Getting Around
If possible, try renting a bike or a motor scooter. Both options will be much cheaper than renting a car or relying on cabs, and you’ll get a more up close experience of the city or town that you’re visiting. Be it Amsterdam or Bali, the option to bike is available most anywhere you go. Plus, you’ll be able to work off some of that delish cuisine while seeing the sights!
Another strategy which has Fab & Fru written all over it—stay in accommodations close to the center of the city. It may be a surprising suggestion, because centrally located real estate is always pricier than lodging in the outskirts. But – if you have to rely on cars or public transportation to get around, this suggestion will most definitely save you money by cutting down on cabs, trains, and bus tickets!
If you are going to be using cabs, make sure you know what the rate should be to avoid getting ripped off. Also, if you’re traveling to a land where you do not speak their language- make sure to learn to a few numbers in the native tongue, and make sure that you know how to pronounce the name of the street you’re staying on to avoid confusion. Learning to count in the native language will also be very useful when haggling with vendors at flea markets!
Wining and Dining
Remember, our approach isn’t all or nothing – if you can just avoid one restaurant meal a day you will save a lot of money. If you have a fridge, stock up on breakfast or sandwich supplies. This will give you the chance to get a nicer meal at the end of the day than if you had to buy all three meals. If you’re renting a house with friends throw a dinner party and try to recreate local dishes – this could easily be a highlight of the trip, especially if it’s a holiday.
Finally, when you do go out to eat, your best bet is to ask a local for a restaurant recommendation. Local gems will give your travel experience even more flavor (pardon the pun), and they’re most likely located out of the overpriced tourist zone.
Buy Souvenirs You Will Use
Don’t waste your time with mini-monuments, doodles of yourself, or clothes from the Gap. You don’t need more crap. You just don’t….
Most vendors near large attractions are selling low-quality, overpriced merchandise. Identify what the local treasures really are. When I visited Bali I came back with sarongs, from Cuba my parents brought back a couple of boxes of cigars, from India my boyfriend brought handmade silk scarves.
And Don’t Forget To…
- Read up on your destination! Since the advent of the Internet, travel books have been on the backburner but the reality is that they are still your most concise, thorough reference guide, and when you pick your destination, you can take the book with you! Having a good guide book with you on your travels will also save you on Internet café fees.*Spending an afternoon at Barnes & Noble browsing the travel section will also help you pick your vacation destination! We personally like The Lonely Planet Series, but make sure you check out all your choices before purchasing the best book for your trip.
- Keep emergency money hidden on you. This is money that you cannot touch unless there’s a legit emergency! You can buy pouches for travelers to keep under your clothes- this is also a great place to keep you passport. The amount can be as little as emergency cab fare to $100+ in case your wallet is stolen or you run short on funds. It is not beer money or impulse buy money! The goal is to go back to the States with it untouched.
- Pick one place to visit and stick with it. Moving around from city to city or country to country will inevitably put a drain on your wallet. By staying put you’ll get a chance to get to know the place you’re visiting rather than just getting an overview of the tourist hot spots.
Bon Voyage – we wish you many Fabulous & Frugal travel adventures!
thank you for this.. by the way, your website layout is wonderful.