The Best 16 Secrets to Having the Best Budget Trip

Nothing can expandthe horizons of our mind as good traveling does. To make your trip a discovery of something beautiful, and not a confusion of circumstances, it is necessary to use some planning. If you want to plan a budget yet comfortable trip, start preparation in advance. Here are valuable tips for budget travelers :

1. Route planning and booking tickets

Spontaneous trips have their charm, but some moments are better to plan ahead. For example, booking a flight. This is a great chance to save your budget at the very beginning, since early flight booking assumes lower ticket prices. In some cases, it's worth planning 10 to 12 months before the trip. By subscribing to airline newsletter, you can receive information about offers and promotions directly to your mailbox.

To save even more, it makes sense to consider not only direct flights to your destination. For example, you can choose an airport near your destination, and then use a bus or car transfer. Maybe this is not the easiest way, but with proper planning it is a cheaper one.

When booking a cruise liner voyage, you should pay special attention to choosing dates and entering passenger names. Be careful when filling out these fields, as a mistake may cost you a lot. The names of passengers you enter when booking must match those in the official documents by the time of boarding a cruise ship. This information has a special meaning for those who are going to change their last name, for example, after getting married.

“Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Only when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.” - Wendell Berry, A Place on Earth

2. Travel insurance is a reasonable necessity

No one wants to get sick or get robbed during a trip, but, unfortunately, it happens. The luggage may be lost, the flight canceled, etc. The list of such troubles is quite long. In such cases traveling becomes not so economy. If you ignore travel insurance, it may lead to serious financial expenses during the trip. On the other hand, you can avoid these crazy costs for just a very symbolic amount of money for each day of travel. Just think of it as an investment in the peace of mind during your trip. By the way, make photos or your baggage in advance - this will help to identify it faster in case it gets lost and speed up the process of reimbursement according to your insurance.

3. Prepare copies and photos of your documents in advance

For successful traveling it is necessary to prepare in advance copies and photos of the following documents:

• copies of your passport or ID card;
• visa;
• medical insurance;
• driving license.

It is also recommended to have these documents in your email box. This will help to avoid serious trouble with the authorities in case the documents are lost. It is also useful to have a phone number and the address of the hotel you stopped at.

4. Make a list of the essentials for your journey

In about two weeks before your trip make a list of things that are necessary for the trip. This time is necessary to plan your baggage efficiently for travel.

These items are worth to be in your travel bag:

• medicines (aspirin, adsorbent, skin care products, drugs from allergy, antibacterial cream);
• a toothbrush;
• moisturizing cream with SPF;
• additional USB charger.

By the way, the best option is to have these items in the handbag you take on board - in case of delay or loss of baggage, they will always be with you.

5. Take care of the technical equipment

It’s a shame, when your camera battery is low in a fantastically beautiful place. To prevent this, take 2-3 extra batteries with you to let this beauty continue not only in your memories, but also in your pictures.

6. Learn more about the culture and the language of the places you are going to visit

Start reading books about these places! This way you will anticipate your long-awaited journey with pleasure and expand your horizons. It's also good to learn the main phrases in the language of the country you are going to visit. If you say "Hello" in the language of the local population it will certainly help to make friends with locals.

7. Use the services of a local tourist guide

As a rule, locals are friendly to guests and you can always rely on useful information about restaurants, sights and much more. A good way to make your trip low-cost is to get acquainted to a private tourist guide in advance. To use such services means to get unique knowledge about history, local traditions and customs, and everything that will seem interesting to you. Look at the list of tourist guides from more than 90 countries.

Tourist guides are well informed about exhibitions, concerts, markets, etc. How will this help to make your trip budget? It's simple: information is important to avoid wrong choice and extra expenditures. If you have doubts about hiring a guide, this article will help you decide.

8. Prepare backup plastic cards

In case of force majeure situations with your current bank card, you should take care of the backup card, as well as the credit card. Then, in case of sudden freezing of funds on the main account, you can always continue your trip.

Use cards that do not charge a fee for foreign transactions.

Try not to carry out operations with cards when using free public Wi-Fi.

9. Take care of cash

Cash can often be helpful in a variety of cases. Therefore, it is recommended to take care about having some cash in advance –as ATMs may not be available. This advice is not so much about paying your lunch or hotel bill, but about unplanned expenses.

The amount of money to cover such emergency expenses depends on the country you travel to, but on average $200 - 300 in well-hidden cash will give your budget trip more optimism and confidence. The correct choice of a storage place is important: probably, it will be your backpack lining, your handbag with medicines or a cosmetic bag. Include your imagination and do not limit yourself to just one secret place.

By the way, it is careless to wear a bag on your belt - pickpockets around the world know this type of bags very well!

10. Your luggage should not be too large

When dealing with a large suitcase or backpack, people usually try to fill it at most. Avoid this idea. As a result, you will have a lot of things that are hardly necessary. This is not very important for cruise trips, but in a land trip, especially when traveling from place to place, excess baggage will be very depressing. And in this case, a backpack (40 liters - quite enough) with the necessary minimum is a smart decision. A suitcase with evening dresses and other beauty accessories is perfect for a cruise.

“My dream is to walk around the world. A smallish backpack, all essentials neatly in place. A camera. A notebook. A traveling paint set. A hat. Good shoes. A nice pleated (green?) skirt for the occasional seaside hotel afternoon dance.” - Maira Kalman, The Principles of Uncertaint

11. Learn more about vaccination

This is information that you should know in advance - some countries require certain vaccinations for tourists. Just do them and stay healthy!

12. Take care of booking in advance

If you are planning a budget trip, then advance online booking of excursions, trips, hotel rooms, etc. is a great way to save money. As a rule, when you buy online, the price is a bit lower.

13. Be careful when choosing a place for lunch

Avoid places of catering in the tourist center - often it is unreasonably expensive. This idea is not for a budget trip. It is worth to spend time and find a good restaurant - at lunchtime they offer special prices, which are lower than for the evening menu.

14. If you are traveling by ferry - just do not rush

A ferry is a great transport for a budget travel. It gives you the opportunity to combine the pleasure of a voyage with sightseeing. Traveling by ferry is often like meditation - just relax and have fun. And most likely you will need a good camera and a wind-proof jacket.

15. Leave a place for a happy occasion when planning a trip

Be flexible in your intentions. Do not need scrupulously plan your route to the accuracy of a kilometer per minute - this will introduce unnecessary stress. Walking through an unfamiliar city without a specific purpose is a great way to look at it from within, bypassing tourist clichés. Leave a place for happy spontaneity. But always keep in touch with your friends and family and inform them about your current places, especially if you travel alone.

“See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask for no guarantees, ask for no security.” - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

16. The most important advice - enjoy every minute of life on the journey and at home

Feel the taste of life unfamiliar to you! Be sociable and attentive to what is happening, and then you will discover new roads that will lead you to an uncharted and unique experience.