Careful on the dates you pick the flight:

Yes, because India is a vast country and they have a lot of festivals going on all through the year. Booking tickets during Dussehra, Diwali would be more expensive than ever. And also pick weekdays over weekends, it definitely  makes a certain amount of difference.

Be flexible:

It’s essential to be flexible with your dates in order to save money. Sometimes being flexible maybe just a day or two but sometimes it might be weeks together.

Compare pricing:

There are so many websites that you might not pick the right one and end up paying more than you intend to. So before taking the final decision, make use of those websites and gather more information, compare prices, check it’s authenticity and rating in websites like TripAdvisor and also get suggestions.

Prefer taking early morning flight deals:

The morning flight deals come in a bit cheaper than the regular prices. It is during the early morning when  you’ll see most of these deals available. Also try your luck on Tuesday midnight as the fare changes on Wednesday, the airline releases the tickets kept on hold and not booked yet so you might get a better deal.

Bargain:

I don’t mean to be stereotypical, but Indians are known for bargaining so what’s the big deal if you come to India and practice the same. We all know that the sellers always try to keep a higher margin for the tourists so learn some bargaining skills and take home the things you like at the best price.

Get a local sim:

You don’t want to drain out all your money in the roaming charges so the smartest thing to do would be getting a sim card. You can take some help from your tour guide and get it arranged.

Travel off-season:

Goa is four times more expensive during December because of the carnival, EDM, New Year and Christmas celebration. So you may plan a trip to Goa in any months other than December end and January beginning for the following reasons.

• Lesser crowd
• Less chaos
• Cheaper than ever
• Cleaner environment

Try street food:

After coming to India, I suggest you not to waste your money by visiting high-profile restaurants as the real India thrives well in the street food. The variety is never ending and it is indeed a value for money.

Make some local friends:

It’s always helpful to have a friend in the place you are travelling to as they give you an insight about the location. If you don’t have one, you can make one. Most of the Indians welcome tourists wholeheartedly and would love you to indulge in their culture too. So make some new friends and learn more about the neighboring places, best places to see, easy route and so on.

Hitchhike:

Most of the people get scared to hitchhike as it is scary to trust someone in a completely new environment. So all I can say is, you need to follow your instincts.If you feel it the right thing to do then go ahead, ask for a lift and save money on travelling. This can be done in the remote areas as well, where there aren’t much of local transport. It is indeed an experience to take home.

Street shopping:

Going to an antique shop or a boutique or a curio shop, you might end up paying a higher price for the same thing which is available in the streets in a much cheaper fare. Streets have both cheap as well as some good quality things so you might want to go to a couple of shops before you go ahead and buy something. And also the prices might be different from one shop to another.

Use public transport:

Booking a cab, you can certainly have the privacy and the routine you want to abide by, but you will be missing out on interacting with the local people while taking a local transport. You will also have a rough idea about the route as it stops on every possible stop. It might be a bit slow paced but is surely way cheaper than booking a taxi.

Stay away from the main location:

Now regarding the stay, how important is it for you to be in the heart of the town?If not so much then you can stay a little bit away from the main attraction and save a little money. The major attraction spot always houses hotels and resorts which are very highly priced so avoid that to save some money.

Hostel over hotel:

This is, especially when you’re travelling alone or with your friends. Prefer staying in a hostel with a decent stay as it will be convenient and cheap.

If you have any further questions or suggestions, please leave a comment below.