Save More With These 7 Smart Spending-Minimalist Travel Secrets

Minimalism, and the concept of minimalist travel, must have crossed your mind or at least popped up on your browser screen while looking for excellent saving tips.

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Well, it is definitely an excellent technique to save money and live a more intentional life, there is no denying this fact.

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People often confuse minimalism with being stingy. However, there is nothing similar between these.

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Oh well, there might be a common factor and goal of savings involved but the approach is much easier and not at all harsh on your daily lifestyle if we look at minimalism. 

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So, what is minimalism? 

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Strategically, it refers to the approach of using and spending only on things that essentially serve a purpose for you.

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Anything extravagant or blingy but useless is eliminated from your lifestyle. More easily described, it is basically to live a simple life. 

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However, do not confuse saving with cutting off the basic elements of your lifestyle and starving your conscience in the name of saving. Rather, what you do in minimalism is planning. Lots and lots of planning. 

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It is about concentrating your spending first around the things that you essentially need and secondly, living a life that is in line with nature and its beauty!

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Now that you know what minimalism is and you would no longer run away since the stigma of being stingy is actually false, let’s concentrate on how you can actually make it a success.

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Aren't we all passionate about certain things? It might be books for some, it might be decor for some, for others, it might be working out, and the rest might just want to travel their whole life!

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Whatever makes you feel the spark deserves to be preserved and cherished. However, the basic need to do all these things is money. 

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Even though you might want to spend all your money, say, just on travel. But we all know how drastic that can be. So, why not minimalist your travel and still do all that you wanted to? 

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Is that possible? Definitely a yes! 

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Minimalist Travel and Finance Planning

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1. Start with the Basics- plan, plan & plan! 

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Perhaps the most undervalued but the most important trait of any minimalist person is to plan.

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Yes, we all plan before we are all set to travel. But for a minimalist, this is not just planning but planning ahead. 

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Starting with the best time to travel, best holiday packages, greatest travel deals, as a minimalist you might want to take your planning all the way down to even set a day to purchase your travel tickets.

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2. Shop Strategically before your Trip

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Now, it is pretty natural for us to shop for particular things before travelling.

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It is definitely tempting to shop for new accessories, clothes, or even luggage. However, that easily adds to your expenses. What you can do is to look for something that will serve as a long-term need. 

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Avoid buying something you won’t use. Sometimes we don’t even wear clothes or use things that we specifically buy for vacations.

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If comfort wins almost every time, and if you know that you will end up wearing your regular casuals, then why spend extra? 

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Also, if you are planning on specific activities while travelling, you can try to look for rental options rather than spending on one-time-use items. 

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3. Try Walking or using Public Transport 

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Travelling comes with a dozen expenses, transport being the most prominent one.

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Especially if you are travelling to a new place, the excitement is always next level. So why not take things slow and walk like a local! 

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Online maps and guides won’t tell you everything- to come across some explicit, accidental, and serendipitous experiences, you need to explore the place.

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Depending on where you are headed, public transportation serves as the best option instead of taxi or rideshare services.

4. Pack Light- avoid  ‘just-in-case’ items

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Packing light is actually multi-purpose. You save on checked bags during a flight, you can walk around the place easily without tiring your shoulders, and the stress of losing and forgetting things always stays at bay.  

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To pack light, you must focus on the weather conditions, the trip activities, and your everyday essentials.

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If it is not a business trip, you might want to skip carrying your makeup and laptop. Try packing 1 to 2 pairs of shoes that are comfortable to save space.

5. Airbnbs over Hotels- Save on Accommodations & Food 

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While travelling, it is no surprise that you will look for accommodation. To save some money, you can skip booking expensive hotels.

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Instead, you can look for other types of accommodation, like Airbnbs or some tourist specific places. 

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There are chances that you will get access to the kitchen and laundry in such places. Yikes, that saves you a big chunk of money!

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You can carry lesser clothes since you can wash them, and you can even cook your own food instead of eating out! So, shop for groceries like a local and travel like you live there!

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6. Research the Place ahead to Avoid Tourist Traps

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If you are travelling too far, there are chances that you could end up in places or destinations that weren’t actually valuable to you.

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There might be some expensive fees charges at some fancy places that you might like to avoid.

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To avoid such tourist traps, you must thoroughly research the place. 

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7. Memories > Souvenirs 

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One thing we can all agree upon is that we usually get overwhelmed and end up buying expensive stuff as souvenirs.

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Even though the same thing might be super cheap around us, the atmosphere of a new place inspires us to spend more regardless. 

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So, all you have to do to avoid such expenses is to see if the souvenirs are actually worth the price tag that you will be paying. Usually, photos on your camera are enough to revisit those memories. Therefore, if you feel that something might make your finances suffer later, avoid spending on it. 

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Travelling is fun till it weighs a ton on your expenses. Being a minimalist traveller can save you from the YOLO and FOMO scenarios.

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Go ahead and travel but make sure you keep an eye on your money too. Always avoid spending or carry the just-in-case items since those items usually make maintenance difficult. To enjoy your trip the most, focus on making memories rather than spending on souvenirs!

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Also Read: Planning for a Vacation Abroad by 2022? Here are 5 steps to Save Up for it!

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