New Zealand is a country full of unique landscapes and natural riches that are definitely worth seeing. Other than this, it’s also a modern country full of metropolitan areas offering all sorts of entertainment and a vivid nightlife. The main reason why so many people who are interested in such a journey decide to back away is due to the fact that they lack the budget for such a thing. Well, to be more precise, they lack the budget to do so by traditional traveling standards. However, what if they possessed the ability to make this travel somewhat more frugal? Here are several tips on how you can explore New Zealand on a budget.
Look for last-minute deals
One of the best things about using last-minute deals in today’s world is the fact that you have a potential flight to virtually any destination in the world available. This is due to the fact that so many people travel and there is a percentage of those who have to cancel their reservation due to unforeseen reasons. In this scenario, the travel agency keeps a large percentage of their payment but is now left with a vacant spot that they need to fill in as soon as possible.
In the past, it was hard to find these deals but, nowadays, all you have to do is download an app and use a filter in order to pinpoint the part of the world that you are interested in. Another thing that’s making everything easier is looking for trips to New Zealand instead of pinpointing the exact city.
Think about your commute
The next thing you need to understand is the fact that your commute across New Zealand is another major item on your list of expenses. What this means is that you have to worry about your commute even before you leave. In urban areas, public transportation is quite decent and it’s quite frugal and there are a lot of options for those who intend to go on a field trip or two. On the other hand, you also have the option of hiring a car rental at Auckland airport on a budget. All you have to do is go to a specialized platform and set a time and date when you want the car to be waiting for you.
Couch surfing
Backpackers are well-familiar with the concept of couch surfing and all that it entails. Most important of all is the fact that it’s a free means of finding accommodation that allows you to make new friends and mingle with some amazing people. After all, these hosts are willing to allow strangers to stay in their homes for free in order to meet new people and allow others to travel on a budget. Moreover, the New Zealand couch surfing community is quite formidable, which is why you can find many great offers on sites like couchsurfing.com or various Facebook groups, forums, and subreddits.
Pack light
One of the mistakes that a lot of travelers make is carrying too much stuff with them on the journey. This just gives you more to carry, more baggage to pay for and it locks some options out of your consideration. By packing light, you’ll be much more mobile and will be able to make spontaneous decisions on every turn. Also, if you prefer to wear everything (or at least most possessions that you’ve brought along) on you, this will make the journey itself a lot easier to endure.
Don’t eat at restaurants
Sure, there are some amazing dishes that you have to try on your journey to New Zealand, however, you don’t have to dine at expensive restaurants in order to get this experience. Eating at fast-food joints, trying street food, or even preparing your own meals is a lot more frugal. If you’re backpacking, you can perhaps persuade a guest to make you an original nation-wide popular dish like Hangi, Kiwi Burger or a Crayfish. Go to the market and buy the ingredients yourself and enjoy the dish as it is traditionally made. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with going to a restaurant for a meal. You just need to avoid using this as your primary food source.
As you can see, some of the above-listed ideas even make the journey simpler, more pragmatic, and more challenging, therefore, more fun. Still, they are not for everyone. So, before embarking on this voyage, try visualizing what all of this would look like or even look for experiences of others online in order to check the specifics. Who knows, you might even find traveling on a budget to be more to your liking.
