5 Simple Travel Habits Every Traveler Needs To Know
Whether you are a long-term traveler, or just planning a two week vacation from your day job, it’s important to develop some ninja skills that will allow you to maximize every little bit of your trip.
Here are 5 simple travel habits that leave you spending less, doing more, and loving your trip:
1. Identify your conscious spending
We try our best to travel modestly and be budget-conscious 90% of the time. But we also are true believers in conscious spending. In other words, we like to prioritize how we spend our money. If we can save money where we can, then we can splurge on things that we place at a high importance. One example of this is that we like to stay in quality accommodations after a long travel itinerary.
Not sure what you want to splurge vs. save on? Here’s a roundup of how we choose to spend our money when we travel: Splurge vs Save – A Packing List Conundrum (our guest post at RTW Expenses)
2. Rent accommodations
The ability to a rent short-stay apartment while traveling has been a miraculous discovery for us. Rentals are often much cheaper than hotels, have more privacy than hostels, and offer a ton more convenience than either. What we love is that they come equipped with kitchens , so you don’t have to go out to restaurants every single meal of your trip, which can wreak havok on your wallet… and waistline. You can even go crazy and go to a nearby farmers market to purchase fresh groceries and whip up a meal in your kitchen that is a local favorite.
Some rental sites to consider are: Airbnb, VRBO, and Home Away to name a few.
Here’s a great post on what to look for when it comes to renting travel accommodations: 6 Crucial Keys To Booking The Perfect Apartment While Traveling
3. Eat local
Forget the tour guides that are pointing you to that fancy restaurant in the city center (with the $$$$ next to it). Step out of your comfort zone of only eating at places that have pictures on their menu…and are translated to English.
EAT LOCAL.
Eating where the locals eat is a great way to engage with others, see a new city, and learn more about the culture – We are firm believers that the culinary traditions of a place is one of the best activities you can do to learn about the culture of a country. Not to mention, eating local foods are often 10x more delicious than sticking to the tourist menu… and MUCH cheaper.
Here’s a great post with tips on how to eat like a local when you travel: How To Eat Like A Local While Traveling Abroad (via Refinery29)
Looking to splurge on a meal out? Here is our top secret tip for dining out as a couple: How To Dominate Dining Out As A Couple On The Road (Request #2 Is The Real Key)
Here’s another great post:
How Street Food is the Ultimate Travel Guide: 40 Favorite Street Food Dishes (via Uncornered Market)
4. Pack only carry-ons
Packing only carry-ons will allow you to save time and money when traveling – especially air travel. It allows you to only pack exactly as much as you will truly need on the trip. Trust me, once you take a minimalist approach with your packing, the more freedom you will feel on your actual trip. Packing light is also the way to go if you are planning on moving around a lot on your trip. Packing light will allow you to be more mobile… and with less to keep track of, you will probably lose things less often when you are moving from place to place.
Here’s an epic how-to post on Lonely Planet on how to pack like a pro: How to pack light – tips from a master packer
Here’s an excellent post where Tony shares his insights on why you should consider traveling with less luggage: Traveling With A Small Backpack Is Best – But Are You Doing It For The Wrong Reasons?
5. Consult reviews and talk with friends for advice
The best way to prep for your trip and set yourself up for success is to do your research. We always are big fans of consulting with our friends and family who have already been to the locations we want to travel to.
These people are passionate about where they traveled to and want to share their experiences with you! Shoot someone a quick email asking for their recommendations on things to do/see/eat in your desired destination and ask them for any travel tips you should be aware of. I can’t tell you the amount of times we have done this and received a (very helpful) essay in return.
Also consult review sites before booking any lodging, travel packages/excursions, or dining out. These sites are full of honest reviews from other travelers and will help you avoid the dud places on your trip. A few of our favorite review sites are TripAdvisor.com (better for international travel) and Yelp.com (better for U.S. travel).
Bonus tip: Focus on the three star reviews. We have found that these are often the most helpful, detailed, and honest reviews from other travelers and these reviews will often discuss both the pros and cons of a particular place/activity you are looking into.
Here are a couple more bonus posts we hope you find helpful:
Expert Interview with Tony Rulli on Long-term Travel for Mint – On his guest post with Mint.com, Tony shares how he budgeted for our 2012 RTW trip and saved money on the way.
10 Steps For Eating Healthy & Cheap at Hostels – If you do decide to travel on the cheap, we map out some great tips for cooking on the road – whether you are renting a place or staying in a hostel.
7 Books To Inspire Travel – 7 books that have shaped Tony’s life and convinced him leave work, say goodbye to friends and family, and travel the world… But whether or not you are traveling long-term or short-term, this list will kick your wanderlust into full gear and get you ready for your next trip!