Yes, traveling long term has made us thrifty and obsessive deal finders but these are five ways we don't save money on our travels.

5 ways people think we save money as we travel

When we tell our friends how much we are spending on our travels – they gasp put a hand on their mouth and think it is either of the following that is keeping our expenditure low or we are lying. We gasp put a hand on our mouth and try to explain that it is not so. But it is funny and awkward nevertheless. Here is a list of five ways our friends and family think we save money:

1. By being really cheap and stingy – “What! A strip of paracetamol tablets costs 20,000kip! I would rather keep this fever.” Come on guys! We are not stingy. Much as our family wants to believe that we are too thrifty for our own good, it really is not the case. Travel is actually much less expensive than what you would think. If you don’t splurge on unnecessary luxuries; are happy to stay in places without pools and spas and travel by buses instead of flights, you would be surprised to see how far you can go with your savings.

Symptom #1 of an obsessive and compulsive deal finding disorder: No price seems the right price
Symptom #1 of an obsessive and compulsive deal finding disorder: No price seems the right price

2. By saving sunscreen money and carrying umbrella everywhere – Yes we carry an umbrellas because sunscreens alone don’t help. Honestly, those sunscreens cost a bomb anyways! Rs 600 ($10) for a small bottle! Are you kidding me! It won’t last me two days!

3. By starving ourselves – “Your cheeks are sunken” I often hear on Skype. “Look at Vikram he looks almost anorexic in his new pictures on facebook.” No we are not starved. It’s just that Punjabi idea of aneroxia and weak are very different from elsewhere in the world. A few (50 I mean) extra pounds and two tyres around the waist are considered a sign of good health. If you are anywhere short of that, you must be starving and “you must come back right now” to be fed well.

4. By staying in filthy, dirty, dinghy places – We stay in spotlessly, clean places. We may do number 3 but never compromise on where we sleep (except for when we are camping because all the hotels in the city are too expensive).  Kidding! Its a big myth that expensive places are cleaner than cheaper places. It is possible to find nice, clean, airy room for any budget anywhere. You just need to look. And if you still don’t find it, stay the night and move over to the next destination.

5. By drinking people’s leftover beer in restaurant after they have left the table – Now who would do that! And who could think of something like that! But that is a great tip to get tipsy for free but to do this you have to be really drunk! By the way, we have a no drinking, no smoking policy on the website.

If you are curious how we actually save money, check this out: Five ways how we save money as we travel

About Empty Ruck Sack

Empty Rucksack travelers is an attempt to bring together many wonderful stories of career breaks, long term vacations and great travel destinations together at one place. The posts authored by Empty Rucksack Travelers are put together by Vikram and Ishwinder, an Indian couple out on a long term travel to find that perfect place in the world where they may want to stay forever.

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One comment

  1. Suppa funny! 😀 especially the idea of punjabi healthy 😛

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