I like to say that, for my age and financial status, I travel quite a bit. And for those two reasons, I've gotten quite nifty when it comes to my travels, and I'd like to share with you today my golden rules for traveling!
(All the tips I'm about to share are for shorter travels, up to two or three weeks, for longer trips, well.. I'll make another post for that!)
1. The sooner you start, the better
Preparing for a trip may seem like a simple buy ticket-pack bags-go deal, but actually there is more planning than people think! The sooner you start, the bigger advantage you will have - cheaper tickets, more time to find the perfect accommodation, plan activities and take care of things at home!
2. Don't be hasty
If you found out that you are about to have some vacation days, or if you got an unexpected sum of money - don't book your vacation the same day! Many airline companies (especially low-cost), as well as hotels and hostels have certain days when they will give you special discounts if you book on that particular day. You can get a good chunk off those prices if you wait till the right moment to book, but if you wait too long, the prices might get higher - another reason why you should start planning on time. *Top tip: follow airlines and favorite hotels on Facebook and other social media to be notified of the deals!
3. Budget??
Budget planning (and sticking to it!) is the most important part of any trip plan. I like to determine how much I can set aside for that trip, then I divide it in quarters (roughly). Now this is a bit fidgety, because every destination is different, as well as people's wishes. But this is how I go about it:
1st quarter: Tickets. If you're going somewhere nearby, then you might need less than a quarter, but it also depends on your favorite way of traveling. I, for example, don't mind the lowcost conditions, 16 hour layovers and spending the night at the airport waiting for a plane. But if you enjoy a bit more lux life, you might not get that far with your budget. Remember that a plane ticket isn't the only thing that you need to get to your destination. Calculate all the cost of coming to and from the airport/station!
2nd quarter: Accommodation. Now this is the one that varies drastically. I try to stick to traveling to destinations where I have friends or family that I can stay with, so my accommodation costs are low to nonexistent. But, if you don't have anyone you know in the place where you're traveling, there are several options:
Hotel - the most expensive (usually), and to some, the most comfortable.
Hostel - if you don't mind the lack of privacy, you can get a good price for a shared room, but if sharing is not your thing, many hostels offer private rooms, too! Also, they're a great place to meet new people.
AirBnB - if you want a private apartment or room, to be able to experience the place as a true local, you can get apartments and rooms to rent for excellent prices. If it's a bigger group that's going, you can also rent entire houses.
Couch-surf - if you're not alone, or if you're brave - you can try couch surfing! It's a great way to meet new people and your hosts will usually show you around the city or recommend places to visit.
Camping - if the weather allows it, and if you have the required equipment, camping is a great way to be accommodated during a trip. You might need to pay a small fee for the campsite, but apart from that, you can bring everything yourself.
(All the tips I'm about to share are for shorter travels, up to two or three weeks, for longer trips, well.. I'll make another post for that!)
1. The sooner you start, the better
Preparing for a trip may seem like a simple buy ticket-pack bags-go deal, but actually there is more planning than people think! The sooner you start, the bigger advantage you will have - cheaper tickets, more time to find the perfect accommodation, plan activities and take care of things at home!
2. Don't be hasty
If you found out that you are about to have some vacation days, or if you got an unexpected sum of money - don't book your vacation the same day! Many airline companies (especially low-cost), as well as hotels and hostels have certain days when they will give you special discounts if you book on that particular day. You can get a good chunk off those prices if you wait till the right moment to book, but if you wait too long, the prices might get higher - another reason why you should start planning on time. *Top tip: follow airlines and favorite hotels on Facebook and other social media to be notified of the deals!
3. Budget??
Budget planning (and sticking to it!) is the most important part of any trip plan. I like to determine how much I can set aside for that trip, then I divide it in quarters (roughly). Now this is a bit fidgety, because every destination is different, as well as people's wishes. But this is how I go about it:
1st quarter: Tickets. If you're going somewhere nearby, then you might need less than a quarter, but it also depends on your favorite way of traveling. I, for example, don't mind the lowcost conditions, 16 hour layovers and spending the night at the airport waiting for a plane. But if you enjoy a bit more lux life, you might not get that far with your budget. Remember that a plane ticket isn't the only thing that you need to get to your destination. Calculate all the cost of coming to and from the airport/station!
2nd quarter: Accommodation. Now this is the one that varies drastically. I try to stick to traveling to destinations where I have friends or family that I can stay with, so my accommodation costs are low to nonexistent. But, if you don't have anyone you know in the place where you're traveling, there are several options:
Hotel - the most expensive (usually), and to some, the most comfortable.
Hostel - if you don't mind the lack of privacy, you can get a good price for a shared room, but if sharing is not your thing, many hostels offer private rooms, too! Also, they're a great place to meet new people.
AirBnB - if you want a private apartment or room, to be able to experience the place as a true local, you can get apartments and rooms to rent for excellent prices. If it's a bigger group that's going, you can also rent entire houses.
Couch-surf - if you're not alone, or if you're brave - you can try couch surfing! It's a great way to meet new people and your hosts will usually show you around the city or recommend places to visit.
Camping - if the weather allows it, and if you have the required equipment, camping is a great way to be accommodated during a trip. You might need to pay a small fee for the campsite, but apart from that, you can bring everything yourself.
3rd quarter: Spending money. Things to include in this group: food, attraction tickets, souvenirs, local transport, nights out, and any other thing you might want to spend your money on.
4th quarter: Emergency. If there is one thing all trips have in common, it's that they are unpredictable. There will always be something: a baggage fee you forgot about, a lost suitcase, a stolen phone, or any of the million other emergencies that can mess up your budget completely and cut your trip short if you don't have this emergency stash.
Of course, all the parts of this budget can be mixed and matched to suit your trip, in my example, the accommodation pile goes to the tickets!
4. Packing
Look at what you planned to bring, then discard a third. Honestly, I don't know what makes me think that on a trip, I'm gonna feel like changing clothes three times more than I do at home. No, you don't need a different pair of jeans for each day, nor do you need two shirts per day, because "you never know what can happen". Plan whole outfits at home (with as much mix and matching you can), take pictured of them and save them on your phone, for easier dressing during your trip. Make sure you check the weather forecast and dress/pack accordingly. Also consider your activities: if you're going on a fancy dinner, make sure you have a fancy outfit, just like if you're planning on doing sports, bring gym clothes. Bring two pairs of shoes - I like to bring one more classy and one more sporty, to match different outfits and occasions. Make sure you check do you have to bring your own shampoo/towels/etc, or if they're provided at your accommodation.
5. Take care of things at home
Make sure there's someone to feed/walk your pets, water your plants, or anything else you need done regularly.
6. Chill
Nothing will ever go exactly the way you planned. You will have to adjust at every step, so being chill and not overplanning things will help you get over that a lot better. You can't predict a flight delay, a baggage misplace or any other of the million things that can happen. So just relax, don't take it too seriously and go with the flow!
Happy travels!
xoxo
Cicmila
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