Are you a solo backpacker or a seasoned traveler planning your itinerary for your next dream destination? Regardless of your travel destination or your nationality there are some travel tips that are applicable in almost every scenario and can be considered universal. These trips are quite easy to follow and will blend smoothly with your travel whether you like luxury or vibing like a hippie.
Traveling tips are not learned from books and come from experience which means the more your travel the more you learn. However, being prepared while traveling is vital to prevent overspending and making the most out of what you’ve got. Here are some of the best pieces of travel tips that are applicable across the entire world in general.
Cash Rules
Always remember when traveling internationally cash is the king. Most of us living in the UAE are so used to plastic that we almost never carry cash with ourselves. Your credit cards might work at some places but there is no assurance that they will be accepted at each and every outlet.
Many European countries do not accept international currencies or your credit card which will land you into unwanted trouble. Therefore, to make your traveling experience smooth it is vital to carry an adequate amount of cash with you. While traveling abroad it is always a wise decision to carry some surplus cash on your hand to enjoy sightseeing, trying local street food or buying souvenirs.
Exchange Smartly and Save Substantially
When you travel internationally you need to exchange your native currency to the currency of the destination. For instance, if you are traveling from Dubai, UAE to Tokyo, Japan then you’ll have to exchange your AED to JPY. While you exchange your currency, you end up paying an exchange fee, and this what you can save if you plan it smartly.
The most suitable way to save on the foreign currency exchange fee is to wait to land on to your destination followed by exchanging and obtaining the currency at the ATM outside the local airport. The point to be understood over here is that is if your exchange currency back in your native country’s bank you will have to pay an exchange fee. Furthermore, you will have to look after the huge amount of cash throughout the course of your journey which might turn out to be inconvenient.
The exchange rate that you will get on your destination is most likely to be better than what was to be offered by your bank or the forex in the airport. Typically, the difference lies from somewhere around 3-7% which can make a huge difference when traveling abroad.
Use the Right Travel Card
As we mentioned earlier, during international travel cash rules however, it is not true in all situations. Credit cards can be used at various locations and very often help you extensively to earn reward points. These rewards points can be added-on later to get you a heavy cashback that turns out to be saving.
Imagine solo backing to some remote city in Norway, where you’ve lost your wallet full of cash along with your credit card. There is a negligible hope that you will get the cashback, but with just a phone call you can instantly block your credit card and any fraudulent transaction made on the card will not be charged. You simply place an order for a new card and it will be delivered to you within 48 hours.
An important point to be kept in consideration is that when your credit card providers bill your card and calculate the expenses in your native currency it will be 3-5% higher on average as foreign transaction fees are added on to it. By choosing the right type of credit card you can a significant portion of your travel budget.
Policybazaar has an exclusive range of travel credit cards that can suit your budget and will help you to travel to the heart of the destination without worrying about the budget.
Couchsurf for Free Accommodations
One of the major segments of the total expense that you’re supposed to pay is accommodations. Couchsurfing is an increasingly getting popular online platform that is designed and developed by travelers. It is an online application by which you can stay with the local natives of a country with their consent willing to host you. Couchsurfing in recent years has grown from a mobile application to a large community of travelers that provide free accommodation to fellow travelers.
Always Carry a Large Empty Water Battle
Based on the airport security guidelines it is not permissible to carry liquid containers bigger in volume than 100ml. However, there is no restriction on carrying your favorite bottle empty. You can refill your bottle with public drinking water fountains and save money. Every time you buy a bottle of water in the United States you will end up paying 3 to 4 % which is a lot. Using this technique, you can save approximately USD 20-25 every day.
In a Nutshell
Now that you’ve seen there are so many simple ways to save money while traveling abroad from the UAE, all you need to do is pack your back and get ready to board that flight. And don’t forget your travel credit cards.