4 Tips to Stretch Your Travel Budget

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You have been dreaming of taking a much-needed vacation overseas. There is just one problem, your budget. Despite what you might think, you can still vacation internationally, even when your funds are limited. Read on to discover how to stretch your travel dollar and make the most of your vacation.

Choose Exchange Rate Friendly Destinations

To get the most vacation for your travel dollar, choose destination countries that have a favorable currency exchange rate. These would be countries in which the U.S. dollar holds more value than the local currency.

In countries where the U.S. dollar holds more value, prices on food, accommodations, and tourist venues are incredibly cheap. Some currency favorable destinations include:

  • Jamaica- the current exchange rate is 1 Jamaican dollar = $.0078 U.S. dollar. So a hotel in this country that costs $300 Jamaican dollars a night only costs about $2.33 American.
  • Mexico- the exchange rate for the Mexican Peso is always in your favor. In fact, 1 Mexican Peso = $18.95 U.S. dollars. So, something that costs $20 American will cost $379.09 in pesos.
  • Costa Rica- Travel to this beautiful country is very currency friendly. Spending 1 U.S. dollar here = $562.13 in local currency.

Always check the currency exchange rate in your destination country before you travel. This will keep you up-to-date on the current value of the U.S. dollar, and help you choose a favorable destination country.

Avoid Fees

When traveling, you must take great care to avoid hidden fees that will wreck your limited travel budget. Hidden fees are included in:

  • Airline reservations made by phone
  • Baggage fees
  • Overseas cell phone use
  • Credit cards used abroad
  • Foreign ATMs

Be sure to investigate all fees for these before you travel. This way you can avoid them if possible. For example, booking airfare online will help you to avoid a reservation fee. Traveling with cash already converted into local currency will help you to avoid ATM fees.

Haggle

Here in the U.S., price haggling is not an accepted practice. However, in many countries, including European bazaars, haggling is not only accepted, but also expected. Feel free to haggle on everything from hotel accommodations to food prices. You will save a lot of money by negotiating for a lower price.

Choose Transportation Wisely

Once you arrive at your destination, you will need to decide how you will get around. Should you rent a car? Not if you are in a big city. Car rental fees are an unnecessary expense in large cities where public transportation is cheap and plentiful. Use public transportation such as buses, trains, and taxis to explore your destination country.