Not all about money: 5 cheap ways to plan your next travel

Let your memory be your travel bag. Travel is never a matter of money, but of courage. Many people tend to think that only the rich are capable of traveling or going on vacations.

They are mostly skewed to the ideology that life is expensive and it takes a fortune to book flights, hotels and live in other countries while exploring and having a bit of fun. Fortunately, this is not the case at all. One can have a very memorable travel with very little money – unique destination

Find below 5 cheap ways to plan your next travel to unique destination

1. Research and Decide quickly – Decision making is by far the greatest challenge to every traveler. Making that concrete decision to move out of your comfort zone is sometimes very difficult. A lot of research and thinking has to go into it before a final decision is made. Many are times  travelers end up spending too much money on travels or do not travel at all because of the fear of overspending for a few basic reasons. Not knowing where to go, what to do and not having a proper plan makes you spend too much money. Plan ahead of time, draw an agenda and cost every single item. You will realise that you can travel for less. Also, making the decision early helps you make arrangements in advance and be ready for contingencies. If you delay, you might have to pay premium charges for express services.

2. Choose a unique destination

Very often, when we think about traveling or holidaying we are skewed towards the very famous countries and very popular destinations. However, a critical look at many travelers itinerary makes it vivid that, depending on the time or season you travel, you can choose some very cool but unique destinations that offer similar value for cheap. Ideally, many tourists would want to visit Lagos, Nairobi, Cairo, Accra and Addis Ababa. The question is simple. Are there equally beautiful cities with amazing tourist attractions that come with rich culture, history and tradition? The answer is a big YES. So, instead of spending more money on the usual expensive destinations, take time and choose a unique destination that may give similar value. It is cheaper!!!

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3. Be flexible

Rigidity only means more spending. Any traveler who doesn’t open up to change and adaptation is usually destined for excessive spending. After all is said and done, it is the success of the trip that matters. Eat local food, blend with the locals and do the cheap stuff that the locals do for fun. Eating in an expensive restaurant or attending a fancy night club is okay when you have millions to spare but thing about the chunk you will be saving if only you go with the adventure. Have fun without having to blow money. Adjust to situations. There is obviously no place like home. You won’t have it the same way as it is back home. Manage to use very little to have the most fun.

4. Don’t be extravagant

Many people misconstrue showing off with comfort. They are two very distinct things. Whenever we travel, we tend to pay a lot of attention to comfort. This is actually very important because in as much as we want to have fun and adventure, we also need to feel at home. Many travelers however almost always confuse being comfortable with being extravagant. There is a way to get comfortable yet spend very little. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to overspend in booking a very fancy hotel when you can find cheaper accommodation for a satisfactory value. It is true that you should spend on making yourself happy but spend wisely. Avoid shopping in big malls and expensive shops when you can buy the same stuff online for cheaper.

5. Last minute deals – This is a two edged sword. It works both ”for” and ”against” many travelers. Getting last minute deals may work for you. Most airlines and hotels usually provide last minute discounts for travelers which may range from a little percentage off to whooping half price discounts. Waiting for a last minute deal may help you save a lot on flights and hotel accommodation. On the other hand, waiting on last minute deals may be detrimental. Last minute flights and hotels may be expensive as seasons approach. Mostly, reservations made before summer are much cheaper than those made very close to summer holidays. Just check your calendar and pick the right time to travel and make reservations when you feel the price is right.

Credit: Jovago