by Lamar | September 8th, 2010
Whether you are traveling as a tourist or doing research on expatriate living, you can save money in your travels by following the lead of the locals. Like the saying — “mother knows best” — the natives know best when it comes to saving money. The standard of living and local income levels require a more astute approach to their spending than does that of the tourist. You can save a lot of money in several spending areas by following the lead of the locals.
In your own country, how many times have you passed a local restaurant while traveling, saw tons of cars and trucks in the parking lot, and immediately assumed that it must be both a good and inexpensive place to eat. I have, and with few exceptions I was not disappointed. The same logic goes for traveling abroad.
There are several areas in which you can make significant savings by following the lead of the locals. The two where most people could save considerable money are: (1) hotels/hostels; and (2) restaurants.
Hotels/Hostels. The best way to get an economical hotel is to stay away from the major chains and tourist hotels. The last two times I was in Panama I stayed in a hotel across the street from a major tourist hotel and paid less than $70.00 per night. The major tourist hotel had prices on its rooms ranging from$150 – $200 per night. I had a nice room, computer access with high speed internet, a continental breakfast, and a very friendly staff. The major tourist hotel in addition had a pool, a night club show (which I could have participated in by walking across the street), and bar. I am sure that I slept as well as they did but by saving a minimum of $80.00 per night, I probably slept a lot sounder. How did I find the hotel? It was very simple. Prior to my trip I asked a business contact in Panama where I could find a reasonable hotel in the area. As a local businessman, this individual pointed me toward a hotel room that he usually recommended for some of his clients when they were in town.
Restaurants. Even in the tourist areas there are always restaurants that cater to the local population and serve the typical foods of the area. In the same location where I stayed in Panama; by asking a local and walking a few short blocks away, I was able to get a good local meal for considerably less than at the restaurants serving the hotel and even the local fast food restaurants. Always ask. Someone can direct you to these less expensive and culturally more representative restaurants. If you are just dying to have a good old American burger from McDonalds or Burger King, you can usually find those also but don’t expect them to be as inexpensive as the local restaurants.
If money is no object, then splurge at the high end restaurants and stay at the five star hotels. But if you are a traveler who wants to stretch his resources and get more bang for the buck, then always check out the local hotels and eating establishments. In these cases, going “native” is not a negative.
