It can be daunting to figure out how much to budget for your travel adventure. I know that when I was planning my trip to Thailand, I had a specific budget that I did not want to go over. When I arrived, there were all these adventures I wanted to go on. I knew I had to save money while traveling to afford the things I wanted most.
Luckily, in Thailand everything is so much cheaper than in the States. Here are 5 easy ways to save money while traveling in Thailand:
1. Stay in hostels. A 5-star hotel is a 5-star hotel no matter which country you visit. Hostels in Thailand can be incredibly clean, safe, and affordable. Check hostelworld.com for hostels in the cities you are visiting. You shouldn’t have to spend more than $15 per night in most places. YES TO THE YING TIP: Always opt for a place that has high ratings and read the customer reviews! I never stayed at a place with less than 4 stars or 80% positive reviews.
2. Eat at locals spots and food carts. Sure, it is nice to sit down at a nice restaurant every once in a while. But eating at a local spot can save you several dollars and offer better tasting food! Street food carts are also a great place to get a snack or a quick meal as you wander from adventure to adventure. You can spend under $5 for a feast! Most of the dishes I ordered(i.e. Pad Thai) were about 70 baht which is about $2.15. Throw in a 1 liter bottle of water I got from 7-11 for another 30 baht, my total for lunch was usually $3. Talk about a steal! And yes, it was very filling AND delicious!
3. Skip buying drinks at the bar. If you are going to drink, save money by buying a bottle of hard liquor or beer at the 7-11. The bars jack up the prices of their mixed drinks and Chang beer because of tourists. You’ll save quite a bit of money buying your liquor from the store.
4. Bargain, bargain, bargain! From taxis to tuk tuks to shopping for clothes, Thai people love to haggle. They naturally mark up the price at least 200% to get more money from tourists. So offer a much lower price and negotiate until you get a lower price. YES TO THE YING TIP: Be willing to walk away from the item you are coveting or from the taxi driver giving you a hard time. They can smell desperation a mile away, so if pretend like you can do without it, they will chase you and come down very quickly in price!
5. Agree on the price of your taxi ride BEFORE you get in the car. They are super eager to get fares, so they’ll say they can get you to where you want to go. Before you get in, establish the address and price you are willing to pay to get to your destination. If you can’t agree on something you think is fair, walk away. There are tons of other cab drivers who will take you. If you don’t negotiate it beforehand, they will demand you pay double the price and you will have no choice but to pay and that’s never good. YES TO THE YING TIP: If you are with a group of people, fit as many people in the cab as possible. You’ll be able to split the cost!
I hope this help you out! Subscribe to my blog for more traveling tips and tricks!
Much Love,
Alicia