More Great Budget Travel Tips from HostelBookers Travelers
This will be the last batch of backpackers’ budget travel tips for a little while. But we’ve got a feeling it won’t be too long before we’ve got enough tips from HostelBookers travelers to put together a few more roundups on what to do and what not to do on your travels!
In the meantime thanks, as ever, to everyone who wrote in with their contributions!
"Include visiting people as a part of a trip. That friend from high school who decided to move to Paris to work for a couple of years, the friend of your parents living in some small town in England… It’s amazing how many people know people in different places that could help you out by letting you crash on their couch, or can recommend what’s worth seeing or not."
"Look at maps to check exactly how far the hostel is from the things you wanted to see. Maps can de deceptive."
"When choosing a hostel I always try to find one that supplies breakfast, then I pack a bun and what not and have a free lunch."
"Take advantage of hostels that serve complementary breakfasts! Save that money to have one really nice meal daily either breakfast or dinner!”"
"If hostels are full for any reason, just check out the older, perhaps rustic looking, motels. Often only a single floor, they can be cheaper than larger, more modern places. These are still clean as others, have great beds, and may be only half the price. Finally, if you can camp, and a forest is nearby your destination, camping can be free, or a minor fee. At 63 years old, I have to make certain I will be able to get up off the ground decently in the morning. My first choice would always be a hostel, though!"
"Carry a lock with you to avoid renting one."
"We tend to book all our hostels before we go on a trip. This saves a lot of time looking for a cool place to stay & you usually get away cheaper. (HostelBookers has been a gift from God for me!)"
"Talk to other travelers – no one knows better than the people that have already done it. You may talk to someone who can recommend a place that they have stayed before that you may not have heard of. They may also help you avoid getting overcharged if they can advise you of what you would expect to pay."
"Use hostels that have decent kitchens fitted and self-cater wherever possible, especially in wealthier countries where cafe meals etc. may be expensive. Plus cooking in a communal kitchen is a great social activity when you’re travelling alone."
"Get a job that allows you to travel. Then when work is done, remain there for a few days and boom. Cheap trip!"
"Always have a sarong with you, it can be used on the beach, as a makeshift scarf, to cover your head or to cover shoulders if you go somewhere that needs it."
"Take extra money in case something unexpected happens; don’t spend all your money on shopping!"
"Carry a first aid kit: buying a kit whilst traveling can be expensive."
"Take individual sachets of shower gel, shampoo creams etc. in your backpack."
"Team up with others to get group reductions for travel or accommodation and enjoy the team spirit!"
"- Look out for student discounts
- Check out for the days when things are open for free
- Group up with others to lower your cost."
"Take half as many clothes and twice as much money!"
"Make friends with the travellers you meet at hostels – their advice is often better than any guide book, and you’ll usually see more for less if you follow it. You can also share a bottle of wine with them, which is far cheaper than buying wine by the glass!"
"Go inland, away from the coast, and learn some basic phrases in the local language"
"Do Wwoofing for a few days when you are waiting on jobs"
"Tiger balm – it works for headaches, a mossie repellant, for sore joints and many other uses (just don’t get it in your eyes!!)."
"1) Ask people for tips. When traveling you meet people from any country you can imagine.
They can give you ideas and refer to web addresses where you can find cheap stuff like tickets and accommodation concerning their country of origin.
2) Try backpacking in ‘poor’ and not famous places. Everything is a lot cheaper and if you are the type of traveler that has time but not money (student/gap yearer) then it is ideal. You can wait a few more years before you visit France, New Zealand and Canada. I mean why not, when you can experience Vietnam, Venezuela and Morocco for weeks and spend less.
3) If you go to Australia stay away from the big cities. From experience, believe me you’ll be broke before you know it. Try going west – it’s awesome!"
"Watch signs in shops to find the cheapest calling card for where you’re most often going to phone"
"Walk! – Forget the train or bus around the city, walk! We’d walk for hours & hours & we saw so much more then we would have on a bus. You see back streets, find shops you’d never dream of & you see more of the city you’ve come to visit!"
"Move away from the most popular spots. Even just moving a kilometer or two away from the hub of it all can save you a decent bit of money. Walk, cycle & take buses instead of taxis. You’ll be surprised at what a great workout this is, you’ll get to take in more about your surroundings and most important, you’ll save!"
"When doing sightseeing trips & tours, don’t book beforehand. You are bound to find a local who would gladly show you the same things & charge you a fraction of the price. It also gives you the satisfaction of helping out someone in need & the appreciation from their side is all worth it!"
"Travel light! Best tip ever! You’ll save money on laundry as you can wash a few things by hand in the evening & have it dry the next day. You’ll never be over the weight on flights & can share taxis if luggage is less."
"To see if a guide book is any good, borrow one for your own country or one you know real well and see how it pans out (if its excellent for your country the chances are it will be for the one your visiting and the reverse is true as well)."
"Buy as many toiletries as you can at your destination. This saves on bulky packing. Don’t take hair dryers and straighteners – you’ll probably not use them anyway."
"Go to as many free-entry museums as possible."
"Be nice to people – they just might be nice back!"
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