How you can save 30% on your next International trip

First things first. Travelling is fun. But, we usually assume international trips to be expensive because of flight fares, fancy hotels, food, and intra-city travel. This isn’t true if you play smart. You can travel to any country in the world and save at least 30% of what you would’ve spent otherwise. Here are some of the ways in which you can achieve that:

1.     Go off season

The bane of cost cutting is the traveling off season that easily make a huge dent in your pocket. Traveling off season alone can bring your expenses down by at least 30%. Everything from flight fares to hotel stays will be at its lowest price. Moreover, your trip will be peaceful. 

2.     Pick your flight dates 

Once you know when the off season is—pick your flight dates and time when it’s the cheapest. Compare prices on multiple sites and book your tickets at least 3 months in advance. This will save you at least 20-25% on your flight fare. 

3.     Don’t get the best room 

Say no to fancy rooms with swimming pools and fitness room. While traveling abroad you’re spending very little time in hotels. So, better lodge yourself in budget hotels. You can also go for motels or Airbnb. You will save you up to 50% on your hotel bills. 

4.     Carry homemade snacks

Food is the next thing where you will spend a lot. While, you shouldn’t compromise on it, there are 3 things you can do to save and at the same time not compromise. 

·      It’s better to carry homemade snacks which last for at least a week. You can use it for brunch or midnight snacks.

·      You can also carry food for the first day of your trip. Prepare something that you know will last for long and also which you like. At least you will save one day’s food expenses. 

·      While visiting famous tourist destination, you will find fancy restaurants and bars. You can choose to rather eat at a place which is a little away from such destinations. You will get the same food at a much reasonable cost. 

5.     Use public transport 

Your trip budget is likely to shoot up if you’re using Uber or a private taxi for intra-city travel. Public transport such as bus or train costs lesser and gives you a true local experience. There’s nothing to lose by doing so. 

6.     Prepaid SIM Card

Your phone bills while traveling abroad can go up to 15-20K if the trip is long. Better get an International roaming SIM card which will bring down your cost by up to 80%. This way you save thousands on your phone bills. 

7.     Look for free WIFI 

While buying a Prepaid SIM card is a good idea, much better idea is to find cafes with free WIFI. You might as well do both– this way you can go for a low-cost plan while buying an international SIM. 

8.     Have Street food

Some of your meals can be done on the streets. You can always find good food stalls where the price of specialty food is lower than the restaurant food. You can do it for a 3-4 times in a week-long trip. 

9.     Go Street Shopping were the locals shop

Street shopping is a good idea but at some places it can be a catch where there will be an unreasonable price hike. Such places are only meant for tourist and are stationed at famous tourist spots. Instead, you can go shopping where locals do. You will get the right price. 

It’s okay if you’re not able to check all the boxes, that’s not even the aim as it may take out the fun quotient from the trip, but even if follow half of these tips, you’re sure to save at least 30% on your travel budget.