Planning a vacation? Want to know how to make your vacation fun? Check out these 8 Tips!
Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash
Enjoying the end of the year while celebrating the turn of the year is the most fitting with a vacation. But unfortunately, the savings are still not sufficient. Stay cool! There are still ways to work around this, really. Let's look at the following tips, so you can still have a comfortable vacation even though you don't have a lot of budget.
Everyone would love to travel to places with beauty and other exciting things. Especially if the holiday season is only a matter of days, you must have started planning where you want to go, what foods you want to taste, and much more. But, is the savings you currently have enough to fulfill your desire to go on vacation? Here it is, eight tips to save money while on vacation but still, have fun. Come on, take a look!
1. Find Cheap Airline Tickets
If you are going to plan a vacation to a faraway place, at least six months or a year in advance you have to start searching for information about airplane ticket promos. How to? You can try to subscribe to the newsletter of the airline you want. Or you can also follow their social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Usually, this discount only applies according to the availability of aircraft seats.
If you are going to plan a vacation to a faraway place, at least six months or a year in advance you have to start searching for information about airplane ticket promos. How to? You can try to subscribe to the newsletter of the airline you want. Or you can also follow their social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Usually, this discount only applies according to the availability of aircraft seats.
You can also try subscribing to online travel agency newsletters, which often offer discounts. In fact, many travel agents have smartphone applications and offer promos for customers buying tickets for the first time through the application.
Another way is to buy tickets at travel fairs or travel fairs. Usually, before the holiday season, several agencies engaged in tourism hold this exhibition. On this occasion, almost all airlines and travel agents are competing to offer cheap ticket promos. Of course, you should not miss this opportunity.
If all of those ways still can't give you cheap airline tickets, you can work around this by buying plane tickets for flights on weekdays or weekdays. Usually, on weekdays, ticket prices will be cheaper than weekends or weekends.
2. Vacation a la backpacker
Were you ever imagined going on an adventurous journey, like exploring a place on a motorbike? Or try to take public transportation in the city where you are on vacation? If you have an adventurous spirit and want a budget vacation, why not take a backpacker-style vacation?
Were you ever imagined going on an adventurous journey, like exploring a place on a motorbike? Or try to take public transportation in the city where you are on vacation? If you have an adventurous spirit and want a budget vacation, why not take a backpacker-style vacation?
If the destination of your trip is still on the island of Java, such as Yogyakarta or Malang, choose an economy-class train as a mode of transportation that will take you to your destination city. Why? Because the price of economy class train tickets is very affordable, even the cheapest you can get for Rp. 125,000, - only. The current economy train is in better condition. There is no longer the impression of slums and buskers, as well as hawkers who get on and off the train. It's air-conditioned too, you know. If you are hungry, there is a special carriage selling food.
However, because economy class trains are in high demand, here you are required to compete quickly. Because this type of train is the fastest ticket sold out. Try to buy tickets three or two months before your departure day.
Arriving at the destination, if you want to explore the desired places, it is better to use a motorbike. Many tourist cities provide motorbike rental services with rates ranging from IDR 70,000 to IDR 100,000 per day. Usually, the rate includes two helmets and a raincoat.
Using public transportation in the destination city is no less interesting. Besides being cheaper, you can also mingle with the local community which will certainly make the holiday experience more exciting. Unfortunately, this public transportation can't reach all the tourist sites you want. In addition, the habit of frequent public transportation also makes the travel time to the destination longer.
Photo by Richard Jaimes on Unsplash
3. Travel at Night
Maybe there are still many of you who don't realize that the ticket prices for trains, buses, or planes that depart at night are usually cheaper. So, if you consistently want to save money, what's wrong with traveling at night? Another plus, you can sleep during the trip, and this can reduce the risk of motion sickness.
Maybe there are still many of you who don't realize that the ticket prices for trains, buses, or planes that depart at night are usually cheaper. So, if you consistently want to save money, what's wrong with traveling at night? Another plus, you can sleep during the trip, and this can reduce the risk of motion sickness.
4. Avoid Choosing a Hotel To Stay
The hotel does offer a very comfortable place to stay with a myriad of facilities. However, there is a fairly high price that must be paid to be able to get and enjoy all these facilities. The cheapest hotel stay rate is around IDR 300,000 per night. Are you sure you want to spend a lot of money just to stay? Why not choose to stay at a hostel, homestay inn, or guest house? The rates for staying at the four types of lodging are usually cheaper. Some even set a price of only IDR 50,000 per night. Indeed, there are not many facilities offered. But if with these rates you can sleep well, and rest comfortably, why not?
The hotel does offer a very comfortable place to stay with a myriad of facilities. However, there is a fairly high price that must be paid to be able to get and enjoy all these facilities. The cheapest hotel stay rate is around IDR 300,000 per night. Are you sure you want to spend a lot of money just to stay? Why not choose to stay at a hostel, homestay inn, or guest house? The rates for staying at the four types of lodging are usually cheaper. Some even set a price of only IDR 50,000 per night. Indeed, there are not many facilities offered. But if with these rates you can sleep well, and rest comfortably, why not?
If you come with a group, you can rent a house to stay in, and the total cost can be divided equally among your group. Of course, this will also add to the excitement of your vacation.
5. Don't Forget to Record Expenditures
Make a note every time you spend money. For example, if you just bought food, don't forget to record the money you spent to buy the food. Other things that must also be noted include the cost of taking public transportation, the cost of staying overnight, renting a vehicle, and other small things that should not be missed from your notes.
Make a note every time you spend money. For example, if you just bought food, don't forget to record the money you spent to buy the food. Other things that must also be noted include the cost of taking public transportation, the cost of staying overnight, renting a vehicle, and other small things that should not be missed from your notes.
Why should it be recorded? Because this record will help you to know how much money you have spent and what the money was used for.
Another benefit, so you can plan other things if you know there is still a lot of money left from the total budget that you bring. Like buying souvenirs or visiting other tours that you haven't been to.
6. Try Local Cuisine
The thing most often do when traveling on vacation is to buy food. Especially if the destination you are visiting is a culinary paradise. It's like I don't want to stop eating. It's a shame if you've gone all the way but the food is still easy to find where you live. Eating at fast food restaurants also usually has to spend around IDR 30,000 to IDR 50,000 for one meal. It's a pity, isn't it? Then what should be eaten?
The thing most often do when traveling on vacation is to buy food. Especially if the destination you are visiting is a culinary paradise. It's like I don't want to stop eating. It's a shame if you've gone all the way but the food is still easy to find where you live. Eating at fast food restaurants also usually has to spend around IDR 30,000 to IDR 50,000 for one meal. It's a pity, isn't it? Then what should be eaten?
Why not just try local specialties? Besides being able to enrich your insight into authentic Indonesian cuisine, you can also save money. Because usually this local cuisine is pegged at a cheaper price. Not infrequently, local specialties also have a more delicious taste.
In order to avoid unwanted things, it's a good idea to try asking local residents to find out where the places that sell delicious and cheap special foods are.
However, if it turns out that local culinary prices are not much different from general culinary prices, you can still save money by cooking yourself at the inn. Many tourists use this method. In addition to saving money, there are also tourists who really can't eat foreign food that they have never tried, so cooking yourself is the best way. Usually, cheap inns such as inns or homestays provide a shared kitchen intended for guests who want to cook.
This will indeed be inconvenient if you are doing a solo trip, but if you are with a group, of course cooking together will be fun. You can jointly buy cooking ingredients. Then divide the tasks, such as who will prepare the ingredients, who will fry, who will cook the rice, and so on. This method can also make you and your friends more compact, you know.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
7. Use the Multipurpose Card and Public Transportation
Try not to use a taxi when you are on vacation, including when you are leaving the station or airport. If you want to explore your destination, you can definitely get cheaper alternative transportation or use a multi-purpose electronic card that can be used to pay for some types of public transportation and entrance tickets to tourist attractions.
Try not to use a taxi when you are on vacation, including when you are leaving the station or airport. If you want to explore your destination, you can definitely get cheaper alternative transportation or use a multi-purpose electronic card that can be used to pay for some types of public transportation and entrance tickets to tourist attractions.
In Indonesia, there are many multi-purpose cards, such as Mandiri e-Money or BCA Flazz Card. In Jakarta, this card can be used to buy tickets for public transportation, namely TransJakarta and Commuter Line. This card can also be used to shop or pay for food at restaurants, to pay tolls.
In Hong Kong, you can use an Octopus Card instead of an MTR (Mass Transit Railway) ticket. This card can also be used to pay for other types of public transportation, entry to tourist attractions, shopping at supermarkets, to shopping at food stores. The same is true in Singapore. This country provides a multipurpose card called EZ Link. Its use applies to paying for MRT tickets, bus tickets, mini markets, and much more.
In addition to being more practical, without having to bother spending cash, not infrequently this multipurpose card also provides price discounts that are enough to help you save more.
8. Want to get a cheaper price, don't be afraid to bargain
This move is almost always effective in terms of shopping. Indeed, not everyone dares to do it, but if the price offered is still negotiable, why not try?
This move is almost always effective in terms of shopping. Indeed, not everyone dares to do it, but if the price offered is still negotiable, why not try?
For example, in Hong Kong, there is a market called Ladies Market which is famous for its souvenir market and is almost always crowded with tourists from various countries. Maybe because the consumers are from all over the world, the prices offered by the traders can go up from what they should. But if you're good at bargaining, the price of the jar display that was previously offered for HKD 350 can drop to HKD 120. It's more economical than HKD 230, it must be very fun, right? Of course, this can happen if you are good at bargaining.
However, try not to bargain. Be polite and friendly when bidding. Use a soft voice and soft words to melt the seller's heart. That way, who knows, you can get the discount you want.
Avoid opening transactions by stating the price you want. Let the seller mention the price he pegged first. That way, you won't be wrong to bid at a price that's too low. Before buying an item, also find out the price of the item in other stores. So, you already have the information to be able to request a more competitive discount. Otherwise, the seller will know that you're just guessing the price, but don't really know what price to pay for the item.
If you know the local language, it's a good idea to haggle using that language. This will reduce the impression that you are a foreigner who is a tourist, as tourists are often charged a higher price than they should. Using the local language will give the seller closeness, so he will be more easily persuaded. Good luck!
