Budget Travel Basics By: Ken Snowie The world of budget travel can be filled with excitement and appeal, and in our expensive world today traveling on a budget is becoming more necessary if you want to travel at all. It is important to keep costs low when traveling, whether you are traveling solo seeing a foreign country for the first time or a family with your car filled with kids and luggage heading for the beach or an amusement park. If you want to go the lower cost route while traveling, it is definitely a good plan to generate a travel budget. Determine the approximate costs and prioritize the different portions of your trip, such as hotel, airfare, car rental, visiting attractions and sights, food, and gasoline. Once you have a good idea of what you want to spend on each part of your trip, then you need to begin shopping around for the best deals. When it comes time for you to formulate a budget for travel, you should first prioritize by deciding what is most important to you and what you can cut back on. For example, while some travelers would rather spend a more on a higher class of accommodations, others would rather save money by staying at lower priced hotels or motels splurge on sightseeing or their food budget for the family. Once you have prioritized the elements of your trip, begin researching what the best deals are. Often, discounted admission rates on area attractions are the most common and easiest to find, since many theme parks, museums and other attractions run specials to draw tourists. To get big discounts on local attractions, the best place to start is the Internet, specifically the web site of whatever attraction you want to visit. Often you will find great deals online, such as two-for-one deals, free admission for children, special reduced admission days, even discounts on food and lodging. There are other ways to get great discounts. If you are in the military, a senior citizen or a member of an organization such as AAA, you will find that there are many discounts available to you. Most AAA offices sell discounted tickets for theme parks, museums and other attractions within driving distance, and most AAA offices sell discounted tickets to popular destinations like the Walt Disney World Resort, too. The secret to making the most of your travel budget is to research and take advantage of any discounts available. If you plan to drive your car on your trip, make sure you get it services so that it is in good condition before you leave. Something small like under-inflated tires or worn spark plugs or brake pads can affect your gas mileage and increase your fuel budget. A good tip for keeping your fuel spending under control is to invest in a map of your destination. It will keep you from getting lost and therefore wasting gas. Being able to find your way to and from the hotel or other destinations without trouble will make your vacation less stressful and less costly. Travel does not have to be out of reach, even for the most budget minded traveler. The key is to shop wisely, focus on your priorities and get the most out of the money you do spend To discover more about budget travel - http://www.great-budget-travel.info/ -

by: Ken Snow Just about everyone loves to travel, and travel is one of the most intriguing and fun activities one can engage in. Travel provides the remarkable ability to see the world from a whole new perspective, and I for one believe that if people traveled more outside their country there would be far less war and trouble in the world. When asked why they do not travel, one of the most frequently cited reasons is lack of money. Lack of funds, however, does not need to be a barrier to traveling the world. Obviously if you're flat broke you may not be able to travel as you wish, but most people have at least some disposable income, and it can be surprisingly inexpensive to travel to many places. One of the primary considerations for any budget minded traveler is where to stay. Fortunately, there are many budget friendly options when it comes to putting a roof over your head for the night. For solo travelers, hostels can provide, clean safe accommodations and the chance to meet and interact with people from all over the world. Best of all, the prices are almost impossible to beat. For instance, most hostels in major U.S. cities range from $20 to $30 a night, when a hotel room would set you back a cool $150-$200 or even more. In Europe, Asia, Africa and South America, hostel accommodations are even cheaper, with many charging the equivalent of $5 a night or even less. The key is to check the internet and see what is available in your destination. Many hostels even provide online booking, so you can arrive with your lodging issues already taken care of. For couples, a budget hotel can be a great choice. There are many such hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts, located all around the world. Again, many of them are on the internet, and like hostels many can be booked online before you leave home. Another great way to save money while still having a great vacation is to use the public transportation system. Most destinations in Europe, and many in the United States and Canada as well, have excellent, fast, reliable, and cheap public transportation systems. You can probably by a weekly bus pass for less than what you would pay to rent a car for a single day. And public transportation also frees you from the hassles of parking the car, keeping it gassed up and learning your way around. Another important key to traveling cheap is traveling light. Trekking around Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or the Americas does not require a mountain of luggage. If you are unsure whether to pack it, chances are it is best left at home. It is best to take a couple of sturdy and versatile outfits, and a good pair of walking shoes, and leave the rest at home. Getting the best airfare, along with finding the cheapest place to stay, is one of the essential cornerstones of successful budget travel. There are a number of strategies for getting the best deal on airfare, from using credit cards to rack up frequent flier miles, to using discount airlines, to traveling in the off or shoulder season. The strategy that is best for you depends on your individual needs, and on the location you choose. Keeping the money you do have for travel safe and secure is always a concern when traveling. Most seasoned travelers have learned to use a hidden money belt to carry passports, plane tickets and the majority of their cash. Using an in room safe is also a good idea. It is generally best to use credit cards for major purchases, and keep only a small amount of cash on hand for incidental purchases. Not only do credit cards provide the best exchange rates, but you are not liable for fraudulent purchases as long as you report the card stolen in a timely fashion. Travel does not have to be out of reach, even for the most budget minded traveler. The key is to shop wisely, focus on your priorities and get the most out of the money you do spend. To discover more about budget travel - http://www.great-budget-travel.info/ -