This post is a must read for those who plan on traveling in the future. These are tips and trick that I have learned along the way, sometimes painfully so, that will help your travel experience feel smoother and less stressful. This post will be updated as I learn more through my travels so check back often.
Packing
Keep an eye out on what the weather is like where you are going, and keep in mind the seasons are reversed between the hemispheres. If you know there will be an inexpensive way to wash your clothes you can pack less. Toiletries are cheap and you can save money and space by buying things (or using what they give you) when you get there. Also see if you can get books and guides in a digital version as physical books are heavy. While you need adaptors when traveling between countries, bring a power strip so you only need one adaptor, just be careful of electrical fires. And bring some toilet paper depending on where you go, it may not be available everywhere. In China I had to bring toilet paper everywhere or suffer like some of my friends did.
Flying
Avoid the middle seat, it is the least comfortable. The window seat gives you control of the window and gives you the ability to sleep against the side of the plane, you also do not have to get up to let people out. The aisle seat is great for those who frequently need to move around or urinate, but you will have to get up the most.
Shop around for days when less people are traveling and for cheaper airfare. Also change the season, in general off season will be cheaper but sometimes there will be less options available (not normally a problem when flying, but can affect what attractions are open).
Accommodations
Airbnb, couchsurf, hotels, hostels, or staying with friends. All of these are viable options and you should look around to see what is cheapest and the most suitable options for your needs. If you want to cook while traveling, hotels are usually the worst choice, the rooms with kitchens tend to be quite expensive. And sometimes a good quality hotel can be cheaper than an Airbnb.
Pictures are worth a thousand words. If a location has no pictures be wary. Even pictures can be misleading so also look at reviews.
Activities
Look at various options before you go and when you get to your destination as booking online can be more expensive. Befriending some natives who can show you around can save a ton of money as well. But there are some activities where you need to have official permission or an official guide. And please listen to them, if a guide is taking you through the forest and they tell you not to pick a plant, don’t pick the plant, it could be poisonous or protected and you can get in legal trouble. As someone who has lived in the mountains, many animals are not your friends and you should not pet them if you value your life. Bears, wolves, moose, and even smaller animals will attack you if they feel threatened.
Food
Cooking your meals will probably be the cheapest way to get food. After that you get street food and small shops which will provide cheap local food that gives you the opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine and possibly get sick, so be careful. Trying a combination of cooking, street food, and eating out will help your money last longer and allow you to try what the natives eat. Dishes heavy in staples, such as rice or noodles, tend to be the cheapest choice wherever you go.
Souvenirs
I personally don’t buy many as they are usually poorly made and overpriced. But go outside of the tourist areas to save some money. A roadside store in Vermont will cost twice as much as if you went to a local big box retailer that sells the same goods in a wider variety.
