Another 5 Tips for Budget Travel
6. Plan your itinerary. List down the places you really want to go to and your agenda for the trip, whether it be shopping, attending a cultural event/concert/conference, foodtrip, etc.
- You can use Google Maps to add the points of interest near your hotel/accommodation and to plot your route/itinerary
- Research on public transportation of your destination and fares.
- bus/trike fares
- boat fares
- Octopus card for HK (for buses and MTR)
- EZLink card for SG (for buses and MRT)
- Set a maximum budget for shopping, attraction tickets and other expenses. It is not wise to charge everything on your credit card. Don't get carried away.
- If you plan to buy gadgets/electronics abroad, know how much it costs locally first. Sometimes the advantage of buying electronics locally is you get an official warranty from the store, whereas if you bought it abroad the local distributor/service center might not accept it because it was purchased somewhere else.
7. Check the weather at your destination and pack accordingly.
- NAIA Terminal 1 and Clark airport are strict and do not allow folding umbrellas in your carry on. An alternative is to bring a light, packable, water-resistant jacket.
- Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and prevent early appearance of wrinkles.
- Bring a hat and apply sunscreen, especially Down Under (Australia & New Zealand) where the UV rays are stronger and harsher compared to Manila
8. Invest in good luggage, whether it be a backpack, tote, carry on, wheeled duffel bag, etc.
- Buy a good, reliable brand. It doesn't have to be top-of-the-line or super expensive but needs to be tough to withstand being thrown around, stepped on, squished, or dragged by baggage cars. There are lots of videos on Youtube regarding how baggage handlers really handle your luggage, so take heed.
- For backpacks, check the material used and if the seams are reinforced at the bottom, zipper ends, and especially at the top where the arm slings/straps are. Bigger backpacks will have chest and waist straps to help you stabilize the load when you're carrying it and distributes the weight evenly. A holder for a water bottle at the side is useful and practical as well as hidden pockets for keys, cards, cash, etc. Also check out wheeled backpacks (cheapest I think is from High Sierra) that can also serve as your kid's book bag. I personally use a Dakine wheeled backpack I bought online a few years back which has served me well on several international solo travels.
- You can also bring a sturdy, foldable bag (preferably canvas or stronger material) in your carry-on bag and use it for your other stuff. I don't have checked luggage during my short trips when leaving Manila and only check it in (my carry on bag) when returning to Manila and using the foldable bag as my carry on. Sounds confusing, I know.
- Look for luggage with double zippers, especially for checked bags. Ever wonder how some items are stolen from checked luggages even if there were locks in place? See this video. When choosing luggage, poke a pen or key into the zipper and see if it goes through. If it does, then choose another luggage because it can be opened that easily. Newer models of known brands have double zippers as an anti-theft feature.
- Choose a lighter luggage so you can put more of your stuff in it. For a 20kg limit on carry on luggage, if your bag already weights 7 or 8kg without anything in it, then you have less space to put your stuff without going overweight.
- Look for inline wheels. Known brands use inline skating wheels that are tougher and have fast bearings compared to cheaper brands that use plastic wheels that are prone to cracking or breaking at extremes of temperature (at the overhead cabin or luggage hold) or prolonged storage.
- Spinner luggage or those that have two to four wheels that allows for easier maneuverability and handling, especially useful for senior travelers.
9. Sign up for a debit or credit card affiliated with the airlines you usually use when travelling.
10. Bring personal medicines for headache, diarrhea, motion sickness, and topical antibiotic cream/ointment and declare it. Some countries impose a fine if you do not declare medicines. Nothing ruins travel or vacation like being sick in a foreign country.
10. Bring personal medicines for headache, diarrhea, motion sickness, and topical antibiotic cream/ointment and declare it. Some countries impose a fine if you do not declare medicines. Nothing ruins travel or vacation like being sick in a foreign country.
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