Travel thoughts: What can 2000 Pesos Can Get You?

The cost of living in the Philippines is no longer cheap as the price of the goods and services shoot up as years go by.  The value of the basic commodities such as food, housing, clothing, and transportation are sky-rocketing each day and it’s beginning to take toll in every simple Juan.

            Back in the 1980’s, a hundred peso bill can get you a lot of stuff to buy. It can already provide decent meals to a family of 5 for the whole day.  One can watch a movie with his/her partner and still has spare cash to buy snacks for both.  100 pesos can take you to a lot of places by then.  Having a thousand however means more goods, more places to visit, and memories to cherish either alone, or with your family and loved ones.  On the other hand, having two thousand at-hands is already a fortune back then. Branded clothes and stuff are easily within reach with that budget.  It was more than enough to finance a get-away to a nearby tourist spot or destination.  Budget Travel isn’t somehow a necessity for almost everything back then is affordable and accessible to everyone.  

            Nonetheless, it was 3 decades ago.  A lot has changed by now. Nothing seems to fit the tight budget nowadays.  Your hundred peso bill is just enough to get an ordinary meal for yourself, much less a meal for a family of five! This amount can no longer take you to your favorite spot without throwing in some extra cash for the taxi ride’s cost is really ridiculous! But you can always take a public ride instead; this way you can also enjoy the sceneries.

            For a budget travel with only 2000 pesos on hand, this is just enough to give you a room for an overnight stay in a cheap but decent hotel.  If you are just resourceful and keen to look for hotels offering promos and packaging in your destination, then your 2000 can be stretched for another day or two. It all depends however where you want to go.  Don’t expect that your 2000 pesos can already take you to Palawan, or Cebu, much more Boracay! Instead, find a nearby tourist destination where you can take a relaxing vacation, not in the expense of your savings.  A road trip with couple of friends and visiting neighboring towns or places would be perfect if your budget is only 2000 pesos.      A trip to the beach with your family or friends is also a smart way to spend your 2000 pesos if you want to get away from the hustles and bustles of city life. Bringing home-cooked meals will save you some bucks instead of buying from the resorts.  Food costs in resorts tend to be unreasonable usually.

            If you are just prudent and wise enough on where to spend your 2000 pesos, then you can still have that get-away you really want.