7 Ways to Travel Smarter
Smarter is most definitely better.
Travel has been my life for the past five years.
I have spent the past five years bouncing around from place to place. Living and travelling in various countries.
At the start, I was wide-eyed and blissfully naive about life on the road.
Eventually, over the course of those five years, the wide eyed traveller became a hardened and wise voyager.
Here are a few things I learnt over the years that will help you travel smarter.
Stay in hostels instead of hotels
Hostels may not be the glamorous of places, but if you want to save money, they are a godsend.
The rooms are much cheaper.
Yes, you have to share a room with other people, but it’s a great way to meet other travellers.
I have made some of my best friends while staying in hostels. Without these friends, my trips would have been lifeless.
Travelling alone is a great experience, but sharing those experiences with others is more enriching.
Cook your own meals
Staying in a hostel allows you to cook your own meals, which will save you a load of money.
One of my biggest expenditures when travelling is often eating out.
I get peckish all the time when I’m on the road, and I can’t resist nipping into a cafe to get a bite to eat.
After a while, this leaves a considerable hole in my wallet.
Cooking meals while travelling has saved me a lot of money.
Do this, and you’ll have more money to enjoy the sights that are all around you!
Take money with you
You might be thinking, why should I take cash with me when I have a card.
Well, depending on where you go, ATMs might not be widely available.
In this case, having cash to hand can keep you going until you come across one
If travelling to a country where you get charged for using an ATM, either take as much currency as you can beforehand or withdraw as much as you can from the ATM.
This will save you from paying more fees down the road.
It’s always best to store some cash in a place, in case you run into trouble. You never know when that $50 in your shoe could come in handy!
Book flights, trains etc. as early as possible
I learnt this the hard way.
I would often book my tickets a few days before my trip.
It was a mistake.
The prices would skyrocket in the days before I was planning on leaving. I was paying a lot more than I would have if I booked earlier.
The earlier you book the better.
It will save you more money in the long run.
Use a smaller bag for your luggage
Most people pack more than they need.
I remember seeing people trawling backpacks bigger than them around. It was ridiculous.
The reality is, you don’t need as much as you think when you travel. We’ve all packed clothes as a backup option.
If you’re travelling long-term, it’s unnecessary. If you need more clothes, you can buy them when you get there.
A trick to encourage you to pack less is to buy a smaller bag. You’ll only be taking what you absolutely need.
Using a smaller bag will encourage you to pack light.
Plus, it will lessen the strain on your back!
Buy a refillable water bottle
I detest plastic!
It damages our environment in a manner that is hard to comprehend.
Almost everyone buys bottled water when they travel, but there’s a better way!
Invest in a refillable water bottle!
Not only will this save you money, it reduces the amount of plastic in the environment.
Most cities have water fountains. It’s easy to fill your bottle up when you’re on the go.
Not only will save you money, you’ll also be saving the planet!
Double win!
Travel during off season
Everything will be cheaper and places will be quieter.
I found this out in Spain, travelling outside of the summer months was much cheaper.
The cities were also quieter, which allowed me to enjoy the sights without the swell of tourists that is commonplace nowadays.
If you can handle travelling during the colder and darker months, you’ll be handsomely rewarded!
Talk to the locals
Who better to ask about the local sights than the people that live there!?
They are usually friendly and can tell you about places that are less well-known to the average tourist.
Depending on where you go, they are normally friendly and eager to let you know about the best places in their city.
Tourists are getting a bad rep recently. Expressing an interest in local culture will go a long way to restoring the image of tourism.
