Monday, December 29, 2008

5 Amazing Tips On Discount Travel

By katie George

If you are among the people who are really passionate about traveling, have you been really thinking about enjoying it cost-effectively? Or you just prepare the money to get all the luxurious pleasure no matter how much it will be?

Well, you probably do have a lot of money, but it's not really a bad thing if you could save more yet still have the enjoyment you've been dreaming of. It is true. You have the same excitement yet with spending less money that you've calculated before. How do you do it?

Here are 5 top tips you should take into account

1. Find out alternate routes to your destination

Sometimes, a combination of two flights is cheaper than one flight. Or, you can also say that the direct route is not always the cheapest. For example, if you're planning to go overseas, it will be much cheaper if you're willing to make a domestic flight first prior to switching to an international one.

2. Reduce the food costs during your trip by shopping in local supermarkets rather than dining out

You can buy some healthy snacks and fresh food from a market to eat during your outings. It is a far better idea instead of stopping for lunch at a touristy restaurant. However, if you still want to dine out, it's best to do it on truly local cuisine. Besides you'll save a lot of money, you'll experience a more interesting cultural atmosphere and get much cheaper local food.

3. Look into renting an apartment

That's what you should do if you're planning to stay long in the place you go to. Why? Because it is usually much cheaper than even the cheapest of hotels. Another advantage is that you will be able to cook in the apartment.

4. Make your trip much more affordable by being flexible

This is probably the most important concept overall in terms of discount travel. If you can be flexible and open to new things in regards to your destinations, you have the opportunity of taking whichever is cheap. Thus, you will often save lots of money.

Here is one example

You're going to South America, where rum will be incredibly cheap and other types of alcohol will be fairly pricey. You don't really like rum, but in this situation, you do when you're in the country.

5. Consider the value of staying put for a while

Traveling doesn't always mean the flight to your destination. You will not only have huge savings on transportation and accommodation, but also take pleasure in far more exciting and valuable occasions and experiences.

Of course it is very tempting to try and see as much as possible in a foreign country by constantly moving. But, it's dubious that you will also get a good sense of what the country is like. If you're willing to stay for a while, for instance by renting an apartment for a few weeks in a particular city, you can experience the culture a bit more, meet and indulge with some locals, dine in local restaurants, and of course, save more money.

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