical emergency while travelling, you can seek treatment at the hospital without worrying if you can afford it as you will be able to claim part of the cost.
Buy the best travel insurance you can afford and make sure you read the terms and conditions to understand what it covers.
Ensure you read the small print carefully.
2. Make use of free Wi-Fi
Unless you need to constantly be on call (and let’s be honest, that kind of defeats the purpose of a holiday), you don’t need to pay for a roaming phone plan or even a local SIM card.
You can just rely of free Wi-Fi that’s provided at most cafes and restaurants, and at your accommodation.
With apps like FaceTime and WhatsApp for texting and making calls, you don’t have to spend any money to keep in touch with people back home.
3. Look for free or cheap activities
You don’t have to book expensive tour packages to enjoy your vacation.
This is especially easy to do in larger cities.
London, for example, has over 23 free museums, such as the Tate Modern, British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
And the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, offers free entry for the last two hours of every day.
Search online for more such options.
And there’s no better way to really get to know a place than to explore its streets.
You can check online for free walking tours that are usually organised by experienced guides.
You are free to tip the guide any amount you want at the end of the tour.
If money is no object, check out these 10 holiday activities that burn calories fast.
4. Book accommodation with a kitchen
This is especially useful in cities where it’s expensive to eat out, such as Paris or London.
Even eating in just one meal a day can save you a significant amount of money.
The moment you settle in, go for a grocery run to buy ingredients for the duration of your stay.
Ingredients like milk, juice, eggs, bread and sandwich meats can help you put together a great and satisfying breakfast.
Planning a family trip or solo holiday anytime soon?
You may have booked your plane tickets and accommodation, but that doesn’t mean you’re all set to go.
Go through this travel checklist to make sure you’ve got everything planned.
5. Download apps for good deals
If you do want to have a little splurge while on holiday, use apps that can help you locate good deals.
Treat yourself to a great meal in London by using Bookatable by Michelin.
The app lets you find good value set meals from popular restaurants and even those owned by celebrity chefs.
For example, you can enjoy a meal at a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for under £28 (AUD$50), which is a steal!
Do some research before you reach your destination to find more such apps.
Check out these 5 clever mobile travel apps that will assist you on your next big adventure.
Written by Siti Rohani. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.
