Some of the Thriftiest Ways to Get Around While Traveling Abroad
We all want to live that youthful dream of traveling. No everyday responsibilities or cares just you, a backpack and your closest friends.
Unfortunately, that sort of luxury is reserved for a lucky few. As for the rest of us, we need to be smart to save a bit of money.
Below are some money-saving tips on how to get around when abroad.
Drive or Rent a Car
If you’re traveling a distance that you feel can be driven to, then drive it! The cost of gas will be nowhere near as expensive as a plane ticket. If you’re traveling with people, it can become a wonderful and fun bonding experience—not to mention, you can split the cost of the fuel and both save some spending money.
If your car isn’t super reliable you can always rent one. You can either do this before you start a journey or upon arrival at your destination. Planning car hire for your next holiday is as easy as clicking a link. Sites like Carrentals offer easy pick-up and drop-off options. Renting a car can be beneficial for several reasons. It saves the mileage on your car, saves on taxis, and saves time on waiting for public transport.
Keep Track of Your Flight Points
If you travel often, you must try to rack up flight points. After some time, these add up and pay for themselves in the form of free flights.
Most airlines partner with other companies so you can earn points for activities other than flying. Even if you don’t fly often enough to earn free flights, you can redeem points for other rewards. Being part of a frequent flyer program can provide benefits like free seat upgrades.
Use Public Transport
If you want to save quite a lot, consider taking a bus to your destination, and continuing to use public transport while you’re there!
Taking the bus will take more time, but it will offer you the opportunity of a scenic route, and the potential of meeting new people. You can use that extra time on a bus journey to catch up on sleep or overdue work since you’re not the one driving.
Once you arrive at your destination, if it’s a larger city, taking public transport will most likely be the best option for getting around. It’s cheap, reliable, and will give you more of the city’s authentic experience. Other options could be to use coaches, trains or trams should they be available.
Travel with Friends to Split the Cost
Traveling with people is the best way to save on cost, and it is way more fun! Unless you just prefer to experience things on your own, traveling with a small group of friends will cut your costs down to a third of what they normally would have been. Not to mention, traveling with people is the best opportunity to bond with them without the usual real-world responsibilities gnawing at you.
Conclusion
As an adult, traveling is trickier than just getting a ticket and going off somewhere. We have bills, works, family and other responsibilities. These are all stressful enough! So, there’s no reason why traveling should add to that stress and break the bank.
There are plenty more ways not listed here to save money on travel (Airbnb, hostels, Groupon, vacation packages, etc.). Don’t settle for something expensive just because it seems easier in the short run. Planning a trip on a budget is a challenge and takes some work. It may take a bit of searching, but there is always a better deal out there!
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