A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning A Budget Trip: What You Need to Know

Planning a trip is an important part of your travel experience! It is also one of the most stressful parts of your trip. You need to set your budget, and make sure you have all the money you need in order to go. 

In this article, we will show you how to plan your budget trip step-by-step and will also offer some insightful tips on the same. So, let’s jump right in!

Where to Start With Budget Trip Planning?

There is no hard and fast rule as to how you should plan your budget trip. This is down to your lifestyle and financial situation, and the experience you want to have. However, a few things will have to be taken into consideration. 

How much do you want to spend? 

The first question to ask yourself is how much do you want to spend. People often get caught up in a goal of spending nothing, or getting back all their expenses. However, this isn’t a good approach. 

Instead, plan to spend around 10% of your monthly budget on your trip. This will give you the freedom to travel where you want and as often as you like. Once you have determined how much you want to spend, it’s time to consider the next question

Where do you want to spend your money?

Next, you need to decide where you wish to go. Will it be a solo trip or a family trip? How long will you be staying there? What are the activities you are planning to do and what places would you visit?

But, before considering all of these questions, you need to decide on a budget for your trip. Let’s see how you can do that. 

Setting the Budget for Your Trip

Your travel budget should depend on your trip’s duration. For example, if you will be traveling for a week, you should spend around ₹10,000-₹20,000. However, if you are going for a three-week vacation, you should spend no more than ₹50,000.

This does not mean you should spend up to ₹50,000 at once. Make sure that your trip costs as little as possible. This is one of the most crucial steps of your budget trip. 

Here are a few tips that will help you set a budget trip: 

• Categorize your trip by type. For example, if you are going for a family trip, you may want to pay less than if you are going with your partner. Some expenses, like overnight stays, may be cheaper than others, like business trips. 

• Consider your mode of travel. For example, instead of taking a flight, you can travel through the railways or buses to save up a few bucks.

• Don’t Pre-book a Hotel. For instance, if you are traveling to places like Delhi, etc, it is wise to book a hotel after you reach or book it online! This would save your time and money spent in finding the hotel in such a populous city! 

What are the Top Travel expenses?

The top travel expenses include transportation cost, food and drinks cost, accommodation cost, emergency costs, and more. 

Your travel budget should ideally be in the range of a couple of thousand rupees. It all depends on the length of your trip, and if you plan to take frequent breaks from travel.

How to Save Money on Airfare?

Although airfare is one of the most expensive parts of your trip, you can make it cheaper with a little research. While looking at travel sites like MakeMyTrip, we found that many airlines offer special deals when you purchase a flight a week or two before your trip. 

Some of them even have promotions for only a day or two before your flight. They say the best time to book your flight is 1-2 months before your trip. Additionally, flying with a low-cost airline might also help you save a lot of money on your journey! 

Tips for Booking a Hotel Near Your Destination

When you start searching for hotels on your trip, you will see many options. It is a good idea to research which hotel is the best option for your stay. If you are planning to visit several places during your trip, you need to be comfortable with the price you pay. 

As a rule of thumb, choose a hotel which has good reviews on Trip Advisor, Google and similar websites. Do some research. And if you do not have much time for research, don’t worry. There are online tools which can be very helpful. 

For instance, Trip Advisor allows you to search for hotels near your destination. Some of the best hotels in cities such as Abu Dhabi, Port Blair, Leh, etc, have already been rated highly by other users and can be used as a reference. 

How to Save Money on Transportation Costs

Taking the train or bus to your destination is the cheapest option. These modes usually cost around ₹400-500 each way. It’s cheap and easy, but not as convenient or flexible as plane or bus transportation. 

A taxi is another option, though, because it’s easy and very convenient. However, taxi fares can be much higher in the more remote places. You should check prices before leaving, and book your taxi as soon as you can! 

Public Transportation vs Private Transportation

There is a big difference between public transportation and private transportation. Private transportation is the most expensive, as the price will depend on the time of the day, and where you are going. 

However, public transportation has certain advantages. For instance, buses usually have a complete schedule of when they will stop, and where you can get on and off. Going in an Uber or Ola would be a huge mistake for your budget, as you may end up paying more than double than if you took a bus. 

Although you may be able to negotiate the price down a bit, the fact is that the bus is usually more flexible and can run on different routes. If you go with Uber or Ola, you will not have any flexibility, and will be stuck with a fixed price. 

So, the best option for a budget travel would be to opt for public transportation. 

Consider Carpooling or Vanpooling

The best way to get from point A to point B is to be as independent as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to consider carpooling or vanpooling. There are numerous ways to do this. You can ask a family member to help. You can use an Uber, Ola, or any other taxi. 

Or you can even plan your trip with another family wanting to visit the same destination. This will help you save up a chunk on gas, and tolls, and would be a lovely experience bonding with another family and their kids. 

Tips for Saving Money on Food and Drinks While Traveling

One of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of money you have left over for your trip is to eat food at home. If you eat at home, you can save on your grocery bill. You will also have the option of buying in bulk at malls like D-Mart or Big Bazaar. 

Food can be bought for relatively low prices in these places. Thus, you can stock up food items in bulk and save a considerable amount while traveling. 

Conclusion

Planning your budget trip should not be a strenuous task. With the right guidance and details you can easily set up a trip that meets your needs! 

I hope you follow all the steps in this guide, and make your next trip a truly memorable experience! Travel safely! And for more tips on traveling, do give our blog a follow! 🙂