Travel to China on a Budget: 3 Online Tools for the Savvy Traveler
You don’t have to bankrupt yourself to travel to China. If this country has been on your to-do list, you should go. But you need to be very smart about how you spend your money.
One way to reduce your travel-related expenses is by using free or affordable apps to organize yourself. You can also use apps to communicate and transfer money.
Here are three apps for the savvy budget-conscious traveler:
1. Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud storage site. You can use it to access your files from multiple devices like phones, computers, and tablets, etc. It can also be useful for sharing files. So, you can use it to collaborate with your colleagues, relatives, and friends in case something still needs your attention as you travel.
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It also enables you to back up your files like videos and photographs. You can also back up important information that you may need to refer to in case of an emergency, natural disaster, or document expiry. If you come across information on Chinese universities you will like to apply to later, you can store it in Dropbox also.
The basic version of Dropbox is free. This version provides 2GB of storage. You can use it to save the digital documents that you may need to process your travel paperwork.
However, you need to remember that Dropbox cannot be used in China easily. You will need a VPN service like NordVPN. This will enable you to bypass the government firewalls that are used to prevent access to software services that the government does not approve of.
Be sure to only store legal information though. There is no need to borrow trouble.
2. TravelSpend
If you intend to travel to China on a budget, then money will be an issue for the entire time you will be traveling. For this reason, you need to keep track of what you have, what you spend, and how much money you have left after each stage of the journey. And that is where TravelSpend comes in.
TravelSpend is an expense tracking and budgeting app. It works for both solo and group travelers. You can use it to keep track of bills, stay aware of who is owed what, and generate geography-based expenses. The data will be synchronized in real-time across your different devices. And everyone who is part of your travel group can access the up-to-date information.
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It’s worth noting that TravelSpend will add up your expenses using any currency before converting the numbers to your home currency. The app also works online, which will enable you to still keep track of your travel expenses even when the internet connection is a problem.
With this app, you don’t need to worry about whether you can access the app or not while in China.
3. Skiplagged
What you know can save you a lot of money when you are creating your Chinese travel itinerary. And Skiplagged is one of the best sites for that.
This online-based flight search engine is great at finding hidden city fares. Here’s how it works: assume there is a cheaper flight traveling from A to C that has a layover at B. Instead of traveling all the way to C, you will stay at your final destination at B. And the cost will be much lower. You can also find that cheaper standard flight routes using this platform.
Skiplagged works for international travels too. And that means you can use it to find much cheaper flights when traveling to and across China.
Now that you are aware of the online and offline apps that you can use to make your Chinese budget travel plans much smoother, it’s time to get started. Your first order of business is to get a tourist visa to China. And we can help you get started.
Click here to find out how we can do just that for you.
