As promised last week, i’m sharing with you my tried and tested skills on how I always get to spend the cheapest way possible. I assure you that you can do all of these:
1. Buy your plane tickets ahead of time. Plan ahead, seize the promo fares. Sign up to their e-mail alerts.
2. Instead of eating in fastfoods, try the local carinderia. Who knows you might found something exotic. I remember ordering “ginataang palos” (eel cooked in coconut milk) while in Guimaras and it tasted awesome! Would definitely recommend it to everyone. I also remember eating BBQ outside Mambukal Resort instead of ordering expensive packed meals inside.
Ginataang Palos at Judavel’s eatery, Jordan, Guimaras
3. Limit your baggage on the allowed hand carry baggage (7kg). Do you really use everything that you bring? Do I need to explain further?
4. Use the public transportation the moment you arrived at the airport. This is one of the benefits of traveling light, you don’t need a taxicab when you arrive at the airport. You can just jump into a jeepney, motorbike or tricycle when you arrive. This would save you a lot which you can use for buying pasalubong.
Green tricycle at Tagum City, photo by Leo T.
5. Compare prices. Being free means you can choose want you want to buy and the same goes with what airline you choose. Let me tell you what your travel agent doesn’t tell you. Buy Cebu Pacific ticket if you are booking a month before the flight. Always compare Airlines. This applies to everything- food, inns, transportation, etc.
6. If it is possible, fly out by a different airport to cover more destinations. Ex. If you are on vacation to explore Central Visayas, Cebu-Bohol-Dumaguete-Siquijor. Try to fly into Dumaguete then fly out at Bohol. Don’t fly out of Cebu so as to save Terminal fee (Php200) and lessen the probability of delayed flights. In my experience, delayed flights often happen in busy airport hubs like Manila, Cebu and Davao.
During my Mindanao Challenge, from Manila I flew into Gen.Santos then after 16 days i found myself in Butuan going back to Manila.
7. Go to the public market. It has everything- culture, cheap food, local life and even souvenirs you can bring back home. A grilled fish in Mambajao, Camiguin only cost Php20 in the market, its Php70 at the restaurant.
Talipapa, Boracay
8. Ask for discounts. I envy the Senior citizens ‘coz they always have that 20% discount. But hey you could always ask for a cut off. If you are a student, use your student ID (all ships give student discount and provincial buses often give S/P fare). You can also ask for a discount while booking your hotel or inn, most hotels give big discounts especially during off seasons.
9. Dress down. I always wear simple clothing when I travel. I do this because I travel not to impress but to learn. Let’s face it; most people would try to upsell things to a richer person. So, if it is possible, try to dress like the locals. This is a step higher than “ask a local,” “living like the local.” Don’t dress to impress, that’s too shallow and doesn’t add to your self-worth; what more, it could be annoying. Imagine someone with a coat and tie walking on Station 3, Boracay- uncool!
10. Try to speak the local language/dialect when buying. I used “pabakal” when I’m in Iloilo; “sagmamano ti ___________?” when I’m in Ilocos or Baguio; “pila ini” when I’m in Mindanao and “how much is this?” when I’m in America. 🙂
Bonus: Buy taho, bbq, siomai, banana cue, bread or peanuts. It’s cheap! I always do this to save money.
I wrote 8 Travel Tips for Backpackers months ago. You will find it helpful too!
Maybe I missed something? Can you tell me your travel secret? I’d love to know!
This is cool. I’ll also follow and use these practical travel secrets. 🙂
Travel with a group or if you’re traveling solo, find a group that could accommodate you… it could save you a lot on expenses.
Don’t stay on “hotels”, homestay and motels is ok! 🙂
Be friendly and always have a smile ready… 🙂
thanks for sharing these tips James!
sometimes when i see a group of travelers, nakikisabay ako sa knila lalo na kapag may space pa sa van or jeep nila. tipid talaga.
thanks for the tips mervs!
.. and for desert : sorbetes ni mamang sorbetero 🙂
yep yep! delighting yun lalo na kapag summer!
My travel tips and secrets are the following:
1. Book a flight early and avail of airline promos (this goes with hostels, inns and other tours).
2. Use public transportation.
3. Try local food or delicacy.
4. Talk to locals and learn a few local words.
5. Know and respect their culture.
6. Travel light (bring a backpack with extra space and a spare handy bag for souvenirs).
7. Be aware of your surroundings and be careful of scams.
8. Blend in with the locals (don’t expose your valuables).
9. Get a travel insurance (accident can happen to anyone, it’s better to be insured than sorry).
10. Try to get lost sometimes it is fun!
thanks for sharing this brian! i like number 3, 9 and 10. and +1 to getting lost, it is really really FUN!
Thanks din for sharing all of your travel experience James, i always love reading your adventures.
I wish to visit all the provinces here in Pinas one by one! More and more travels for you after siguro sa Pinas saan naman ang goal mo?
Thanks too for sharing your travel secrets!
thanks for always reading my adventures. after pinas? i still don’t know. europe or africa? bahala na..haha
africa sounds much adventure. a lithuanian friend hitched hiked the 4 corners of africa spending only USD100.
wow! that’s a hard challenge! cant imagine doing that.
i think europe would go first. its calling me already
Noted your Number 6 and 10 =) Thanks bro!
i love number 6 and still polishing my number 10. pleasure is mine renevic!
will follow your tips sir 🙂
i’d also add…CouchSurfing! 🙂
of course, CS is it!
Be friendly. You never know when a fellow traveler or a local can give you tips or help you when you least expect it!
definitely lois! smile smile not only for the camera but also to all people you will meet along the way.
you never know what your smile can do right? thanks for the added tip!
very true with ask for discounts. the published rates are always negotiable. konting email and call = instant discount! =)
ahem, may Nikon dslr ka na!
the dslr is not mine, pinahiram lng ng friend. basta discount, maaasahan mo ang mga pinoys
#1 is so true. the farther the date of the trip is, the more time i have to save up.
my friends & i have been doing #6 as well. land travels are always cheap.
#8 you should see us when we ask for discounts. even when our driver was caught by traffic police in india, we still asked them for a discount. and they agreed! hehe!
great travel secrets you have in here 🙂
indeed, book lang ng book kahit next year pa, lalo na kapag piso-fare.
talaga lang ha? pati yung police nakahingi kayo ng discount? wow! ibang level na yun ahh, astig!!!
thanks gladys!
Thanks sa mga Tips na to Sir James…
Like ko yung #9… 🙂
you’re welcome tripper! thanks a lot
Cool tips you have here! Will keep these in mind. Though most of the time, my trips are “sidetrips” and I cannot do away with my business meeting attire as part of my luggage. Yeah, kinda cumbersome in many ways. Plus my camera bag and my laptop are heavy…that I cannot do away with.
mas okay naman yan sir, kasi wala rin kayo masyadong gastos lalo na kapag company lahat ngbabayad, fare, hotel, food, etc…
Thanks for listing out these pointers……really a great help for backpackers
hey manu, thanks for dropping by. nice blog you have there! i like to taste that pink tea.
Your are most welcome to come and taste it. Let us know for sure whenever you plan your Backpacking trip to india 🙂
definitely! but not too soon.. hopefully in 3 years time? we’ll see!
great tips here James! been planning to write tips while on the road. Will link this article once done! bow pa rin ako sa katipiran mo kahit matipid din ako! haha
wow, thanks for the link love ed!
cge, i’ll try to link your post too.
see yah kapag na-ligaw ako sa cebu
Hi I like your travel blog 🙂 I enjoyed reading and viewing your beautiful photos:) Hope to hear from you 🙂
hi marj! you have nice photos too!
thanks for dropping by.
cool you’ve been to the US too? 🙂
It’s funny because I saw another article written online by a Filipina in a more national magazine (I think) who advised NOT to dress down. Because locals like to get dressed every once in awhile too, and it’s not doing you any favors as a white male to wear boardshorts and flipflops at the mall looking dirty (lol). I thought that was weird advice… I still prefer to dress down when I travel. I hate giving off the appearance that I have money (really, I don’t) and it’s all just bullshit social games anyway.
janet, nope, i haven’t been to US (and no plans of gettin there)! hahaha
i think the dress down thing is kinda dependent on the place you are visiting, im not so knowledgeable with women.
yes, i agree with you on not giving the appearance that you have money while on the road, more so when people dress up so as to say that they are “Someone Important” is bullshit!
Yung #9 talaga ang pina-practice ko lalo na dito sa Manila. Marami akong na-witness na pasosyal sa road kaya nadudukutan LOL.
naks! kawawa naman yung mga nadukutan na yun. pero seriously, yung mga maraming alahas or mukhang mayamana ang mga target ng mandurukot.
~research about the place where you are going…read blogs of people who have gone there.
~if you have a tent, pitch where it is allowed and is safe…saves you from paying a hotel, even a cheap one.
~ask a close friend who has a relative where you are going..perhaps one or two nights of free lodging wont hurt them 🙂 of course don’t come unannounced. and let them know you only need a place to sleep on (be ready to sleep on the couch, floor or sala). please never impose!
awesome tips! i always do the third one
tnx James for the infos..love it! il just have to religiously follow ur rules # 2 & 3..i have to this time..a big challenge for my 2wk mindanao backpacking this holy wk!!
ahaha! mahirap yung #3 sa mga girls noh?
go go go emm!
I superb like your write ups specially these tips. It’s helpful. Another tip, bring instant coffee. What I do when I am in a coffeeshop with friends I only order hot water, their coffee is a way too expensive ahaha..
really? you do that? cool! haven’t tried it yet
I like the number 9. Many people travel for porma lang. 🙂
asar yun! dami sa bora, pagtinignan mo puro utang naman sa credit card nila.. tsk tsk
hi james! i’m scheduled for mindanao solo backpacking this holy week. tips #2 and #3 would be a challenge for me.
nice blog! =)
thanks charley! enjoy the beauty of mindanao! ingat
Place your liquid containers (e.g., shampoo and perfume) in resealable plastic bags like Ziploc.
Especially for traveling abroad, photocopy your important documents, so if they get lost, re-processing them would be easier.
those are good tips patricia!
thanks for sharing
befriend a local and they can give free stuffs and tours..:D
yep! nothing beats that style.
I just can’t do the DRESS DOWN THING…getting dolled up during travels doesn’t equate to looking stupid though (as exemplified in the Boracay coat and tie sample)….but,thanks for the tips though…helpful.I appreciate your efforts…
to each his own. 🙂
the dress down thing is for you to travel “cheap”
… and “light” heheh! hard for girls but yeah, it can be done 🙂
enjoy lang kahit minsan o madalas eh misadventures!:)
I always enjoy reading your blogs…especially this “tipid” tips on travelling…really like it and very useful lalo na sa baguhang tulad ko…hope more “tipid” adventure tips from you…Godbless and happy travel….
thanks weng! hope you will share your “tipid” stories too.
Its like travel the world in 100 days. great article bro and love every photo. anyway. is this really doable?
Id say fly in to a certain place during the off peak season it wouldnt only save you from an expensive airfare but also saves a lot of cost in accommodation. Plus you can enjoy the place more and have that serenity that you like.
I go for the local cafe’s or their version of karinderya rather than eat at the fastfood restaurants or at the hotel’s restaurant.
If I have a free breakfast at any of the hotels im staying in, I get an apple or boiled egg or a piece of bread into my pocket/bag I dont know if that’s legal so make sure to do it discreetly 🙂
Rather than buying small bottled water every now and then during the tour I usually carry a small bottle with me and refill it when able.
I hope these helped 🙂
We bring baon. Like last time when we went to El Nido, we brought adobong baboy, paksiw na bangus, de lata and noodles. Laki ng natipid namin sa food.