Budget travel

So what do you know about Amsterdam? Forget about its slightly dark reputation as a drug city where hemp is the main product sold on the streets. Forget about the infamous red light district, the prostitutes and the supposedly over-tolerant approach of the Dutch police when it comes to substance abuse. Clear away any preconceived ideas that you might have about this great city and dive into the hustle and bustle that is Amsterdam.
This is a city that can entertain you for days on end. Even on a low budget there is a lot to see and do and you will find that every Dutch person that you meet will not only be happy to help you with directions and tips, but more importantly; all the Dutch speak English. Let’s start with a short walk through the city.

A short walk

When you visit Amsterdam you will most likely arrive in the city at the Central Station. A huge old building with people spilling out onto the pavement and a back entrance facing the river. There is a free ferry going back and forth between the back of the station and the area across the water (north Amsterdam). The main road behind the station is not a very pleasant one late at night, frequented by prostitutes and their customers its best to stay away after nightfall. The free trip is short but offers the best view of the Amsterdam skyline so give it a go!
Exit the station from the front and step into the WV building opposite the main exit. WV is the Dutch tourist center and you can get your brochures here, book trips and the staff will help you find a hotel room ifyou haven’t got one yet. The average price for a hotel room is around $100 for a double room.
Walk down the large road opposite the station. This is called the Damrak. At the end of this road (lined with small gift shops, money exchange centers and a few Internet cafes) you will end up at Dam Square. Here you will find the royal palace on the right and the War Monument (remembering the 2nd world war) on your left.

While a weekend jaunt to Venice may be out of reach for frugal travelers, there are plenty of ways to cut down on costs for a romantic getaway. There is no need for budget travelers to feel relegated to the realm of hostels, dormitories, campsites and roada’de motels With a little research and pre-planning, you can enjoy some quality time with your sweetheart without worrying about running up your credit card debt.

Go During the Off-Season
The most expensive part of a romantic getaway is usually the lodging and the transportation. Cut down on accommodation costs by going somewhere during the off-season. Head to a seaside town in winter or during the spring and fall shoulder seasons. You may not want to take an icy dip in the ocean, but you will enjoy being able to explore the area without the summer crowds. Many hotels and bed and breakfasts cut their prices significantly in the off-season or offer special package deals

Go Midweek
Booking your stay during the middle of the week, as opposed to the weekends, can also cut down on costs. Many hotels and other accommodations charge higher  prices on Friday and Saturday nights. Airfare, train and bus travel can also be cheaper during the middle of the week. Leave on a Monday and return on Wednesday or Thursday to take advantage of midweek

Go Local
Choosing a getaway that is within a half-day drive of your home will cut down significantly on travel costs and stress. Why spend half your getaway waiting in airports or on the train, when you can drive somewhere interesting within a matter of hours? Carpool with another couple to cut down on costs even further. Research interesting places within a three or four-hour drive of your house before planning your getaway. Not only will you save money by vacationing locally, but you will learn a lot more about your region by doing so.

Book a Room with a Fridge
Having a fridge in your room can help you save on meal costs. Instead of eating out for every meal, keep some sandwich supplies in the room. Eat out for lunch when prices are cheaper, and for dinner you can enjoy cold meats, freshly baked bread from a local bakery, and a bottle of wine you brought from home. Chances are that in a vacation town food prices may be higher than at your local supermarket. Bring snacks, cheese, cold meat and beverages from home. Stay at a bed and breakfast or a hotel where breakfast is included, and you will only be eating out one meal a day. For the truly frugal, having a fridge or kitchenette can allow you to self-cater for as many meals as you want.

Research Local Restaurants
Before going on your romantic getaway, look up some local restaurants. Many restaurants post their entire menus online for potential diners to peruse. Make a list of restaurants you would like to try and factor eating out into your budget. Try to find at least three low-cost restaurants that you can rely on for an affordable meal during lunch or dinner.  Knowing what dining options are available ahead of time can  prevent you from settling for overpriced or over-budget restaurants when you’re hungry. Following these simple tips can help you plan a romantic getaway without busting your budget.

Traveling should be a fun and pleasant time, especially when you’re going to another country.  All too often, however, a lack of proper planning means that the trip is far more stressful than it needs to be. The following are ten tips for safe and pleasant travel that will make your vacation much easier.

1) Make a List

This is really the single most important thing you can do. Everything you want to take, from clean underwear to bug spray to the kids’ coloring books, should be written down on your list. Be as ridiculously thorough as possible. Having it on a list means much less chance of forgetting it, either coming or going!

2) Check it Twice

Have two places on your list to check off each item.  The first check shouldn’t be made until the item is actually in the suitcase or carry-on, packed and ready to go for the trip out. The second c heck is for the trip back.  Never check them off until the item is actually packed, though.  It’s easy to set something beside the suitcase, check it off (because, after all, it’s right there) and never actually pack it. The check marks are for the things that actually get packed!

3) Know Your Needs Beforehand

This one and the next one go together, but whenever you’re traveling, you should always know what you’re going to need on your trip. Are you going somewhere hot? Somewhere cold? Will there be a super center or a drugstore in the area? Will you need to have cash on hand, or just a credit card?

Will you be flying, driving, or riding a train? Different transportation methods will get you to different places in different ways, but there’s one similarity between all of them: unless you’re driving, and you’re the only one driving, there’s going to be some time where you don’t have anything to do. Bring a book  or a journal with you, and take advantage of the extra relaxing time.  If you have kids, make sure they have something to do, too.

4) Know Your Destination

What are the highlights of your destination? What things are “must-see” for you, and what things can you skip? Do a little research, and know where the restaurants, museums, natural sights, etc., are.  Make a list of one or two places you want to see per day; then make an alternate list of places you’d like to see if you have time. By doing it this way, you cut down on the need to rush around trying to see everything, but you also make sure that there are places you can go if you find  you have extra time that you don’t want to spend just relaxing.

As costs mount for airlines badly mauled by the global recession, airline companies are increasing the costs of check in baggage and decreasing the weight limits of carry-on luggage. If you’re the sort of person who packs a truckload of gear “just-in-case” for a weekend away, the thought of travelling with just one bag measuring 45 cm by 30 cm by 18 cm and with a weight limit of 7kg may sound impossible, but the benefits are worth it.

Save money

Airlines like American Airways and US Airways now charge for all checked in baggage. On a domestic US flight, the first bag will cost you US $15 each way- money that could be better put to use on more travel instead of luggage costs. With just one bag under your arm or on your back you won’t need to tip porters or pay storage fees.

Travelling with one bag saves you money in other ways You can now catch the tube from Central London to the airport without forking out hundreds of dollars in cab fares. You can hop on and off buses secure in the knowledge that you are carrying all you need. You can walk away from an expensive hotel, down the road to the next one with better rates

Get mobile

The most precious commodity while travelling is time. Instead of waiting in queues to check in your luggage, waiting in a mob at the carousel, and waiting to be inspected by customs at your destination, wouldn’t it be easier to simply waltz in and out of airports?

Travelling with one bag means more mobility. All sorts of transport options are now feasible -tram, coach, train or even donkey, in some parts of the world. You can switch flights with alacrity, knowing that you have no checked in luggage that might be rerouted to the other side of the world.

Safety first

Your checked-in luggage bears a risk of being rifled through by airport workers as they load and unload aircraft holds. However secure you think your bag is, unscrupulous crooks can and will help themselves to your valuables once your stuff is out of your sight. With just one carry-on bag,  you are less likely to lose your luggage or become someone else’s unsuspecting drug mule. The less luggage you have, the less you have to lose.

A woman on a long road trip, if unprepared, can unintentionally find herself in a dangerous situation.  Keeping safety guidelines in mind, and using them, will produce a safe, fun, and pleasant road trip adventure.

Firstly, avoid traveling at night whenever possible. Night is the most dangerous time to encounter a vehicle problem. Most businesses close around 6 in the evening, and finding help for a disabled vehicle can be incredibly difficult  after business hours. Also, it can be a long wait for a tow truck, especially later at night.

Have an insurance company towing policy, or auto club card handy. If the vehicle breaks down, use a cell phone to call the towing company for help. However, if there is no cell phone service or other available phone it is best to wait for a highway patrol officer. In remote areas it can be a long wait for an officer, in this case, find a ride into town with someone who is responsible.

Keep the money for a day or two in a wallet or purse. The bulk of the cash taken on the trip should be hidden in a suitcase, or someplace else that is safe. This way, if someone steals a wallet or purse, the bulk of the money will still be protected. Bring along a credit card with a high limit in case of emergencies. Make sure the credit card company is aware of the road trip, and let them know charges put on the card will be for emergencies during travel. This will avoid any surprises on the credit card company’s end, if the card needs to be used for vehicle repairs. Keep this card hidden in a safe place. If the vehicle needs to be abandoned or left with someone for repairs, be sure to remove any cash, credit cards or other valuables from the vehicle, and keep them safe.

Be aware of the vehicle’s gas mileage. In places like Nevada, a sport utility vehicle or truck can use over half a tank of gas between stations. If there is ever uncertainty about making it to the next gas station, be sure to stop and fill up.

Hotels want to gain your loyalty with “rewards cards” that accumulate points every stay, which can later be redeemed for a free night or other privileges If you travel frequently, chances are you have a hotel rewards card or two. While you may be the loyal type, you’re not prohibited from having membership cards from competing chains too. Chances are you’ll need to book a competing hotel some day, since not every chain has a hotel in every city you may travel to.

Even if you aren’t a frequent traveler, it’s still advantageous to have hotel membership cards. There are perks you can enjoy, even with one stay.

Here are some tips you may be interested in.

1. Hotel Rewards Cards:

Almost every hotel chain has its own rewards program you can join:

• Best Western “Rewards” are collected on a “Best Western Rewards®” card
• “Delta Points” are collected with a “Delta Privilege” card
• Hilton Hotels (Hilton, Doubletree, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, Waldorf Astoria) give “Hilton Points” with their “Hilton Hhonors®” rewards card
• ICHotels Group (Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza, Candlewood Suites, or Holiday Inn) offers “Priority Points” using a “Priority Club® Rewards” card.
• Hyatt offers a “Hyatt Gold Passport®”
• Marriott offers a “Marriott Rewards” card
• Starwood Hotels (Four  Points by Sheraton, Westin, La Meridien), give “Starpoints®” with their “Starwood Preferred Guest®” card.
• Travelodge offers a “Travelodge Guest Rewards” card

2.   Extra Perks
Even if you don’t travel often, when you do, you’ll appreciate the extra perks a member’s card gives. When you present your card on arrival, you are immediately given preferential treatments, such as an express check-in, free newspaper, free bottle of water, in-room complimentary high speed Internet wireless connection, tuck in, pillow selection, or express check-out, to name a few.

As a member you’re also given access to special packages offered to members only. Some of these include freebies like bonus points, casino passes, and contest ballots.

What Is Budget Travel?

Budget travel is like a strange hybrid between normal, everyday living and taking an extended vacation. The purpose of budget travel is to curb daily costs as much as possible in order to stretch the travel duration to several weeks or even many months. Latin America and Southeast Asia are the most common regions for budget travel, because the day-to-day cost of living is so low that people can explore for 2-3 months for as little as $1000. This form of travel is especially popular among recent high school and college graduates as well as professionals who do remote work online, often known as “digital nomads.”

Budget Travel vs. Traditional Vacationing

Standard package vacations and budget travel adventures represent two separate ends of the travel spectrum. The differences between the two are so great that people usually fall into one camp or the other. Someone who loves all-inclusive Caribbean vacations would most likely hate the life of a budget traveler. The opposite is also true. What exactly are the differences?

The most noticeable difference is in accommodation types. Standard vacations typically involve a plush hotel, resort, or cruise ship cabin, with swimming pools and room service and exotic frozen drinks. The budget traveler makes a great sacrifice here, opting instead for cheaper options such as hostels, guest houses and beach-ade bungalows. While package vacations offer hotel rooms from a hundred dollars upward per night, a dorm bed in a Thai hostel can go for as low as five dollars. This difference is huge, and allows budget travelers to travel for much longer for a fraction of the cost.

Traveling is one of the most rewarding activities for those who seek life experience and an appreciation for other parts of the world.  Many people dream of traveling the world, but unfortunately this can become quite costly in the long run. The thought of travel for a month or more at a time may seem unaffordable when considering all that is involved: the flight, accommodations, food, in-country transportation, supplies, and extra sight-seeing money.

However, this does not mean that there aren’t cheap ways to explore much of the planet. In fact, many of the most fascinating locations can be visited spending relatively little money. These tips are intended to help the traveler, more specifically the backpacker, enjoy travel without fear of the huge bill at the end.

Location

The most important factor in how much your trip will cost is where you choose to travel. Developing countries, such as India and Mexico, will have prices that are relatively cheap compared to countries in the developed world, such as England or Japan. Hotels, food, in-country travel, souvenirs, and nearly everything else will be cheaper in less wealthy countries This rule is important to keep in mind before you decide where you want to go, if money is a big concern. You can  save an enormous amount depending on the country so do your research.

Accommodations

For the traveler who is more interested in seeing the country than living luxuriously while there, choosing cheap accommodations is a  crucial factor in keeping holes from burning in your pockets.  Hostels are the most popular lodging choice for backpackers, often offering rooms or a few dollars per night.  You can therefore stay at a hostel for days or even weeks at a time without paying the price that some hotels charge for just one night. It’s really a wise choice, considering that after the plane ticket, accommodations can be the most expensive part of your trip.