Like everything else if one relies on how characters travel in Bollywood films, one is doomed for life. You’d end up being in debt or travelling never again. Have you been in situations when it’s day 2 of your 10 days trip and you can literally cry over the number of zeroes you see in your bank account update? Have you been in situations when you thought you’re staying in the best location but turns out you’re craving to see a humanitarian sight for days? If you’ve travelled and made mistakes, you’ve travelled for the right purpose but you need to learn a lesson or two! Here’s how not to exhaust your money on Day 2 of your 10 days trip because let’s be practical, only Brad Pitt can give massages on an isolated beach and earn the budget of his trip back, not us.
1. Choose A Homestay Over A Hotel
We know the enticement of picking up the phone and ordering scrumptious meals one after the other. It’s simpler to throw the clothes for laundry like a pro than doing it by yourself. The glam of laying wrapped in the fluffy blanket on a heap of cotton balled mattress doing absolutely nothing is irreplaceable. However, we must get that straight folks, travelling is a whole different ball game. It’s more adventure, more hacks, more faux pas, more planning than one can anticipate.
Homestays usually have the comfort of home with an outdoor atmosphere, which sounds like perfect. Cooking your own meals (no, not daal chawal but what about Biryani?), doing little chores on your own and using the available resources can save the bomb one ends up spending in a hotel procuring small services for truckloads of moolahs.
2. Choose The Location Of Your Stay Wisely
Here, picture this. Samantha planned a trip to the serene hills of Himachal. Samantha spent two days reading about various locations. Samantha checked for recommendations and personal experiences of different people. Samantha decided to stay at a location which is central to various one day trekking expeditions and other nearby getaways. Samantha also ensured her abode in the hills is nearby to the market and bus/taxi stops. Be like Samantha.
Travelling is nowhere similar to what Bollywood has taught you. It isn’t all stargazing and sun-tapping. We’ve all been there when we ended up booking an ornate hotel which was 5 kilometres away from the main city or town, when we ended up choosing a location where nobody delivered food, nobody sold food, nobody had food, there was no food! It takes wit and wisdom, so, be like Samantha.
3. Travel Off Season
Clichéd locations in summer vacations, festival vacations and winter vacations can be a pain in the ass. While you would be expecting to meet some free souls, swoon over some charming girls and guys, gang up with total strangers or be all alone, under a deodar tree, reading Pablo Neruda; during vacations it could pretty much be nothing of that sort. Nevertheless, the shopkeepers, drivers, helpers, guides could all dupe you more than ever. Prices are hiked, services are slow and poor and options can be jeopardized in a jiffy.
Travelling off season will save you from all the mess and menace of tolerating indecent tourists, spending a bomb on wrong things, compromising on stay locations and most importantly, missing out the boons of travelling.
4. Use Technology For Managing Finances
Travellers can be different people with different capabilities and moods and types and preferences. Maybe you are a procrastinator or an overspender or an overeater or a bad decision maker or anyone human. The most common thing that leads to exhausting money while travelling is mismanagement of the budget.
That’s where Google apps or random websites can save you. There are apps that can help you keep a track of your budget on a daily basis like Wally or Acorns. Have a checklist on Google, compare the ticket prices, expedition charges, equipment charges online and make the best choice. Research is important, interesting research guys, relax!
If you save some bucks while travelling the next time, ping us. We’d love to have a pizza of the commission you’d owe us.