Catarina Lookout, some pottery on display (Monika Sundem)
After a long year of hard work and effort, you've earned yourself a vacation. Go ahead and map out your travel plans, but be sure to set a budget. Unless you're Kim Kardashian or Kanye West, you probably can't jet-set without monetary concern, and the last thing you want is to end up broke and stressed by the end of your trip.
The good news is that traveling on a budget doesn't mean you have to settle for budget travel. By approaching your vacation with care, you can cut a few corners and reduce your expenses without forfeiting the vacation experience. 1. Cut the Cost of Airfare
Since airfare is usually a big travel expense, do everything you can to cut costs. For instance:
Contact a flight consolidator such as Exito Travel to find the most competitive rates
Plan to fly on Tuesday or Wednesday, when fares are usually lower
Consolidate your luggage into a single bag to avoid additional checked bag fees
Fly with airlines that have few or low fees
Ask a friend to drop you off and pick you up from the airport, or take public transportation to the airport to avoid the cost of airport parking
Check your frequent flyer miles and put the miles you have toward the purchase of a ticket
Pack snacks you can enjoy at the airport and on the flight to avoid the high cost of airport and airline food 2. Research Travel Credit Cards
Make sure you use the right credit card when booking your travel. Some cards offer free car rental insurance, a free checked bag, or other travel discounts. If you're a frequent traveler, consider signing up for a Southwest Airlines credit card. You may receive bonus points that can equate to two round-trip airfares. Contact the card companies before you travel to discover currency exchange fees to research the best one to use abroad. 3. Consider Driving
If you're traveling in a group to a domestic destination, driving may make more sense than flying. Add up the cost of everyone's airfare and compare it to the expense of gasoline and car mileage. If you do decide to drive, download the GasBuddy app - based on your location, the app helps you find the least expensive place to gas up. 4. Reduce the Cost of Entertainment
Once you arrive at your destination, don't be afraid to live it up, just be wary of full-price entertainment. Engage with the locals (getting a basic understanding of the native language will help when traveling overseas) and ask them for some cost-efficient entertainment options. Make friends with hotel staff as well - they're another good resource for lesser-known spots you can visit to have fun without breaking your bank account. 5. Purchase Souvenirs Wisely
Do not plan to buy souvenirs from the main tourist market. Handicrafts will be overpriced, and income won't necessarily go to benefit the artisans directly. Rather opt to find that person selling personally made goods on the side of the road or in a non-market area. In Latin America you will find artisan vendors in almost every location of a town or village. This gives you a better price, and ensures that the artisan himself receives the income. 6. Reduce Hotel Costs
Make sure the cost of your hotel is something you can afford - it can add up in a hurry especially on longer trips. You can get a list of recommended hotels within your budget by checking out a site like TripAdvisor. Or better yet, get expert advice through a qualified travel agency which can recommend accommodations based on your budget and preferences. The difference between budget and expensive can often times amount to whether or not the room has Cable TV and a terry cloth robe, amenities which many do not value while traveling.
While it's important to cut costs wherever you can, set aside a portion of your budget for tips. Waiters, bell hops, and cab drivers all rely on tips as part of their livelihood, so give them the respect they deserve. Saving on travel is important, but it shouldn't come at the expense of those who are taking care of you.
The author of this article, Terry Hall, is an avid traveler who is always looks to cut costs and find ways to travel to new places on the cheap. He enjoys writing, playing sports, cooking, and trying new activities.
3 hours ago
We were a group of three that initiated our research by independently searching for the best agency to help us in the somewhat complex experience of traveling to the Galapagos. We chose adventure life because they were the most responsive in the website provided the most comprehensive overview of the trip. Their reviews were also very good.
Adventure, life splits up its booking process in two parts. First Jeff, the booking agent helped us decide which experience best suited are interests. We chose a small 14 to 16 group sized yacht. Once the booking was made with Jeff, we were handed off to Coleene, who oversaw the complex process of assembling all of the necessary documents and making sure we had everything we needed to make the trip go smoothly. The adventure, life website, then becomes your personal place of reference for all things related to your trip from door to door. It’s a lot of information to assemble, especially for three travelers, but the website makes it easy and Colleen‘s gentle reminders kept us on track. In all, from the beginning, we had four months from the time we started our research till the time we departed. We felt that was, a good amount of preparation time and don’t think it would be wise to do it in less than four months. Mostly because I think you have more options with that amount of time. There were others on our trip that took six months and more from the time they started planning.
The trip itself was outstanding. We ended up on an excellent yacht (Galapagos Angel II) with a great group of guests that we were able to connect with and put together a really nice google photos album to share.
Jed
6 days ago
Mary was very helpful. Quick to reply with helpful information and closure on arrangements.
Nicola Maxwell
1 week ago
Mary Curry and Elma are always so responsive and nice to deal with.
Michael
1 week ago
I enjoyed working with Jess to put together a private N.Z. trip. Jess has been my go-to person at Adventure Life over the past several years. She listens to what my husband and I want in a trip, and is always responsive to questions. Nothing seems to be too much of a bother for Jess.
DIANNE GRAY
1 week ago
Jane was my AE agent for the 2 months of helping me decide that this will be the most amazing trip we will ever experience in our lifetime and a memorable way to celebrate our 40th!
I was also able to work with Mike from Quark who was also very helpful.
Once I had decided to go ahead with my booking Kevin took over to assist Jane while on vacation.
Kevin was able to tweak the quote even more
and truly sealed the deal! He was patient with receiving my full payment as it took time to “round up that much cash” Were booking a delux balcony and there’s no looking back
I feel confident and very satisfied that I have made the best decision choosing Quark Expeditions and look forward to a top notch experience aboard the Ultramarine.
Both Jane and Kevin are sincere, professional and courteous. They met all of our needs
to ensure my process was stress free.
I’m looking forward to all our daily excursions then enjoying a Sauna and my own cold plunge in the tub! My back up plan
to the “Antarctic Plunge”
I look forward to getting to know and dealing with Mary Rose for all the final details that will make our trip complete. Great company!
