By Josephine Agbonkhese

Last week, we showed you just how to bring to life your dream of a holiday notwithstanding your budget. Today, we will help you figure out ways to have a great time in your destination country or city while still meeting your strict budget guidelines, whether holidaying as friends, couples, family or alone.

Take advantage of free events
There will likely be plenty of free events and activities such as festivals or street entertainment happening around the city or place where you’re holidaying. Take advantage of them. Also find out about upcoming events for the public, such as movie nights, art festivals and community celebrations. Cost of entry is typically low or free– and the fun can last for hours.

Visit the beach
Visiting the beach is a low cost activity that’s a lot of fun. If you’re looking for something fun to do, it’s easy to spend a day on the beach and this doesn’t cost anything much.

Walk
There’ll be lots of bus tours available in cities, but walking is by far the cheapest way to get around and enjoy the sights. It doesn’t cost a thing, but you can see all the tourist spots, soak up the local atmosphere and enjoy the place where you’re staying.

Avoid taxis
Even if walking doesn’t work for you, you should avoid taxis. They are the most expensive way to get around while you’re on holiday. So, investigate public transport as a much cheaper alternative. You’ll still be able to get to all the places you want to see but at a fraction of the price.

Get a travel or metro pass
If you’re going to be using public transport a lot, you could buy a travel or metro pass. It’ll save you a lot of money and mean you’re free to travel where you want around the city or area where you’re staying.

Look for nearby nature scenery
Look for nearby nature scenery that requires no parking or access fee to enjoy. You can set up a picnic for yourself there, enjoy nature’s view, and much more. There are always plenty of things to enjoy there.

Visit museums, art centres
Another idea is to visit museums, conservatories, and art centres. You can conduct online searches for such places, as well as how best to locate them.

Negotiate prices
Do not be shy to negotiate prices; it’s the normal way to pay for goods and it’s expected that you’ll negotiate over prices. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying a lot more.

Talk to locals
The best way to make the most of your holiday is to talk to locals and find out the best places to go and where they recommend. They can give better information about local, free activities or walks that you could do that you might not be able to find out about from travel books.

Go out with food packs
Carry with you some packed food when going out for the day. Some all-inclusive hotels have provisions made for food packs already. You can make sandwiches before you leave for the day; it’s cheaper than buying food out. If you must eat out, avoid restaurants on the main streets of touristy area as they will be quite expensive. Walk a little away and you’ll find cheaper and even nicer spots.