We recently went on a 9-day trip to Bohol and, as promised, we made note of some frugal finds we encountered.  Here are some of them:

Nuts Huts.  This place is IT.  Located at the heart of Loboc, Bohol, it rests beside the Loboc River and high up in the mountains.  Our room cost us P500/night. The original price is P600/night, but there’s a P100 discount if you stay for more than one night.

Since Loboc is closer to Corella (where the tarsiers are), Bilar (Butterfly Conservation Center and Man Made Forest) and Carmen (Chocolate Hills), compared to Tagbilaran or Panglao, it makes more sense to stay here when visiting those places.

You can also organize tours and transportation with the Nuts Huts office.  The Magnificent Cave Hike costs P200/person, including guide fees.  They also rent mountain bikes.  The staff is friendly and approachable, so if you need to organize specific tours, they’re always ready to help.

The Nuts Huts restaurant also features affordable dishes.  The vegetarian spaghetti was only P120, and it was enough for the both of us.  The fruits and vegetables they serve are always fresh, since they come from the garden.

To get to the place, you need to either ride a boat (P150/head) or hike a bit.  We were also able to access the internet because of our Smart 3G Modem, but we ended up with only a slow GPRS connection. Still, it was enough for the occassional work we had to do.

If you prefer to stay in an urbanized area, however, Nuts Huts might not be the place for you.   But for nature lovers, this is the perfect place to stay.  We have no second thoughts about returning here.

Contact information: 0920-846-1559, walterken@hotmail.com, or visit NutsHuts.com

Villa Del Sol.  When we transferred to Tagbilaran, this was where we stayed.  The most basic room for 2 costs P950/night, which includes a free breakfast and airport/seaport transfers.  Even if we came from Loboc, the owner agreed to pick us up from the Loboc town center for free!  Other amenities include the following:

• Free Wi-fi
• Cable TV
• Hot and cold showers

Villa Del Sol is located at the Mansasa Seaside, so it’s very scenic and you can go out for a swim.  While this seaside is not like the white beaches of Panglao, it’s still picturesque, and here’s the evidence:

Contact information: 0917-825-9251, www.villadelsolbohol.com.  You can call their Manila office at (02) 563-6861.

Myrna’s Eatery.  When you get down from the pier, you can either ride in one of the available vans/jeepneys waiting for tourists, or you could walk away and head for Myrna’s Eatery, which is a small canteen visible from the road to the pier.You won’t miss it as they open early and have a big sign.

We had breakfast here, which consisted of two omelettes, two big cups of rice, one big bowl of soup, and water.  You know how much it cost?  P32.00.  Total.  A breakfast for two!  You can’t beat that price anywhere.

The staff is also friendly, and they gave us directions on how we can find public transportation to get us to Loboc.

Dried Mangoes.  Actually, these items were bought in Cebu. I thought I’d mention them here because we did a very short side trip to Cebu on our way back to Manila.  Here’s the funny thing: dried mango bits are much cheaper than dried mango chips, even if they weigh the same.  You’re just getting the same amount of mango in both packs.  The only difference is the shape and size of the pieces.  The dried mango bits are smaller, while the chips are bigger.  For the brand we bought, the dried mango bits (80 grams) cost P17.00, while the chips of the same weight cost P30.00.

We had such a great time on our Bohol trip that we know we’re going to come back.  It was because of these frugal finds that we didn’t go overbudget, and they will also be part of the reason why we will return.

Have you ever visited Bohol?  Where did you stay?  Do you have your own frugal finds to share?

Last week, my partner and I went to Cebu and Bohol on our vacation.  Since the ferry trips took 24 hours or more, we wanted to make sure that our accommodations were comfortable.

The Manila-bound tickets we initially bought were for cabin accommodations. This was okay, since the 2 of us were the only ones in the cabin, so we had our privacy.  Cabins can accommodate 4 to 8 people, depending on the vessel, and each cabin has its own TV and bathroom. But when we were going back to Manila from Cebu, our cabin had 5 other people in it, so we had to upgrade accommodations to have our privacy.

For the SuperFerry 1 vessel bound for Manila, getting the stateroom accommodations in the SuperFerry offices meant paying  P3,962.99 for two people (net fare including taxes and fees, and without meals).  However, by getting the upgrade on the ship itself,we were able to save P1,843.19!

How did this happen?  When we approached the vessel’s front desk, the person in charge told us that we only had to add P700 to our original fare (which was P1,419.80).  That’s only P350 each!  This would make our new fare P2,119.80, which is much cheaper than the P3,962.99 that we would’ve paid if we purchased stateroom tickets in the first place.

This was a real bargain because stateroom accommodations have a much bigger bathroom, a bed for two (rather than one small bed each), and a private viewing deck.  Also, your TV gets a wider range of channels (the TVs in other accommodations can only view GMA and ABS-CBN).  You also have a desk, chairs, and a nightstand.  You can also request hot and cold drinking water to be brought to your room.

The only downside to doing this is that if all the staterooms are full, then you can’t get an upgrade.  Also, you’ll have to reserve your upgrade as soon as you get on the vessel, or others who want to request an upgrade might get ahead.  But if you travel during off-season or the shoulder season, there’s a good  chance that there will be empty staterooms and fewer passengers to compete against.

I also don’t know if you can have the same amount of savings in other vessels, but I think that it’s likely.  After all, you’re already on the ship, and if there are vacant staterooms, at least SuperFerry can still earn from them because of your upgrade.

Have you experienced this yourself?  What do you do to make ferry accommodations more affordable? Please share any tips or comments with us

Note: Prices are accurate at the time of writing.

Staycation is the new buzzword, probably because of the rising cost of gas.  Generally, it means staying in your own home or in your own hometown during a vacation instead of going far away.  What can you do during a staycation?

Take a photo walk.  If you’re into photography, you’d be surprised how many photo opportunities there are in your neighborhood.  For example, here are some thumbnails of photos taken by my partner in our subdivision:

Just go around armed with a camera and explore the area and look at it with a fresh perspective.  You can easily turn the regular, mundane things you see into something extraordinary.

Eat someplace new.  Whether it’s a new turo-turo place in your area or a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop, there’s probably some place in your hometown where you haven’t eaten yet.  I have yet to explore all the restaurants and eateries in Marikina. Doing this instead of an out of town vacation will prove to be interesting and it will introduce you to new nearby favorites.

Make a great home-cooked meal.  Nothing beats a delicious gourmet meal you make yourself.  If you have some free time and you want to learn to cook new dishes, use your staycation as an opportunity to do this.

My favorite site for recipes is AllRecipes, especially since users are allowed to rate or comment on the recipes.  Here are some great, simple dishes you can try:

• Scott Ure’s Clams and Garlic
• Hot n’ Spicy Spareribs
  
• Marinated Grilled Shrimp
• Lemon Garlic Tilapia
• Spinach Tomato Linguine

You can also go to  SuperCook to find recipes for ingredients that you already have at home.

Visit the local parks, museums, and galleries.  Most cities in the Philippines have museums, art galleries, and parks.  To enjoy them, we just need to know where they are and what they have to offer.

If you want more ideas on what to do during your staycation, I recommend taking a look at these other articles:

• 5 Tips for a green staycation
•  List of staycation suggestions
• 7 Tips for a fantastic and frugal staycation

Ever notice how your money doesn’t go as far anymore when it comes to gas for your car?  The rising cost of petroleum is all over the news lately, and it’s not a surprise that many people want to know how to spend less on gas.

In a previous post, I recommended walking or biking to a location.  But there’s more you can do to save your gas money.  Here are some additional gas-saving tips:

Go slower. By going slower, you reduce the gas needed by your car to go from one destination to another.  With all the traffic jams in Metro Manila, this won’t be hard to accomplish.

Take public transportation.  If you’re going to an area that’s easily reachable by commuting, and it’s a beautiful day outside and you’re not planning on buying large bags of groceries or something like that, why not take public transportation?

Telecommute or move closer to your office.  If you can get a telecommuting agreement with your employer, that will cut down a lot of expenses – not just gas.  You don’t have to buy your lunch outside or dress in office clothes all the time.  However, not all employers look at telecommuting in a positive light (even if it saves them money as well).  If that’s your case, you can opt to move to an apartment nearer your office.

Don’t become picky when it comes to parking spaces. Park in the first space you find, unless you have compelling reasons not to do it (your car won’t fit, for example).

Find out where cheaper gas is sold.  Gas prices aren’t constant all over the Philippines, you can save some money by finding a station that sells gas at a more affordable price.  The next time you go around the city, be aware of the prices that gas stations are advertising and make a mental note of which ones are cheaper and within your usual route. AngGAStos is a website that aims to record how much gas costs in different areas in the Philippines.  You can look at it as a reference (and don’t forget to share your own information as well).

Make your car weigh as light as possible.  The less your car weighs, the less gas it requires to run at a certain speed.  Inspect your trunk, back seat, glove compartment, and other nooks and crannies of  your car and remove all the unnecessary things.

Get a map or plan before you go to a new place. When visiting a new area or going to a building/resto/house you’ve never been to before, it’s best to check out a map first so you’ll know how to get there and you won’t spend hours circling the place, getting lost, and consuming gas unnecessarily while you’re at it.

Don’t park in hot areas. My friend Nikki reminded me to keep my scooter parked in the shade because gas can easily evaporate if I park it under direct sunlight.

Get a tune up. If your car isn’t in great shape, it usually uses up more gas. Make sure all your car’s parts are working at optimum performance.

Check your tire pressure. This tip, I got from a reader over at Inquirer’s MoneySmarts blog. Apparently, you can get more gas mileage if your tires are properly inflated.

Read additional resources from other websites. If you want to read up on more gas-saving tips, check out these articles:

• How to save money on gas – 29 tips
• Sneaky gas saving tips

What do you do to save money on gas?  How much does gas in your area cost?

There’s a misconception that you need to be very wealthy to travel. But I don’t think that traveling is as expensive as most people make it out to be. I’ve collected some general tips for people who want to travel without breaking the bank.

Some of these tips can be applied generally, although they’re intended to be applied for local Philippine travel.

Have a travel fund. It’s not that difficult to acquire funds to travel. You can simply set aside P500 to P1,000 per month for your travel fund, and you’ll be able to afford to visit a different province or city every year. But it all depends on your destination, of course. The farther your destination is from your home, the more money you’ll need to save.

Travel with a group. Traveling with a group of 4-6 people can be more cost effective per head compared to traveling alone or as a pair. This is because you can share several costs such as transportation, food, and accommodations. I went to Baguio with some friends in October 2006, and we stayed there for 2 days.  I think I roughly spent P1500, but it could’ve been less.

The slower way is usually cheaper. If you can, get to your destination via bus or ferry rather than flying in. This tends to be cheaper, and also a good idea if you’re not in a hurry to get to where you’re going. This is a great choice if the slower route is scenic, or if you can stop by some interesting places along the way.

Also, keep an eye out for promos. Many airlines have promo seats that are cheaper than their usual rates.

Travel during the shoulder season. A destination’s shoulder season is the time of the year between its peak season and off season. Peak season tends to be crowded and prices for lodging, food, and rooms tend to be higher (think Boracay during the summer). Off season isn’t advisable because this usually means typhoon season or something equally unpleasant. So find out a place’s shoulder season when planning your trip.

Weigh your accommodation options carefully. First, you need to think about what matters the most to you. For me it’s Wi-fi, electrical outlets, a decent bathroom (with running hot water if the place is cold), and air conditioning. Extras are cable TV, free airport/seaport transfers, and a good view. If you know what you’re looking for, it’ll make the search easier.

Also, forget about 4 or 5 star hotels. Apart from the fact that they’re ridiculously expensive, I think they’re just plain… ridiculous. I don’t see the point of going to a new place, only to distance yourself from its culture and atmosphere at the end of the day. A hotel is a hotel is a hotel – they tend to be the same regardless of where they are located. Inns, pension houses, motels, resorts, and apartelles are generally more affordable, and each have their own character.

Cook your own food. Some accommodations have a kitchen area or a microwave and/or ref. If you’re going to stay for more than 2 days in your destination, it can serve you well to prepare your own food. You can go to the nearest grocery or palengke and buy your ingredients there. I’m seriously thinking about investing in a portable single electric burner (less than P800.00 in Makro) since I plan to do some long traveling within the next 2 years and it’ll cut down my food expenses.

Also, if you don’t want the trouble of cooking, you can simply purchase fresh vegetables for a salad (and even a P30 packet of dressing) or fruits for dessert and breakfast. When my partner and I stayed in Tagaytay, we bought a bag of pandesal and some sandwich spread. This served as our very cheap breakfast during our 3-day stay.

I don’t always remember this, but it’s good to pack a water bottle. You don’t have to pay for the overpriced C2, mineral water, and softdrinks on convenient stalls. (Alternatively, you can get these drinks cheaper at groceries, forget 7-11, the guy selling drinks on the bus, and MiniStop.)

Walk around or commute. If you didn’t bring a car with you, it’s much more affordable to walk or commute to get around instead of taking a cab or renting a car. Plus, it’s a good way to become really immersed in your surroundings. You’ll get to know your destination more intimately this way, as opposed to speeding past the streets.

Research! You can find out a lot of things about your destination from the internet. From affordable places to eat to the best value accommodations, as well as what to do during your stay. Some of my favorite resources are Virtual Tourist and Trip Advisor. Even if you simply type the name of your destination into Google, you’re bound to come up with a lot of information you can use when planning your trip.

Overestimate expenses. I prefer to overestimate my traveling expenses by 30% – you never know what else you might need to spend on when you get there.

There’s probably a lot more I can say on the subject, but there’s always next time. For now, I’ll leave you with a list of other frugal travel tips you can read:

• 5 Star Living at Half the Cost – MoneySmarts
• How to Travel the World with 10 Pounds or Less (Plus: How to Negotiate Luxury Treehouses and Convertibles) from Tim Ferriss. Although this is generally a “how to travel light” article, he also discusses how he got a luxury treehouse for free in exchange of working for the resort.
• 8 Frugal Travel Tips You Don’t Want to Leave Home Without

Do you have any frugal travel tips? What’s the most/least expensive trip you ever had?