You don’t have to spend a fortune to find holiday treasures.
A little planning can help you squeeze every bit out of your holiday budget.
I used to spend everything I had on holidays. Time, energy, and money. I’d get home stressed, exhausted and broke. Felt like I needed a holiday after my holiday. Here are some of my tips to make the most of your time and money while travelling.
Getting there
Travel during off-peak seasons. Paris is exquisite in winter! Beaches just before or after summer holidays aren’t blisteringly hot, also not crawling with kids. Check your destination to avoid special events or public holidays that could hike up your travel costs.
If possible, take a train. It’s more comfortable, often cheaper, and a much more rewarding experience than a flight. Consider the changing landscape as part of the trip. If you like the idea of waking up refreshed and ready to go at your destination, consider a sleeper train.
Accommodation
Hotels offer deals in shoulder seasons, so you can upgrade to a room that may be out of reach during peak travel months. And with fewer tourists, there are more options for indie choices: arthotels, hostels, camping.
Excursions and activities
Pare down, but lean in to your commitments. Book one or two special meals and excursions in advance. Leave plenty of breathing room between meals and tours, so you can enjoy them without worrying about the next thing on your itinerary.
Look for discounted or free museum days. Mine your options for reduced rates. Senior? Student? Does your hometown museum have a relationship with the museum?
Skip the 3-day unlimited museum pass. It’s almost never the best option. Instead, look up the price for an annual pass, it may be cheaper than two-three sites. For example, a basic annual pass in Berlin costs €25 and includes all the biggies. The 3-day pass is €32.
Most larger city centres have someone (or a few someones) standing around offering a free walking tour, in English. There’s no obligation to pay and you can exit the tour whenever you like. Lots of travel sites ask for pre-booking and payment, but if you wander into any big city centre, you’ll find a free walking tour. Unless you want to rot in hell, throw the guide a tenner at the end.
Getting around
Locals don’t take tour buses. Why would they, when there’s a perfectly good public transport system that’s cheaper and quicker? Hop on a tram or head down to a subway for a real look at the denizens of your destination. Do yourself a favour and avoid rush hour, when commuters may be less than kind to a traveller fumbling with a ticket. Try out transit options before succumbing to the siren song of the 3-day transit pass.
If there’s a water option, take it. Unlike boat tours, which usually drop you off where you started, ferries take you places. For a panoramic view of a city, nothing beats a perspective at water-level.
Eats
Dine like royalty before the sun goes down, like a pauper after dark. Local breakfast joints are always cheaper than the hotel buffet and it’s always fun to watch a city wake up. Once I find a spot close to my hotel that I like, I stick to it, so the servers get to know me. Don’t forget to tip well: it’s a small investment for local know-how.
Ask around for a cheap lunch spot, hit a milkbar if in Poland, or opt for a picnic from a local supermarket’s deli and bakery offerings.
If you’re feeling fancy, lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant is easier on the wallet than dinner and leaves plenty of time for post-prandial exploring or a quick nap.
Starving after a pub crawl? A fancy meal is a waste of money if you’re bombed. Scope out inexpensive late-night options near home before the first pint or shot. Alternate: remember those picnic leftovers?
Moving around
Don’t want to skip your exercise routine? Forget the shoddy hotel equipment in a windowless room and go for a park setting. Does your gym or trademarked exercise routine have reciprocal membership? Look into day passes. Be honest, not aspirational, about your commitment to cardio.
Explorers seeking low-impact exercise may opt for renting a bike. Bikes are a fun way to get exercise while getting around cycle-friendly cities like Berlin and Krakow. If you’re a bit wobbly on two wheels or just like the added comfort, there’s no shame in going for a trike.
Time management
There’s no rule that you have to pack every moment of every day with stuff. Tightly schedulled itineraries of ticketed events crowd out local discoveries. It’s okay to spend a day drifting like plankton. At the Albert Cuyp Market, stopped for a quick dozen raw late one winter afternoon. The pearl in the oyster? Ginormous herons patiently waiting for closing time, when fishmongers scatter scraps for their daily feast.
