Best Travel Hacks That Will Save You Money
Best Travel Hacks That Will Save You Money
Traveling can be both expensive and stressful. I have found a solution to those problems. Let’s discuss the best travel hacks that will save you money on your next trip.
As with most of my blog posts, this is inspired by me planning my own trip and the ways that I have personally saved money when planning my vacation. This advice may not be applicable to everyone as I have few obligations, I am childfree, and have flexible time off of work. If you have less room for flexibility my hope is that some of this advice will still be beneficial to you.
Be Flexible:
The first most important advice I can give you for saving money on trip planning is to be flexible. This may be more difficult if you have children who are in school since their time off is usually dependent on scheduled breaks during the year. However, if you can be flexible that will save you the most amount of money.
Most of the expensive flights are, you guessed it, during peak travel season. That could be around the holidays or for any special event happening that will draw a crowd. If you are flexible enough to travel outside of the peak seasons, possibly during fall when school starts back or winter when fewer people want to travel, that will save you money.
Also, being flexible on your destination can save you money. As an example, I planned a vacation to Europe and I planned to visit London, Paris, and Amsterdam during my trip. I planned to fly into London and depart from London since a round-trip ticket was cheaper. However, I found a flight that was $200 cheaper by flying into Paris instead. So, since I was going to that location anyway it worked out.
The airline you take can also impact your flight prices. Some airlines have hefty fees and surcharges which could be due to demand at a specific destination.
Being flexible on your destinations or making compromises for certain flights or travel destinations can save you money. You might also get lucky and experience an empty flight where you have the room to stretch out and relax.
Utilize The Best Flight Search Engines
This plays into the flexibility aspect of travel.
Google Flights is a great platform to find flight deals. There is an option to select flexible dates spanning from a weekend up to two weeks, 6 months out. You filter it by the amount of stops you want or do not want. You can also input a country itself rather than a specific city so it can find the best deals for you. You can setup an alert to notify you when flight prices to where you want to go are low.
Going is another great platform to check for flight deals. It bases the deals off of your current location and it can also send you price alerts. Most of the deals they share with you are mistake fares and non-stop flights.
Booking in advance and during certain days of the week may also be cheaper, but that can vary.
Credit Card Points, Rewards, and Miles
Contrary to many personal finance coaches and advice, I do not bash credit cards. I believe with responsible use, not carrying a balance, and paying it off every month awards some great benefits. Many credit cards offer cash back on purchases. Some even offer incentives for specific purchases such as travel. Some credit issuers will award you up to 5% cash back for booking travel through their portal. If you book a $500 flight that is $25 back in your pocket.
Some credit cards also offer travel protections. This can include travel insurance for interruptions, baggage loss, rental car insurance, etc. There are also many cards that have no foreign transaction fees which will be important if you are traveling internationally.
Responsible use of credit cards can supplement your total out of pocket costs for things you would be buying anyway.
Itinerary
One of the most stressful parts of trip planning can involve planning your itinerary, especially if you are doing multi-country travel.
To reduce your stress relating to creating the perfect itinerary (which does not exist), is to do one thing at a time. First, book the flight. Even if you do not know what your lodging accommodations will be yet, the flight is the first step to start the process. Lodging and attractions will always be there but a good deal on a flight will not be. Waiting for everything to perfectly align is not only unrealistic but it will cause undue stress. This stress could be the thing that will sap your joy of travel. After you prioritize the flight first, you can then book your lodging accommodations and attractions around that.
When planning the attractions you want to see, make sure they will be open during the time of your visit and book any tickets in advance if applicable. Also, take into account how daylight savings time will impact your hours during the day to visit what you want to see.
Transportation
Of course, the best form of transportation is free transportation. Depending on where you travel walking could be your best (and healthiest) option. If there is lots of traffic at your destination and the city is walkable, walking can get you around. Some cities have electric scooters to rent. If your destination is some distance apart many cities have bicycles for rent that you can use for a 24-hour period. Other options also include taking the bus or train depending on where you are trying to go.
Many places offer unlimited transit passes in time increments which can also save you money.
Backpacking:
Many airlines include checked baggage as part of your airline ticket. But there can be advantages to backpacking.
Most people who backpack across the country do so with a backpack that can qualify as a carry on. Doing so can save you time after your flight so that you do not have to wait on your luggage. It can also save you peace of mind and money if your suitcase is lost, stolen, or damaged. Many airlines also charge more if you exceed the weight limit for checked baggage.
Backpacking can also award you the convenience of not needing to store your luggage at your destination. You could technically walk around with it if you wanted to.
Granted, traveling during the cooler months can impact your convenience of backpacking since you often have to carry more layers which can occupy lots of space, but it is still doable.
One major concern with backpacking is washing clothes. This will of course depend on the amount of clothes you take and the amount of time you spend at your location but finding lodging with laundry facilities (or handwashing and airdrying) can make your ability to backpack easier.
Lodging
There are various options when it comes to selecting lodging for your travels.
Depending on where you travel, you may have friends or family there. Staying with friends or family can not only be a more comfortable environment but it can save you on lodging costs. Some travelers may refer to this as couch surfing. Of course, staying with someone you know is dependent on them. As with anything remaining respectful of their property, time, even offering some form of appreciation can be worthwhile.
Hostels are a budget friendly lodging option. They are often shared living spaces that can include breakfast, kitchen amenities, and laundry facilities. They are usually the most cost-effective option for budget travelers. For my female solo travelers, many also offer all female dormitories. Keep in mind that many hostels have safes or lockers that you can put your belongings in. Also, one benefit of staying in a hostel is that you meet other like-minded travelers from across the world that could very well end of being your best friend.
Staying at an Airbnb is another option. You can find good deals ranging from a single room to an entire home. You will need to read the fine print and compare to determine if they have the amenities you need.
Another option is staying at a hotel. This will likely be the most expensive option but some hotels can have deals during certain times of the year that can make the price almost comparable to a hostel.
Remember that when selecting a lodging option, check how close it is to where you need to or want to go. These places can include the airport and any attractions you want to see. This way you are not wasting time and money on transportation.
Food
One aspect of being on vacation is to enjoy yourself. There is no shame in wanting to eat out at restaurants or try the local cuisine.
One way to save money on food while traveling is to have a budget but also include some flexibility to try new things. Your lodging accommodations may have kitchen amenities in case you prefer to buy food from the local grocery store to keep on hand. You do not have to waste money eating out every day but it can be a nice treat when budgeted for.
Realistically, many people do not travel much because it is a privilege not many can afford. I’m trying to shift the perspective around the concept that you need a lot of money to travel. It all comes down to convenience and what you are willing to prioritize and compromise on.
My hope for you is that you get to explore the world without going bankrupt. With this advice comes flexibility in all aspects of the word because traveling will award you some of the best experiences that will be with you for the rest of your life. Budget for it, enjoy it, and live for it.