Top 5 tips for budget travel planning

I've travelled a lot, so for once I can speak with a certain degree of authority - although every traveller is different. These are my tips for budget travel. As always, I am very keen to get your insight and will share the best user tips with everyone by adding them to the bottom of this page.

5. Don't book through travel agents

4. Wait until you get there to book activities

3. Don't plan too much

2. Travel light

1. Share

5. Don't book through travel agents

Good for booking package holidays, but not for the budget conscious. A cheaper alternative is to get your flights and accommodation separately. Any of the flight searching websites such as expedia would be a good place to get an idea of flight costs - although you would be wise to shop around as prices can vary drastically from site to site. Try to beware of sites that don't list all fees in their prices, as fuel surcharges and other taxes add considerably to the cost.

4. Wait until you get there to book activities

Although it is sometimes necessary to book popular things in advance it is nearly always better to wait to book activities until you get there. This, of course, depends on how long you have in each place and how long you'd have to wait to get on the tour you want. For example, I arrived in South Africa on one day and booked a budget Kruger park safari for the next day for at least $100 less than it would have cost to book over the internet. 

3. Don't plan too much

Organising every detail can mean you get to do a lot more, but it leaves you a lot less open to experiencing a trip. 

E.g. If you meet new friends who are going a different route or discover that you like a town so much that you want to stay longer. These are experiences that will make your trip more memorable, so try to stay open for them.

2. Travel light

It might take a few trips to get right but generally the less stuff you take the better. Less to carry, less to get stolen, less to pack and repack. A good, if not always feasible, idea if you're planning a long trip is to go on a short trip first. You will find that there's not much difference, if any, in the amount of things you need for a week versus a year.

1. Share

Go with a friend or travel with people (just make sure it's safe to do so). Any way you can share costs is a way to save money. Like sharing the cost of food shopping or splitting travel costs or camping fees. It is also much more fulfilling to share experiences with others even if you have only just met them.