08 Oct 4 Things I Stopped Spending Money On When Traveling
Posted at 23:12h
in Uncategorized
Traveling is fun and the best way you can spend your money
Traveling is so much fun and a chance to unplug from daily responsibilities. It’s an opportunity to explore exotic places, experience different things, and meet new people.
Amidst all the excitement, we also splurge on activities and material things we don’t need, which can put a dent in our budgets we see only later once we check our bank accounts. After analyzing my spending behavior and finances, I identified the things I was spending the most money on while on vacation that ended up having the least amount of value overall. The results weren’t all that shocking, but I’m definitely more aware of where my money was going!
So here I made a list of the top four things (in no particular order) I don’t spend money on anymore when traveling, you can find some overlaps with your own travel habits:
1. Souvenirs
Souvenirs are fun. You can find pretty much anything through the streets and plazas of bustling cities — key-chains, bookmarks, chocolates, hats, and anything in between. Colorful, funny, and sometimes meaningful, they can be a great memory to have at home or gift to someone.
That’s until they’re collecting dust in some corner of your house. Sure, if you’re a Hard Rock T-shirt collector or have a special shot glass in mind for your alcoholic friend (we all have one), it makes sense to purchase something and take it home. But if you’re just buying things for the sake of “having a souvenir”, save your money.
I stopped buying souvenirs a long time ago. They filled up my luggage, emptied my wallet, and often went unnoticed then I gave them to someone as a gift (apart from especially grateful people, bless them). In fact, not only I felt like I was wasting money, but I also felt like I wasn’t helping local businesses. Souvenir shops and touristy stores fuel the problem of over-tourism some cities struggle with, so I’d rather keep make memories through pictures or experiences (such as an amazing local meal!).
If someone asks you for a souvenir or you find something that reminds you of a special person, it makes sense to purchase it, it will have value. But if that’s not the case, dump the souvenir trend. Your wallet and your already junk-packed house will thank you.
2. Excursions
In many countries, excursions are key to exploring more remote parts of the territory you wouldn’t normally be able to reach without a guide. Or they’re the safe way to venture out a tourist area. But, in many other cases, excursions are expensive services and a complete waste of time.
With some extra organization and preparation, you can reach most places and do most things without paying the premium price of an excursion. For example, Hop On Hop Off buses are a good pick if you’re visiting a massive city with landmarks and sites that are super spread-out, but otherwise, you can reach most locations with public transportation (or by foot!).
Save excursions for the memorable sights you really cannot reach, or if you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to plan. But, if you’re looking to save some serious cash, look into day passes for public transport and entrances to key sights, get a map to get a feel for the city or place you’re in and start venturing out of your comfort zone! Many times, as you orient yourself in a new place, you’ll discover hidden gems along the way to your destination is off the beaten path.
3. Expensive hotels
I used to enjoy booking pricey hotels with cozy large beds, fancy breakfasts, and SPAs because I felt like it was important to me to return to a comfortable living space after a day of sightseeing or sunbathing. And it felt good, I loved it. Although my wallet didn’t.
My trips’ budgets skyrocketed when sprinkled with expensive accommodation, and I found that I rarely spent any time in the room. The only real amenity I enjoy is the breakfast — which I often skip because I like to sleep and never make the 7 am – 10 am timeframe to head over to the breakfast room to eat.
Beginning to pick cheaper — but still central — locations means saving lots of money I can then use on other activities I enjoy. Some cheaper B&Bs, hotels, or even hostels often offer breakfast, and if they don’t, there’s always a cute café serving omelets and coffee down the street. By cutting out premium accommodations, you’re slashing a major cost from the vacation, allowing you to afford other things during your trip or another trip altogether in the future!
4. Clothes
Most clothing stores copy each other’s fashion. H&M and Zara may differ slightly from each other, but you can find the same style everywhere, with slight variations based on local taste. Don’t splurge on shopping abroad when you could get the same things at home and avoid adding to the precious extra luggage weight.
The fact is, when you’re on vacation, you’re on instant-gratification mode, focusing less on your budget and more on splurging because you’re on holiday. It often ends up being an impulse-buy you don’t like that much. Try separating the two things, keeping in mind that even though you’re on holiday, you really need not indulge in everything you want. You can find clothes anywhere. Instead, note what you like about the local style around you.
When I travel to a new country or city and see some well-dressed people, I mentally note of the combination of colors or clothing they wore so I can then recreate the outfit back at home. You need not buy those pieces of clothing immediately.
On my trip to France and South Korea, I noticed some crafty girls who put together amazing outfits out of simple clothing and color combinations. I often whipped out my phone and took note, writing things down like “buy a long pastel-colored skirt and tuck that cream-colored sweater you have at home in it for a classy, yet cozy look” (please refrain from taking pictures of people!). Then when I got back home, I had time to think if they were worth purchasing or not, and in case I still wanted them, I knew exactly where to scope out those outfit pieces, without lugging them around at the airport.
By not spending money on clothes abroad, I saved tons of hard-earned cash.
Conclusion
Here are my tips for saving on your next vacay! Let me know what you think in the comments 🙂 what have you stopped splurging on?