People tend to have two complaints about travelling. The first is that, due to work and other responsibilities, they simply don’t have enough time to travel as they’d like. The other is that travelling is too expensive.
There’s not much you can do about the time factor beyond asking your boss for more time off work, but the expensive part? That’s somewhat in your control. While it’s a challenge to travel the world for free (though it is possible!), there are strategies for keeping your expenses as low as possible. Mostly, that comes down to avoiding the common ways in which travellers overspend.
In this post, we’ll run through these common overspending mistakes, as well as offer advice on what you can do to avoid them.
Smart Travel: Avoid These Common Overspending Traps
Booking the First Flight They See
As with most things in life, it can pay — literally — to take a patient, considered approach towards booking your travel adventures. If you’re booking the first flight that you see, then unless you’re very lucky, you’re probably overspending. Searching flight comparison websites can show you all of the available flights and their prices, ensuring you can book the most affordable flight available.
Keep in mind, however, that it’s wise to factor in the total cost of the flight. For example, a flight might be cheap, but if you’ll land at the destination at 3 am, then the total cost may be much higher, since you may need to pay for an airport hotel or for a taxi (rather than taking public transport, which may not be running) to take you to your eventual destination.
Overpaying at the Airport
It’s very easy to spend a small fortune at an airport. How do you avoid these large, often unnecessary costs? By having a plan of action before you travel. If you’re driving to the airport, then it’ll be better to use an airport booking service like Parking Up rather than simply paying when you’re there. It’ll be much cheaper, and also gives you peace of mind that you’ll actually have a space to leave your car.
It’s also best to have a big meal at home before travelling (no need to buy astronomically expensive food at the airport) and keep any books/reading materials you bring in your carry on luggage. It’ll help should your flight be delayed, since it’ll mean you won’t need to buy a book/magazine to keep you entertained.
Not Checking For Best Hotel Price
Accommodation accounts for a big chunk of the travel-related expenses, so it’s best to take extra steps to ensure you’re getting the best deal. In most cases, using an online platform is the best way to see all of the options available to you. Once you’ve found a hotel that’s interesting, consider visiting its website directly. Many hotels offer better prices or additional amenities (such as free breakfast) if you book with them directly.
Keep in mind that the best price doesn’t necessarily mean the cheapest. The best option is one that offers a mix of comfort with affordability. Staying in the cheapest place might help you save on the upfront costs of travelling, but you’ll only pay in other ways (for instance, forcing yourself to spend more time outside because you hate the thought of spending time in your hotel room).
Sticking to Main Tourist Areas
Yes, the tourist areas of the destination you’re visiting will be home to some of its best attractions, but be aware that tourist zones can be considerably more expensive than other parts of the place you’re visiting. Restaurants, bars, souvenirs, and even things like bottles of water can be double the price of what you’ll pay elsewhere, making it easy to overspend.
So while you’ll want to spend some time in the tourist zones, don’t spend all of your time there. Visiting other parts of the destination will give you greater insight into the culture as a whole, and will also be much more gentle on your wallet.
Paying for Taxis
Taxis can be convenient, but they’re expensive. And in some cases, they’re not even convenient — in areas with excellent public transport, it can take longer to get somewhere by taxi than it does by taking the metro.
Before travelling, read up on the best way to get around. In most cases, you’ll be told that public transport or walking is the best method, not taxis. This approach can save you considerable amounts of money, and can even open your eyes to aspects of the destination that you might otherwise have missed. After all, you’ll be much freer to explore interesting-looking sights when you’re travelling on foot than you would be if you were stuck in the back of a taxi.
Making Every Meal an Experience
Don’t get us wrong: it’s very much worthwhile putting a little extra cash in the travel budget so that you can enjoy some excellent meals, especially if you’re visiting a destination known for the quality of its food.
However, remember that not every meal has to be an experience. You’ll save a lot of money if you’re happy to prepare breakfast/lunch at home or simply have something cheap. Save your cash for the meals that are genuinely worth the expense, rather than spending it all on expensive meals that you’re only eating as a way to keep your energy levels up.
Failing to Understand Currency Exchange
Your £500 could feel like £500, or it could feel more like £300. It all depends on the currency exchange that you get. It’s essential to have a good understanding of the currency exchange rates to ensure you get the best deal and avoid overspending on items you purchase. You can save even more cash by using a travel currency card, which will give you the best conversion rate possible.
Not Having a Budget
Finally, perhaps the number one reason people overspend when travelling is by failing to have a budget. Your travel-related costs will quickly add up to a small fortune if you have a “go with the flow” approach. Putting some limits on how much you spend will at least make you think twice before splurging!
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