Cheap Travel Rules to Live By

When you are trying to save money, it is critical to make rules and stick to them. It is easy to to set rules aside on a whim when you find a great restaurant, a long line at the bus stop, or a deal on designer clothing while you are traveling Europe. Even with the best of intentions, though, a cheap traveler will be thrown off course if there are not strict rules about when and how money can be spent. These are some rules cheap travelers live by.

Take Public Transit

City buses and trains are simply the cheapest way to get around, whether you are in New York or New Delhi. When you opt for a private cab you are agreeing to spend a 200% to 300% mark up just to avoid sitting with other people. Cabs are often more direct, cleaner, and more convenient. However, when you take the indirect bus route as an adventure, you will see this option is no worse than taking a taxi cab. Using public transit will give you a good feel for the city or countryside, wherever you happen to be traveling. It will also often save you from getting swindled by local taxi cab drivers who take advantage of unknowing tourists.

Eat Street Food

Street food has culture and flair; it is often the truest indication of a country’s culinary heritage. Street food is not for the weak of stomach, however. If you have specific dietary needs, be sure to travel with trail mix, granola bars and other high energy snacks. Even candy bars can be a life saver. The last thing you want to do is spend a high price for a bottled water and some chips at a news stand. It is best to avoid sitting down at a table, as well, where tips and drink costs, even for soft drinks, can add to the price of the bill.

Rely on Cash

Take out only the cash you will need each day from a local ATM. If you are traveling abroad and afraid there will not be ATMs or will be high ATM fees, take travelers checks. Carry only the amount you intend on spending that day plus a little extra for emergency. Using a credit card can put you easily into the rhythm of spending too much on the trip and intending on paying it off later. If you are in the US, most banks will have ATMs throughout the city you are traveling to. You may even want to take out a small amount of cash before dinner to keep yourself from splurging on a pricey meal.

Practice Patience

If you are patient when you travel, you will save big. This means everything from watching plane ticket prices to waiting in line for free attractions. Going on vacation with a set schedule will make you subject to the swings of the prices at the attractions you are visiting at any given time. By maintaining your flexibility, you can allow prices to dictate everything from when you travel to where you go.

Tags: cheap travel advice, cheap travel rules, traveling with cash