Spending on travel being a middle class Indian

Being an Indian, I can understand how difficult it can be for someone belonging to a middle class or lower middle class to spend even a penny on travelling. If you are spending anything on travel, that is considered overspending as per the society(Which you totally dont need to give a damn about).

But wait, there is a way for everything.

1. Try convincing your parents

   That this is what you love and they always said do what you love. And that finally, you just found one of your passion still being alive. Otherwise, most of us are not even able to do so till their last breath, not even able to realise what all makes them happy.

2. Never ask for money for travel to your parents

   It’s a valid reason for them if they don’t like spending their hard earned income in travelling.So if you are asking your parents for funding your travel or for something they don’t like then it totally makes sense to disagree with your travel plans. So, if you want to travel earn something part-time or full time to fund your travel. This way no one can actually tell you to stop travelling and following your dream.

3. Don’t listen to negative people around

   As we are working for corporates, we all are surrounded by people who just save their leaves for family functions or to get them cashed at the end of their employment with that firm. So this will eventually turn out to be a pain when your boss with 10x experience than yours has only travelled once a year that too for marriages.
   So there are two types of people,
   One who is happy that you are getting a chance to do something, that they didn’t.
   Another one is who actually thinks like if I haven’t travelled in my decade-long career than how can he/she.So, try to manage it beforehand with what kind of boss you are having. Try to convince them with following
   – That everyone has interests in cars, clothes, shoes, bags, etc So let travel be yours.
   – Apply leaves in advance.

4. Travel cheap

   I mean this is the style of travel that allows me to travel as much as I want, being a software engineer in early years of my career, belonging to a middle-class family, having some or other responsibilities. You can always save something if you are good with the following.

   1. Avoid Hotels: Hefty expenditure on accommodation is a strict no for budget travellers.
   2. Use Airbnb: You will be living in someone else’s house on sharing basis, paying them for this. It will save you some money and also you will get some local information from your respective hosts. This saves a lot if you compare with hotel fares in Europe or United States. Though almost the same or slightly less in Asian countries.
   3. Use Couchsurfing: You can interact with people from all around the globe, offer them a place to stay, your time, directions for your city when they visit around. Similarly, you could also stay at a couchsurfer place if they accept your request of course. We could exchange couches, knowledge, networks. But what is not allowed here is any kind of monetary exchange. This is what this beautiful concept of Couchsurfing means. This one will require some patience, as this community based on references or reviews. But once you get into it, I mean this is the best part of your travel stories.
   4. Use Hostels: Hostelworld for hostels all around the globe or Zostel in India. Hostels can simply offer you bunk beds for much less than that of hotels.

5. Don’t buy an international sim

   From your countries like Matrix or any other global sim cards, they ARE expensive. Do a little research before leaving your country, which service provider has a good coverage in the area you are actually visiting. You can easily get a local sim card either from a local shop or one at the airport. You just need your passport, only some of them also ask for a passport size photograph. It will save you almost half of the international sim cards and of course a better coverage.

6. Travel Lite

   Travel lite as much as you can, in order to avoid baggage fees in flights and also to carry it easily. Try to avoid suitcases in the very beginning that does not actually justify the essence of backpacking. Mostly budget flights don’t include any cabin luggage. So, if you are just having your backpack you can somehow manage with some extra kgs, not unluckily not with suitcases.For eg: In south-east Asian countries, they go by weight. In that case, you can put some more clothes on. In case of European countries, they have a sort of metal structure in will they may ask you to fit your bag(like this) if it doesn’t then you have to pay extra. As hard luggage cannot be adjusted, but a bag can be !!
   So just a backpack.

7. Look out for cheap air deals

   If you want to visit each and every bit of this mighty earth. Be open to destinations, let best air ticket deal decide your destination. Airfare is the biggest factor in dictating your expenses for a trip.

   1. Skyscanner: Search from your location to “Everywhere”. Yes, that’s an option for this site search. You can see fares from your place to everywhere and then decide accordingly.
   2. Momondo: This site will show you some alternative airports. If the ones you have selected is expensive and there are some nearby offering cheap tickets.
   3. Paytm: These days this Indian website could get a huge cashback on your air ticket deals, train ticket deals, bus tickets, etc. You can again utilise these cashback in one of your bookings or make some mobile recharges or anything. This is most widely used a platform in India to pay to some physical shop retailers as well.
   4. EaseMyTrip: Being a small website, with not so much of expenditure on advertisements they can offer you some great deals.

8. Never exchange currency at airports

   Exchange rates at the airport are the worst you could ever get. You better arrange some foreign exchange prior to your trip. Like in India there are some sites like bookmyforex,centrumforex, etc. In Thailand, they have SuperRich and so on.

9. Write your VISA application yourself

   If you can travel, you can write your visa application as well. Visa applications are no rocket science. They are relatively simple and you can get a lot of specimen’s online. It will save you some extra bucks which you could use for a city tour for a day in Europe or maybe even more. So, just google and get things done by yourself. Most of them only need a passport, your income tax slips, your salary slip, few photographs, your itinerary.  A little homework before you travel is always needed.