How To Travel Well & Pay Less!

The Times Of London recently released their "Scrimpers Guide To Travel". Basically the guide gives you hints on how to save money on things that you don't  really need to pay for which leaves you more money to spend on the things that your happy to pay for! We think there are some great tips here.

1. Smuggle Drinks & Snacks. How many times have you seen a hotel mini bar charging $10 for a Coke or $5 for a chocolate bar. Outrageous mark ups by hotels on their mini bars are the norm. So after you have checked in head to the nearest convenience store and stack up on your snacks and drinks and save heaps. If you check in late and you do need to use the mini bar just shoot out in the morning and  replace the expensive Coke you drank with the cheap one from the convenience store next door. Easy !

2. Get Takeaway. Most room service meals are pretty ordinary and heavily priced. Get around this by getting the concierge to recommend good local takeaways. The food will probably be better and it will certainly cost you less.

3. Get a Free Lunch From The Breakfast Buffet. Just take a brown bag with you to breakfast and nick a few rolls , some fruit,some cheese and ham and presto a free lunch !

4. Have Lunch Rather Than Dinner. Most good restaurants have lunch time specials. Its the same food they serve at dinner but half the price.

5. Rip Into It At Happy Hour.  You can watch the late edition of the nightly news later. Get down stairs and get into it!

6. Never Use A Hotel Transfer. They cost a kings ransom. The same for airport taxis. In Tokyo a cab fare from the airport can run you to $200 but the airport coach will run you about $30. Likewise the taxi from Newark runs to $55 and the train costs you $5. Go figure.

7. Never Use Roaming On Your Mobile Phone. You may have to sell the house when you get home to pay for it. Pick up prepaid Sim cards wherever you can and never never use the hotel in room phone for International calls.

8. I Do Like Mondays. That's the day when lots of museums,galleries and exhibitions offer free entry. You see the same stuff you see on Tuesday!