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Wealthy Wednesdays: Tips to help you save on your trips

Are you a first-time solo woman traveller? Are you wondering how to save the most, but still enjoy your holiday? A few travellers share some tips with Avril-Ann Braganza

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Planning a budget trip, but you're not sure where or how to start? Try these basic guidelines when you're planning your next budget vacation. 

Airfare
Book your flight tickets (including return) at least three months in advance. If you book it too early (six months or more) or too late (approximately a month), you might not get as great a deal.

Check for the lowest airfare with low-cost airlines. You might have 10 to 12 hour-layovers at airports, but if you have the time it's definitely worth saving half the price. Jai Bharathi, the first woman to win the GoUnesco Challenge in 2012 shares, “the return tickets for my trip to Turkey was ₹50,000 on major airlines. I booked it for ₹36,000, but had to spend approximately 12 hours at Sharjah airport”.

Stay
Book hostels on websites like hostelbookers.com and hostelworld.com, in advance. You may get a room for as low as ₹1,000. If you opt for a shared room (female-only options available), it might be as low as ₹600 per day. Certain websites, however may have a down payment, so if you cancel your booking, the down payment is non-refundable, but you won't lose out on the full amount.

Alternately, if you're sure of staying at a particular hostel and you're prepared to pay the full amount in one shot, go directly to the hostel website. This way you won't have to make the down payment and you may even find some great schemes.

Write reviews about the place after visiting. You might get some free stays for your next trip.

Make sure you pick a hostel that offers you free breakfast. Have a heavy breakfast, so you won't end up spending too much on lunch.

Food
For the best deals and if you're not too fussy about food, head to the supermarket where you can pick up a packet of noodles for approximately 60 cents and cook it in your hostel kitchen. You can also buy sandwiches for a Euro or two and fruits in bulk (1kg), which you can consume for breakfast and lunch.

If you want to try the authentic cuisine of the country, plan to try it on the last day when you know you have a few extra bucks to spare. You could also plan to have brunch and a light dinner of soup or salad with fruit.

Some hostels may even have a well-stocked kitchen. All you have to do is make your meal.

Avoid eating at big restaurants and indulge in street food whenever you can.


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Sightseeing
Walk, walk, walk and walk some more. It's a great way to save and see a lot more.

If you've planned a longer holiday and you're big on museums and restaurants, you may be able to buy a pass in some countries for around Euros100, which gives you free access to museums and discounts at certain restaurants.

Look out for free attractions as well and save your dough for the paid attractions that you're really keen on seeing.

Avoid hiring guides and opting for tour packages. Read about the history of the place online and if still think you want additional information, try the audio guides.

You may also get discounts on guided tours if you let them pick you up from the hostel instead of joining them at their meeting point. 

You can also download maps from http://www.use-it.travel/cities which provides tourist information for youngsters.

Shopping
Shop at flea markets or second-hand shops if you're looking out for trinkets and other curios. Watch out for garage sales. If you walk past a bunch of clothes priced at a Euro or two, stop and walk in; you might just find tops for Euros 2 or a bag for Euros 3.

Don't walk down shopping streets until the last day of your trip. On the final day you can spend the leftover dough.


Travelling
Certain stations may have lockers that you can rent. The price depends on the size of the locker. You can keep your luggage in the locker, which should cost you approximately Euros 3 to 4. Plan your intercity journeys in such a way that you travel in the night. This way you can save on accommodation costs.

Certain inter-region trains (like the high-speed Thalys) have the cheapest tickets if you book the ticket exactly 90 days before the date of your journey. The fare may be slightly more 89 days before and even more 88 days prior.
Carry less, so you don't have to worry about using any mode of transport available.

To end, always remember “Forget your luxuries while on road, you can always get them once you are back home,” says Jai Bharathi.


With inputs from Priyanka Dharwadkar and Jai Bharathi.

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