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One of the biggest reasons for people not traveling is money. They don’t believe they have enough, travel is too expensive, they find saving money too hard. But the truth is everyone can travel, it just depends on how you do it. Not everyone will be able to afford a room in the fanciest hotel or eat at the best restaurant in town, I certainly can’t! But if your reason for travel is to see the world & experience a new culture, that is something I know everyone can do. Over the years I have learned so many ways to save money while I travel that has always allowed me to travel further – save money travel 🤗
So to answer the question “how do you afford to travel so much?“, I think it comes down to my strong urge to see the world which makes working extra shifts easy and implementing the below even easier. And I believe every little bit of money you save on travel adds up, allowing you to see even more of the world.
These are my top #11 tips to save money when you travel!
#1 TRAVEL OUT OF PEAK SEASON
This one might be obvious but if you don’t have kids or happen to know what dates school holidays are, your travel plans may fall during school holidays without you even realizing it.
Always double check your dates, for school holidays, long weekends, or local festivals. During these times prices are always higher and destinations are usually super busy. If it’s not necessary for you to travel then, I recommend avoiding it.
#2 FLYING WITH A BUDGET AIRLINE
Budget airlines are a great way to save money and it doesn’t always mean you’ll get budget service. Usually, you’re able to build your ticket with add ons like extra luggage and food. And a great way to save money is to only pay for what you actually need. Paying for a specific seat is often expensive and unnecessary. I recommend arriving at the airport a little earlier and seeing what is available for free.
Depending on the length of the flight you could always bring your own food & drink to avoid paying the inflated prices on board.
When it comes to your luggage, can you share a bag with your travel buddy to save money? And if you plan on shopping while you’re away you could always book extra luggage just for the return sector.
But a word of advice from someone who has worked in the airline industry for over 9 years, don’t go so cheap that you don’t have enough weight. Excess luggage prices are charged per Kg so can cost a fortune. Also, airline staff are smart and know when you are trying to carry on extra Kg! 😉
Search for cheap flights – Skyscanner
#3 CASHBACK ON ACCOMMODATION WITH RAKUTEN
Whenever I book accommodation online, usually through Agoda or booking.com, I activate my Rakuten browser extension to get around 3% cashback on each booking. The money is then paid into my PayPal account. It’s not always a large amount of money but I believe every bit helps. If you’d like to read more about this site and how it works, click here for my article on getting cash back with Rakuten.
#4 LOCATION OF ACCOMMODATION
The price of your room shouldn’t always be the deciding factor, it’s important to look at the location as well. Is the property close to the places you’ll want to visit & eat? Make sure your room isn’t completely out of the way, otherwise you’ll end up spending more money on regular transport.
#5 WALK PLACES
Continuing on from #4, it’s not always necessary to get a taxi or public transport. These costs definitely add up! I love walking places when I travel because it can count as my daily exercise & there’s usually plenty to see along the way and such an easy way to save money.
#6 NO FEE CREDIT CARDS
Booking flights, accommodation, and tickets while traveling is often charged in the countries local currency. Make sure you’re using a bank card that won’t charge you international transaction fees. Bank fees can be so expensive! I have a 28 Degrees Master Card & accounts with ING Bank, I use these for all my overseas purchase.
#7 DON’T EAT OUT FOR EVERY MEAL
I always have at least 1 meal a day in my room, generally breakfast. This saves me so much money when I travel. It’s easy to buy fresh, local ingredients to create something delicious for yourself. Before I book my hotel, I also make sure they have a kitchen or kitchenette available, but usually, every room will have something useful.
When it comes to eating out I always try to eat local too. Not only is this the cheapest option, but I also find it’s the tastiest as well.
#8 PRE-DRINKS
Paying for alcohol in bars and clubs, regardless of where you are, can become pretty expensive. I always have a few pre-drinks in my room before heading out. Just enough to give me a little buzz so I buy less when I’m there. 🍻
#9 SHOP AT OUTLET MALLS
Especially in the U.S, there are so many awesome outlet malls, shopping at these always saves me heaps. Also, don’t buy it at first sight, shop around to compare prices. This is especially helpful in Asia because comparing prices will give you something to work with when you barter.
#10 DO YOUR OWN LAUNDRY
I’ve seen hotels literally want to charge $3 to wash one pair of undies!! I don’t think so, there are so many better ways to spend your hard-earned money overseas. I recommend buying a small bag of washing powered from the supermarket & it’s easy enough to wash most things in your bathroom sink.
#11 LOOK FOR FREE ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS
It’s surprising how many big cities around the world offer free ways to explore. Walking tours, free museums, explore markets, watch street performers, churches & Cathedrals, just to name a few. Also before arriving at your destination, have a google to see if there are tourist city passes available, I know they have ones in New York and Paris. These types of passes offer discounts to many major attractions, so can save you a lot of money.
I’ve written a travel guide on the best free things to do in New York City, click here if you’d like to check it out.
I really hope these tips help you and I’ve given you some new ideas of ways to save money when you travel. Our world is there to explore and I would hate for money to be the thing that holds you back from so many incredible experiences!
Do you have go-to tips for saving money when you travel? Let me know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels.
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Planning a Trip? Travel Resources Below;
Where to Next?
If you’re unsure of where to travel to next, why not check out my Destination Page. Filled with informative travel guides from all over the world.
Searching For The Best Flights
Without a doubt the best site for comparing and booking flights is Skyscanner. Just click here to compare flights and get the best prices with Skyscanner.
Booking Accommodation
Then when it comes to booking accommodation; if you’re after a hostel the best place to search is HostelWorld.
Or, if you’d prefer a hotel or resort, Booking.com or Agoda are two of the best sites out there, they consistently return cheap rates.
Get Your Cashback
Before you book though don’t forget to activate your Rakuten browser extension so you get cashback on these bookings.
Don’t know what Rakuten is? Read my guide here!
And, Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Unfortunately, everything doesn’t always go to plan but travel insurance will protect you when it comes to illness, injury, theft & cancellation. I never travel overseas without travel insurance, it’s just not worth the risk!
Cover-More is a trusted company and they also have COVID-19 benefits available.
Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
I am all about saving money for and on travel. You added a few things that I hadn’t thought of before.
Thats awesome, so glad you found this article helpful
Love all these helpful tips to save money while you travel! I’m a big fan of earning cashback through my travel bookings. Thanks for sharing your helpful tips!