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Email to a FriendScrimping & Saving
When it comes to saving those pennies, the choices you make about where you stay and where you eat can make a big difference when stretching your budget that bit further. It's a rookie mistake to think that just because you don't have much cash at your disposal for eating and sleeping you'll have to sacrifice delicious food and comfort; finding that hidden gem of a £5 en-suite room or a 4-course meal for £1.50 is all part of the excitement that comes with living on a shoestring.
Food
You don't have to go to the world's best restaurants to sample the world's best cuisine. If you seek out the local market not only will you get to experience town life in its truest form but also will get the freshest (and cheapest) food around. Most hostels will have kitchens you can use so cooking for yourself will save you money and save you deciding where you want to eat! Joining forces with other guests could save you even more money and gain you some friends at the same time… if you're a good cook that is.
Ask at the hostel where you can get good, cheap food; people who live there will always have their favourite places to eat and it could soon become your favourite too!
Accommodation
Very few backpackers are going to be able to afford to stay at high-end hotels- but why would you want to when there are so many great places you could stay for a fraction of the price? Hostel dormitories are always going to be your cheapest option and are also a great way to meet new travelling companions. Most people would rather sacrifice the comfort of a soft bed for a few nights if it meant they could (safely) jump off a mountain and paraglide. It's all about prioritising what you want to do.
If you want an adventure holiday, scaling every mountain in the Himalayas, you are going to need to save more than if you want a more sedate break, touring the coastal resorts of Central America.
Get some perspective, money you save at home will go so much further abroad. That £6 entrance fee to a club could get you a weeks stay in a beach bungalow in Thailand and that £50 pair of jeans you couldn't do without just cost you the chance to bungee jump in New Zealand. Worth thinking about when you are splashing the cash when you know you should be saving.