Always verify your luggage allowances and flight details. Without exception, always check in advance on the amount of luggage you may take. Planes, trains and coaches all have regulations regarding the amount and size of luggage. It is considered courtesy to stick to their requirements and can save you a lot of embarrassment, added expense, aggravation, and trouble.
Showing posts with label enjoy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label enjoy. Show all posts
Tip #89 - Avoid The Rain
An inexpensive, fold-up raincoat or poncho can be a life and money-saver. Always have either that or a collapsible umbrella with you. Being prepared for the occasional downpour is better than being soaked and getting sick in the process.
Tip #88 - Can't Afford Tipping
Do not sweat the small stuff. If you cannot afford tipping near the end of your trip due to a drained budget, do not worry about tipping! A heartfelt thank you or honest explanation, smile and kindness, even a hand with the luggage is sometimes enough for people to know you care and appreciate their effort, gesture and service.
Tip #87 - Accept and Appreciate Local Customs
Utilize and optimize local knowledge, customs and hospitality. Learn, accept and appreciate the customs of the country you are visiting. Go with the flow and enjoy the culture, music, food and kindness of the area and its people!
Sometimes you will be surprised that it does not even cost you a cent to have a good time and share with others. Who knows, you may get a better shopping bargain if you know how to speak like the locals.
Tip #85 - Hotel Identification
Carrying identification and hotel or resort location information and telephone number on your person is advisable. The easiest way is to simply ask the front-desk attendant for a business card when you check in. Some hotels will provide a card with their address, contacts, a mini vicinity map, and even a space for you to write your room number on. This again will save you time and money when finding your way back to your hotel. It comes in extremely handy should you ever get lost and need to find your way or for taxi drivers. Might even save a buck or two!
Tip #84 - Avoid Overwhelming Schedules
Do not overburden yourself with an overwhelming schedule that will leave you feeling like you need the vacation when you arrive back home from your trip. Maximizing and optimizing your budget and trip does not mean doing everything thinkable, imaginable and under the sun, that you can afford and fit in! You are doing a disservice to the purpose, goal and process that is savvy travelling! You should not feel that you have to do everything to get your money's worth. There is nothing wrong with relaxing and taking a breather along the way.
Tip #82 - Free Style Cruising
Free-style cruising has become a popular choice for those who prefer a truly leisure-style vacation. It is highly open and leaves tourists with the final option and decision on what event and when they want to participate in. This is your trip, so just remember that any of the offshore excursions normally have to be paid for separately. In some cases, any drinks and alcohol is additional too. Family cruises and all-inclusive options also offer good alternatives for most budgets.
Tip #79 - Some Free Time
Mostly people say time is money! Generally true, indulge a bit in this category and give yourself some free or spare time for visiting a fascinating place, a special shop, or a hidden off-the-beaten path, place or activity you really do not want to miss! Do not over-extend or over-schedule yourself. There are only 24 hours in a day after all!
Tip #78 - Attraction Details
Be SMART and check all details of tourist locations and attractions, pricing and more before departing to the location or event. Always check the admission and operating hours. It is very disappointing to find things closed when you expect them to be open. Remember to check on special holidays as well. Do not spend or waste the money on the ground-transportation to get your all the way there and back – only to be deeply disappointed!
Tip #77 - Special Diets
Special dietary requirements need special budgeting and attention to detail. Specifying this up-front is crucial to avoid any surcharges and or additional cost for special meals. For most travel providers it is no problem. Shopping at a local grocer, market or deli are all ways to stretch that “meal” ticket and travel dollar just a little further.
If you are in a self-contained unit with its own kitchen and fridge, you can cut your costs even further by buying some essentials and snacks, small meals in-room will cut down meal and entertainment expenses tremendously.
Tip #76 - Do Not Skip Meals
Nutritional tip to save some money: Do not skip meals in order to save money! It is mostly counter-productive as most possibly, you would need medication for headaches as your blood-sugar drops and overall it is not worthwhile jeopardizing the rest of your trip in this fashion.
It is in fact not economizing and SMART travelling at all skipping meals. Travel activity and sightseeing takes energy. Fuel your human engine. Fresh fruit and local produce offer good alternatives to fast food or hefty restaurant bills. A good and healthy breakfast is a must to get your blood-sugar level up after a night without food.
Tip #74 - Embrace Hospitality
Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, and never pass up a chance to use the bathroom.
What this means is, savor every opportunity, embrace every chance provided that does not cost you anything, embrace hospitality, gifts and extended generosity. A nickel and a dime here and there saves dollars in the end!
Tip #68 - Bring A Jacket
Always layer and / or take a sweater or multi-purpose jacket with you, wherever you go. It can get cool pretty fast and a tourist location is not the place to have to buy this item. They will be priced a little higher obviously and you would probably spend too much without a second thought just because you need one! Not a good decision for your travel budget necessarily – especially if it is an unbudgeted item.
That is where the checklist comes in handy when packing your suitcase in the first place. Planes can also be very cool spaces, so ask for a blanket and pillow when you sit down in your seat.
Keep in mind that strong winds can cool down your body at a faster rate than usual. And you may come down with a flu easily if you are caught in the rain in this situation. Even though the temperature at your vacation destination may not seem to be cold, you may still need a sweater or windbreaker.
Go for those made of lightweight, water repellent, and breathable material made by Goretex or Northface. These good quality jackets are not cheap, but are worthwhile investments if you travel a lot.
Tip #67 - Hotel Safes and Locks
Keeping valuables safe and have peace of mind at the same time. Hotel safes or security boxes or even in-room / wall-mounted safes are options for storing your possessions that your treasure and value.
Never lock cabinets with combination locks as anyone can open them easily with the right techniques. Use a sturdy lock with a key if you intend to keep valuables in the hotel cabinets.
Tip #65 - House Sitters
Arrange for house sitters, emergency contact numbers and information at home while you are away. To save on costs for home security, burst pipes, fire and other emergencies or burglaries, ask a neighbor or close trusted friend to keep a watchful eye on your behalf and drop in from time to time to water plants, shovel driveways and collect mail, junk mail and newspapers.
Reward them with a special and thoughtful memento or dinner invite or both (depending on your budget) upon your return. Leave your itinerary with your friends, relatives, neighbors, or co-workers. They may need to contact you. Smart travelers start at home!
Tip #64 - Travel Nutrition and Diet
When we travel, we tend not to think too much about nutrition and good diet. The last thing you want to do is spend more money upon your return on a personal trainer or weight management program to battle the holiday bulge and extra vacation pounds you have gained.
Ensure a healthy, balanced eating style, habit and choices, with the occasional indulgence and treat as opposed to throwing all caution into the wind and making it all about the food. There are so many other activities to partake in, do not let boredom drive you to the only thing most people end up doing on vacation – eating and then way too much usually.
Tip #63 - Rechargeble Batteries
As mentioned earlier rechargeable batteries and a charger kit are good ideas to avoid bulk and additional cost of replacing it or worse not being able to take the footage or pictures you want, because the power has run low or out.
These priceless memories and their enablers need to be budgeted for as well by the money-wise traveller, taking care of even the littlest of details to ensure a memorable trip.
Tip #61 - Tagging Your Luggage
A minimum investment for maximum payback! Something as simple as clearly marking and tagging your luggage can mean the difference between no additional money spent and possessions lost or misplaced. This makes it more traceable and easy to spot.
Clearly, it is a worthwhile investment to buy a sharpie or permanent marker and some quality luggage tags. If your budget does not allow for this, consider using the airline or provider tags at your departure location. Never travel with an unmarked bag that does not carry your name and information on it. This ensures traceability and do not even hesitate to put some identifying characteristic element on it, like a colorful ribbon, sticker or other identifier that will make it stand out.
Tip #57 - Vacation Memories
Multimedia and technology are travel essentials these days. Recordings before, during and after can all be captured and enjoyed over and over. An added benefit is that they weight less and take up “no additional room”.
It helps you assemble memories, so buying and budgeting for extra rechargeable batteries, charger-kits, adapter plugs, cables, carry-bags, memory cards and/or recordable media might very well be the best investment you make on and for your trip. For the return on investment is huge! Upon your return, it is always exciting to re-live key and precious, shared moments.
You could hear and view a tour guide, entertainers, or musicians enjoyed during your journey. Avoid buying and taking heavy travel guides with you (make copies of pages of interest). At your destination, there will always also be myriads of local sources at your disposal that offers a unique perspective, current pricing and information that might be outdated in even the most recent travel guides or magazines.
Tip #54 - Vacation Budget Wake-Up Kit
Start the day off right. You might want to consider packing a "wake-up kit". They typically can contain items like a travel mug, spoon, instant coffee or tea, sweetener, dry creamer, and a plug-in immersion heater. It is a great way to start the day and you will save on the morning cupper or evening tea by avoiding the hotel restaurant and nearby cafes. This will make your every penny and travel dollar count.
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