Everyone dreams of traveling abroad, but people often postpone their plans due to visa fees, international air ticket prices, currency conversion and expensive hotel expenses. Many times, due to lack of information, passengers spend thousands of extra rupees on things which could have been managed at very low cost. According to travel industry experts, 30 to 40 percent of the total budget of any international trip can be saved only by using the right strategies and digital tools. If you too are preparing for a foreign trip, then these 5 smart and tried travel hacks will lighten the heavy burden on your pocket to a great extent. Save money on your foreign trip with these 5 smart tips To keep your budget under control without compromising on fun abroad, keep these five basics in mind: 1. Use 'Zero Forex Markup' card: Banks charge a forex markup fee of 3.5% to 5% and 18% GST on swiping a normal Indian debit or credit card abroad. Instead, get a Zero Forex Markup credit/forex card from any fintech or bank (like Niyo, Scapia, Fi etc) before you travel. With this, you get the direct interbank exchange rate by swiping and you get direct savings of thousands of rupees. Also, never change cash at the currency exchange counter at the airport, you get the worst exchange rates there. 2. 'Incognito mode' and flight booking 6 to 8 weeks in advance: Airlines' algorithms keep increasing ticket prices based on search history and cookies. Always search for tickets in the Incognito (Private) window of the browser. Set up 'Cheapest Month' and 'Price Alert' on Google Flights or AliExpress. Tickets for flights on Tuesday or Wednesday are 15 to 20 percent cheaper than those on weekends (Friday-Sunday). 3. Travel in shoulder season: Hotels and flights are 2 to 3 times more expensive in peak tourist seasons (like Christmas, New Year or summer holidays). Conversely, the time just before or just after the peak season is called the 'shoulder season' (for example April–May or September–October for Europe). During this time, the weather is pleasant, there is less crowd and hotels are available at huge discounts of up to 40%. 4. 'Local Public Transport and City Pass' instead of expensive private cabs: Taking a taxi from the airport as soon as you land in any foreign city is the most expensive decision. Use the metro, subway or local bus network instead. Most European and Asian cities (e.g. London, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo) offer 1-Day, 3-Day or Weekly Tourist Transit Passes, allowing unlimited travel at very low prices. Additionally, many 'City Sightseeing Passes' include free or deeply discounted entry tickets to major museums and tourist sites. 5. Hostels or holiday apartments (Airbnb) instead of luxury hotels: After roaming around the city all day, a hotel room is only used for sleeping at night. To avoid huge bills of expensive 4-star or 5-star hotels, choose Hostels (Private Rooms), Airbnb or Serviced Apartments located near a central location. Kitchen facilities are also available in these, so that you can prepare breakfast or light meal yourself and reduce the cost of eating at expensive restaurants outside. How to save on SIM card and connectivity abroad: Often people buy expensive international roaming packs or local tourist SIMs as soon as they land at the airport. Instead, buy an e-SIM (like Airalo, Nomad or Maya Mobile) online and activate it in your phone before travelling. It is cheaper than a local SIM and your internet starts working as soon as you land, so that you do not have to wander for a cab or navigation. Areas of Spending Normal Method (Expensive) Smart Method (Affordable) Potential Savings Currency & Cards Airport Exchange / Regular Credit Cards Zero Forex Markup Card (Zero Forex Card) 4% to 6% on total spend Air Tickets Weekend Booking / Peak Season Incognito Mode, Mid-Week, Shoulder Season 20% to 30% on tickets City commute Private Taxi / Airport Cab Metro, Subway and Unlimited Tourist Transit Pass 60% to 70% local travel stay Branded luxury hotel Airbnb / centrally located boutique hostel 35% to 50% room rent Internet connectivity Expensive international roaming pack Digital eSIM or local data plan ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 per trip
