Hong Kong bills itself as the center of 'east-meets-west'. It is governed by ethos of positive non-interference in public-private relationships and this has seen it grow into one of the richest regions in the world.

Hong Kong at one time or another has been under the reign of the Japanese, the British and today, under Chinese. It is one of the busiest business hubs in the world - easily rivalling Wall Street in New York.

As most a business students will tell you, where there is money, class follows and where there is class, you can expect to spend a small fortune. So what do you do if you are a traveller that is on a shoestring budget? Below are a few tips that can help you save cash while in Hong Kong.

Know the Budget Eateries

If you are on a tight budget, you are not alone. A lot of Hong Kong business people are too. You will notice that at every corner there is a snack-hole that has people lining up to take their light meals. Join them. There must be a reason why they have lined up while there is a restaurant next door. These eateries are locally known as dim sum and will serve you foods such as noodles, pork buns, egg tarts etc. Among the most famous dim sums include; Tim Ho Wan, Tai Cheong Bakery, ABC Kitchen and many more. With a budget of only HK$100, you can have food to your fill.

Substitute Night Clubs with Nature Walk

True, Hong Kong is a concrete jungle - but - about 60% of the city's land is preserved green. Among the popular trails include the Dragon’s Back Trail which leads all the way to Shek-O village where local beer lovers and bachelors spend their night before retiring to bed. Here you can have cheap noodle dishes as you listen to the locals chatting politics and business. Note that all the nature trails are free to use,

Visit Free Museums

All the museums in Hong Kong are free to visit. If you have a few hours, you can sample some of the best Chinese poetry and calligraphy at Hong Kong Museum of Art. If you are not into old stuff, then you can take a leisurely walk at the seaside promenade locally known as 'Avenue of the Stars'. Note that you are doing all this without spending a dime.

Stay at Chungking Mansions

So you got an early day tomorrow and want to retire early? Well, go downtown to the Chungking mansions and get a bed space. Oh...and before you retire, take a samosa or noodle dish at the ground floor. The rooms go for about HK$275.

Get Around Publicly

Hong Kong has some of the best well run public transport systems. From rail cars, buses, subway trains to ferries for crossing Kowloon, you will notice that the public transport system works like clockwork

Park Leftovers

Whenever you are in a restaurant and feel full after eating your meal halfway, ask the wait to pack it. If it goes to waste - it will be your loss.

Shop at the market

If you are staying in Hong Kong for long durations, cooking your own food might be cheaper. However, if you shop at ThreeSixty, you will quickly realize that this is not a city for the poor. Go to the market like the locals.

There are so many little things that you can do to sort out your money issues when in Hong Kong. You just need to think outside the box