TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

Practical shoes are a must for any traveler, on many levels.

First, if you are flying, you will almost always need to take them off as you go through security. Keep this in mind, because you may spend awhile unlacing those thigh-high boots, if that's what you choose to wear on board!

Second, if you are on a long flight, you may want to give your feet a rest by taking your shoes off (assuming that your feet are not smelly). This is another point where it's helpful to have shoes that are easy to take on and off.

Third, you are likely to spend a lot of time walking on your trip. Therefore, choose shoes that are comfortable. It's best to choose shoes that are already worn in, so that you avoid blisters.

Everyone has their preference of whether they think a window seat or an aisle seat is better. If you are allowed to choose, and especially if you are on a long-haul flight, consider this one important point:

On long-haul flights, people like to sleep. If you travel alone and you get a window seat, you'll have to wake up the people next to you in order to get to the bathroom, and they'll have to get up again when you come back.

Of course the majority of people don't mind doing this, as it is common courtesy. But you can save yourself the hassle by taking an aisle seat.

Also, if you need to use the loo and you're stuck in a window seat, and the people next to you have their laptops or dinner trays spread out, it will be a big hassle for them to arrange everything for you to get up to use the restroom. Like I said, most people exercise common courtesy on these long-haul flights. But sometimes you just want the freedom to get up and move around as you please. :)

If you live apart from your family, sudden sickness or a death in the family can see you having to book a last-minute flight at top dollar.

Airlines do have a policy for compassionate flights. Phone the airline and explain the crisis. You will have to fax documents proving critical illness or death of a family member but airlines will generally offer exceptionally low prices in these circumstances. They will also allow a change of return date without incurring the usual fee.

Isn't that good to know, just in case.

If you are going on a long-haul flight, like one that is more than 6 hours, you'll probably want to nap at some point. This is where neck pillows really come in handy.

Although cushy neck pillows are really comfy, they also take up loads of precious space in your luggage. If space it at a premium (which it is for most travelers), you might want to invest in an inflatable neck pillow. They are usually quite inexpensive, and they can be just as comfy as the cushy stuffed neck pillows.

All you need to do is blow air into it. When you're done, simply deflate the neck pillow and store it in your luggage.

It is generally advisable to book your plane ticket well in advance.

Some people say that if you wait until the last minute, you can snag some really great deals - but for most people, this is a myth, and it's not worth the risk if you really need or want to travel somewhere at a certain time.

Once you've settled on your route and your itinerary, if you find a plane ticket that matches your budget, then go for it! You have no real idea of when the ticket price will go up, so it's better to buy a ticket once you're happy with the price, rather than try to hold out for a cheaper ticket. If you wait too long, you may lose out on that cheap price.

If you're bringing a gift for someone in your luggage, it's a good idea NOT to wrap it, especially if it is going in your carry-on bag.

There is a good chance that a wrapped package will arouse curiosity as you go through security - especially if the x-ray shows that the gift is something electronic (like a camera, mp3 player, etc).

You're better off just wrapping the gift once you reach your destination, or even shipping them before you go.

If you spend more than 4 hours in flight, you may experience jet lag. Jet lag is the condition whereby your inner body clock is out of whack with the clock at your actual destination.

Your body is basically in limbo and needs time to adjust. You can facilitate the adjustment process by trying to acclimate to the schedule at your new location as quickly as possible. For instance, if you feel like you're ready to go to bed and it's only 2pm, do your best to stay awake until nightfall. Try to wake up when it's daylight.

If you are going "back in time" (that is, flying from east to west), try to do something active once you land. Go for a walk around your new locale.

If you are jumping "forward in time" (going from west to east), engage in calming, quiet activities that evening to try to get your body to rest. Don't sleep in, even if you're tempted to.

Above all, give yourself a few days for your body to adjust to your new time zone. If you can, don't plan any major appointments or meetings the day after you land.

"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.

If you are allowed to choose your seat when you select your flight, carefully study the seat map for the plane. You can often tell which seats will offer a little more (and sometimes a lot more) legroom than the other seats.

Look in particular for seats that are directly behind the partition for business class. These seats often have lots of legroom.

Also look for seats that are right behind, or near, the bathrooms. If you don't mind people queuing up in front of you to use the loo, these seats usually offer prime leg space.

Another idea is to look for the seats next to the emergency exits. Sometimes these seats have more leg space.

Long-haul flights can feel like they take forever. You can break up the time a bit by getting up and walking around at least once an hour (or in between flight movies).

Stretch a bit if you can, so that you don't get cramped up.

Splashing water on your face helps too.