Budget Travel Webpage

Overseas travel, whether for business or pleasure can sometimes be stressful without careful planning. You may end up paying a high room rate or worse still without hotel accommodation if you book too late. You may even end up with insufficient cash or get lost while trying to find your destination. Here are some tips to avoid the unpleasant surprises:

First of all, choose a reputable airline that has years of experience flying to the destination of your choice. Nowadays, several airlines have partner airlines that they do business with and so your trip overseas may comprise flying one leg of the journey in one airline and a second leg with another. In cases like this, make sure both airlines are reputable. Additionally, you want to ensure that there is sufficient time between the arriving time of the first airline and the departing time of the second airline. Consult with the airline office ahead of time regarding their policy on accommodations in case the second airline takes off before the first lands. Many reputable companies will pay for a hotel room and meals while you wait for the next connection. Missed connections are by far the biggest headaches of overseas travelers and you do not want to be arguing with the airline offices in the midst of the crisis. Pre-planning is always helpful.

Secondly, find out the correct rate of currency exchange prior to your travel and see if you can get a small amount of currency exchanged for sundry expenses as soon as you land at your destination. Get to know ahead regarding approximate taxicab fares and rates for meals at your destination so you are budgeting properly for your trip and at the same time do not get overcharged at every step of the way just because you are a tourist. Keep a list of credit card numbers for the credit cards that you plan to carry and make also a notation of the telephone number to call and cancel and get replacement cards just in case your wallet or purse gets stolen.

Thirdly, learn some of the basics of the local language of the place you are planning to go to. You do not need to become an expert, but knowing the basics of the language, especially the emergency terms such as heart pain, stomach pain, need a doctor, calling the police, needing an ambulance, etc can be of great help especially under dire circumstances. Try to see if you can give your whereabouts and local contact data to friends and family back home everyday so they know about your safety and any special needs that you may end up having. Knowing the basic local language will also help you to find directions to your destination and order food in the restaurant or café or even haggle for souvenirs. These tips are likely to make your overseas travel safe and enjoyable.

Your travel can be enjoyable and safe if you plan and prepare ahead. Always bring a small notepad and pen to write in case of emergency or in case you need to ask for directions. With the conveniences of modern technology, information can be gathered at the click of the mouse or a dial on the phone.   

The festive holidays may mean doing some travelling to take a breather from the hectic work schedule or to visit relatives or friends in a different state or across the borders. Usually, holidays are a time that tends to cost a lot of money. By following the tips below, you can save money as well as have an enjoyable holiday. 

Save on travel. Holiday season is a peak-period of travel it is hard to find cheap tickets especially when you book late. A little legwork on your part during the holidays can help you to save money on travel. Keep a budget on your travel expenses, accommodation, food and petrol if travelling overland. Search for holiday deals or super saver airline prices. 

Use the Internet. Check several travel websites and compare prices to find the best deal on airline tickets. Consider travelling with a cheaper airline or even taking the budget airplane such as Jetstar, Lion and Tiger Airways. Start looking at prices several months before the holidays. Book when the tickets fall to a price that you can afford. However, if you keep waiting and expecting the prices to fall more, you may wait too long and have to buy tickets at a higher price.

Travel at odd times or off days. If you fly on the days that are known as the busiest travel days, you’ll pay more. Be willing to fly in and out of your destination on less-traveled days such as Monday to Wednesday or at inconvenient times such as late night or early morning to save money on travel during the holidays.

Look at more than one airport. It may be worth driving to a smaller regional airport if you can get cheaper tickets.

Consider driving. If you are travelling with your family and it is close enough to drive in a day or two, consider driving to your destination instead of taking the domestic plane. This saves money and you can make it a fun family trip through beautiful countryside at the same time. The only hassle is to put up in a motel. If need be, my advice is to check out good rates and book a room for the whole family early.

You can save money by doing some legwork and planning ahead before your trip. Travelling to the countryside or to the road less travelled is a good holiday destination at this time. If you are visiting relatives or friends in a foreign town or city, consider the traffic congestion during the festive period. Plan your route well and your travel timing. Above all, budget your expenses to avoid burning a hole in your pocket. Look for alternatives and make the right choices while you travel. Happy Holidays! 

Online booking has many advantages. The era of the World Wide Web allows you to check hundreds of hotels with only a few clicks and in fraction of time than before from the comforts of your home. Here are some plus points of online booking:

1)       An overview of all available hotels in any part of the world can be sourced out without any phone call at any time.

2)    Instant answers to the availability of rooms are provided.

3)    Professional, instant automatic e-mail confirmation is made available.

4)     It is time-saving to book online as information can be derived quickly.

5)    Reviews of hotels from former guests and information such as the rate of the    

       room and quality of service offered are available online.

6)    Some hotels offer special rates only via online booking.

7)    A detailed hotel description can be gathered from the hotel’s website.

9)   You can save much by selecting the services of online hotel booking service providers and by circumventing the tour agencies. You can definitely save on airline flights, car services, and even entertainment. You will get considerable discounts if you allow them to select all services you need. It is sure that you can save a considerable amount and have extra funds to enjoy on your trip.   

10)    There is no administrative cost for hotels to provide this service. Most of the hotels offer  online booking services to remain competitive in today’s travel market.

Also you should check if any big events are held during your stay. Should you find a particular hotel too expensive, have a look at a hotel not situated directly in the city centre, but connected to the public transportation. This allows you to save some money.

From my experience, I would like to advice that you should be on a look out for early bird deals when you book the hotel and hotels charge more on the weekend especially on Friday and Saturday. So, if you can keep your travel dates flexible, you can save by avoiding a weekend stay. 

The internet contains a gamut of information at your convenience. Make the most of it by planning for a great, affordable holiday.  

The decision to purchase travel insurance or not lies with the assumption that either nothing bad can happen during your travels, or whether should something bad happen you can adequately resolve these unforeseen events.

None of us want to think that something bad will happen. We assume incorrectly that fire, flood, earthquake and terrorism will happen to others. We assume we won’t have a heart attack or stroke, we won’t be ill. All these are wrong assumptions because we cannot predict the future and cannot tell what is going to happen.

Should you purchase travel insurance as a frugal traveller? Well, let’s look at a few things that could, and do happen, to overseas and even domestic travellers. Then, you decide if you should purchase travel insurance.

The question, “should you purchase travel insurance” is perhaps answered by asking yourself why you purchased homeowners insurance, or medical insurance or life insurance. You purchased them so that your consistent small payments would assure you of having someone else provide help in case of a catastrophic event for which you are unprepared. Purchasing travel insurance, just like purchasing any other insurance, is not just about receiving the funds to recover. It’s also about having the professional assistance for you and your family to recover.

You’re from Texas. You’ve never been to the ocean. You travel to Florida and book a hotel room a week but you are then ordered to evacuate due to an expected hurricane. But you have non-refundable airline tickets, and your hotel and rental car are already paid for. How do you replace the airline tickets and get reimbursed for your stay?

You’re on an island in the Caribbean, ready for your cruise back home. You find out that the cruise ship company has gone bankrupt and there will be no return cruise. What do you do? How do you get your money back? Most importantly, how do you get back home?  

You’re ready to take your family on a much-needed vacation to Hawaii. Your son has an attack of appendicitis and must have immediate surgery. But your airline tickets are non-refundable. How do you get your money back?

You landed in Melbourne and are ready to retrieve your luggage at the baggage carousel. However after waiting for 45 minutes, you still can’t find your luggage. Could someone have taken yours by mistake? You did not place an identity tag on your luggage or an address in your hurry to catch the flight. What should you do? You are stranded at the airport with no luggage. There is no way you can replace all the contents in your luggage during your stay. Do you have to spend on clothes for nothing using your credit card just to replace them? 

The above scenarios will give you an idea on whether you should buy travel insurance. While you hope that your trip will be plain sailing, you cannot tell the future or control circumstances. After all, it takes just a little out of your pocket to travel with your mind at ease and to cover expenses that are way beyond your savings if such unfortunate events would occur.  We pay a little in order to save more in unforseen circumstances.

Travel safe and don’t end up being sorry.      

Going on a trip needs preparation regardless of the length. You should find out the places you are going to visit, the climate at the time of visit and the things required for your trip. You can source out information from the internet as well as from guide books such as The Lonely Planet and Frommer’s Travel Guides from the local library. I find it really useful to read about the place first as you will have a better idea of its history, setting and layout. Prior to my trip to the Golden Triangle in North India I did a lot of research on the Taj Mahal and on the Rajput’s palace in Jaipur from guide books. Having read in detail about the places I was about to explore had given me a deeper insight of the place and gave me an idea of the different sections of the buildings and what the surrounds had to offer. 

Do a checklist of the things you require to do such as make two copies of your passport, change money at the money changer, book a ticket, apply for a tourist visa etc and things you require to pack such as phone cables, medication, sunscreen lotion etc.

Check the validity of your before you leave and the required visa for the country you will be visiting. It costs three times more to apply for one at the airport than doing it online. Give yourself at least two weeks before the date of your departure to apply online for a visa.  

While traveling you should carry a true copy of your passport and a photocopied version, air ticket or train ticket, driving license, medical prescription, first aid kit and a credit or debit card. One more copy of your passport should be kept at your home so that in case you lose the original passport and its copy, your family member will fax immediately. Before leaving make sure you have a copy of your e-ticket. Check out your flight time and airport as well as terminal. 

Check out the cost of local transportation, taxis and buses. Most importantly, check your balance in your credit or debit card before you leave and check whether you can withdraw your cash with your ATM card in the country you will be visiting, in an emergency. Carry your required and general vaccination or medication for safety. Do advance hotel booking to avoid seasonal rush in your destination place.

Always remember to leave some space in your bag so that you can carry extra things which you purchase. It’s also a good idea to pack a thinner and lighter storage bag for light purchases. Pack the clothes you require - sweater, rain jacket, swimsuit, night wear, cotton dresses (if you are going to a place in summer), medication and comfortable pair of slippers. Bring a plastic water bottle so that you can refill the water using boiled hotel water at the place of visit.

To capture all your sweet memories carry a small pocket digital camera. Charge your phone and battery for your camera prior to the trip and ensure that you pack your chargers.

If you plan your trip properly, the chances of you forgetting to do or bring the essentials are kept to a minimal. Don’t spend unnecessarily on disposable underwear or expensive sunscreen lotion. Use your discretion and try to keep spending at a minimum to save your dollars.