As much as we love travelling on a completely luxurious holiday, there’s no disputing that some expenses aren’t worth the hole they leave in your wallet. Sometimes the budget experience can be just as great as the expensive one, or it might even open your eyes to new possibilities. In this article we’ll explore where in travel these elements matter the most, and a couple places where going the extra mile is worth the effort.
Small Item Storage
When travelling to a location it’s important to ensure that you’re arriving in comfort and without the stress of lost items. Once you’re at your travel destination, however, lightweight and local travel can be different. One of the biggest mistakes we’ve seen travellers make is investing in expensive water-tight containers in rainy climates. As long as you know how to pack, a couple of ziplock bags, one inside of the other, can manage the task just as well as any hundred-dollar solution, provided you’re not actually going underwater.
“20130715-137-of-365” (CC BY 2.0) by Wilson Hui
Cosmetic bags can also be fantastical tools for sorting smaller items without having to rely on larger gimmick products. The natural separation pouches and pockets of these containers make them perfect fits for smaller odds and ends, especially if you already have an older unused one handy.
Technology
Tech can offer challenging balances between quality and cost, where sometimes there are no easy solutions. If you want to take high-quality photos, then there isn’t any getting around an expensive mobile like an iPhone. If this doesn’t matter, then we’re open to a huge range of options.
Cheaper mobiles today are still powerful devices capable of almost everything a traveller would need. If you want to use maps or translation software, a budget system is still great. For a more well-rounded example, consider what an experience like Buzz Bingo games on the go would require. These titles like King Kong Cash and Rainbow Riches are cutting edge, but they won’t put strains on budget devices. Whether browsing, collecting bonuses, or playing games, budget here is just as effective as an expensive device for entertainment needs. Just make sure a phone like this accepts the relevant travel SIM first.
What Can’t Be Skimped On?
As overlooked as the above examples can be, we’ve also seen times when people mistakenly buy budget items that severely inhibit travel plans. The most common mistake we see is people purchasing a cheap and ineffective power bank. A poor-quality and cheap bank might only fill a phone halfway before being drained itself. If you’re a fan of the types of wildlife travel we’ve covered at Holr Magazine before, this can leave you in a dangerous place.
Shoes are another example, which we’ve seen underestimated. If you’re only going out for a week in unfamiliar terrain, you might be tempted to purchase cheap shoes that you can discard after the trip is done. While mid-range can be fine, the cheapest footwear can leave you bruised, blistered, and miserable as the days pass by.
“new shoes” (CC BY 2.0) by Mark Bonica
Our final piece of advice on what you need before you go is to check with people who have made your exact journey before. Whether talking to friends or strangers online, ask about what they really needed, what they didn’t use, and what they would do differently next time. Travelling on a budget can get you ahead on saving for your next trip, and that alone can make it worth the time investment of researching what you might do without.
Published by HOLR Magazine.