Traveling on a Budget: 5 Tips and Tricks to Travel for Cheap

Make the most out of every peso with these cool traveling hacks.
Saving up for your dream vacation can take months, even years. 

And as much as you want to experience exploring Europe or Asia, it can be difficult squeezing in the things you want to do and places you want to go to on a tight budget.

Good thing the cool people here at One Source Solution has come up with a list of awesome travel hacks to make sure that you make the most out of every peso you've saved.

1. Wait for piso-fares
You obviously don't just book a flight to Morocco then travel on a whim. If you do, then why are you even reading this? (We're kidding. We're cheap too.)

Jokes aside, piso-fares are the number one way to cut your trip budget by more than half. As of this writing, we've come across tickets to India for less than P2,000. A typical flight from Manila to India costs around P30,000 - P60,000.

2. Don't get that on-ticket travel insurance

Imagine this:

After a long, 8-hour flight from Dubai to Manila, you finally breathe a sigh of relief as you get off the plane. You head straight to the conveyor belt to get your luggage.

Surprise! The lock's missing and your laptop's been stolen. Where did you lose it? Doesn't matter. After the two connecting flights in Qatar and China, you can't be sure where you lost it.

So here's the argument for travel insurance: for just a small investment of a few hundred pesos, you're able to make sure you get peace of mind when you get out of the country.

Got sick in New York? No problem. Got your flight to Manila canceled and need to spend an extra night in Bangkok? Cool. Insurance has you covered.

Here's how you save:

• First off, skip the insurance that comes with your ticket. A 4 days, 3 nights insurance coverage for Asia would cost around P1,900 if it's packaged with your ticket. Travel insurance direct from insurance companies start at P600 only.
• If you're traveling with family, a family package would provide even more savings as compared to individual purchases that come with your ticket.
• Lastly, if you're a frequent traveler, getting annual travel insurance coverage will be the best way to save more money.

3. Book a hostel (or an Airbnb)
You finally got a flight to Paris. That's awesome!

Next thing you need to consider, "Where will I be staying?"

That's a good question— you have two options.

1. You can book a hostel — a hostel is an awesome way to save up on your travel budget and meet new travelers at the same time.

Hostels are basically dorms with either bunk beds or rooms that you share with one or more roommates. This is a good option if you're planning on exploring your destination by getting lost without a tour guide. You get to experience being a local and meet new friends along the way.

2. You can book an Airbnb — an Airbnb is a gift to the 21st century. You know how people with spare time take out their cars and drive for Uber to earn money on the side? That's pretty much the same with Airbnb, only that it's homeowners with spare rooms in their house or condo.

The best part about Airbnb is you get to pick a place according to your budget. Want to enjoy a room with a view on the top floor? Or are you fine settling with just a small house in the suburbs? Either way, you get to spend time with your *Airbnb host*, the owner of your Airbnb. Ask them where you can eat for cheap or where the good bars are around town-- a local beats a tour guide any day of the week.

4. Use public transportation
Afraid to get lost in the bustling streets of Singapore? Sure you can take a taxi to bring you to that Indian restaurant you saw on Google, but where's the fun in that?

Public transportation is one of the ways you can enjoy a visit to another country and experience being a local. If you're afraid of getting lost though, don't be. Just open the Google Maps app on your phone!
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For Android: It's downloaded on your phone by default.
For iOS: Download it from the App Store here

Google Maps has this cool feature where it shows you which routes and public transportation methods you can take going to your destination. It even includes multiple stops such as where to get off on the train and where you should walk to towards your next connecting train ride.

Whether you're taking the bus or the train, Google Maps has your back.

5. Skip the restaurants, go for street food.
The best way to experience a country's culture and history is through their street food.

For example, Hong Kong has the most exciting and delicious street food experiences in the world. Dan Pai Dongs, literally translated to "restaurant with a big license plate", are Hong Kong's open-air licensed food stalls. They serve everything from seafood, roasted meats (think sweet, crispy duck), dim sum, noodles, and everything on a stick.

The best way to figure out which food you should try is by looking for the longest line in the street. If there's a line, it's probably good food.

Besides enjoying the food, you'll be able to enjoy sharing a table with a stranger, one of the things in Hong Kong culture that people don't see as awkward, unlike in other countries where space isn't considered a luxury.

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Armed with these awesome travel hacks, you might be able to squeeze in pasalubong for your family and friends. I’m sure they can’t wait to add another “I love [insert country here]” keychain or t-shirt to their collection.Armed with these awesome travel hacks, you might be able to squeeze in pasalubong for your family and friends. I’m sure they can’t wait to add another “I love [insert country here]” keychain or t-shirt to their collection.

Need an idea for getting travel insurance? Drop by One Source Travel.