Budget Travel in Rome: 8 Money-Saving Tips Every Wanderlust Should Know
Over the years, traveling has become accessible to people from almost all walks of life. We’re lucky to live in an era where we get to go places without having to shell out a large sum of money, thanks to budget airlines and hostels that are relatively cheap but of great quality.
Benefits of Saving Money
What are the benefits of saving money, anyway?
It’s not only limited to travel. When you know how to manage your finances and have enough savings in the bank, you’re practically covered for any emergencies that you might encounter in the future.
Whether it be losing a job or a medical emergency, if you have savings, you don’t have to loan a certain amount and be buried under a large debt right after. In fact, we believe that handling finances should be taught in school. It could lead to a better generation of kids who know how to save up for their retirement.
The beauty of saving money will give you the financial freedom that you deserve after working so hard to earn that amount. It’s like a safety net that will tide you through the present and into the future.
It will also allow you to enjoy your hard-earned money by spending on a vacation that you’ve been wanting for so long.
And since we’re talking about traveling within limited means, if you’re one of those wanderlusts who’ve been trying to see the world on a shoestring budget, here are the most effective ways on how you can save and still enjoy the trip.
1. Look for free/discounted activities
Thorough research before you book anything will give you tons of opportunities for saving money during a trip.
Helpful sites like Budget Your Trip will give you an overview of the cost of living in Rome including usual transportation fares, estimated cost of a meal, home rentals, and leisure activities.
If you find the activities a little too pricey for your liking, you can look for discount vouchers online that will give you a bargained price for a certain activity. There are a lot of options that you can try.
For example, there are museums in Rome that offer free entry to students. So don’t forget to bring identification if you’re one or if you are traveling with your kids.
In fact, there are also sights and other attractions that are offered for free. You just have to learn how to ask.
2. Enjoy slow travel
Slow travel is an opportunity to really get to know a place, embrace its culture, and of course, save money.
It’s understandable that you’d want to see everything in one place and squeeze all the activities in one go, but to be honest, it’s not very ideal when you’re trying to save cash.
Imagine the train rides or plane tickets you have to pay for you to be able to see everything there is in a country. That’s going to eat up most of your travel budget, that’s for sure.
So to start, plan a slow journey and take time to appreciate the trip without worrying about your tight schedule. You don’t need to do much. Just a couple of travel musts like trying local delicacies and experiencing local traditions will do.
3. Use an unlocked smartphone
Bringing an unlocked phone with you during your trips means you get to use a local sim card for calls, texts, and data consumption. That’s one way of saying you don’t have to spend on ridiculous roaming fees and international data usage fees.
You’ve saved a dime, and you also get to connect with friends and family. Isn’t that a win-win situation?
4. Be prepared to be flexible
When you travel on a budget, you have to understand that it will be you that needs some adjusting and not the other way around. You have to learn how to fit in a certain situation where you think you can save but still be comfortable for you.
For example, when booking a flight, the usual cheapest ones are scheduled during the wee hours in the morning. And if you have trouble staying up late, you might need to adjust your sleep the day before your flight.
You also need to be able to pack using a small bag. Your carry on size will have to be the right one to fit all your clothes and essentials. That way, you won’t have to pay for a checked-luggage fee — another saving tip worth remembering when you go on your next trip.
If you can, create a list of things that you need to bring to help you with this whole light packing trend.
5. Book a room with a kitchen area
To save on meals, booking a room with a kitchen area will allow you to cook your own food while on vacation.
You can prepare your own cup of coffee exactly the way you want it without having to pay for an expensive cup at a nearby cafe, or that you can make a meal that you can reheat for dinner. That’s such a wise way to save money while enjoying the trip.
6. Stay over more than one night
If you travel often, you probably know by now that hotels and hostels are generous when it comes to the best deals and discounts.
The most common travel deal most of them offer is that they give a fair price to guests who stay more than one night in their wing. You can look at their websites and find deals like this. Sometimes, you’d be lucky to find an even better deal on some third party booking sites.
7. Keep a travel savings account
Planning a trip can take months, sometimes even years. In that case, you really have enough time to save up for it.
Keeping a travel savings account that’s inaccessible from your very reliable internet banking is one way to ensure that you don’t get tempted to use it for other purposes other than your travel goals.
8. Avoid peak season
And probably the most effective money-saving trick for any trip is to veer away from traveling during peak season. If you’re traveling to Rome, the best time to travel and save money is usually from November to March.
Prices go all the way up during peak season so you’d want to avoid that. Summer, Easter, Christmas and other major holidays all around the globe will hurt your pocket immensely so choose to travel during off-peak season.
Besides, you would pretty much have the place all to yourselves since tourists would likely be lean during this time.
Remember, traveling doesn’t have to always be luxurious. A simple vacation that you will truly enjoy with family and friends, or alone by yourself if you prefer it that way, is still the best way to do it.
