The scrimper's guide to travel
 

Hi

When I went to South Africa during Easter I came across a funny article about cutting the cost when traveling. This article by Matt Rudd is pretty amusing. This is the article: http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...cle3416227.ece
He opens with "I’m like a rich person, only without the money. By which I mean I’m tight – not dry-teabags-on-a-draining-board tight, but I like to look after the pounds..." :d Some of the things he suggests are a bit questionable like always complaining on the room and asking for an upgrade. Well, hope that you find a few good tips :d

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Interesting article.

I agree there are several questionable suggestions there (the room, the minibar, etc.

Personnally, I think it's less effort and more relaxing and enjoyable to stay in a less expensive hotel outside of the downtown region and take public transit, then it is to complain throughout my entire trip to save money on everything. :-d

Hello gard, I hope you and your lovely wife are well and planning another good trip.

Personally I just travel as I can afford to. A lower star hotel or whatever. I don't need the stress of complaining to get upgraded or to make a scene about not drinking the "whatever" in the hotel refrigerator. In fact I refuse the key for the refrigerator so that takes care of that.

My daughter works in a 4 star hotel and the people they tend to upgrade are those who are charming as they check in, especially if they are excited about being in the city and/or hotel. If guests behaved badly while being checked in they would instantly find themselves in a room on the first floor without a view etc.... don't say you weren't warned!!!

Entertaining article, not much news but I think this guy spends a lot more time in his room than my husband and I do.

If I don’t get a hotel on Priceline, I just get a smaller hotel out of the hustle and bustle. Doesn’t bother us to take public transportation. It seems like you're going to have to use it for somethings anyway.

It’s not really “smuggling snacks and drinks” is it? I’ve always looked at mini bars as something for the jet lagged or terminally lazy. While I’m out exploring the area, I’ll pick up something to snack on and drink. I usually move everything out of the mini bar and put in my own stuff. Then put their stuff back before I leave.

I don’t like the “nicking lunch for the breakfast” thing. That is just wrong.

Going to museums on free days is a good tip, unless the museum you are going to is one that you really want to spend time in.

Hi

I totally agree that some of the points on this list is out of line. But the article itself is amusing :d We normally try to save money by not getting a great hotel (normally you don't spend that much time at the hotel anyway)...then we can spend more on eating out or shopping :d

My next trip will be a weekend trip to Nice in a couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to that.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Thanks for directing my attention to this excellent article.

The only point I disagree with is about taking food from the breakfast buffet to eat at lunch.

When I book into a room I don't touch anything until I have thoroughly investigated the cleanliness of the room, the bathroom, the view, and the noisiness of the cooling or heating system. If I'm not satisfied, I call the front desk and ask to be moved.

On a recent trip to Las Vegas I was given a dingy suite on the 5th floor that overlooked the cooling system for the gaming floor and a construction site. I didn't become indignant, I simply called the front desk, explained what was going on outside my window, and I was promptly moved to a room on the 19th floor.

Some interesting thoughts here.

My wife and I retired last year and this had a significant effect on the way we travel. We no longer had lots of money to travel in relative luxury but we now have lots of time ! So it is somewhat of a challenge to travel economically and for longer periods. What we used to spend in 2 weeks we try to stretch over 2 months. $5 less per night may not seem much for a hotel but over 50 nights that's $250 saved which gets me another 3-4 days !

Like the previous replies we too use the more modest hotels and as happytrails said I do not hesitate to ask for another room if ours is not just right. I do not equate this with pushing for an upgrade.

On our trip this past winter a memorable but disturbing sight was at the included breakfast buffet where everyday we watched in disbelief as 2 elderly women stuffed their handbags with food for their lunch and dinner. This is wrong, it is stealing.

There are many legitimate ways:
-look for rooms with tea/coffee making service
-make a picnic
-buy food at the grocery store
-look for BYOB restos
-use low cost carriers
-do your own laundry
-do home exchange, hospitality exchange
-try camping

Bon Voyage

<i>-do your own laundry</i>

So true.

Last year, when I returned from a four-week trip to Spain, an inspector narrowed his eyes and asked me how I was able to travel for such a long time with one carry-on bag. I told him that there were coin laundries everywhere I went.

He seemed surprised.

We've never had much money to travel with, so we do a lot of budget things by nature. We just wouldn't be able to go if we stayed in luxe places at the rack rate, ate out of the mini-bar, ordered room service, and so forth.

I would never complain about a perfectly good room just to get an upgrade - however I am not shy about just asking for an upgrade. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - usually if a hotel has space they will upgrade us, or at least give us the nicest available room in the class we have reserved.