You’ve been working hectically for the past few weeks and need a break. This is most likely to make you think that you need a vacation right away with your family. However, the rising expenses scare you because while spending time sightseeing, the costs can suddenly add up. So when you come back, you are likely to face very little money remaining in the bank account.
Tips on How to Cut Costs When Travelling and Sightseeing
Journeying to exotic destinations is a sure means of relaxation and spending good times with your family. When booking through Cleartrip, you are sure to find the best deals and discounts on flight tickets and accommodations.
However, you also have to deal with rising costs, which increase your travel budget manifold. How do you cope with this situation while enjoying the best of the vacation spot? Here are some tips on this:
- Don’t carry too much. When packing, take lightweight clothes that can dry easily, and do not take up much space in the bag or suitcase. Carry only essential items and keep them in two bags. This also prevents you from buying too many things, especially souvenirs, at the destination.
- Sightseeing for free: Many travel destinations offer sightseeing at no cost. These are not the mainstream ones, but they are undiscovered treasures that give lots of insight into the life, culture, and history of that place. Find out information on such places and how to reach them to enjoy exploring them and discover new facets of your destination.
- Shop in local grocery stores: When you are sightseeing, be sure to look into the local markets, where you can find lots of food items at low prices but of the best quality. Items like nuts, bread, pasta, mayonnaise, and veggies can be used to put together a small snack that can be enjoyed in the hotel room or on the tour bus; otherwise, why stand in front of a monument instead of eating an expensive meal?
- Skip the cafes: though coffee is tempting, you don’t have to enjoy it in an expensive cafe. Most cafes charge a lot and so does your hotel for a single cup. Avoid such expenses by brewing your coffee in your room using instant coffee power, hot water, milk powder, and sugar. just look at how much you can save on coffee cups during a week’s trip which can be used in some other way to enjoy the trip or buy something quite useful.
- Use a withdrawal card without fees instead of cash. Get a card that can be used to pay for expenses as and when required on the trip, instead of paying in cash. See to it that cash is used only when it is not possible to use this card. Make sure to buy a withdrawal card that does not charge.
- Go to the airport early: By leaving for the airport early, you can easily find a cab at a lower cost than one that makes you pay a high price when you are rushing to it at a later time. By going to the airport early, you can avail the public transport system which is low-cost.
- Get an empty water bottle: You won’t believe how much you will spend on buying water bottles as you journey. Right from the departure airport, until you leave the destination, you can find yourself buying so many. Avoid plastic waste and save on buying water by getting an empty water bottle that you can fill up as and when needed, such as at the airport, hotels, restaurants, etc where it is purified and offered.
- Prepare your snacks: When sightseeing, you are sure to feel hungry from time to time. Keep yourself full by making small snacks on your own. Go to the local grocery store and get those items that will help you make a quick snack. This helps avoid buying overpriced cakes and dishes in cafes or restaurants.
- Get hotel credit cards that offer hotel night certificates: Using the certificate, you can avail yourself of a free night’s stay. Now, enjoying a room with plenty of good guest features is certainly going to cost, but with this card, it’s free! It can also even get you a room upgraded for free. Adding to this is the bonus point gained by staying in such a room, even if it is free, which, when accumulated, can get you further free hotel stays.
- Book hotel rooms on bonus points: It brings down the cost of the stay! When doing this, you can also avoid additional fees and get additional discounts if you happen to stay longer. For example, the Hilton Hotel will let you stay for one night free when you book rooms for five consecutive days with them and also have the Silver Elite membership.
- Off-season Travel – When you book tickets to a vacation spot in the off-season, you will be surprised at how low they can get. Likewise, so many prices come down like hotel room costs, sightseeing tour fees, eating costs, train rides, walking tours, etc. tourist spots are less filled with people and many waiting lines are empty. Cultural tours are also best taken during this time as they are low-cost.
By booking through Cleartrip, you will be able to get rooms and tickets at affordable prices, which will help you enjoy a fabulous time in the vacation spot without skyrocketing costs. Specifically, look out for a travel credit card that gives you really good benefits. For example, did you know that the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card has no annual fees?
If you were to get the Platinum Card from American Express, you are entitled to luxury perks. Check out the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which offers many travel rewards at a flat rate. By carefully checking up on various expense elements in travel and learning how their costs can be curbed, you can enjoy a fun vacation while avoiding unnecessary expenses.
