In the first part of the article, we discussed the issues of saving on transport and accommodation while traveling. In this part, we will consider ways to save on food, excursions and souvenirs.
Food
One of the main expense items in any travel is food. Therefore, by choosing the right food format, you can significantly reduce spending on this part of the budget.Meals at the hotel
It is not necessary to pre-order meals at the hotel. With the exception of the "All inclusive" resort format, meals at the hotel are much more expensive than cafes and restaurants, even those concentrated in tourist places. For the same reason, you should not eat à la carte restaurants in the hotel. The restaurants of the hotel can be comfortable, interesting, chic, but by no means economical.Breakfasts in high-end hotels offer a wide variety of dishes, but you still won't be able to eat even half of the range and will only pay extra for the choice.
Breakfast at the hotel, China
Cafes and restaurants
When choosing a cafe or restaurant, you should try to avoid overly touristy locations. Beachfront cafes and restaurants in the resort or in the immediate vicinity of a historic landmark are usually expensive and poor. They charge more for the same dishes than less well-located competitors, and do not strive to retain customers with quality, since the demand is always high.For food, it is better to choose establishments slightly remote from the most touristy places, ideally aimed at the local public. The establishment will try to retain the local client, in contrast to the constantly changing tourists.
Food courts in the shopping center
A food court in a mall is not always McDonald’s and KFC. Sometimes in large malls, whole “food quarters” are created, in which many cuisines of the world are presented with good quality dishes and large portion sizes. Since food courts do not have waiters, lunch or dinner can be more economical than a cafe.
Food court in Singapore
Budget eateries
If you don't have much money, but still want to travel, then you have a direct road to eateries and canteens focused on the local working class. The food in such places can be very different from what you are used to, there is often no menu or it is written in the local language. Prices are as low as possible for a given country. All this is a consequence of the fact that they exist for the local public, which comes here just to eat, and not to sit with friends or celebrate some important event. Finding them is usually not very difficult, especially in Southeast Asia: a very modest interior, no waiters (usually a distribution line), local visitors, a menu in the local language, low prices.
Budget cafe-dining in Vietnam
Supermarkets
If for some reason it did not work out with local food, and there is no money for a cafe, then there is one more option - ordinary supermarkets. Even if there is nowhere to cook, bread, canned food and cookies have saved more than one traveler from starvation.Excursions
Organized excursions can take more money out of your wallet than lodging and food combined. Therefore, we recommend very carefully weighing the need for buying organized excursions. Yes, sometimes there are places that are impossible or very difficult to visit without excursions, but in most cases, this is not the case. It will be much more economical and more pleasant to visit the attraction on your own, even if you order a taxi to the place.We recommend excluding excursions of a purely entertainment orientation (boat trips, night fishing, dancing with dinner, etc.), if the goal is not to dispel boredom for any money.
Excursion group in Agra, India
You can see something without paying anything at all. In many cities there are days of free museums, and lovers of walking can choose to visit colorful districts and free parks.
It is worth asking in advance about discount offers for tourists. Many cities offer tourist passes in the form of passes, which include well-discounted sightseeing fees.
Souvenirs
Souvenirs The first thing that can be advised here for those who want to save money is not to buy souvenirs in the hotel and in the most tourist places. The same souvenirs can be found in supermarkets and bookstores for a much lower price than tourist stalls.
You can also advise considering as a souvenir not banal Chinese keychains and magnets, but ordinary products and things of local production bought in the supermarket (tea, coffee, jam, pickles, unusual dishes, etc.).
If the country is famous for any product, then you definitely shouldn't buy it in a souvenir shop. Products in souvenir packaging are usually low-grade and stale. To buy it is worth finding a store where this product is bought by local people for everyday use.
Economical travel for you!
Souvenirs The first thing that can be advised here for those who want to save money is not to buy souvenirs in the hotel and in the most tourist places. The same souvenirs can be found in supermarkets and bookstores for a much lower price than tourist stalls.
You can also advise considering as a souvenir not banal Chinese keychains and magnets, but ordinary products and things of local production bought in the supermarket (tea, coffee, jam, pickles, unusual dishes, etc.).
Souvenir shop, Bali
If the country is famous for any product, then you definitely shouldn't buy it in a souvenir shop. Products in souvenir packaging are usually low-grade and stale. To buy it is worth finding a store where this product is bought by local people for everyday use.
Economical travel for you!
