Budget Travel and Getting Around

One of the biggest parts of a travel and vacation budget is often the cost of getting from one place to another. It is important to budget for this important expense and to consider some unique options to make your travel dollars stretch as far as possible.

When choosing a rental car, it is important to choose the most economical and fuel-efficient car that meets your needs. Obviously, the size of your family will impact the choice of rental car, but compact and even subcompact cars can be great for motoring around cities, particularly when it comes time to park in those tight spots.

In addition, a smaller car will get better gas mileage, which is no small consideration, especially if you plan to do a lot of daily driving. And if you plan to travel far and wide, it may be important to choose a rental deal that provides unlimited miles, since charges for mileage overages can be quite costly.

When it comes to the decision of whether to accept or decline the optional collision coverage on a rental car, always be sure to see if you are already covered elsewhere. For instance, your auto insurance company may already provide insurance coverage for rental cars, as may your credit card company. If you are covered by these policies, there is no need to accept the costly collision insurance offered by the rental car company. And of course, you will always want to top off your rental car with gasoline before dropping it off, as refueling charges by rental car companies are generally quite high.

In addition to rental cars, there are many other options for budget travelers to get around once they arrive at their destination.

Ridesharing services like Uber (www.uber.com) and Lyft (www.lyft.com) are widely available in many cities and can be a convenient and cost-effective alternative to renting a car. These services often offer various types of vehicles to fit different needs and budgets, from economy cars to larger vehicles for groups.

For those looking for an even more budget-friendly option, consider car-sharing services such as Zipcar (www.zipcar.com) and Turo (www.turo.com). Zipcar allows you to rent cars by the hour or day, which can be perfect for short trips around the city. Turo, on the other hand, is a peer-to-peer car-sharing platform where you can rent vehicles directly from their owners, often at a lower cost than traditional rental car companies.

Public transportation can also be a far less costly and far more convenient alternative to paying to drive and park a rental car. Of course, public transportation does not make sense in every location. Many small towns and even some larger cities have public transportation systems that are infrequent, inefficient, inconvenient, or even nonexistent. In other locations, however, using public transportation makes a lot of sense. In New York City, for instance, visitors can buy a pass that is good on all subways, buses, and trains. The cost of a weekly pass can be less than what a visitor would pay to rent a car for a single day.

And public transportation provides an additional benefit as well; it frees the tourist from the hassles and expenses of parking the rental car. Many locations in New York, for instance, charge $20, $30, or even more for parking, and other major cities are almost as costly.

Getting around using public transportation is not as difficult as many people imagine either. Many public transportation companies, particularly those located in major tourist destinations, publish guides which give the route numbers to popular destinations, and bus drivers and train conductors in these locations are often quite adept at getting tourists where they need to go.

In addition to public transportation, bike-sharing programs like Citi Bike in New York City (www.citibikenyc.com) and Lime (www.li.me) in many cities worldwide provide a healthy, eco-friendly, and affordable way to explore a city. Scooters are another option, with companies like Bird (www.bird.co) and Lime offering app-based rentals in various cities.

Finally, for those who prefer walking, many cities offer walking tours that can be a great way to see the sights and learn about the local culture without spending a lot of money.

By considering these various transportation options, budget travelers can save money and make their travel dollars stretch further while enjoying the convenience and flexibility of getting around in different ways. Here are a few more to help: Via: www.ridewithvia.com, Citi Bike: www.citibikenyc.com, Divvy: www.divvybikes.com. Public transportation apps like Moovit or Transit can help you plan your route and track your journey.

By considering these budget-friendly options, you can save money and make your travel experience more enjoyable.