Hello World!!
If you are passionate about travel or get an itch every time you look at pictures of different parts of the world with fire and intrigue in your eyes, and you are broke, here are 7 tips that will help you!
1. There are never boring places, only boring people.
So be very selective about your attitude on a trip and the people you choose to bring with you. You might have to leave one of your best friends at home. After all, you more than anyone knows he/she is a pain in the ass..oh well…trips costs too much money for you to be miserable while you’re away from home.
2. Don’t be as concerned about where you are going as getting the best deal on a flight.
It’s the places that you never expected to go that can be the greatest adventures. Be open to really seeing the world and this attitude will allow you to see a lot of it. The fact is, when you go on a trip more than likely you are going to end up spending more money than you thought you would so at-least make sure the flight is as cheap as possible to offer you more flexibility on the ground.
3. Do your research before you leave your home country.
People always like to boast about being adventurous, but living the broke life just doesn’t allow for you to throw money around like that. Figure out ahead of time how much the taxi should cost from the airport to your hotel because most likely the cab driver will try to hustle you with a ridiculous price. Find out about public transit and use it. Most cities that are attractive to tourists there will be decent and reliable public transit.
4. Don’t be scared to wander off.
Brave those unknown beaten paths or take side trips because that’s where you might see the most interesting things. That’s how you’ll learn what the native people actually do, what they eat and how they live. The locals might end up knowing of a gem in the country that you never heard of. Eat like a local….it will always be much cheaper and probably better quality than in touristic places. For example, you go to Spanish speaking country but there are only English speakers in the restaurant – turn around and leave. Guaranteed there is somewhere less expensive (and tastier) to eat not too far away. Use your common sense and wits….when you’re dealing with people you don’t know it’s no time to act dumb!
5. A good night’s sleep costs money.
This one is probably going to make me sound boogie and maybe a little different than what you would expect from my cheap ass.. But here it is: it’s important to feel comfortable where you lay your head down at night, even if it costs a few extra dollars. Three star is not the same in every country, and if you have travelled enough you know that already. Make a realistic budget about how much you are willing to spend on accommodations and what you need to be comfortable (hot showers and clean water is important). Book hotels and hostels on sites with customer reviews. Location and comfortability are the two most important things to consider when organizing travel. It’s the worst thing to be walking all day and not being able to sleep at night because you’re scared of cockroaches climbing into bed with you.
6. Bring your walking shoes.
A lot of great cities have amazing places to see that are easy to walk to. Walking saves you money and allows you to find the in between places that can be so interesting. Without knowing you can find yourself at other great sightseeing places you never thought you would find or discover places you never knew existed. If you can’t afford all the museums, think of the country itself as a museum where everything is new to you and important to see, that way you won’t feel like you missed out as much.
7. Start saving for that next trip…now.
Start a travel savings account and work extra hours just for travel. It’s hard to shake off the travel bug so keep it as a healthy part of your life!
Photo Credits:
Traveller by Sergio Bertolini.
World Traveller and his Serious Knife by Martin Sharman.
Walking shoes by Henry Bucklow.
All via Flickr Creative Commons. Some rights reserved.
Guest Author Bio
Keithan Alexis
I am a broke Toronto based University graduate who started blogging initially as a way to release some of my own stress. I soon realized how much people were not getting relatable honest opinions from young people that wasn’t about selling any products.
Blog / Website: http://kthatslife.blogspot.ca/
Please Share Your Thoughts - Leave A Comment!