Traveling abroad isn't the cheapest thing you can do for sure. Just the tickets can cost you a few hundred euros or dollars. However you will see and do things that will be so valuable. So, there are some tips to follow that will help you to have a great time without spending a huge amount of money.
Do not underestimate the hostels
Many people think that hostels are of bad quality and way too far from their expectations. They aren't so familiar with the idea of sleeping in the same room with strangers, using a shared bathroom and having fewer benefits than in a hotel. All 3 statements are kind of true. But they are negligible compared to the money you will save. Just have in mind that in many cities you can find a hostel at a price not exceeding 10 to 15 euros or dollars, less than that you would have to pay at a hotel. Moreover, probably you will be spending only a few hours per day on it so you won't have many problems at all. Plus the fact that you will have the opportunity to socialize with people from around the world.
Low-cost airlines and offers
More and more people are using low-cost airlines the last years. The reason behind this is that you can go to many places at minimum cost. Especially when your trip is up to 4-5 days, is the best solution probably. They have some disadvantages, such as the fact that they usually allow only a small handbag or suitcase for free and that the flight amenities are limited, but if you travel for less than 2-3 hours you won't find anything better than this. In Europe, you can go almost everywhere using a low-cost flight. Furthermore, a tip that many people don't know is that sometimes you can find cheaper tickets if you book a few days before departure.
Walk a lot. As much as you can!
They say that the best way to see a city is on foot. So try to walk around till you drop. Especially in cities where traffic is unbearable or the public transport is poor, very often you can reach your destination easier by walking. Besides that, you can save extra money because in some countries the public transport is expensive. Moreover, don't forget that you are there to see monuments, the locals and everything that you think is interesting. Therefore instead of taking a taxi or waiting for the bus / subway for a trip that isn't more than five minutes, you better walk.
Avoid the tourist restaurants and shops
Probably you have found out that prices in the shops located in key spots of the city most of the times are higher than those in the stores thar are hidden in an alley or a small neighborhood. Most tourists prefer the first option. But by searching the internet or asking the locals, you can always find something quite cheaper, and often better, just a few hundred meters away. Moreover one of the "must" when you visit a country is to try the local food. So why to pay a lot of money for a meal in a restaurant when you can eat traditional street food? Also, the souvenir shops that are not so prominent often have wider variety of beautiful things.
There is one magic word : "free" !
And when we say free, this does not mean of poor quality. No matter what your destination is there is always something to do or somewhere to go where you will not have to pay anything. All cities have museums, exhibitions and monuments which don't charge entrance fees. Plus, there are always free public event. For example, in many London parks you can see a lot of happenings, in Rome the municipality organizes free classical music concerts, etc. The only thing you have to do is to check out what, when and where.
The Travel Issue 