TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

Fast food restaurants are under attack these days, for providing fatty foods to their clientele. I pay no attention to the campaign against them. Good things come to those who eat in moderation, and do not consume milkshakes.

However, if you're in a car and travelling on a budget, the last thing you want to do is spend $20 on a meal for two or three at a restaurant, when you can fix yourself P&J sandwiches, or deli-meat sandwiches, for a fraction of the cost.

Bring a cooler with you, and stock it up with ice. You can of course restock it at every motel you stay in. Purchase a variety of lunch meats, fruits, milk and so on, and store them in the cooler.

Depending on where you stay, there will be a microwave and refrigerator in your room. If this is the case, go out to a local superstore and pick up a few $1.00 TV dinners. For less than half the price of a hamburger from a fast food restaurant, you can get a meat, vegetable, and desert portion in a TV dinner.

Try to purchase your food at a large grocery store or at a superstore (the Walmarts, the Kmarts, the Targets), rather than at small convenience stores - because they of course have to charge a high markup in order to stay in business.

This used to be a great tip for saving money while traveling, but is no longer a sure thing. Still worth checking out, if you ask me.

It used to be, that if you booked round-trip ticket, that had you departing and returning within the same week (in other words, the entire trip included no weekends), you would often get charged more because you would be considered a business traveler. So it was smart to have your trip include at least one weekend day to help keep the rate lower.

These days, travel fares aren't quite so black and white, so you might not save anything. But if you are browsing around a site like Expedia anyway, see if your flight costs changes when you adjust the dates to include a weekend.

The idea behind Priceline.com is that they auction hotel rooms and flights to the highest bidder, more or less. The flights are often last-minute deals where the airline is trying to fill the last few seats. Hotels may be offering cheaper rooms during off-season periods. Whatever the reasons, you can find these deals at Priceline.

While there are undeniable bargains to be had, you should be aware of the many customer complaints against the company. The main problem is lack of customer service if you need to make any changes. It can be very difficult to get anything changed, either with Priceline or the actual airline or hotel. Just hope you don't have to cancel, because there is a good chance you won't get your money back.

Just be aware that you might be taking a bit of a risk with them. Make sure you double-check all dates and prices before agreeing to anything.

"Guide to Low-Budget Travel"

As little as a few years ago, flying used to be the refuge of the privileged few - those who could afford massive fares in order to get from country to country by airplane. But now, "jetting around Europe" and heading from one country to another on a whim is something accessible to all levels of society, from big shot investment bankers to students working their way through college, as ticket prices drop as low as 22.99 for a one-way fare. It's easier if you're already based in Europe, of course - London, for example, has access to nearly all cheap routes through its status as hub for many of these carriers. But low-cost carriers also can help a European trip to one country turn into several as you hop between Paris, Lisbon, Rome, and back again.

THE BASICS: Low-cost air carriers are safe but simple carriers - the three most famous are Ryanair, Easyjet, and Air Berlin - that make their money by selling extremely cheap tickets - sometimes even giving a limited number of seats for free, but charging for extras and skimping on amenities - don't expect free food, a television, or comfortable seating. Costs can be as low as free (plus tax) and as high as a couple hundred for seriously in-demand flights, but tend to, stay below 50 euro.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: Airport tax and fees. While easyjet tells you what you owe up-front, Ryanair promises "free" or "1 euro" tickets that cost a great deal more (more than Easyjet, usually), when you add in fees. Also, baggage limits are low, and you have to pay for anything more than hand baggage, and very high rates apply for overweight bags. Ryanair also makes you check in online, and charges you an extortionate amount if you forget and need to do it on-site. So keep watch that you don't break any "rules" - or your low-cost carrier may end up costing you more than a regular one.

There are many ways to save when you are going on vacation. The more you save on mundane things like airfare, train tickets, and hotel rooms, the more you will have for the fun things. Below is a list of the most common things you can do to save money when you vacation.

• Vacation in the off-season. Going on vacation when it is not the busiest time for a particular location is the number one way to save cash. Everything will be cheaper including dining costs, hotel rooms, and attraction prices. Not only will you not spend tons of money, you will also not wait in long lines.

• Use budget websites to get the best deals on airfare, hotel rooms, and car rentals. Don’t be afraid to shop around. The more sites you visit, the more likely you are to get a great price.


• Whenever possible, book vacation properties or hotels with kitchens. You can often find deals on rental properties that match hotel prices. This will enable you to make home-cooked meals instead of splurging on restaurants. You will also have more room to enjoy.

• Use economical transportation while on vacation. While abroad, a rail pass is a good option. Cheap fights can also be found in Europe to get from place to place.