5 Ways to Make a Budget Trip and Enjoy It to the Fullest

I’ve been going on trips, small and large, since 2011.

Last year was a great experience as I got the chance to visit several places throughout India. When I look back, I was able to complete all my trips within my set budget and I had great fun too!

From my experience I would like to share a few important things which might be of help if you’re planning to travel in 2017.

Form a group

Form a group of like minded people (3–4) when planning the trip. A group containing more than 4 would be hard to manage. Also, make sure you explain the conditions (if you have any) before planning the trip. Speak everything upfront. Arguing about something during the trip would leave a bad taste for everyone.

I would usually tell my friends the following when they want to go on a trip with me.

“You get to do a lot of walking. Explore the area by foot.”

“We don’t get to hire private cabs. We might use public transport”

“We’ll stay and eat in a good place. But, don’t expect anything fancy.”

These are pretty much my expectations. This would not only save a great deal of money for us, but will also offer a great experience.

PS: Use applications like Splitwise to track who has spent for what. This will make things easy when you’re going out as a group.

Hunt for offers

Once you’re set with the group, set a budget. Do extensive research to find the best travel and accommodation options. I would normally use Skyscanner, Goibibo for booking flights and booking.com, Oyo rooms for accommodation. Goibibo is also a good alternative to book hotel rooms. These websites help you find the best deals. If in doubt about a place, always check out TripAdvisor for more clarity.

There are several other websites which I haven’t used much. If any, please feel free to let me know.

Leverage social media

Use social media to know more about the place your going to. You can gather a lot of information from travel websites, but knowing more about local delicacies, least explored places from your friends who live there is more personal and will mostly go with your preference.

One good example would be my trip to Madurai in 2014. I knew Madurai was famous for non-vegetarian restaurants. I posted on Facebook asking suggestions for best restaurants and I got names of 55 different restaurants. It was a huge list with what tastes good in each restaurant! I tried a few, and honestly it was one of the best food trips I’ve been to till date.

Use public transport

Wherever you go, explore the city in public transport. It is safe, economical, and you can always approach people for help if you think you’re lost. When I went to Kolkata with my friends, we stuck to traveling in public transport. We used, metro train, and taxi throughout the trip. This saved us a lot of money. We completed the entire 5 day trip within Rs. 5000 ($73) each. This included train fare, accommodation, food, and public transport.

Explore!

Traveling is not just about going to all the known places. The true experience also lies in exploring the unknown. Before planning a trip, read a lot about the city you’re going to visit. Set a day or two to explore the lesser known places. When I was doing my research for the Kolkata trip, I came across this place called Tiretti bazaar, which is full of Chinese immigrants who have settled and been living there for so long. We dedicated a morning to visiting that place and the experience was amazing. We visited Chinese schools, temples, and lunch at a Chinese restaurant.

Hope this tips will be of some help when you making plans for your next trip. If you think of better tips which you’d like to share, please feel free to share in the comments section.

Happy traveling!

Until next time :)