13 ways to Save Money for Travel

How to Save Money for Travel

Save money for travel is a difficult task.

When it comes to traveling, the very first thing that comes to mind is how much it will cost.

It is our great fortune that India is a country that allows you to travel affordably, but only if you know how.

We’ll go through some of the ways you may save money when traveling.

Visit lesser-known places during the off-season.

If you travel during the off-season, when the tourist crowd is minimal, you could potentially save a significant amount of money on your vacation.

During this period, you also can stay in your preferred hotel that was beyond your price category during peak tourist season.

The busiest travel seasons in your native nation are typically October to March and May to June.

From October to February, snow enthusiasts go to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kashmir, and the Northeast. Those interested in visiting the desert and majestic forts – palaces, etc.,

go to Rajasthan, whereas those interested in sea waves camp in Goa, Mumbai, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and other places.

Although May and June are not exempted from the peak season.

Many tourists visit Shimla, Manali, Kashmir, Ladakh, and other summer destinations during this period.

Even during extended festive seasons like Diwali and New Year, hotel costs increase.

As a result, if you go in March, April, August, or September, you can save a significant amount of money on your travel expenditures. During this period, many resorts and flights offer the lowest options.

If you don’t enjoy the rain, you may save up to 50% on your monsoon expenses.

By the way, if you just want to travel during the peak season and don’t want to spend too much money, there is a solution for that as well.

If you want to see snowfall, you may go to destinations like Manali and Shimla.

Snow does not fall exclusively in Manali and Shimla!

You may also go to Chopta, Kausani, Binsar, Auli, and other nearby places.

These locations are rich in natural beauty and significantly less expensive than Manali, Shimla, and Kashmir.

1. Stay in a hostel, a government rest house in Dharamshala, or a railway retiring room

Thankfully, the days of Indian hostels having such tight regulations that they appeared to be a school are gone. Travelers’ hostel chains are increasingly thriving throughout the nation.

These hostels will make traveling a delight.

These hostels are gorgeous as well as provide all of the amenities you would expect from a world-class tourist accommodation.

These have both communal and private rooms.

Uttarakhand also has government rest homes established by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), which are both affordable and decent.

Sharing economy has become increasingly popular in India, but choose your host wisely, especially if you are a woman.

Apart from these, Dharamsala and railway retiring rooms are also outstanding and relatively inexpensive options. Dharamshalas may be found in most cities and are both nice and inexpensive.

Railway retiring rooms will only be provided at the station where your journey originates or concludes.

2. Travel to a remote place far away from the metropolis

Hotel charges in big towns have surged and continue to climb year after year.

It is quite pricey in places such as Mumbai and Bangalore. As a result, if you travel to a rural place away from the metropolitan crowd, the cost of your stay will be significantly lower, and you will be able to enjoy the journey because there will be fewer visitors.

3. Make negotiation a habit

Bargaining is in our blood. However, this is not always the case. Because young people, especially, are unable to bargain, they find up spending Rs.200 for an item costing Rs.100.

So, whether you’re booking a hotel or a vacation package through a travel agent, always negotiate.

4. Purchase flight tickets in advance

Many individuals keep on thinking about the trip but do not purchase the tickets and book the airline tickets until only a few days before the trip.

Your flight travel may become prohibitively expensive.

All Indian airlines provide discounts for advanced reservations.

Not only that, but exceptional offers continue to arrive on numerous occasions.

So take advantage of the opportunity and book well in advance.

5. Purchase an Apartment

If you need more space or are traveling for more than a month, renting an apartment instead of a hotel room may be a better alternative.

Monthly apartment rentals are frequently much less expensive than hotels.

BluePillow, a global vacation rental search engine, can help you locate and compare the finest rental prices in your area.

6. Be a Backpack

Along with the youth, the biggest issue that arises on the voyage is money, because their bank balance is frequently insufficient.

So, if you are young and want to travel inexpensively, backpacking is a great alternative for you.

Traveling is an excellent way to travel to other places and cultures, as well as meet new and unique people.

Being a backpacker is not tough, but you must have certain traits before embarking on your adventure.

A backpacker must be self-sufficient. Backpacking is often performed alone or with a partner.

My recommendation is to backpack alone at least once since there will never be a greater opportunity to discover who you are and who you want to be.

You must be willing to take some chances and look for yourself.

This involves renting a room, gathering information, and planning your meals and transportation.

It’s difficult to prosper if you continually rely on others to do the work.

7. Book tickets in the early morning or late at night

It may be difficult to arrive at the airport at 4 – 5 a.m. or late at night, but this is when plane travel is most affordable. Another advantage would be that you would have the entire day to explore or relax.

Flights are the least expensive four months to three weeks ahead of your flying date. 

Ticket costs might fluctuate due to seasonal changes and holidays. 

The day of the week on which you book a flight has no bearing on the pricing.

8. Rail travel

There is no question that Indian Railways is the greatest, cheapest, and most convenient mode of transportation for those on a tight budget.

You can also save money on a hotel room if you go by train at night.

Indian Railways now provides tour packages.

India’s rail network is the third largest in the world, and it is efficient, although not always on time.

With 63,000 miles of rail routes and 6,800 stations, it’s reasonable to claim that you can train travel between basically any two places in India.

I’ll go through a whole India rail travel guide below, but the first bit of advice I have is to just ride the train.

No trip to India is complete unless you experience the hustle and bustle of Indian railway stations, as well as safe and comfortable travel aboard an Indian express train.

9. Travel by Bus

Bus travel is tedious for many individuals, but it is a decent and handy alternative for short distances.

The bus is an excellent mode of transportation in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka in South India.

Apart from these, bus travel is also popular in North India, particularly in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Kashmir.

10. Choose a Vacation Package

If you are a traveler and have mastered all aspects of travel, no issue, but if you are going with family, it is recommended that you purchase a holiday package.

This package will address many of your travel concerns, such as hotel choices, train/bus booking, taxi booking, and so on.

These packages might help you save up to 20% on your travel costs.

Package tours are usually classified based on how they operate and also what amenities are also included.

These are divided into different categories: autonomous tours, escorted tours, incentive tours, hosted tours, and freedom tours.

A combined deal will usually save you a few hundred dollars.

11. Bonus Points

Many hotels and travel groups occasionally provide reward points to their members.

You may use these points to save money on your next trip.

Airline miles, commonly known as frequent flyer miles or are the flight’s currencies that may be exchanged for flights, hotel stays, and other benefits.

Although other airlines refer to their money as “points” rather than “miles,” the premise is the same.

A bonus is a financial compensation that goes above and beyond the recipient’s typical payment expectations.

A corporation may award bonuses as an incentive or to acknowledge good performance.

Joining, referrals, and retention incentives are examples of typical incentive bonuses that a firm might provide to its workers.

12. Food expense savings

Food in hotels is frequently pricey, so if you want to save money for travel, save money on food, stay at hotels that also include meals in the room charge.

Many hotels now provide complimentary buffets and breakfasts.

Aside from that, little local restaurants provide cuisine at affordable prices.

It is cheaper to take food through the platter rather than individually.

It is costly since some people order roti, sabzi, and other side dishes separately. 

While thali covers practically all local cuisine and is also reasonably priced.

It is usually available for up to Rs.100 in most areas.

If you travel to a pilgrimage site (temple, gurudwara), you can get one complimentary meal in the form of a prasad. There are various options for staying at temples and gurudwaras.

13. Make skill a low-cost mode of transportation

There are several hotels and backpacker hostels across the nation where you may stay for free and not have to pay for the service.

Also information on such hostels available online, such as at https://www.worldpackers.com/.

Here’s a list of everything you can do to obtain a free or reduced stay.

These jobs include social media marketing, photography and videography, event planning, office work, social work, teaching, and farming, among others.