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Welcome Frugalistas!

What exactly does frugal lifestyle mean?  I believe it’s being smart and savvy in your choices. Prioritize and take control of what’s important to you and you will come out ahead.

This blog and website offers frugal tips and money saving ideas to help you live a richer life. Save money on everyday living. Start living the "Frugal Lifestyle" today.

Spend Less  • Earn More • Live Better

5 Budget-Friendly Countries to Travel

9/5/2018

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​Has it been awhile since you last ventured abroad? You’re not alone. According to a recent study from Hostelworld Global Traveler Report, Americans are half as likely to travel abroad and visit multiple countries than Europeans. Not only that, 29% of US adults have never even been abroad! Travel expenses are certainly a contributing factor. Which is one reason why most Americans that do travel abroad tend to visit our neighboring countries, Canada and Mexico. But experiencing other cultures, foods, histories, and languages doesn’t have to break the bank.

In fact, there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the total cost of traveling in the first place. That is because the first thing people usually look into is the cost of airfare. This, in many cases, is by far the most expensive cost of the trip, depending on the length of your stay and the country you’re visiting. And seeing the huge initial cost of a roundtrip ticket can put a real damper on your travel plans.
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Sites like Skyscanner, Momondo, and Kiwi offer the best prices for flights. Kiwi also goes a step further by combining all airlines to create cheaper routes than booking with just 1 airline (they also feature their own guarantee that covers schedule changes, delays, and cancellations, so long as you inform them of the delay as soon as you’re aware of it). You’ll also save money by selecting a weekday to fly—Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically thought to be the cheapest days to travel, while Sundays are the most expensive. You should also aim to book a flight 1.5 - 2 months prior to your day of departure to get the best deal on airfare.
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After getting off the plane, prices can drop considerably. Especially in cheaper areas of the world—like Southeast Asia, Central America, or Northern Europe. Luxury items you’re used to spending a pretty penny on, like a pint that normally costs $6 - $8, can be purchased for just a buck or less. A bottle of fine wine can even be found for $4! You can save even further by having a mobile bank account that doesn’t charge for foreign transactions, and allows you to take your finances on the go! This can amount to huge savings if making big purchases or using your credit card frequently whilst abroad.
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Cost savings like these you’ll only become aware of by venturing abroad yourself, or by reading into it online before planning your travels. If your plan was the latter, here are some of the cheapest countries in the world to travel when you’re on a budget:
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Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Visit one of Europe’s most exciting locations. Sarajevo, the nation’s capital, is a historic blend of cultures where East meets West. There are parts of the city that’ll bring to mind Vienna, while others, Istanbul. You can find rooms in hostels for as little as $10 a night, restaurant meals between $5 - $10 (although street food is considerably cheaper--and delicious!), and beer for around a dollar! Bosnians, by nature, are famously hospitable, too. So it’s entirely possible you’ll make some quick friends and score some free meals along the way!
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Spain
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Spain may have lost its status as one of the cheapest destinations in Europe after adopting the euro as its official currency, however there are certainly ways to explore this beautiful country on a budget. Large cities, like Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville, may tend to charge higher prices than their rural counterparts; however, that also means there are ample choices for accommodation. HotelsCombined is a great site to find the best deals on hotels and hostels. Many of which come with perks, like free city tours and bar crawls. A menú del día, offered around lunch time, can be found in many restaurants across the country and features a full course meal (including a beverage) for about 10 euros. Many of Spain’s museums also offer free hours, like the Museo del Prado in Madrid, for example.
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​Laos
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Coming in as one of the cheapest countries on the list is Laos. Laos can be extremely affordable if you avoid western steakhouses and fancy French cuisine. Laotian street food features some of the most creative (and delicious) foods, including “ka nom kok” or coconut pancakes, “sai oua” or laotian sausage, and avocado shakes. Yum! If your budget says no, but your stomach says yes, you can make an entire meal out of food from the markets for less than $5.00 a day--or haggle to fetch food for even less. You can also find accommodations for as little as $3 a night, with breakfast included! For another affordable destination, check out Laos’ similarly-priced (and beautiful) neighbor, Thailand!
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​Belize
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Venture down to Central America, and explore Caribbean shorelines and exotic jungles (filled with Mayan ruins) in the tropical country of Belize. Save big on airfare by flying into Cancun, then catching the ADO bus to make your way over. Doing so will save you around 50% on airfare and allow you to see two countries during your trip. Traveling in the offseason (June to November) will also open the door up to some huge discounts on accommodations (as much as 50%)! Websites like Groupon also feature a number of all-inclusive travel deals. When it comes to eating, you can find food and produce in the markets for about $2.50--and hotels for as little as $11 a night.
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​Dominican Republic
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East of Belize is another affordable destination: the Dominican Republic. The DR is certainly a budget-friendly option if you don’t mind staying away from resortlife in Punta Cana--and since this is the most targeted vacation destination among tourists, you can find much more affordable accommodations in the nation’s capital, Santo Domingo. As an added bonus, spending your holiday amidst the local population will allow you to be more immersed in the nation’s culture and history- and isn’t that what traveling abroad is all about? You can avoid expensive cab fares by parking in areas central of must-see (and free) areas, like the Colonial Zone, Fortaleza Ozama, Parque Colón, and Catedral Primada de América; taking a cab only when walking isn’t a viable option. If your Spanish isn’t too rusty, you can utilize public transportation to get to Boca Chica beach or Juan Dolio beach. For accommodations, you can find a number of hostels located within the city (or even near Punta Cana) for around $10 a night, and enjoy meals at sit-down restaurants for under $10, or street vendors for just a few bucks!
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    What does living frugally mean to me? Well, it does NOT mean being cheap, quite the contrary, I believe it’s being smart in your choices, such as how you spend your money everyday. Prioritize and take control of what’s important to you. I always strive to spend less on almost everything.

    In this challenging economy, some of us have had to cut back on our expenses. Wouldn't it be nice to still have the things or services you want and need but not have to pay full price or even better, get them for free? 

    Choose value and quality over quantity or fads and you will come out ahead. The great benefit of being frugal is that it eliminates waste and clutter which in turn helps our environment.  By doing simple changes towards more “green” and frugal ways, together we can make an impact on our planet. 
        

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     Hi, my name is Marissa Winfrey and I have been living the frugal life ever since I can remember. I have always looked for great bargains and getting the best value for my money without compromising style and quality.

    My background is in visual display and interior decorating. It’s always been my objective to recommend cost effective solutions to my clients. I, of course, practice what I preach! I have furnished my own homes mostly with furnishings and decor items from my own little vintage boutique, estate sales, discount stores, flea markets, yard sales, thrift stores and even curbside discarded furniture!

    My frugal practice goes beyond the home. I offer money saving tips on just about everything, from shopping to travel and everything in between. I hope my blog and website will inspire everyone to be their own Frugalista.
        
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Read and learn about useful tips and tricks from experts on how to live "the frugal lifestyle" everyday!  Check out the books below, to see more of my top picks of frugal and financial savvy books, please visit The Frugal Book Store.
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Living The Savvy Life:
The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living
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It's Not About Being Cheap.  Living the Savvy Life isn't about being a cheapskate, a miser or a tightwad.  It's about having security and peace of mind by spending less than you make.  It's about knowing where you stand financially on a daily basis so you can make intelligent fiscal decisions. 

​It's about being penny-wise on the things that are less important to you so you can spend money on the things that are important to you. It's about choosing to purchase only the things that you love and make you happy.  
It's about finding, attaining and maintaining balance.  Are you ready to start Living the Savvy Life?

   
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​Thrifty: 
Living the Frugal Life with Style


Best-selling author Marjorie Harris offers a timely and entertaining guide to living the richly frugal life. From tips on how to haggle to becoming a frugal fashionista, maintaining your home on a budget, and thrifty gardening, travel, and entertainment, Harris provides essential guidelines to living a quality life on less. Written in her trademark witty, engaging, and accessible style, Thrifty is packed with simple and savvy tips drawn from Harris' own fulfilled, thrifty experience. Bonus tips come from renowned experts such as best-selling author Margaret Atwood, chef Jamie Kennedy, actor R. H. Thomson, travel writer Sylvia Fraser, and The Globe and Mail's style columnists.
  
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How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: 
Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor
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How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free offers inspirational advice on how to enjoy life to its fullest. The key to achieving an active and satisfying retirement involves a great deal more than having adequate financial resources; it also encompasses all other aspects of life -- interesting leisure activities, creative pursuits, physical well-being, mental well-being, and solid social support. 

What sets this retirement book apart from all the others is its holistic approach to the fears, hopes, and dreams that people have about retirement. This international bestseller (over 110,000 copies sold in its first edition) goes way beyond the numbers that is often the main focus of retirement planning in most retirement books.
   
To see more of my top picks of frugal and financial savvy books, please visit The Frugal Book Store.

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