Travelling on the cheap is definitely an art – an art which proves to be quite challenging for many people to master. Look, I don’t care how much money you have and how much class you claim to have, if you’re a true traveller at heart you’ll know full well that it takes a bit of creative budgeting to perhaps prolong any trip or any experience related to travelling, and the only real way of doing that is by trying to squeeze every bit of value out of every last pound you spend. I mean what if someone offered you a free flight on a luxury private plane, with no strings attached? You’d go for it, wouldn’t you?
Similarly, if staying in a three-star hotel instead of a five-star hotel meant that you could prolong what would have initially been a two night stay to a two week stay at a particular destination, you’d go for that too, would you? It all has to be within reason of course and there is definitely a reason why some accommodation options are rated five-star while others would raise some health and safety eyebrows if the right people found out about them.
When it comes to accommodation though and the different grades it’s offered in, it’s all about defining your limitations and then pushing to find something which is barely within the boundaries of those limitations. What’s the difference really between a five-star and a four-star hotel and what’s the difference between a four-star and three-star hotel? If you can answer those questions then there you go; you’ve defined your limitations.
Next, it’s just a matter of bargain hunting to ensure you get the most value. Booking sites and the online platforms of some travel agencies for instance allow you to compare many aspects of your travels side-by-side. You can check out two three-star hotels for example and compare their features side-by-side, such as exactly what you’ll be getting for the indicated price you’ll be paying. It’s never just a matter of ticking the list of indicated features and amenities off against the price.
Things like location also play a part, in the case of accommodation, such as whether or not one of the places you’re looking at is perhaps within walking distance of a major attraction you’ve placed on your itinerary. Little details like that add up and if planning ahead in this way is something which you make a big part of your travels, you’ll be well on your way to getting way more value for each penny you spend on your travels.
The absolute best way to go about it is planning your entire trip, right down to the finest detail, long before you even board the plane. Simulate exactly what you’re going to do, paying special attention to how much you’re going to spend each time. These days it’s hard not to find price listings of just about everything you’ll be engaged in which involves tourism in some or other way and if it comes down to it, you can even email the service providers to enquire about their prices.
In this way, you’ll come across a lot of discount offers which are usually only available to those who take the time to seek them out.
