by Mr. ADHIL SHETTY,
BankBazaar.com
Summer holidays are here!
And travelling smartly can
make you richer not only on the experience but also financially.
Here are some ways to
travel economically.
Choose wisely..!
Travelling during peak
seasons is sure to cost you more, as flight tickets and hotel tariffs will be
double at these times.
So to save some money, try
offbeat locations. Places such as Thailand and Malaysia that are desperately
trying to push their tourism would definitely save you more than choosing a
heavily in-demand place such as Dubai. Similarly, a hill station will be
expensive in summer.
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| Mr. ADHIL SHETTY, BankBazaar.com |
Next, plan your vacation at
least 2 to 3 months in advance to get better air fares and cheaper hotel
bookings.
Always compare the rates
offered by travel booking websites and those offered directly by the airlines.
The airline you choose also makes a difference.
For instance, a round trip
from Chennai to Singapore would cost about Rs. 14,000 if booked through Air
Asia, while Malaysian Airlines would charge about Rs. 20,000 (for advance
bookings).
Flights with stopovers also
save you money. Another way to get hold of cheaper tickets is to travel on
weekdays.
Apart from flight costs, a
large chunk of your travel expenses goes towards hotel stays, so choose wisely. Going for package options
such as travel plus accommodation is advisable.
A hotel situated in a prime
location is likely to be more expensive than one in the suburbs.
Hotels offering added
amenities are usually expensive than the regular ones. So, hunt for hotels
without frills such as free Wi-Fi, if you can do without them. Home stays &
guesthouses are a great way to save as well as to get a rich experience.
Earn reward points..!
Use credit cards for all
travel-related expenses. You get a free 30 days to 40 days credit window,
depending on your billing cycle.
Secondly, you can
accumulate reward points & cash-back offers.
If you are using
travel-themed credit cards, apart from the regular reward points, you get free
air miles, which can be used for your future ticket purchases, though these
come with time limits.
Travel cards..!
Co-branded cards are a boon
for frequent travellers with advantages like special rewards, services, hotel
discounts & discounts on shopping.
But when travelling abroad,
prepaid travel cards work well. They can be loaded with the currency of your
choice. It makes your travel risk-free as you are not carrying cash in hand and
also shields you from exorbitant exchange rates.
Travel cards can be used
for shopping, cash withdrawals at international ATMs, online payments etc, and
have low joining fee.
About the author
The writer Mr. ADHIL SHETTY is CEO, BankBazaar.com
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