It sounds too good to be true, but by using a bit of thrifty common sense, you can double your fun by cutting your holiday expenses in half.
1. Travel off-peak
Plan ahead around children’s school holidays if you want the whole family to get the most out of their vacation. Flying on week days rather than over weekends can save you as much as ??%: for example, some flights from Dubai cost ?? on the weekend, and ?? for the same flight on a weekday. Most holiday resorts also up their prices in season by 30 percent or more, so try to strike a package deal at a less popular place well in advance or opt to travel in the off-season.
2. Book flights in advance
If you’re flying, book your tickets as far as possible ahead of the departure date. The longer in advance you book, the cheaper the rates. For example, a flight from Dubai to ?? will cost you only ?? if you book two days before, compared with ?? one month before.
Use an internet search engine to find cheap flights and lowest-fare airlines to suss out the competition, as airlines can differ by over 50 percent.
“Collecting frequent flyer miles can also lead to a free upgrade, savings on hotels, and much more, which is a major bonus as many cards, like Nectar, don’t require the user to fly to collect miles,” adds Ola Fagbohun, founder and editor of women’s online travel magazine Diverse Traveller (www.diversetraveller.com).
3. Track fares on the internet
Sign up for travel and restaurant newsletters, and take advantage of last-minute deals and discount coupons. Check visitors’ bureau websites for tips on getting discounted rates at tourist attractions or popular events. Booking flights and accommodation online is another great stress-buster, and, if you are willing to pay on a non-refundable basis, online car rentals offer a range of vehicles to suit every traveller.
“I subscribe to consolidation websites like Travelzoo.com, which gives travel deals from all over the world, as well as their top 20 deals of the week,” says Fagbohun, who says the early hours of the morning are best for on-line booking as air fares are lower when fewer people are bidding.
“Use e.mail to save money on long distance phone calls to Europe when booking accommodations,” adds Rick Steves, whose travel website (www.ricksteves.com) e.mails subscribers regular newsletters on cutting costs in Europe. “If you’re concerned about e.mailing your credit card number, confirm your reservation by faxing a printed copy of your e.mail correspondence with the number.”
4. Go on a road trip
While travel a la Jack Kerouac is hardly at the top of any concerned mother’s wish list, anyone who has done a family holiday by car will attest that the happy memories of adventure and togetherness far outweigh the stresses of fighting over the window seat, if the destination is not too far away. Besides drastically cutting costs (compare costs of a flight/train trip with petrol), two drivers ensure that driving fatigue is shared, you won’t have to fork out for expensive taxis on the other side or spend hours of precious time organizing transport. If you have children, make sure you have plenty of magazines, games, cellphone or laptop games and music, DVDs (if you have a portable DVD player), mineral water and snacks on hand before you leave. Max the mileage on your journey by checking tyre pressure, wheel alignment and air filters, all of which will turn pennies into pounds.
5. Stay on the beaten track
While travelling far from the madding crowd is a great way to avoid paying exorbitant prices geared towards foreign tourists, you could land up spending all your cash (and time) on transport to get to monuments, galleries and night clubs you want to visit. Try to stay in mid-range accommodation which doesn’t skimp on comfort and is no more than half an hour from major tourist centres. Cheaper still, if self-sufficiency is not a major issue, stay at a guesthouse or with someone you know. An added benefit of choosing this route is that you get to pick up tips and tricks from the locals.
6. Book tours locally
Avoid paying travel agents’ commissions by planning your trip beforehand. If you’re going to be near a city, check out availability of bus, coach and train trips in the area on the internet or in travel guide books. If you don’t need to book in advance, it’s often better to wait until you get there and cut costs on hiring a driver if you’re not in your own car. Though hotels often arrange sightseeing tours with a days’ notice, it’s usually cheaper to organize them through a tourist office, advises Steves, and, if it’s not too far, don your hiking shoes and take a walking tour instead of a bus or coach.
7. Pack light
If you’re flying, extra kilos mean extra pennies. Also, leaving extra space in your suitcase gives you more room for valuable holiday purchases, while restricting you from indulging in whimsical shopping sprees.
Pack light clothes that don’t take up too much space and can be worn in layers, hard-wearing denims that don’t require frequent washing (which you should try to do yourself to avoid laundry costs) and avoid garments that need to be ironed. “I always take a few pashminas, instead of a cardigan, which doubles up as a wrap on the beach, and covers my head and shoulders when visiting religious places.”
Walking shoes are an absolute must, and besides saving you on taxi bills, could take you on healthy hikes which could ultimately reduce medical costs. Make sure you know the weather predictions for your holiday destination to avoid going into debit over a useless item that may never be used again.
“Remembering the old adage ‘pack half as much as you think you need’ really helps me to keep my luggage to the bare minimum,” explains travel author Sarah Woods. “I pack at around 20kg max and often manage 12-15kg – it gives me the freedom to move around easily with luggage in tow without the stress and strain of a struggle.”
8. Drink and eat local
Avoid touristy restaurants with “We speak English signs” and multilingual menus, advises Steves. “Those that are filled with locals serve better food for less money. I look for a short, handwritten menu in the local language only. Go with the daily specials.”
Regardless of where you are, the most expensive item on the menu is usually the booze. And the price escalates according to the quality and distance of the importation. If you can, choose a restaurant that allows you to bring your own alcohol; even if they charge a corkage fee for opening a bottle of wine, this precaution could more than halve your bill, and double your pleasure. In Europe, it is also cheaper to drink at the bar than at the table, says Steves.
Likewise, it makes no sense to order Mozambique prawns or buy Danish cheese if you’re in the middle of Bangalore. Rather expand your cultural horizons by savouring the local delicacies and snack on the seasonal produce of the area.
9. Monitor exchange rates
Possibly the biggest unknown factor when travelling to a foreign destination is the local currency. Though you can’t foresee comparisons in price to your own until you or someone you know has been there, try to monitor exchange rates at least three months before you get there.
Buy foreign exchange on your credit card. “But beware of credit cards that levy heavy fees for using your card abroad, particularly when withdrawing money from an ATM. If you’re in the UK, check out credit cards from the Post Office and Nationwide; they regularly top the charts of the best cards to use abroad,” advises Fagbohun, who uses moneyexpert.com.
10. Don’t buy at the airport/train station
Everything from food and magazines to mineral water and foreign exchange costs more here. And while it’s tempting to quaff coffee and crisps while you’re waiting, you could lop off 90 percent of your bill by taking an apple or two and a bottle of water with you. Waiting for the complimentary meals on most flights is well worth it, and no-one will stop you if you stash a bread roll or fruit juice or two from your in-flight meal in your handbag to tide you over. While in-flight travel magazines keep you occupied for short trips, it is wise to stock up on books or magazines (try your local secondhand book store; you can always find interesting exchanges at your destination and leave your books behind for local readers) before you leave. Also, try to get someone to take you to the airport rather than spoiling a wonderful holiday with a costly airport parking tariff.
11. Know the bargaining rate
While the prices in western shops are generally fixed, bargaining in eastern or third-world countries is par for the course. The trick is to know the market and set yourself a ceiling. Get an idea from fixed-price shops of what the going price of an item generally is (in India, all goods are required by law to have a Maximum Required Payment), then start bargaining at about a third of the vendor’s asking price. In places like Morocco and Turkey, you can often knock carpet prices down to a quarter of the asking price.
12. Save on cellphone costs
If you’re travelling overseas and know you will need to make a lot of calls, invest in a local SIM card rather than paying exorbitant fees for a roaming facility from your own country. When you arrive at your destination, activate an option for selecting a network on your cellphone and choose the network which gives you the best reception in built-up areas.
Instead of countless SMSes and MMSes each time you feel a pang of homesickness or high adventure, delay the gratification until you can download pics at home and send postcards – your granny will love you forever!
13. Map your territory
While the GPS has revolutionized motor travel, it is a little more costly than a good, old-fashioned map. Try to get a durable, portable book map than a flimsy paper spread which is a mission to unfold and consult in the middle of a bustling tourist hub. Depending on the exchange rate, it may also be cheaper to buy your maps at your destination.
14. Shop smart
Human nature being as illogical as it is, many travellers make the mistake of decking themselves out in appropriate gear before getting anywhere near their destination. If you’re heading for Phuket beaches, there’s no point in buying a Thai-style kekoi from a designer shopping emporium when you can get the real thing at a tenth of the price in Thailand. Set up a tentative budget for specialities of the area before you leave, but steer clear of touristy markets and avoid hawkers selling ancient ornaments outside monuments, and stick to local bazaars or craft markets; not only will you get the real thing, but you’re likely to spend less money on something that will last longer.
15. Swap homes
If you’re prepared to take a risk, join thousands who have saved costs on their holidays by swapping homes. The web is teeming with agencies, so try to ensure you choose a reputable one. Says Canadian Dennis Chobater, who has used Global Home Exchange (www.4homex.com) for 15 years, “We jumped into our first home exchange experience with both feet. We not only traded homes for a year with a couple from Australia but also swapped cars, jobs and bills. Since then we have discovered different parts of the world with swaps ranging from two to 22 days – from New York and California to New York.”
To ensure you don’t make a bad choice, demand loads of photographs and make sure you don’t pay anything before you have a signed confirmation of who is responsible for maintenance and damage and gives you a right to refund if the property isn’t as expected.
Published in Aquarius, Dubai, 2008.
