This is a guest post by Isabel from Bel Around The World.
Heading on a trip abroad? As well as searching for the best value accommodation, you’ll be looking up where’s best to go and how much the top attractions cost. After all, the price of a trip abroad can quickly rise. Luckily, there are some easy – albeit weird – ways to save yourself a fortune. Check out our six suggestions:
1. Look up free attractions
In cities around the world, there are things you can do for free. You’ve just got to do your research. The Louvre in Paris, for example, is free to everyone on the first Sunday of the month and always free for anyone under 26 or teachers. Other free things in Europe according to Hostel World, include the East Side Gallery in Berlin, playing chess in Salzburg, and visiting the Catedral de la Seu in Barcelona.
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2. Get a bit fitter
Transport could be a big expense on your trip abroad. Taxis, trains, buses – they all cost money. But walking won’t cost you a thing. If it’s possible to get around by foot, you should definitely factor in a bit more time into your day and walk. What’s more, you’ll notice more about your surroundings than you would if you were in a car.
3. Book overnight accommodation
When you’re booking travel, it’s worth looking up the cost of overnight planes, trains or buses. As the Secret Traveller says, they’re often cheaper than the same journey in the daytime and have the added bonus of saving you the cost of accommodation. “It’s a double-whammy: get to where you need to be, and avoid paying for a bed for the night.”
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4. Plan how you’ll access money
Unexpected costs are the worst kind of expense when you’re abroad. The last thing you want is to plan an efficient travel budget and then be hit with a surprise. For example, in Thailand, you’ll be charged to use ATMs to withdraw cash and many debit and credit cards will add on their own bank charges on top. If you’d like certainly over what exchange rate you’ll get and tight control of your budget, pre-paid travel cards are a good option according to Money Saving Expert.
5. Forget the tour guides
With Google goggles, you don’t need to join any tours. You can point the camera on your smartphone at famous landmarks and the app will provide you will all the useful information you need. You can even get it to read text in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish, and translate it into other languages.
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6. Think outside the box when it comes to location
Some spots around the world are popular throughout the year – Paris, for example. As such, these places will always be a bit more expensive. To get yourself a bargain, you’ve got to think outside the box and go places haven’t attracted international attention from tourists around the world – yet. Conde Nast Traveller says you should be keeping an eye on destinations like Cambodia, Denmark, Hampi and Belize.
How do you save money on trips abroad? Share your suggestions with us.
Isabel Leong is a travel writer for the website Bel Around The World. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr.
