The average American spends more than 4 hours each day in a vehicle, and this is just one of many reasons why it’s important to travel on a budget. Here are 40 ways you can save money while traveling abroad or domestically.
The “how to plan a vacation on a budget” article has 40 ways to make traveling on a budget easier. The article includes tips for planning how much you should spend, how long your trip will be, and more.
So you’re looking for ways to travel on a budget? It’s not as difficult as you would think, and there are some excellent methods to save money. We’ve produced a list of 40 budget travel suggestions to help you save money while still having a great time.
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Tip #1: Go to places where your money will go farther.
Go to areas where your money will go farther. It is simpler to conserve money while having fun when you go to areas where your money goes the farthest.
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Tip #2: Get Travel Points for Things You’re Already Buying
A basic travel rewards credit card can assist you in maximizing your expenditure in order to subsidize your journey. These points might help you travel for less money.
B4LLS / iStock contributed to this image.
Budget Travelers Should Visit During the Off-Season
Our Woven Journey’s Karee says she schedules her vacations during the off-season:
“We arrange our vacation during the off-season when we want to travel on a budget,” Karee said. “Hotels and airfares account for the majority of a vacation budget, and booking during off-peak season may save you up to 25% on off-peak season pricing.”
“Of course, certain areas aren’t as appealing during the off-season (planning a trip to the Caribbean during hurricane season might be dangerous), but scheduling just after peak season finishes can still save you money before the seasons diverge much.”
“Another benefit of going in the off-season is that there are less people.” Not only will you have a better time overall, but costs for excursions and activities will likely be reduced as sellers try to fill their calendars.”
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Tip #4: Rather of paying international phone rates, get a local SIM card.
Buying a short phone plan when traveling may be less costly. You may also contact your cell network operator to inquire about international options. Many people do.
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Tip #5: Keep an eye out for good flight deals.
Before you book anything, use Google Flights to monitor your travel. By scheduling on a random weekday several weeks in advance, you can save a lot of money. Google Flights will keep you up to date on how travel prices change over time. Finding cheap flights is straightforward.
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Tip #6: Make your trip around free activities.
In a large city, Tripadvisor will provide you with a wealth of free activities and attractions. The majority of the attractions are accessible via public transportation.
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Tip #7: Cook Your Own Meals to Save Money
If you can stay in a hostel, you’ll be able to purchase at the local market and prepare your own meals. You may assist the local economy by cooking your own meals instead of eating at pricey eateries.
Financial Pilgrimage’s Mark recommends having the meal brought to you.
“We ordered Instacart on the bus from the airport to our hotel on a recent vacation to Disney,” Mark added. “Because it was our first time using Instacart, the delivery was free.”
“We returned to our hotel with our shopping order at our door after checking into the hotel and heading out for a short bite to eat. Our delivery guy stopped to Aldi to pick up the goods on our list and kept us updated throughout the process so we knew exactly when the delivery would take place.
“Instead of spending a fortune on meals at the resort, we bought a variety of snacks, breakfast items, and select drinks.”
Our grocery order cost roughly $80, but we might have saved hundreds if we had bought identical products at the resort.
“It was such a simple procedure, and the next time we travel, we’ll definitely utilize a similar grocery delivery service.”
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Tip #8: When sightseeing, avoid touristy areas.
Local businesses sell souvenirs for less than the tourist traps that everyone else visits. Budget tourists should avoid popular sites and instead use public transportation to see what the people do.
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Carry Your Own Water Bottle (Tip #9)
Every day, your hotel should serve you with a free glass of water. Why spend money on bottled water when you might be spending it on touring instead? Purchase a reusable water bottle and use it every day. A single-use water bottle has been known to cost as much as a $10 bottle of wine.
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Tip #10: Take Public Transportation.
Almost every large city has an excellent local transportation system. You will save a lot of money by not renting a vehicle and using public transportation to any major sites. I used the Tube everywhere while I was in London.
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DIY Walking Tours (Tip #11)
Visiting the big sights and wandering around the surrounding area without a plan might lead you discovering where the locals eat. You may have to go a little off the usual road to uncover these small eateries.
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Tip #12: Do your homework before going.
Kayla from Motivation For Mom recommends making a trip budget.
“Knowing how much gas will cost, typical restaurant pricing, and any other expenditures will help me budget for the necessities so I know how much I can spend on activities and excursions,” Kayla said. “When I don’t do my homework ahead of time, I wind up spending a lot more money on my vacation than I anticipated.”
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13th Tip: Pack Lightly
Bring simply a few clothes if you are traveling for a lengthy amount of time. Wherever you are staying, you may always use the washing machine.
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Working While Traveling is Tip #14
Working from home has enabled tens of thousands of individuals to incorporate travel into their daily lives.
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Tip #15: Avoid booking anything at the last minute.
Everything should be booked many weeks, if not months in advance. Last-minute bookings might result in you spending twice as much for hotel rooms as you should and prevent you from finding bargains or saving money.
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Tip #16: Only purchase souvenirs from local vendors.
Only purchase souvenirs from local merchants. You are helping the locals in this manner. The trinkets at chain shops are all the same price.
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Tip #17: Book a hotel that includes breakfast.
Anyone for free breakfast? They only have coffee and a bagel in the worst-case scenario. By eating complimentary meals, you may travel for less money and save more money in your pocket.
bhofack2 is the photographer.
Tip #18: Take Advantage of Credit Card Rewards
“Take advantage of credit card benefits for things like flights, hotels, and even rental vehicles,” writes Andrew at Wealthy Nickel.
“If you have a strong credit score, many cards will pay you a significant sign-up bonus simply for opening the card, and you may then earn an extra 1-5 percent on your normal spending.”
“Our family of four hasn’t paid for a plane ticket in over five years thanks to credit card rewards.”
“I really like the Chase Ultimate Rewards program since it allows you to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners.” We bought four tickets on Southwest to travel home for roughly 66,000 points last Christmas, which was less than the sign-up bonus from just one credit card!”
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Tip #19: Make use of Airbnb.
Tyler from Relentless Finances claims he saves money by traveling on Airbnb.
“If you’re going with a bigger party than a regular hotel room can easily accommodate,” he noted, “it’s generally less per visitor.” “Some hosts offer high discounts for booking out in the future because they want to fill their calendar ahead of time and know they’ll make money. As the trip approaches, they hike the prices.
“Other hosts use the reverse strategy, charging full price for reservations made in advance and gradually lowering costs as the trip date approaches.
Looking for this and booking your journey when you obtain the greatest prices might pay you big.”
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Tip #20: Prepare Meals in Advance
“Meal planning is not simply for saving money at home,” explains Lisa of Adapt Your Dollars. It’s also a terrific method to keep your trip spending in check.
“Rather of staying in a hotel room, rent an apartment or home to have access to a complete kitchen. When driving to your destination, bring your supper foods with you. You could, for example, prepare your meals ahead of time, freeze them, and carry them in a cooler.
“Alternatively, you may bring the stuff you’ll need to prepare your meals with you.”
If you’re going to an expensive vacation area, bringing food with you will save you money.
“Another alternative is to plan your meals and make a shopping list before leaving the house.” When you get at your location, all you have to do is go to the grocery shop (or arrange for food pickup).
“When we go to the beach, we prepare simple meals.” Some we prepare ahead of time and freeze, while others we prepare on the spot. Pre-cooking helps us to spend less on meals on our vacation budget, allowing us to spend more on enjoyable and memorable family activities.”
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Tip #21: Fly During the Week
If you don’t mind travelling during the week or during off-peak periods, consider picking a less packed trip. Weekend flights are usually always more costly.
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Tip #22: Consider staying at a hostel.
Hostels were where I made some of my fondest experiences while traveling across Europe. You may meet individuals from all around the globe, yet finding cheaper lodging is challenging.
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Tip #23: Free Camping
“Sometimes, you may discover possibilities for free camping, particularly in wooded regions,” adds Zsolt of Best Axe Guide. Consider this: Check up parks on Google when visiting a new city, then look at the satellite picture to determine whether there is any tree cover. If there is, you can utilize it to stay concealed practically all of the time without spending any money.
“With this method, I seldom paid for hotels when traveling around the West Coast of Canada and the United States. Remember to bring your finest axe as well as extra batteries. One of the disadvantages is that you don’t meet people at hostels, which may be frustrating at times. In addition, keep an eye out for animals when storing or preparing food.
“It’s a good idea to learn about the local fauna before embarking on a camping trip.”
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Tip #24: Understand ATM Fees
Keep a lookout for ATM fees. Try to choose a bank that doesn’t charge you for things like checking your account balance.
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Free Museum Day is Tip #25.
Keep an eye out for museum free days. Many locations will allow you enter for free if you have your student ID on you.
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Visit National Parks (Tip #26).
National parks are stunning, and visiting them is inexpensive. There are a lot of holiday rentals around the parks.
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Visit Small Towns (Tip #27).
Smaller towns have a more laid-back vibe and are far less expensive than larger cities.
Plus, there’s usually less traffic and you can walk everywhere, which is a terrific opportunity to meet people and learn about their culture.
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Tip #28: Drink in Moderation
It may be perilous to be in a strange place where you don’t know many people or the surroundings. Don’t be the person who calls a cab while stumbling over themself.
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Tip #29: Focus on the Experience Instead of the Trinkets
Take a bunch of pictures while avoiding gathering anything. The images will remind you of the adventure, and the trinket will be shattered in baggage claim.
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Tip #30: Get a Job at a Hostel
If you plan on staying in one place for an extended period of time, working at a hostel might be an excellent option.
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Tip #31: Use a Private Browsing Window to Book All Accommodations
Cookies (browsing cookies) may increase the cost of any booking.
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Tip #32: Find Cheap Airfare by Using a VPN
When arranging an overseas tour, Kanye pays extra when he is in Calabassas. He might save a lot of money if he relocated to Wyoming.
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Tip #33: Be Open-Minded About Your Dates
You may save hundreds of dollars by just being flexible with your dates. When I recently booked a ticket, I just altered the dates by three days and saved $200.
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Take Advantage of Free Walking Tours (Tip #34).
A complimentary walking tour is available at your hotel/hostel. They’re entertaining, and you may ask your guide questions. A local resident will respond to your query. That is really helpful.
Image credit: istockphoto/krblokhin
Use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees (Tip #35).
There are several credit cards available. I discovered this the hard way when I used the incorrect card. I was charged a 2% fee by my credit card company. Use a travel card that has no international transaction fees.
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Tip #36: Before buying toiletries, find out whether your accommodations provide them.
If you need shampoo or soap, inquire at the front desk or with the cleaning staff. The hotel will give you with travel sizes that are convenient and fit easily into your carry-on luggage.
Kenishirotie / iStock contributed to this image.
Tip #37: Instead of a suitcase, bring a backpack.
Backpacks are more convenient to carry and do not need frequent inspection. If you can avoid checking your luggage, do so.
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Don’t Take Anything You Don’t Need on Trip #38
Bring just what you need, not what you want.
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Tip #39: Rent from places other than airports
You may rent a vehicle at a place a mile distant. There is a significant premium for renting near the airport.
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Tip #40: Research the Lowest-Cost Travel Destinations
There are several sites to see. Traveling does not need staying at a 5-star hotel. Many important cities around you may be visited at a low cost. Your vacation fantasies should include some nearby destinations.
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Saving Money While Traveling
When it comes to saving money, be flexible, patient, and inventive – and you’ll be well on your way in no time. You can save money and have a good time while traveling.
Travel safely!
MediaFeed.org syndicated this story, which first appeared on MaxMyMoney.org.
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AlertMe
The “how to have a cheap holiday” is a list of 40 ways that can help you save money during your travels. These include booking flights and accommodation in advance, using public transport, and getting the best deals on food.
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