The millennials are quite familiar with the saying, “travel now, pulubi later”. With the increasing availability and utility of credit cards, travel is becoming a source of debt for many, to the point of begging for food months after a trip. But this does not have to be your reality – if only you travel smart.

Plan your trip in advance

The first sign of trouble for cash-hungry vacations is spur-of-the-moment plans. A good example would be friends in the office are talking about how beautiful Mt. Mayon is. As the conversation unfolds, a raw, “feasible” plan emerge. “Let’s go to Albay next week”! And that my friend is how you travel with huge financial consequences.

If it is possible, go against the trend and book your hotel in the “slow” months.

The problem with spur-of-the-moment travels is that everything costs more from plane tickets to the tours you want to take, even the hotel rooms you need to book. The solution is to plan your trip months before you go. Do your research about your destination, how you can fully enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, find hotels with a view and near to everything you want to experience while in town.

Know more about the peak season of tourist arrivals in your planned destination. Summer and the Holidays are often when hotels are charging more for their rooms and airlines are cashing in with the influx of vacationers. If it is possible, go against the trend and book your hotel in the “slow” months.

File your leave at work early, start losing weight if you plan to wear that swimsuit, talk about your trip at the office or among your friends, the more the merrier! Plan out your itinerary, book the local tours early, reserve the hotel rooms, and build up the excitement as your departure date draws near!

Nothing beats a well-planned, well-timed vacation.

Book your flights early

Look out for seat sales from budget airlines. You can even call your preferred ticketing office to reserve seats for you as soon as the sale is announced.

Seasoned budget travellers even plan their vacation around the travel dates of their discounted plane tickets. This is also a good way to plot your vacation plans. Seat sales in local airlines are often in harmony with tourist peak seasons.

There is a huge chance that plane tickets on sale would mean lower local hotel room rates, lower tour fees, lower price of everything plus you get to enjoy your space in the beach more.

Talk to the locals

Vacations are nice when you fully integrate yourself to the local lifestyle. The last thing that you want to happen is to fail to get the real vibe of the city. Do not insulate yourself in the comforts of your hotel room and shuttle service. Get into the local lifestyle.

Talking to locals also give you a deeper experience with your destination.

The best way to do that is to talk to locals. Have short walks around your hotel or ride jeepneys to go anywhere. Engage locals into casual conversations, and perhaps ask them what you can do to really enjoy the city. It is often from these conversations popular local hang outs are revealed, something no amount of online research can give you.

Talking to locals also give you a deeper experience with your destination. This can even give you windows of opportunity to go back to the city, but this time with local friends. Now that’s exciting!

Eat where locals eat

Tired of the same breakfast at the hotel? Try the local gastronomic treats of your destination city! Eat where locals do! It could be a popular carenderia right on the next corner, or a mamihan or lugawan 50 meters from your hotel. Specialty restaurants are also a good idea to have an authentic food experience.

By eating where locals eat you can have a more accurate feel of the city

In Legazpi City, the sili ice cream is a must-try and only one restaurant offers that. Go there! Then there is the pinangat, a local dish that has charmed local tourists for decades now. Small Talk Café also offers the pinangat pizza, another must-try for tourists.

By eating where locals eat you can have a more accurate feel of the city. It also makes a good story to friends back at home. Yeah, you ate sili ice cream and you can brag all about it.

Do not be fooled with hotel published rates

Do not settle with the rates you see on the hotel’s website and in their other booking outlets. Always ask for a better deal. At least try.

Published rates in any hotel are not always accurate. These rates are often subjected to discounts especially during the off season. Booking a room in advance can give you more flexible rates. You can even ask the hotel for some tips when to book your room/s.

Planning to book several rooms? Some hotels give discounts to rooms reserved and paid for in bulk. This is often true in small boutique hotels, or in some little inn or bed and breakfast.

Do not settle with the rates you see on the hotel’s website and in their other booking outlets. Always ask for a better deal. At least try.

Pursue the tours you really like

Thanks to the Internet and Google it is quite easy today to find something to do in any city in the Philippines. Travel blog abound (like this one) and your friends on Facebook often have experiences in places you want to visit. Reading and asking around is not that hard.

Plan ahead, be informed, be intentional with your trip, and get into the local lifestyle.

But what do you really want to do? That is the question you must have an answer for especially if you are travelling on a budget. Pursue the tours that have immense personal value to you.

In Legazpi City the Mayon ATV tour is a huge hit. You do not only get to see Mayon up close but drive through its lava path up to the very foot of the majestic volcano.

You can also try the vanishing island tour in Malilipot Albay. If you love the beach then this tour should be in your thing-to-do list while in Albay.

So don’t be a “pulubi” after travelling to beautiful cities around the country. Plan ahead, be informed, be intentional with your trip, and get into the local lifestyle. Who said you have to be in debt to enjoy the perks of travel?