Traveling freely without letting your wallet feel a hard pinch is a real task. I speak (well, I write!) from personal experience and from that of others. It seems easier to follow a strict diet while trying to drop a few pounds but following your budget while traveling is a snowball’s chance in hell!
Useless expenses torch the wallet
entirely leaving you in a cumbersome situation. A jovial attitude while
managing expenses on the road can be a precarious ladder to stand on. I opt to
follow some menial methods to keep myself in check. Hope they can help at least
a few of my fellow travellers.
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| Picture by Ashwin Purohit. |
Don’t give in to the
“duty-free” temptation.
Many travellers burn through
their budgeted capital rapidly due to this common and rather imprudent reason.
When you are at a “duty-free” store, decide whether you can control your urges
while window shopping. Walking in to browse and walking out with a legion of
unnecessary purchases will definitely suck you dry. If it’s a need go for it,
if it’s a tempting want, just walk away. Spend that money on a rope way ride, a
hotel upgrade or if you can’t think of anything, a bar crawl (yes it’s
completely contradictory but it is bound to give you great memories!).
Pictures and memories will
express more than memorabilia.
Indulging in collecting local
authentic paraphernalia can be good, but it should never be instinctive. The
“oh I got to take that piece home! It’s unbelievably beautiful” attitude will
always kill your travel budget. I
prefer to take pictures and make memories worth reminiscing with friends and
family when I’m back home. My suggestion for avid collectors would be to set
aside a specific amount to spend on souvenirs. Spend no more - no less than
this sum which is included in the budget.
Public transportation acts as the backbone of your budget.
Subways, Trams, Metros, Buses, trains,
Tube, Rickshaws and every other local means of transport are budget friendly. The safety and security
aspect of travelling on these rather than a cab can be debated until time
stands still. But, if money is in question, I always prefer the former. In many
countries like Prague and the U.K, you can get a “day pass” and travel to and
fro to as many places you desire. In Mumbai, India, the local trains are the
cheapest, fastest and the most well connected option of travel. The one-way
ticket cost ranges from INR 5 to INR 30 spread across 4 routes.
Simple living high thinking.
It’s acceptable to treat yourself
to a lavish stay at a resort or an incredible meal at a restaurant now and
then. But if you wish to be thrift, a little abstinence is required. Hostels,
homestays and couchsurfing are the
optimal choices to save money on accommodation. Staying at these establishments
can be awkward, uncomfortable and downright disastrous at times, but every cloud
has a silver lining. The friends you make at hostels, the bonds you form with
your couchsurfing or homestay hosts are everlasting. The next time you visit
that destination, just drop an email or text to your friends. Even if they aren’t
able to host you, they will definitely join you for a day around the city or a
drink at night.
I am not a “follower of a strict
backpacker-budget” kind of traveller. I vary my estimate cost after thoroughly
analysing my upcoming travels. The way you plan to spend your wherewithal is up
to you. After all, some people prefer luxury travel while some walk the nomadic
path. Eventually, exorbitance is unfavourable to all.
How do you budget your expenses for an adventure?
How do you budget your expenses for an adventure?
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