Traveling is a fantastic experience, full of unique sights, scrumptious cuisines, and amazing cultures. But it can quickly become expensive if you’re not careful. If you want to stick to a budget and still have the time of your life, check out these 7 money-saving tips on how you can travel on the low.
1. Ways to Make Your Budget Travels Possible
Traveling the world within a budget can appear to be a daunting task with impossible odds, but with the right knowledge and patience, it is a reality. Here are 3 practical ways to make sure your travels are possible without breaking the bank.
Choose Smart Flight and Accommodation Options
The biggest expense when traveling will usually be airfare and accommodation. There are several options to bear in mind when considering these two:
- Peak Season:Traveling during peak seasons (Christmas, Summer, and Easter) can be drastically more expensive than quieter times of year, so be sure to try to stick with council dates and seasons when you can.
- Price Comparisons: There are several flight comparison sites that can provide you with great options of selecting the lowest airfare. Skyscanner is a great tool that can help you compare and find flights to suit your schedule and budget.
- Local Hostels: Opting to stay in a hostel rather than a hotel or Airbnb can be a much cheaper choice. Hostels are not only more affordable, but you can often get great additional bonuses such as kitchen and laundry facilities and free Wi-Fi.
Take Public Transportation
Public transport is often cheap and convenient when traveling around a city or country – bonus points as it also often adds cultural value to the experience. Research the routes and fares when traveling by bus, metro, tram, or any other local forms of transport. To really feel the cultural ‘pulse’ of a city, be sure not to miss out on any ‘hop on, hop off’ tours.
Research Free Activities
It may surprise you that there are many activities and attractions at the places you visit that are entirely free! As with anything else, do a bit of research into the area and free things to do. Attend festivals, experience markets, visit free attractions and parks. The internet is a great resource for checking out ‘free’ events that are on during your trip.
2. Finding Affordable Airfare and Accommodations
Traveling can be an exciting but expensive endeavor. doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With a few simple tips, travelers can find affordable flights and hotel stays for their trips.
Research the Right Fares: Do your research before committing to a particular airline or hotel chain. Many airlines offer special discounts or fares for specific days and times of the year. Comb through the fares available to find the ones that best suit your needs. Be sure to look at non-stop flights, because these usually cost significantly less than those with multiple stops. Additionally, look at the cost of booking two one-way fares, as this approach can often result in a cheaper overall price than booking a round-trip flight.
Be Flexible With Dates: Another way to save money on airfare is by being flexible with dates. Consider flying on a weekday instead of a weekend, as weekend flights are usually more expensive. Most budget airlines have cheap flights available during the week, so by being flexible, travelers can save some extra money on their flights.
Utilize Discount Sites: There are a variety of sites available that offer discounts and deals on accommodations. Some of the more popular sites include:
- Hotels.com
- Expedia
- Priceline
- Travelocity
These sites can be a great resource for finding discounted hotel rooms and flights. Additionally, many of them offer rewards or loyalty programs for frequent travelers.
3. Scavenging Sites for Deals and Discounts
Scoring deals and discounts is the lifeblood of experienced bargain hunters. After mastering the finer points of price matching, coupon clipping and garage sales, their next move is to venture into the unexplored territory of online scavenging.
From travel bookings and clothes shopping, to concert tickets and restaurant reservations, savvy shoppers are increasingly turning to online resources to get the most out of every dollar. Here are some of the best sites for finding rock-bottom prices.
- Ebates: This site works with over 2000 online stores, allowing shoppers to earn on average $10-$15 in cash back for every $100 spent. To sweeten the deal, the site has a referral program where users can earn a bonus of up to $25 for inviting their friends.
- Groupon: Compared to the traditional coupon clipping approach, Groupon uses the power of bulk purchasing. It’s easy to find goods and services for a fraction of the retail price in almost every city.
- Living Social: This is another big player in the world of bulk purchasing. It’s a great way to stock up on gifts for friends and family, or to get huge discounts on restaurants and travel.
- Retail Me Not: This site offers a comprehensive list of coupons from both online and brick-and-mortar stores.
Be sure to keep an eye on these sites to see if any special deals pop up. With the right approach, one can take advantage of an ever changing online marketplace and save some serious money!
4. Maximizing the Value of Your Travel Budget
Traveling gives you an opportunity to explore different places and meet new people. But at the same time, it can also take up a lot of your money. That’s why it is important to maximize the value of your travel budget. To make sure you don’t miss anything that’d add to your experience, here are some tips you can follow:
- Look for discounts: Most travel websites offer discounts, so check them out for the best deals. It’s easy to find cheaper flights or book hotels at a discounted price if you know where to look.
- Research ahead: Researching the place ahead of time can save a lot of money, as you will know about the places to stay, food options and transport before you go.
- Choose the right season: Depending on the place you’re traveling to, some seasons can be cheaper than others. For instance, winter and autumn are usually considered the off-peak season, with many locations offering discounts.
- Pay off debt: Paying off credit card debt before you travel is a great way to save money. Having a large amount of debts can prevent you from affording fun things in the future.
It also pays to save up for your travels and setting aside a budget. Apart from helping you stay within your means, it also allows you to plan what you’re going to do and where you’re going to stay without any worries. That’s why budgeting for your trips is important.
Lastly, there are a number of travel rewards programs that you can take advantage of. By signing up for these programs, you can collect reward points and have access to exclusive discounts. That way, you’ll be able to save money and get more value for your money!
Travelling on a budget is possible! With these seven money-saving tips, you will be able to explore your dream destination without breaking the bank. There’s no need to stay home. Life’s too short, so get out there and enjoy the journey!
