I love traveling but costs can add up quickly. Many people are looking for less expensive travel options. Saving money doesn’t mean you have to miss out! Many methods aren’t difficult and don’t take a lot of time. Below are my simple ways to travel on a budget.
1. Be Flexible
Sometimes the difference of a day saves you hundreds on flights. When possible, I always check the price for the three or four days surrounding my initial dates.
Consider countries with favorable exchange rates. If you visit a country where your currency is strong, you can get more bang for your buck on food and activities. Often travelers can spend less in southeast Asia, South America, or Africa compared to Europe.
To find the cheapest destinations to fly to, use the “Everywhere” function on travel search engines like Skyscanner. This will look for the most cost-effective ticket from your airport on specific travel dates.
2. Create A Budget
Having a budget means you are less likely to overspend on last-minute or impulse purchases. Budget for airfare, accommodations, transportation (e.g., rental car, taxis/Uber/Lyft, or public transport), visas, travel insurance, food, tips (e.g., staff, guides, drivers), activities, souvenirs, gas/petrol, and parking fees.
3. Travel Off-Season
When there are less tourists, accommodations and tours tend to have more affordable rates. You can travel cheaper, stay longer, or enjoy more luxury than you would otherwise.
4. Book With Credit Card Points
If you have good credit and are very organized and diligent, travel hacking may be for you. Travel hacking includes opening multiple credit cards when they offer bonuses to collect points. These points can be used to book flights or accommodations. You could even fly free!
You often have to meet a spend threshold in a certain timeframe to get the bonus. Travel hacking can lead to overspending so only consider this option if you are confident that you can keep it up.
5. Use A Card With No Foreign Transaction Fees
Many credit or debit cards will charge fees if you withdraw money out of ATMs or use the card for purchases in another country. Check if your card charges foreign transaction fees, typically 1% to 3%. If you have to use a card with fees, try to make some purchases with local currency instead to limit the added cost.
6. Budget For Vaccines
Costs for vaccines can add up! Many last for a lifetime however, so once you have the vaccine you won’t need to pay for it again. For U.S. travelers, I suggest visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel page to find recommended vaccines.
To learn more about travel medicines, check out What You Need to Know About Travel Vaccinations and Medications.
7. Pack Light
Packing light can save on luggage fees. Many travelers fly with only carry-on bags in order to save money. Each checked bag is an extra cost unless you have status or credit card perks. Even if you are ok with paying for a checked bag, if the bag is too heavy, there is an additional fee.
To learn more about packing, check out my 15 Tips for Packing Light and Traveling Right.
8. Special Discounts
- Consider if you are eligible for any special discounts:
- Age-based like student or senior discounts
- Veteran discounts
- Venues might offer discounts if you pay with cash rather than credit card
- Sometimes there are discounts if you pre-book online versus paying at the site
- Attractions may have discount days where they offer free or reduced prices on specific days
9. Rank What’s Important
Figure out what is most important to you – food, accommodation, activities – and focus your spending on that. For you it may be important to be in the city center so you can walk everywhere and you spend a lot on your accommodation. Or you may stay in budget places and eat fine dining every day.
10. Food
- Eat where the locals do and avoid restaurants in the tourist areas – tourist spots are often more expensive and less authentic
- Eat out for breakfast and lunch, which tend to be less expensive, rather than dinner
- Stay at hotels or lodges that include breakfasts
- Grocery shop for snacks and cook your own food
- Book a room with a fridge and a microwave (or even a kitchen) for leftovers and food from the grocers
- Eat street food which is delicious and lower-cost
- Decide where or what to eat before you’re hungry – you’ll be less likely to end up eating at expensive spots close by
11. Transportation
- Compare the cost of booking roundtrip flights to two one-way flights
- Consider open jaw fares (fly into point A, travel around to different destinations, and then fly home from point B)
- Double-check airline fees (luggage, food, drinks, seat selection) – the cheapest fare might not be cheapest total cost
- Walk or bike if you are staying central to attractions
- Use public transportation such as buses, trains, and subways
12. Accommodation
- Camp where allowed
- Home-sharing services like Airbnb or Vrbo
- Stay in a hostel
- Overnight transportation – overnight busses, trains, or flights can save on accommodation costs for a night
- Crash with a family member, friend, or even a friend of a friend
- Use the same hotel chain – You get loyalty points or upgrades for hotel reward programs which can lead to free stays
- Don’t always look for the best hotel, you won’t spend that much time there. However, make sure to stay in an area you feel safe.
- Consider booking longer stays – an extra day can lead to discounts or perks. My 4-night stay in Chobe meant that I was upgraded to a suite, a private dinner, and a cultural excursion.
13. Activities
- Find free or cheap events and attractions in the area (e.g., parks, museums, gardens, walking the shoreline)
- Get passes – a pass often makes things easier and ends up saving money if you use it often enough
- America the Beautiful Pass for U.S. national parks
- Bus passes
- Subway cards
These are techniques I’ve found to save money while traveling on a budget. There are definitely ways to enjoy your vacation while spending very little or enjoying luxury at discounted prices. Let me know your budget travel tips in the comments below!
I’ve used several of your suggested travel tips on a budget and all proved to be very helpful. As always, thank you!
Thank you! I’m so happy you’ve found them helpful 🙂
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