Everyone wants to get a great deal and save a bit of coin on holidays. For backpackers, young travelers, and budget travelers in particular, the following tips may be useful. If you have any other tips or questions please feel free to add them in comments below!
Money Saving Tips for Accommodation
- If public transportation is available, stay further from the city center and take the tram or bus. It can be cheaper and higher quality if you stay outside of the city center.
- If there’s no good public transportation, stay near the city center so that you can walk most places, use city bikes, and get where you need to be without spending a lot on taxi’s
- Consider staying in hostels with at least 8 star rating. With an 8 star rating, they will typically be reasonable quality and while you cannot control who is in your room, a good set of earplugs and eye mask will make it easier to manage. Ensuite is typically worth the extra dollar you might pay.
- If you are staying in a hostel, consider looking at rooms with a larger number of beds. To a new traveler, it might seem appalling to stay in a room with that many people. But experienced travelers know that these rooms may have the same number of people staying in them as the small rooms but you get more space–especially during the week. In addition to breathing room and walking space, these rooms tend to be cheaper than dorms with fewer beds. It’s worth asking the receptionist if you can see the room or asking how many people are booked in the room for the night.
Money Saving Tips for Nightlife
- If you are going out to clubs and plan on having a big night, “pre-gaming” key to budgeting. Grab your friends or just yourself and get some drinks at the supermarket. This can be a great opportunity to actually talk and get to know the people in your hostel. You can make friend before going out, play games, and all the while save money at the club because you won’t need as many drinks
- When you go to the club, bring only cash and make sure you have enough in case you need a taxi. Put the taxi money is a separate location so you won’t spend it on drinks or food. You will then know how much you are spending and when it’s gone you’re done. Too often I see backpackers blowing $100 in just one night at the club and regretting it the next day. Another perk of cash is you won’t have to panic when your credit card is missing in the morning. Your body and bank account will thank you in the next day. Don’t forget to drink water and never leave your drinks unattended!!!!!!
- One of my favorite tricks is to bring a bottle with colorless alcohol and water or whatever mixture that looks natural. Typically you can take it inside–especially if you are a female and put it in your bag. Another option is to hide it in a bush somewhere and pick it up again and have some of it on the way to the next bar. This can helps you control how much alcohol you consume, how much your spending, and ensures that no one is spiking your drink–very important for solo female travelers!
- One more tip for females is occasionally you can get in free if you ask if they have ladies night. Sometimes if the club is full of guys so they will let the girls go in free.
Once one of my best friends was walking toward a dumpster in one of the nights out in Queenstown NZ, and I asked where he was going. Then he bends down and pulls an entire bottle of wine he had hid there earlier in the night. I laughed at the level of cheap backpacking but to be fair, I was pretty happy about this little surprise!
You don’t have to be as extreme as my friend that night, but these tips will help you keep the costs down during your travels! Check out my instagram @goldilocks.adventures for lots of interesting shots along the way and see my other blogs for more tips!