Traveling can often cost an arm and a leg, but with these tips you can learn to be guilt free and still have a good time.
You know when your parents told you to appreciate being a kid while you could because when you’re an adult then it’s all responsibility all the time? And we never listened, right? We all wanted the freedom and independence. To be able to get in the car and grab an ice cream at our own convenience; to come home after a night with friends at whatever hour we please; to be done with the trivial drama surrounding high school (although I don’t think that will ever end). Well, we should have listened. As much as they tried to tell me that money was no object, I only thought of the rainbows and unicorns of adulthood.
I’ve been drowning in the deep not too long and already I have learnt the true value of air. Every time I buy a coffee at Starbucks I cringe. Sometimes I avoid my bank account for the whole weekend, so I don’t have to see the error of my ways. I don’t even buy new clothes anymore. Even though my current wardrobe is full of holes and totally worn out.
Due to the mere pittance I receive weekly I am only able to save and use my money on the main reason I’m in the USA: travel.
Since I love to shop and spend money on every experience and adventure I can, traveling on a budget is one of the hardest things I’ve had to work on. And believe me, I’m far from mastering it. However, in January I traveled with one of my very good friends, Hanna, and I definitely feel like I’ve made progress.
I’ve arranged my learnings into 5 categories:
- Traveling out of Season
It’s obvious that traveling to desired places out of season will save you some bucks. Flights, accommodation and activities are not so much in demand, so prices downsize significantly. Peak season in Los Angeles is during the summer between the months of May and September. So January was the perfect time to travel in the Hollywood mecca. Las Vegas is a year-round destination. However, January is actually one of the busy months, purely because of the numerous conventions occurring in this month.
We were lucky though, because we went during the week after a major convention happened, so accommodation prices were really low.
- Becoming a savvy flyer
First things first, book flights in advance. It’s no secret that prices increase the closer to the date you buy a ticket, so if you’re traveling on a budget reserve your seat a few months before the time. And when doing so, consider booking the flight during the week as prices are lower. This is because a premium is usually added to weekend flights.
Pack light when flying. If your trip is short, look at avoiding luggage expenses and just travel with hand luggage instead. Hanna and I did that. It was quite a site. Two girls with three/four layers traipsing around in a heated airport, carrying bags that look like they’re about to explode. But it saved us $30 and in our line of work, that’s a lot.
- Thinking before you eat
Often, at the end of a trip, I ask myself where the heck all my money went. Then I realise, it’s all in my tummy. If you are not conscious of where you eat, what you’re drinking, the dollars start adding up. Rather than lunching at an overpriced café or restaurant, buy cheap lunches and even snacks at a local grocery store. Hanna and I shopped at Trader Joes and we ended up getting one breakfast and two lunches for each of us out of $30.
Do some research beforehand instead of choosing the first eatery that you see. This way you can plan the meal within your budget and avoid that guilty feeling when you card is charged. A great way to also save is to look for hotels or hostels with complimentary breakfasts or a kitchen so that you can save a little money to maybe buy a souvenir or something.
- Taking the bus
Embracing public transportation will definitely make your wallet joyous. As much as Uber is convenient, if you can take the local metro or bus, you’ll save a lot more money than you think. Buses and trains are also a lot cheaper than flying. Especially for our trip to Los Angeles to Las Vegas. One of the main reasons we chose these two places is because it’s a four-and-a-half-hour bus ride that just cost us $2 each with Flixbus. We just had to do it.
A new discovery that I recently made and managed to incorporate into our trip was renting a car with the Turo app. It’s technically an AirBnB for cars. Basically, the car is owned by an actual person and they list it on this app. The prices vary depending on what you’re looking for and for how long. Hanna and I had an extra day between our venture from Los Angeles and Las Vegas. So we decided to spend it in Arizona experiencing the Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. A normal car rental company would have charged us close to $300 for an overnight. Plus, neither of us are over 25 so we would have been charged even more on insurance because we’re a liability. Using Turo, we found the perfect car for only $100. Going to Arizona was possibly a luxurious decision but the experience was so worth it.
- Adorning your day with free activities
When trying to travel on a budget, including free excursions is definitely on top the list. Wherever you go there will always be things to do and places to go to that are free. For example, in Los Angeles, we visited the Griffith Observatory, Santa Monica Beach, Venice Beach. In Las Vegas, just 20 minutes outside of the city is a beautiful art project that was put together in 2016 by the Nevada Museum of Art called the Seven Magic Mountains and everything from parking to taking snaps of the art installation is free. Also in Las Vegas, you can witness the synchronised performance known as the Bellagio Fountain as well as warming up with The Mirage’s Volcano show. And in Arizona the Horseshoe Bend is free but not exactly. The only thing that you have to pay for is parking and that is only $10.
Even after following this advice, it’s still pretty difficult refraining from begging commercialist stores to take all my money. But Practice is progress and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.