You have had a long year and are ready for a vacation, but you do not want to spend too much and return home with holiday guilt. Sound familiar? Whenever I spend during my holidays, there is always a little voice in my head telling me to look for cheaper alternatives. If you are like me, my top tips are sure to help you travel on a budget!
1. Hostel over Hotel
Although it may be nice to splurge on a 5-star hotel with a large comfy bed and giant bathtub, you can always get by when you stay at a hostel. This is also a great way to get to meet new people around the world. If you think a hostel is just not for you, there are plenty of other options like Airbnb and budget-friendly hotels.
2. Food for the Soul
Getting a taste of my holiday destination’s local cuisine is definitely on my to-do list. I like to check out street food vendors and small family-owned restaurants since they tend to have the most authentic soul food.
3. Budget Transportation
Depending on where you want to travel, it is best to check the cheapest form of transport to get you to your destination, whether that be by plane, bus, train, or car. If you are going to a place only accessible by flight, have a look at budget airlines like EasyJet, AirAsia, Eurowings, etc, and try to skip on paying for a checked bag and go with a carry-on. This way you save time are the airport as well! Traveling within Europe is easy with just trains and buses: Zurich to Paris in less than 4 hours by train and a plethora of bus routes by FlixBus taking you almost anywhere you want to go for a fraction of the flight cost.
4. Plan Ahead
As with anything, the best alternative to overspending while on vacation is to plan as early as possible. This guarantees that you get the best prices before the holiday rush, and you are sure to be able to set aside a portion of your budget for cultural and adventurous experiences in your holiday destination.
So there you have it: those are my top 4 tips for traveling on a budget. Following these tips are a guaranteed way to ensure you do not break the bank on your next vacation and return home with holiday guilt.
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Couldn’t agree more! I needed this reminder after caving at home for such a long time! 🙈
Staying at home during the pandemic has surely helped people save up on their expenses, now might be the perfect time to put it to use!
Very useful tips!!! Thank you Srishti!
Thank you, Vasia!
Very good tips Srishti… personally I’d never take hostel over hotel.. but I’d cut off on some other expenses to compensate 🙂
Thanks, Pamela! I must say, hostels are not for everyone…but can surely be an unconventional way of making new friends. But if you can manage to balance out your other expenses, then a hotel is great too!
True!