Travel is something that every millennial loves to do, but most of the time it can also turn out to be very costly especially if the destination is an exotic one.
Priti Rathi Gupta, Founder of LXME and MD AnandRathi Group shares the following checklist for you to cross out all the exotic and expensive travel destinations from your bucket list and visit them on a limited budget.
Become a groupie
Don't book yourself for a package tour, instead look for informal tour operators and travel enthusiasts who know lonely wanderlusts like yourself. Some of them are Meetup, Reddit, or Lonely Planet's forums. Check these out and you're sure to find a group who will accompany you throughout your trip and also help you lower costs because a group holiday is always more economical than a private one.
Have your breakfast like a king
A paid package in the majority of hotels is bound to come with at least half-decent breakfast which is usually unlimited. Stuff yourself with the food so it can keep you full for a while. For the remaining meals - let some comfort or instant food and dehydrated food packets revive you.
Plan well in advance
This will help you find the best deals entailing airfares and accommodation. You can book up to 11 months prior but it is advisable to book at least 3 months before your dates. This gives you a wide enough window to plan and book other things like stay or travel between various destinations if there are more than one. It also gives you the power to negotiate or the bandwidth to look for more economical travel and stay options.
Defy the calendar
Avoid the peak tourist season for your travels. Low traffic bookings, both in India and internationally can be even more of a bargain when it comes to flight sales, hotel discounts, off-season rebates on activities, and more. Besides, an off-peak season will mean less tourists around allowing you the chance to enjoy your holiday to a greater extent.
Lodge cheap
Consider unconventional options too. Check for reviews and testimonials for hostels, home-stays and Couch-surfing hosts and book it from their respective platforms. You can also consider TripAdvisor. Remember that when you travel, the experiences that come with exploring the place is what is important, not the luxury quotient of the hotel you're staying in.
Search high and low
Go online, talk to friends-colleagues and people from your destination and discover various free attractions and affordable activities. By talking to the people around your hotel or lodge, discover various local food havens, and the lowest deals on everything.
Get off the radar
Here's a tech trick that will save you from the unnecessary price hikes that appear when you keep checking and rechecking your travel choices. Use an incognito window so that your search history does not influence the fare you finally settle for. The prices tend to increase, every minute as you check for available commute and stay options and this is a smart hack to bypass artificial intelligence.
With a little advance planning and arrangement, some flexibility, and the right attitude, your dreams of exploration will realize sooner and better than you know. Cost-effective travel is as good for your soul as it is for your pocket. It brings out the joy of discovering a new place over the desire for a "luxury experience."
Time to stop excuses and start looking for your next adventure without worrying about finances!
