50 Budget Travel Tips and Save Money on Vacations

  

Want budget travel tips for free? Wouldn’t you want to travel more often without breaking the bank? What if I told you that instead of planning one family trip a year, you can go twice with the same budget? If you are at all interested, read on to find out how you can do simple things to save money next time you go on vacation.

* Airfares *

1. Airline Tickets – Plan in advance and visit discount websites to see if there are better deals. While these sites might charge you a service fee ($5 or so), they can easily combine flight segments from different airlines easily to give you a great deal. (bonus – get even more savings by finding a Travelocity promo code before you book a trip)
2. Connecting Flights – You might think connecting sucks but it sure saves you a good chunk of money doing it. Consider the pros and cons and don’t write it off right away.
3. Travel Light – Airlines are starting to charge for everything now and if you have 2 bags or more, expect to be charged for it. Remember to not use over sized bags whenever possible and try to keep it all within one bag per person.
4. Substitute – Consider packing really old clothes (if you plan to buy new ones on the trip). This way, you can keep one luggage and still have room for purchases.
5. Always Look into Round Trip Tickets – Sometimes, one way tickets are so expensive that the round trip ticket is cheaper. Just don’t use the return trip. (I know it’s weird but I’ve seen it myself)
6. Try to Get Back to the Same Airport – Flying in and out of the same airport is almost always cheaper. It’s not only the flight tickets but the car rentals as well.
7. Traveling to Two Countries – If you are planning to stay in two countries and an airline makes you change planes on those countries anyway, you might be in luck. Check pricing on the flights to see if you can stay a few days at the country of the flight change instead of changing planes right away since airlines often let you do that for the same price.

* Eating *

8. Plan Your Meals – Figure out where you will be and eat before you actually go out. This is not just good for your wallet, but your stomach too since you will probably find economical restaurants that tastes great.
9. Cook for Yourself – Not many people do this but cooking while on vacation can sometimes be quite fun. Since the experience is new (cookware, dining area, supermarkets etc), it’s actually quite fun.
10. Meals Carryover – Want a breakfast that cost nothing? Ask for some bread to-go at the restaurant the night before.
11. Avoid Breakfast from the Hotels – Chances are good that the breakfast from the hotel is expensive and isn’t great. It probably pays to walk out the front door in the morning and find a local cafe. You might just stumble onto the local favorite.
12. Eat More at Lunch Than Dinners – Fancy lunches are often much less expensive than dinners. If you eat a big breakfast, lunch and a light dinner, it’s also healthier.

* Car Rentals *

13. Be Specific with Car Rentals – One way car rentals (when the pickup and drop off locations are different) are sometimes more than twice the price of standard rentals, especially if the two locations are in different states (or country). If you need the car for 7 days and will be in the same city for 5 and another city for 2 for example, break the rental period in two and have a 5-day same location rental and another 2-day one day rental. You might need to go back to the rental facility but it really doesn’t take that long and it might save you a few hundred dollars.
14. Car Rental Coverage – Some insurance and many credit cards have car rental coverage so take advantage of those when you rent a car. All you have to do is pay with the credit card that will cover you. (Just make sure you decline the coverage from the rental company when they ask)
15. Size of the Car – I used to always get the smallest car possible because not only do I not need the extra room, I also didn’t want to pay for the extra gas that bigger cars need.
16. Children Car Seats – If you are traveling with kids, you might think that bringing the car seat is cheaper. Call the car rental company and ask about rental prices. With airlines charging for extra luggage, it might save to just rent it.
17. Fill up that Rental Car – If you are renting a car and need fuel, just fill her up with regular gas since that’s what the car rental company uses anyway. Also, decline those services that fills the gas tank up for you. Even though it seems like the advertised price is cheap, they charge you for a full tank of gas regardless of how much is left in there when you bring the car back.
18. Coupon Codes – Sometimes car rental companies have coupon codes that can be used. Search the Internet.

* Transportation *

19. Rail, Metros and Subway – If you are traveling to Europe, research on multi-trip discounts. Many metros and rails have passes such as a 3-day unlimited travel passes which might be worth the cost.
20. Night Train and Flights – If the transportation is going to be long, consider traveling at night to save money on accommodation and many hours of time. Many people have a tough time sleeping on these, but it’s all mental. Once you get used to it, you will be able to have a good night’s rest.
21. Take the Slower Transportation – If flying is too short for you to take advantage of sleeping while traveling, take a bus ride. When you are sleeping, you won’t mind that the bus ride is 7 hours.
22. Avoid Taxis and Welcome Public Transportation – Tourist usually take taxis since it’s the laziest way to get from point A to B. Consider the subway or buses because it’s sometimes easier and it is much cheaper.
23. Driving is Not Bad – Want to take that 1 hour flight? With airport security and all the hassle of airport inefficiencies, you might as well drive there (it takes just as long and it’s less expensive). Once you get there, having a car is also much easier than needing to take your bags everywhere.

* Currency *

24. Watch That Currency – If you never really had a preference in travel destinations, consider the exchange rate when you travel. This sometimes makes the biggest difference.
25. Getting Cash – Many exchange centers have very bad exchange rates so don’t go there. Search the internet to find out good places to get cash in the local currency. For example, a quick search tells you that the best exchange rate is found at the airport and using ATMs in Taiwan and France respectively.
26. Try Using the Local Version of the Same Website – Due to the rapid change in currency rates, it could be much cheaper to book using the local currency. How do you do that? Go to the local version of the same website.

* Accommodations *

27. Staying in a Town Next Door – Sometimes the smaller towns close to where you are going have hotels that are much less expensive. If you don’t mind the 15 minute ride, you might just save that bundle.
28. Home Exchanges – These are pretty cool and popular especially in Europe. Your trip might not be as romantic as The Holiday (movie with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law) but if you are of the adventure type, this could be exciting and refreshing).
29. Ask – Sometimes smaller hotel chains are willing to give you free upgrades (or even free nights). If you already have a reservation booked elsewhere, call them up and tell them that you would consider changing if you can get an additional night free.
30. Vacation Home – If you are staying at a destination for at least a few days, consider a vacation home instead of hotels. They are often are more comfortable and your cost will probably be cheaper.
31. Suites – Instead of having two rooms, consider the two-bedroom suites that some hotels provide. They will end up being cheaper and you get just as much privacy with your own room.

* Shopping *

32. Duty Free – Many airports have duty free shops that you can take advantage of. They might not be the best deal around if you don’t consider taxes but tax-free might make it the least expensive option.
33. Don’t Forget About Possible Tax Refunds – Some countries let you get all or part of the retail sales tax back. You might have to fill out forms and show proof but if large purchases are made aboard, it can save you a bundle.

* Alternatives *

34. Tourist Spots May Not be That Hot – Many countries have tourist spots that aren’t really the most interesting places to go to, not to mention that everything is more expensive around that area. If you’ve been to that place already, there’s no point seeing it again and again. Instead, go to local areas and observe life. It might just spice up your vacation.
35. Walk Around – If your destination isn’t that far away, consider asking the locals directions and walking there. It’s a great chance for you to see the city and take pictures.
36. Enjoy the Local Version – Many consumables are less expensive when it’s made in the country you are visiting. Consider trying their local beer, coffee or food. You might be surprised at how great and cheap it really is.
37. Be a Little Flexible with Travel Days – Many prices are based on supply and demand, so sometimes it’s much cheaper to leave the day before (or after) instead. Look around the dates of your travel plans and see if spending an extra day is worth it. This makes a difference especially around major holidays.
38. Book a Bundle – There are many package deals that saves you money if you book hotels and flights together. Basically, the more business you can give them, the better discount they can give you.
39. Go Off Season – Everyone wants to ski or go to Hawaii in the winter. Consider this type of vacations in off-peak times (going skiing in the spring time for example). It’s cheaper and less crowded.
40. Travel Around Home – Overseas travel might be your dream vacation but there are actually many places close by that is very interesting as well. Check out those lesser known places and the local experience might very well be great.
41. Try Booking at Different Times – Online sites sometimes have rates based on the time and day of the week you book. Try different combinations and see if you can get a better deal.

* General *

42. Bid Your Own Price – Has a great system where you can name your own price on flights, hotels and car rentals. If the same offer is available, I’ve always saved money bidding for it.
43. Discount Everything – Some countries have discount stores (I’ve seen one in Japan for example) where they sell all kinds of tickets at a discount. In that store, I’ve even seen gift cards for department stores so if you are buying something anyway, those stores will give you an instant deal.
44. Don’t Give Up Looking for Deals – Even if you have your plans set, keep trying to look for deals. Reservations can often be canceled with a full refund so if you find a last minute deal that fits into your plans, take advantage of it. (I went to Las Vegas recently and saved half my hotel cost since a last minute deal happened to fit my itinerary so it really works)
45. Reward Points – Even if you aren’t a frequent traveler, sign up for those reward programs since you might qualify eventually. It’s all free anyway and if you finally get enough points, you can get always get something free.
46. Go to the Grocery Store – Even if you are away from home, chances are high that there are grocery stores where you are traveling to. It’s worth it to take a trip there and get snacks, water, and everything you need for your trip since hotels overcharge.
47. Age, Student and Membership Discounts – Many attractions like theme parks, museums and others have discounts for senior, children or students. If you are traveling, remember to take your ID and membership cards (e.g. AAA card) with you that might qualify you for these.
48. Group Discounts – We all know there are group discounts everywhere. To take advantage, team up with a few friends and go to the same destinations together. You can even set it up so there is no obligations to be everywhere together.
49. Talk to the Locals – Be friendly and chat with them. Sometimes, they will tell you where to eat and some may even offer you to stay over (works best in small towns).
50. Mini Tours – I’m not talking about bus tours that takes days but one day tours that take you to many different places within the city. Not only will they take you to places you probably want to visit anyway, the bus driver is usually quite entertaining and informative as well.

 your answers ???

Q1. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built.
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Q2. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
A. Very large hands.
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Q3. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find an elephant with one hand.
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Q4. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. He sleeps at night.
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Q5. Why it is impossible to send a telegram to Washington today?
A: Because he is dead.
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Q6. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
A: It becomes wet.
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Q7. What often falls but never gets hurt?
A : Rain
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Q8. What is that no man ever saw which never was but always will be?
A : TOMORROW
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Q9. What looks like half apple?
A : The other half.
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Q10. What can you never eat for breakfast?
A : Dinner.
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Q11. What gets wet with drying?
A : A towel
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Q12. What 3 letters change a girl into a woman?
A : AGE.
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Q13. What happened when wheel was invented?
A : It caused a revolution.
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Q14. Why is it easy to weigh a fish?
A : Because it has its own scales.
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Q15. Why does a bike rest on its leg?
A : Because it is too tyred.
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Q16. Bay of Bengal is in which state
A : liquid
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Q17. Approximately how many birthdays does the average Japanese woman have?
A. Just one. All the others are anniversaries.

Steps to Creating a Smart Financial Plan

Step 1: Discover Where Your Money Goes Now

The first and most important step to creating a financial plan is to develop a budget detailing where your money goes now. All you have to do is get yourself a notebook small enough to fit in a pocket or purse and carry it with you wherever you go. Every time you spend money, make a note detailing what you bought and how much it cost. For a more tech-savvy approach, there are a number of personal finance apps and websites that can keep track of your spending for you, such as Pageonce.com.
At the end of the week, spend half an hour going over your notes and categorizing them. How much did you spend on food? On transportation? On housing, clothing, entertainment, healthcare, rent, mortgage, and utilities? At the end of a month, your notes. At the end of the next month, do the same, and at the end of three months, add everything up and devote some study time to the result.
Don't worry just yet about these expenditures, since the job at hand is not to identify -- much less rid yourself of -- guilty pleasures. The job is only to figure out where your money is going now.
It's also important to carry on this exercise for at least three months, if not four. You want to capture every expenditure you make, including those you don't make every month -- for example, car repairs.

Step 2: Set Financial Goals
Now ask yourself a simple question: "Where do I want to be 20 years down the road?" But avoid generic answers like, "I want to be rich." Answer with more specificity: "I want to own a house with the mortgage half paid off, and I want to have an investment portfolio of 5000000 plus a side fund of half that to help my kids get a college degree."
Be realistic in setting out your goals, and be specific. You want to succeed, not fail, and you can do that only if you start out with attainable, specific goals.

Step 3: Prepare For The Unexpected With Insurance
Do you have a family? If not, purchase yourself some disability insurance to protect your earning power. If you do have a family, you'll want some disability coverage and lots of life insurance to protect your loved ones. Adequate health insurance auto coverage, and homeowners or renters insurance are also important. No matter your financial situation, insuring against the unexpected can help keep you on the right track should accidents create a financial burden.

Step 4: Keep an Eye on Your Credit
You can't get anywhere these days without good credit.  Once a year, check on your score with each of the three big credit agencies, TransUnion (www.transunion.com (link is external), Experian (www.experian.com (link is external)), and Equifax (www.equifax.com (link is external)). You can also get a free copy of these reports once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com (link is external).
Make sure that there are no discrepancies between your records and the credit reports. If there are errors, you need to dispute them with the agency that is reporting them. Instructions on how to dispute errors are included at the agencies' websites.


Step 5: Start Saving
Here's where guilty pleasures come back into the picture. The key to any savings plan is not income but outgo. In plain English, this means worrying about your expenditures, not just your paycheck. Even if you earn a high wage, you can outspend your income -- lots of people do. But if you control your outgo, on the other hand, it doesn't matter how much you bring home, because it will be more than enough.
After looking at your list of expenditures, determine where you might be spending too much. Are you splurging on entertainment? What about your car payments, vacations, or food?
Look for ways to save here and there, but don't be too harsh on yourself. Your goal is not to eliminate guilty pleasures, only to control them so that you can free up some part of your income -- say 10% -- for a savings plan.
You'll want to put this money aside and add to it until you have at least three months' worth of income in a money market or savings account. If an emergency comes along forcing you to dip into this money, don't feel guilty -- that's what this cushion is for. Just make it your first priority to replace it as soon as possible.

Step 6: Begin to Build a Portfolio
After saving enough for an emergency fund, you should begin to look toward investing extra cash. For new and seasoned investors alike, the easiest way to start building a portfolio is with mutual funds. For one thing, you can find mutual funds to match your particular risk tolerance. For another, they spread your investment risk. Last but not least, mutual funds give you professional money management -- a great idea if you don't have the time or expertise to go it alone.


Step 7: Keep Track of Your Plan
Manage your financial plan, in part with an annual checkup to ensure that it remains congruent with your personal situation. Have your goals changed? How about your income, debt, family needs, health? How have your investments performed? More important, have they performed as you expected?
Depending on circumstances, it may make sense to review your plan semi-annually, even quarterly. If you do, however, don't confuse your long-term goals with short-term ups and downs in your personal situation -- meaning, don't be quick to change your plan.

Step 8: Plan Your Exit Strategies
Plan an exit strategy to match every financial goal in your plan. If, for example, you want to buy that 10,000 square foot house in ten years, you will probably need to free up some of your portfolio at that point to get the job done. Similarly, if you expect to need college money for two children, you will need an exit strategy for that money, too. Last but not least, you will need an exit strategy for yourself at retirement and an estate plan for your heirs.

The Investing Answer: Creating a financial plan takes some work, as you can see. And no amount of planning can guarantee the outcome you want. But planning is better than the alternative -- namely, not planning. That's what other folks do, and it's often why they fail to reach their goals.

'Neki ki deewar' Help the poor people

Robert Frost in his poem 'Mending Wall' indicates how existence of walls are a reminder of distance. But the 'Neki ki Deewar' (wall of kindness) situated along a road in Ravindrapuri locality here has been bringing people closer to each other from the last two weeks.

A citizen-driven initiative that was first started in Mashhad, a north-eastern city of Iran with installation of few hooks and hangers on a wall called 'Deewar-e-Mehrbani' with words 'If you don't need it, leave it. If you need it, take it,' written next to it. The initiative soon became a viral movement and spread like wildfire across the globe with people painting walls and joining this humanitarian initiative.

On a warm sunny Tuesday morning, 60-year old Mumina of Nagwa area could be seen standing under the shade of a tree, about a few metres away from a banner that reads 'Neki ki Deewar', waiting for it to be opened for the homeless, needy and impoverished.

"I beg at Assi ghat and heard a bunch of youngsters talk about a place that gives away clothes to homeless and needy. I did not ask them the exact location and decided to figure it out myself and landed up here in want of clothes," she said, pointing towards her tattered saree.

As the clock struck half-past-nine, hordes of people assembled outside a yellow fenced kiosk waiting for it to be unlocked and their opportunity to bag a new pair of clothes and shoes and even toys for their children.

"I am a rickshaw-puller and do not make enough earning to afford quality clothes for my children and wife. A friend told me about this place and I am glad to have found clothes that would fit them," said Ramesh.