Travel is well and truly back. However, before you gear yourself up for that special trip, make sure you check out these tips and hacks to ensure that your travels go smoothly.
Money Travel Tips
Don’t Go Into Debt – One of the most crucial travel advices we can provide you is this. When you decide to vacation, keep your spending within your means. If you take a trip of a lifetime and then return home to a mountain of debt, you will regret every moment of your journey.
If you now lack the funds to travel abroad, go on some adventures in your own neighborhood. We spent a lot of time exploring our native province of Ontario, Canada, when Dave and I were daydreaming about touring the globe. Weekends spent outside helped us break out of a rut and gave us the courage to attempt new things. You may build up your savings and a travel budget as you explore your home and surroundings. We saved a lot of money by participating in local activities, and a year later we were traveling the globe.
Always Get Travel Insurance
One of the best travel advice we can give is this, for real. Purchase travel insurance before you depart. Many people hold the misconception that they only require travel insurance when venturing off the main path. Everywhere can experience an accident. A few years ago, Dave and I were on a lavish cruise when he fell down some steps and fractured his back. Without travel insurance, we would have been forced to pay close to $100,000 in hospital and air ambulance expenses. It is a given that you should get travel insurance.
Hire Local Guides
Hiring a local guide is among our best travel advice. You immediately assist the local economy by using local guides. It eliminates the middleman and benefits neighborhood families. Hiring locals will also enable you to save money. You pay the tour operator, the middleman, and the rent for an expensive office when you reserve excursions from abroad or online. When you make a local reservation, the money goes right into that person’s pocket. It’s also a fantastic chance to meet new people and become immersed in the community. They frequently extended invitations to us to their houses, providing us with more memorable trip experiences.
Apply For A Rewards Travel Credit Card
Although we advised against taking on debt, we still believe that credit cards may help you travel in style and stretch your travel budget. You can save money for travel by using a credit card with excellent rewards. Rewards can be used for a variety of benefits, including free upgrades, late checkout, and free travel. Also, a lot of travel credit cards provide sizable signup bonuses that you can use to book a flight to support your global travel. Thus when giving money-saving travel advice, we advise purchasing a vehicle—just be careful to pay it off.
Debit Card And Credit Cards
Inform your bank and credit card issuers of your travel plans before you go. They could lock your credit cards if they unexpectedly discover an offshore purchase. Moreover, make sure to carry a variety of cards. Even after telling our banks about our vacation plans, our debit card has been denied in Cuba, eaten at an ATM in Istanbul, and Sudan. When we eventually succeeded in withdrawing cash from the ATM in Sri Lanka, we tried three different banks and credit cards. To be ready for all the aforementioned scenarios, it’s a good idea to keep a few different cards from several banks on hand.
Cash In Small Bills
US dollars are accepted anywhere, whether you’re exploring Africa, the Caribbean, South America, or Europe. Also, it’s a good idea to always keep extra cash on hand in case of an emergency because the US dollar is the most generally accepted worldwide.
Take Advantage Of Free Walking Tours
The fact that you may join free walking tours all over the world is one of our favorite pieces of advice for travelers. We always sign up for a free walking tour when we arrive in a new city. It’s a fantastic method to navigate the city. We didn’t even know this was one of the best travel advice until we had been traveling the world for a few years. These free walking tours, however, are fantastic! The free walking tours are typically preferable to those that you reserve online in advance. They are conducted by locals, and at the end of the tour, you only pay what feels comfortable. Typically, we recommend $10 per person.