Why Budget Travel Isn’t a Dirty Word
A friend of the family recently said to me, “I would love to do what you do, but you know me, I’m not much of a budget traveler.” I’ve been trying to figure out what that person meant and the word “budget” has been stuck in my head. Did they mean they don’t like to save money? That they like to haphazardly run around on vacation with a trail of 20 dollar bills fluttering in the breeze behind them as they rush from one over-priced resort to the next? Then it hit me. By budget, they meant uncomfortable. They want to be pampered, and I’m selling them hardship. They imagine sleeping on a bare mattress in a seedy hostel, wide-eyed as they listened to noisy neighbors and feared for their lives.
The reality? Not even close. When I talk about budget travel, it means getting the most out of your travel. It can mean traveling outside your comfort zone, pushing yourself a little, but isn’t that what travel is all about? Here are 5 ways budget travel can improve your trip, no matter where you go.
1. Most locals can’t afford what the tourists pay. For example, if you go to Venice and spend $300 a night, you’re not seeing Venice, you’re seeing high end luxury. If that’s your deal, then go for it, but don’t confuse it with experiencing authentic Venician life.
2. Independent travel lets you experience more culture. There are some excellent tour guides out there. But for the most part, that package deal to wine country in Italy is going to more fluff for the buck. Calculate the prices of hotel, sightseeing and food and chances are you can do the same trip at a fraction of the cost and sans the annoying tour guide with an umbrella. The other bonus? Removing the middleman means more access and time to explore.
3. It’s not all backpacks and dingy hostels. Hostels are cheap. But it’s not the only option. For example in Paris, many city dwellers are opening B&Bs to combat the shortage of hotel space in the city. For the same or a little more, you can stay in a stylish Parisian home with breakfast included.
4. Cheaper travel is usually slower. And that’s a good thing. Trust me, after your first whirlwind European tour, where you do 8 cities in 12 days, you’ll know what I mean. The best part of traveling is getting to see places—not just whizzing by from the top of a double decker bus.
5. Sometimes the best part of your trip is when you’re nowhere. You’re off the guidebook, off the tourist path and then you see it. The perfect little café, where you spend the most memorable few hours of your trip, chatting away with locals over vino or a pint.
Like anything there are degrees of budget travel. Sure there are folks that can make it for months on a $10/day. For others, budget means spending no more than $40 a night at a hotel. In the end, it’s the same concepts: independent travel, going slow, skipping the high priced tourist areas and clearing the way so you can have exactly the kind of trip you always imagined.
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