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Traveling is one of the best ways to unwind from the daily grind, see beautiful sights, try new things, and experience some amazing new adventures. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like at least one thing about traveling. In most cases, any annoyance usually involves large crowds, long lines, and the high cost of everything.
So, what are some of the best ways to save money when traveling?
And no, you don’t have to pinch every penny, or deprive yourself for years. Try these 3 easy tips, and learn how you can start saving money on your next trip!
1. Budget Your Expenses
Budgeting is one of the best ways to track expenses and to keep yourself from spending way more money than you have. It’s also a great tool to use when price shopping for flights, hotels, food and even entertainment.
While budgeting may seem like a simple answer, the simplicity is something you’ll actually be able to use and stick too.
Remember the phrase ‘keep it simple stupid’?
Transportation and Housing
Start with the biggest expenses first and work your way down. This is usually transportation and housing. If you need to get a flight, do some pricing on the cheapest airline, and times. According to the Thrifty Traveler, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly.
When buying your ticket, it is recommended by Travelandleisure.com, to buy domestic flights no less than 2 months in advance. International flights will vary depending on location, but these will vary from as much as 10 months or longer. So planning ahead really can save you money.
After you have found a reasonable price, or have set a limit on your price for transportation and housing, you can start budgeting for the rest of your trip!
Food and Entertainment
The next most costly items are food and entertainment. Food is a necessity, so prioritize this first. Budget a certain amount for eating out, and another amount for food that you either are making, or getting for snacks or quick meals. I consider “eating out” as a sit-down restaurant where most places have waiters/waitresses.
To help you decide your budget for food, you may be able to do a little online price shopping to better determine how much food will cost you. This is also a golden opportunity to discover some great ideas of where you might want to eat!
For entertainment, this will depend on what’s available and will vary during different seasons. So look into what’s available during your intended stay. Be mindful that peak season is often more expensive, but may include occasional discounts.
2. Be Flexible
Remember how I just told you to plan ahead?
Well, now I’m telling you to also be flexible with your schedule.
Being flexible during your travels means that you are not rushed for time. This could look like extra layover time between flights. Or may even look like multiple connecting flights instead of one longer, continuous flight.
Convenience…costs…more…money!
Remember this when you start planning your budget.
My brother recently experienced the cost of convenience when flying back home. He had a few connecting flights, with one longer layover. This layover would have been several hours longer than his already 11-13 hour wait. But, he was willing to pay a couple hundred more to get home a day earlier.
If you have an unfortunately cramped schedule, you may need to set aside a bit more cash to ensure you get from place to place on time.
There were two separate times when my mother and I experienced issues with our flights to leave for a cruise. And both times we were close to almost missing our trip due to a change in schedule. Had I not been such a light sleeper, we would’ve missed a late notification and missed our flights, and the trip entirely.
So the next time we planned a cruise, we made sure we had an extra day off, to stay the night in the city of our port debarkation. It ended up being much less stressful, and much more relaxed overall. Trust me, being a little more flexible with your schedule and having that extra day will be worth it.
Additionally, with flexibility, flights can sometimes come up unexpectedly cheaper. In most cases though, these flights are random locations, and may not be a destination you had intended to go. However, if you are not particular about the destination, then sites like going.com, may be a great option for you. Going offers discounts on flights from 40-90% off their original price.
You can sign up today for a free version, and receive alerts for discounted flights. As long as your schedule is somewhat flexible, then you will be able to take better advantage of these deals.
So if you can, be flexible!
Another opportunity to save money, is to consider other options that are outside of your usual. For example, hostels are a lower cost way to bunk for the night. But, hostels are not for everyone as they usually have shared amenities and may even have shared bedrooms.
It is, however, a cheaper option, so if traveling on a tight budget is critical, hostels may be your better option.
If you typically stay at a hotel, consider staying at an Air BNB next time. Air BNB offers tons of locations with over 4 million hosts worldwide. This can be an especially attractive option for larger groups, and longer stays. In most cases though, Air BNB’s don’t always offer the same amenities. But if you keep your eye out, you are likely to find better options anyway!
Related Posts
- How to get the most value out of your next cruise
- 10 Best Things to do on a Cruise to get the most out of your money!
3. Take Advantage of Free Things!
When you are booking rooms, flights, rides and the like, take advantage of any free offers.
If you have a credit card that offers miles, this may be a great opportunity for you to cash in some rewards and pay for part, if not all of your trip!
If you are on a business trip, make sure you ask your employer what you need to do to have your expenses reimbursed.
If you are traveling in a group, communicate about what you are willing to share. Split the difference between the cost of the rooms, flights, and meals.
If you have friends or family in a location where you are staying, ask them if they are willing to put you up for the night. Or if they have any recommendations on inexpensive accommodations nearby.
You may even be able to take advantage of free trials and offers from travel companies or agencies. If you know a travel agent locally or through social media, consider collaborating with them to find the best deals at your destination.
So you see, the possibilities are endless. And it really is easy to save money on your next trip.
