A Week-long Series On Travel
Few things say sophisticated like traveling internationally. You can sip Nescafe all you want and read Le Monde online for fun but if you haven't left the country in three years, sophistique you are not. No offense. Unless you count going to Canada for Chinese food, I'm in the non-sophisticated club.
International travel is getting to be more expensive and more of a general hassle. One airline is even going to begin charging $15 per checked bag starting in June. So much for friendly skies. Here are some tips I've been saving up about being a jetsetter without needing your own jet:
While it's the same price to get a passport (your local post office can do it), different photo places will charge you different amounts for the photos you need. I hear from this site that Walgreens is the cheapest but you might as well do a few quick phone calls in your area.
- If you are in a country that doesn't speak English, whipping out that dictionary might as well put a neon light flashing "Tourist/Sucker" over your head. Wouldn't it be more subtle to look at your iPod really quick? For $10, get 500 essential travel phrases that you can play in your iPod, you know, so you come a little closer to pronouncing things right then you normally would. (via Intelligent Travel)
- Want to really cut down on lodging?Apparently camping outside of major European cities is becoming increasingly popular. (via Intelligent Travel)
- Try relying on the kindness of strangers. Increase your odds that good things will happen to you by using services like home swapping with Home Exchange or ride-sharing with Allo Stop in Quebec. Traveling often affirms my core belief that people are kind. (If you really want to take this reliance to the extreme, check out this guy.)
- How to not be a sucker for paying too much money for a plane ticket: Monitor your ticket price using Yapta. It'll track the fare for you for free, emailing you if the price of your ticket drops after you've bought it.
So hopefully, this can make cheaper international travel a little less mysterious. Of course, there's always Canada and Mexico if a plane trip just can't be done. Bon voyage and remember, you were on your yacht in Marseilles when it all happened (wink)…
Like this post? Here are some other posts you may like..
What's In Your Wallet?
Traveling On The Cheap
Photo from: http://mallencunningham.blogspot.com/
I camped around Europe during the summer of 2000. It was a lot of fun and I lost a ton of weight- walking around with a fully loaded backpack will do that to ya! However, and for me this is a big however, it can get really lonely if you do this alone. I would only recommend this to couples or groups.
Another way to save money traveling is through voluntourism, where you get a bed and food in a foreign place in exchange for labor. Volunteers for Peace is a good place to start:
http://www.vfp.org/
Hi Nicole! I read a guest post that you did on saving money by not having TV at Bible Money Matters! Such a great post and very wise!! I entered the post on our Super Savings Stories Feature to help others in their quest to save money and live frugally. Its always an inspiration to hear of others’ savings! Here’s the link in case you would like to visit!
http://www.sisterlysavings.net/2008/05/new-feature-and-giveaway.html
Another cheap way to travel around Europe is to NOT go in the summer. Try April or October for a trip. I got an amazing flight/hotel deal for London a few Aprils back and the weather couldn’t have been better across the pond.
If you’re looking to go somewhere this summer but are freaking out about the gas prices why not check out the local scene? I blogged about rising fuel costs and Maine tourism today at: http://mainebusiness.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=2530