How to travel in luxury on a non-luxurious budget

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I love to travel but I particularly love to travel cheap.  I do like my comfort though so I’m always on the look-out for ways to travel first-class on an economy budget.  Here are a few of the tips that have helped me travel in style:

  • Realise that the internet is your friend.  If money is an object, you have to turn to the budget-traveller’s best friend, Google.
  • Often, by doing research online, you’ll find lots of ways to save money.  For example, I’ve learned that buying tickets to attractions, shows and so on are often cheaper online than at the venue.  I bought my hop-on hop-off Barcelona bus tour this way and saved some cash.
  •  Many times, buying tickets to attractions online doesn’t just save you money, it saves you time.  For instance, if you buy tickets to go to the Eiffel Tower or Burj Khalifa online, you join a shorter queue at the venue and get to see the attraction faster than people who bought their tickets at the venue.
  • The time of year you travel matters.  Going to Europe in summer costs more than at other times of the year.  Similarly, going to Dubai at Christmas time tends to be more expensive than at other times.
  • Lots of hotels offer discounts if you book online early.  I’m always surprised at how much I save by booking online.  Lots of hotels you think are out of your budget have online offers that could put them within your reach.  You won’t know if you don’t do your research.
  • When booking a hotel, forget about booking breakfast.  It is always marketed as a cheaper option but it isn’t really.  Food in a hotel is usually more expensive than restaurants outside the hotel even if the restaurant is just down the road.  Besides, I’ve noticed that when I stay in hotels, I hardly ever get up before breakfast is over.  I’ve finally learnt my lesson – no more ‘breakfast-included’ hotel bookings.
  • Buy snacks outside the hotel and eat them in your room.  It’s a much cheaper option than eating in the hotel.  Also, never ever eat or drink anything in a hotel room’s mini-bar.  The stuff there is always way more expensive than in the shops.
  • If you need to buy minor things like toothpaste, shaving stick and so on, ask the hotel cleaners where they would buy stuff like that.  Since they live in that city, they are likely to know where to get regular items on the cheap.  This tip also works for where to eat.  Wherever regular residents of that city eat is likely to be inexpensive and good.

I’m all about travelling but I also love to save money so if like me you have champagne taste but a beer budget, I bet you’ll find these tips of mine useful.

 

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