This year, forego the stressful holiday nonsense and plan a well-deserved getaway. Here’s a how to guide for quick, low cost holiday getaway:
Opt for package holidays:
You may be under the impression that booking on your own and selecting destinations separately makes for a flexible and economical holiday, but that is very untrue. Individual bookings add up to much more than any package deal; and as far as a flexible plan, many websites like Expedia.com customize your entire trip for you, ensuring a comprehensive plan that fits your budget.
Be Flexible:
Try to be flexible with your holiday planning – you can opt for a time after summer break when hotels, airfares and local excursions are all less expensive.
Avoid currency exchange on airports:
Plan exchanging of currencies in advance and exchange your currency on a date the rates are low. There are reliable websites that will inform you about the best going rates.
Carry your own food:
While it is recommended to indulge in local delicacies, it is also advisable to carry some of your own food so that you don’t unnecessarily shell out money for titbits. You can always pack some cookies and biscuits. Secondly, while choosing from the menu, opt for fixed price combos or the meal of the day which are much cheaper than the regular meals.
Purchase airport accessories at a supermarket:
Make sure to carry your travel accessories from home. If you purchase adaptor plugs, eye masks or travel cushions at airports, be prepared to pay inflated prices for them.
- Read more: Health Care During Travel – What to Pack
Carry a travel currency card:
By opting for a travel currency card, you are making your trip economical and hassle-free. Travel debit/credit cards calculate currency in dollars or euros and can be used swiftly during your stay without any added service charge.
Plan your own excursions:
While it may be appropriate to enroll for certain tours and excursions on a website, you don’t necessarily need to follow that rule throughout your trip. For example, in places where hop on-hop off buses are available, you can easily plan your own day tour, cutting costs of tour packages.
Browse through websites for hotels and flights:
While making reservations, it is advised to surf the plethora of options the internet has to offer. By becoming complacent with one website, you may be unaware of better deals other companies are offering.
Travel overnight:
This is an option for young enthusiastic travellers who can opt for train/bus journeys through the night. This way, you are saving on hotel expenditure. However, be sure your body will recover from all that traveling.
Use age, student and membership privileges:
All countries offer special discounts for students as well as senior citizens for numerous facilities like metro transport, bus passes, lunch meals, drinks, etc. Be sure to carry your ID cards to avail these privileges.
Buy a local sim card:
Many people are now following a trend of purchasing a local sim-card to avoid the sky-high rates of international calling. It is advised to use a local number for all your telephonic conversations as well as for data services.
Sign Up for local discount websites:
As soon as you’ve picked your destination, check out local websites like Groupon that offer coupons on meals, clubs, shopping and even spas. You’ll get a fair idea of how expensive the city is and at the same time, pick up some exciting discount coupons.
Be an accommodating commuter:
Walk, walk, and walk! This is not only the best way to explore a city, but also cut down costs drastically. In case the city is not pedestrian friendly, you can opt for metro passes, bus passes which turn out to be pleasingly reasonable.
Tax Refunds Policy at Airports
Airports have a special section for tourists who can recover the tax they have paid on their expenses in the foreign country. Keep your shopping bills and food bills intact as you can get tax refund at the airport before you leave the country.
Win a Holiday!
This is the best way to earn a luxurious holiday without fretting about expenses!
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