Going to the World Cup? 5 ways to save
Soccer fans wanting to go to the World Cup, which kicks off June 12, just got a bit of good news. FIFA, soccer's governing body, just put an additional 180,000 tickets up for sale at FIFA.com. Be wary of buying tickets elsewhere, officials add. Scalpers are charging exorbitant rates for fake and cancelled tickets.
And, scalping aside, traveling to and through Brazil can be a budget-buster. Flights alone are likely to cost upwards of $1,500, while a weekend at a luxury hotel can set you back even more. Want to save some coin on your Brazilian vacation? Here are 5 ways:
Lodging
Luxury hotels in the top World Cup destinations are likely to book up early and cost a fortune. Indeed, if you wanted to stay in Manaus for the England/Italy game, Priceline is listing just three open hotels, and one of them is advertising rates at $2,000 a night. But cities hosting less popular games have plenty of rooms and far less costly options, so it pays to shop around. Be careful about putting too much weight into online hotel ratings, however. Many hotels have precious few reviews and some of those are suspiciously positive. Be sure to check out hotel photos so you know what you're in for, no matter what the rating says.
But also know that "the entire country is likely to be letting out their own homes, apartments, garages, cubbies, crawlspaces and outhouses to foreigners," says Kathleen Peddicord, founder of Live and Invest Overseas. If you're an intrepid traveler, some of these options can prove inexpensive and fun, giving you the ability to live like (and with) the locals. A good local host can also help you find the best night life, guide you away from unsafe parts of the city, and tell you where to find the best and least-expensive restaurants. The best way to find that sort of opportunity is word-of-mouth, she says. Ask waiters, hotel staff, bartenders and, of course, check out home-swapping websites, such as HomeExhange.com.
Food
If you stick to the tourist hotels, you'll pay a small fortune for food and drink, according to Travelex. You could wind up paying as much as $35 for a pizza. Tourist hotels will charge you $15 for the national cocktail, the Caipirinha, and about $11 for a beer. But, if you buy libations from a street vendor you'll pay between $2 and $3 for the same drinks.
Likewise, food at restaurants frequented by the locals is cheap. Food at the tourist hotels is over-the-top. "When choosing where to eat in any foreign place, follow the locals," says Peddicord. But, understand that you're likely to need cash. Small local eateries rarely take credit cards.
Tipping
Bars and restaurants typically include an optional 10 percent service fee on the bill to serve as gratuity. It's also polite to give hotel employees, who help you with your bags or provide other services, a real or two. But it's not necessary or customary to tip taxi drivers.
Exchange rates
The best exchange rates are offered through ATMs at local banks, but you've got to be careful about using them, Peddicord adds. Brazilian ATMs only operate during set hours and they're finicky.
It's wisest to use them when the bank is open, just in case you need to ask a teller to retrieve your card from the machine. Also know that these ATMs impose limits on how much money can be withdrawn in a day and the limits can seem small -- about $130. If you exceed the machine's limit, it's likely to say you've "exceeded your balance." Don't worry. Your bank account probably has plenty of money in it. You've just asked for more than the ATM will give you. Reduce the amount of the request and it's likely to go through, Peddicord says.
Credit cards
While your credit card is likely to be accepted at big hotels and tourist-oriented restaurants and attractions, they're not necessarily accepted everywhere else. If you're staying at a smaller hotel or going to a local restaurant, inquire in advance if you want to use plastic.
