Budget traveler interview: Marcus Sortijas

Marcus Sortijas at the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. Photo: Marcus Sortijas

Pop quiz, hotshot: what are the best travel tips you can share?  I’m more comfortable writing stories about other travelers. This time, I was on the other side.  Jessica Spiegel, a fellow vagablogger, put me in the hot seat in Budget Traveler Interview: Marcus Sortijas.

The piece was displayed on the website CheapTicketLinks, along with interviews of other vagabond luminaries such as Seth Kugel, who writes “The Frugal Traveler” column for The New York Times.  Nice to be positioned along such esteemed company.

You can see my top picks of the most affordable travel destinations, and the biggest way to save money in Japan.  As is human, I thought of some great tips after the interview was published.  Here are some of them:

–Go to airport websites to look up the cheapest route to get to the city center.  Usually there will be a page labeled “Transportation” or something similar that will break down all the ways to go into the city.  I once did this for the Hanoi airport in Vietnam, and found out about the minibuses that local people use.  They’re really shared vans, rather than “minibuses.” By taking a van instead of a taxi, I only spent US$3.  If I had been really cheap, I could have taken a public bus for US$0.30.  But I didn’t want to put up with all the stops.

–Read up on scams and common crimes in guidebooks before arrival.  In Beijing and Shanghai, sometimes “art students” approach tourists, claiming they want to practice their English.  Later, they try to divert their marks to art galleries or overpriced tea shops.  By doing some homework, you’ll not only protect your wallet, but also your pride.

–In certain countries where meters aren’t used, negotiate the fare before getting into a taxi.  Enough said.

I emphasized in the interview that going abroad on a budget forces you to be more resourceful and adaptable.  I’ve gone through Europe both on the backpacking circuit and on a package tour.  I can unequivocally say I learned more and had a lot more fun the first way.  Spending less was a pleasant bonus.

One challenging question was “What’s the most embarrassing thing you do to save money (travel or not)?  My answer involved “group buying” with other vagabonders at supermarkets, to take advantage of deals.

If you’re interested in reading more, you can visit my personal travel blog at Marcus Goes Global.  There’s a contact form if you want to send me a message.

What are some of your favorite or embarrassing ways of saving money?  Please share your stories in the comments.