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We’re all starting to think about vacations again and where we might next go. What does 2021 have in store for you? And can you afford it? I love to travel and to make the most of my trips, but things can add up pretty quickly. Buying flights isn’t always cheap and accommodation certainly isn’t. And that’s all before you even get wherever you’re off to. So stick with me while I round up a few of the ways I save money when I’m traveling. My top ways to travel on a budget, no matter where you’re going.
Use a great price comparison site for flights
There are so many companies offering flights now that there’s usually something on sale. You don’t have to wait long for a seat sale with whatever your preferred airline is. But a great way to find the best deals is to use a comparison site that will actively search for cheapest flights for you. I often use Skyscanner or CheapOair, both of which have a good selection of deals. Another trick for a cheap vacation is to start a search with your departure point and leave the TO spot empty.
This works great on Skyscanner and will just show you all flights from your chosen departure airport which you can then sort by cheapest. A great way if you’re not as fussy about where you want to go. You can also select an entire month to travel rather than a particular day so you find the cheapest flights.
Carry on only
Luggage is becoming one of the biggest expenses on airplanes. The easiest way to travel on a budget is to go for the cheapest flight fares. Which are usually the ones with hand luggage only. But can you really travel with only a small carry on? Many people do. I haven’t been one of them in the past, but with the introduction of some of the most amazing packing cubes and luggage compressing devices this might actually get easier now. Invest in one like I did, and you could travel light on your next trip.
If you must take luggage, purchase in advance to save on fees at the airport. Sometimes the luggage costs more than double if you end up with more luggage to check in at the airport than when you booked your ticket, or even when you checked in online.
Stay at a hostel or self catering
Looking to cut some costs? Maybe skip the fancy hotel. I mean, we all like a luxury stay of course, but if you truly want to travel on a budget consider some alternatives. You could book a hostel stay, a room in a dorm, and meet lots of other travelers. This is a great option whether you’re traveling solo or with a friend. Traveling with a partner? You can get private rooms at most hostels. Check out Booking.com for some great options.
Another option is an apartment or self catering facility if you will be somewhere for more than a couple nights. Airbnb is a great option. It will feel more like a home than a hotel room and you’ll likely have the ability to cook your own food (even if just a microwave). Which means you can save money with food preparation.
One thing I’ve done on the last couple of trips is travel with a friend and share hotel costs. I went to Boston for a conference and my friend came out to stay and do her own vacation for a few days. We shared the hotel cost but each had our own things to do. It worked so well we’re doing the same thing next year.
Plan some activities in advance
Buying online in advance can save a few dollars. Every little helps right? More and more attractions are now offering a small discount if you book tickets before you get there. It helps them gauge numbers for the day, and you get the savings. It also means you don’t have to wait in line for a ticket, so you’re saving your self time too! I usually check out I managed to get my Universal Studios tickets in advance this way.
Remember those gift cards
Not your typical travel on a budget idea, but hear me out. I get Starbucks gift cards at work or for Christmas even though I don’t drink coffee. But I always keep them with me when traveling as I can use them for food at the airport instead of paying with my own money for what is usually overpriced airport food. Remember those gift cards, keep them handy for airports. Most of the coffee shops like Starbucks offer light meals, sandwiches, salads or snacks you can buy for a meal instead of a pricey in-flight dining option.
Use public transport
Ditch the taxis and make the most of public transport while you’re traveling. First of all you’ll feel more like a local. But better than that – it’s way cheaper. My number one tip for saving money is planning ahead and working out which bus or even train will get you from the airport to your hotel upon arrival. After you’ve taken it one way you’ll find it easier for the return. If you’re traveling to a city with really good (and cheap) transit, then rely on those bus rides that will cost you only a couple of dollars, rather than the taxi that will cost you the best part of $50 each time with tax and tip. Not comfortable with public transit? Try an in between option, like a shuttle service.
Find alternative travel methods for shorter distances
Does your trip include a number of stops? Look at alternate ways to get from one place to another without flying. I recently visited Eastern Europe and of course I could have taken a 1 hour flight from Latvia to Estonia. But when you factor in the time taken to get to/from the airport, the fact you have to be there a couple hours before, and the added environmental impacts, taking the bus for 3.5 hours was a great alternative. And it only cost me 20 EUR. Same thing when I went from Tallinn to Helsinki. Flights are cheap, but I took a ferry ride from one city to the other and paid 25 EUR and was there in only 2 hours. Plus it was way more fun than a cramped plane. Look for alternate modes of transport for your next trip.
Visit local supermarkets
The main benefit: cheap lunches or breakfasts when purchasing food from the bakeries and deli counters. Plus you get to explore foreign supermarkets which is one of my favorite travel activities. It’s usually one of the first things I do when I visit a new country. And it’s the last thing I do before I leave (always have plenty of space in my bags for fun foreign snacks!). You can often get some delicious baked goods for a dollar or two which are a great breakfast or snack for the daytime. Then a lot of supermarkets have sandwiches, pastries or salads you can get for lunch. Much cheaper than a restaurant, and you can find a nice park to go sit in. That way your only big expense for the day will be dinner.
Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech
Hotels with breakfast included
Many hotels, especially the big brands, have at least a continental breakfast included. Sometimes more. If having a breakfast included is important to you check out Hampton Inn or the Holiday Inn Express hotel chains. Both usually have a breakfast bar which will save you some money earlier in the day. In Europe I manage to find a lot of hotels with breakfast included, and same on my recent trip to Vietnam where our hotel in Hanoi had a fabulous buffet breakfast. It saved so much money.
Leave some days free to walk around
You don’t need to book expensive activities every day. If ever there was a way to travel on a budget, it’s to try some free activities instead like these ones in Vancouver. Or simply leave yourself time free in your schedule to walk around wherever you are. Go for a hike, find some local street art, enjoy the park or see which museums might be free. Most cities have special days where museums or galleries offer free or reduced tickets. In Vancouver the Art Gallery has by donation Tuesday instead of full cost. In Paris a lot of the big museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. Plan your schedule around some of these money saving activities. If you’re visiting Canada, check out my free self-guided street art walking tour here.
Happy hour is your friend
If you’ve followed my advice so far and had your free breakfast and a cheap lunch then you might find yourself ready for dinner a little earlier in the day. What a perfect time to take advantage of Happy Hour. Most places now have a happy hour menu which involves lighter meals or appetizers or reduced pricing on some of the more popular menu items. In Vancouver most restaurants and bars have happy hour from 3-6pm.
Look into this when you travel and save. We did this in Hawaii, a place known for being more expensive. We planned earlier dinners and saved by eating the same yummy food at a reduced cost. Plus we often got to try out more things on the menu due to the cheaper pricing.
Keep away from the main tourist area
You’ve spent all morning at the museums and the main tourist attractions, and lunch rolls around. You start checking out menus at the places you walk by, but they are a little expensive. Of course they are. They are waiting for lazy tourists who don’t want to walk too far for food. But that’s not you is it? Nope, you’re going to walk just a street or two either side of the main sites and all of sudden you’re saving money. Take the side streets, find a hidden gem or two and enjoy some delicious local food instead of the same generic dishes that are at all the restaurants on the main drag. Also it will likely be less busy so much more comfortable to walk around at your own pace instead of being swept along with the crowd.
Use cash
It wouldn’t be a travel on a budget post without talking about credit cards and why they’re not good for you while traveling. It’s easy to hand over a card, but it’s easier to budget with cash in local currency. No credit card fees or international transaction fees/conversion rates. Plus it’s too convenient to spend fake money that you’ll end up paying for when you get home if you use your card. Sometimes cards are necessary but if you can work out in advance what you might need your card for, you can budget before you even leave for your trip.
Stop buying cheap souvenirs
You might think buying cheaper souvenirs is a way to travel on a budget. But while they may seem like a good deal, the cost adds up. No-one needs another key chain or shot glass, buy some local treats instead like sweets from the supermarket or like in Vietnam I bought my friends coffee. It’s a lot more personal a gift, less waste, and will save you some money. Believe me the tacky souvenirs will be loved for a minute and thrown in a drawer for the rest of eternity. Take it from someone who recently moved and came across a million little Eiffel Tower keychains I bought in Paris way back when.
Pet sitters
Get someone to stay at your house rather than sending your pets somewhere. Your pets will be more comfortable and your house will be safer than if empty. In the past we have found friends of friends who perhaps still lived at home or in a shared house. For them it was a benefit to have a place to themselves for a week or two and we’d give a little bit of money to them for watching the animals. Way cheaper than housing the animals at a boarding kennel for a week. Another option if you travel often is something like Trusted House Sitters.
Travel more when you travel on a budget
When you save on some of the pricier necessities of travel, that gives you more money to do the things you want to do. The fun activities. It also gives you more money to travel with so you can plan for more trips. These things might not all seem like much, but once you start adding all these savings together they’ll go further than you think.
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