Effortless Ways to Save Money While Traveling
There are many ways to save money while traveling.
Here are a few tips:
Before you even travel, look for deals on flights and accommodation. Sign up for newsletters from airlines and hotels to stay informed about special offers. I also follow The Daily Drop and Scotts Cheap Flights. Consider alternative accommodation options such as Bed & Breakfasts, Airbnbs, or finding deals on accommodations. Our credit card line (Chase Sapphire) will frequently have last-minute hotel deals.
Eat like a local. Try street food and local markets instead of eating at touristy restaurants. You can save a lot of money by cooking your own meals instead of always eating out.
Another strategy is to eat one big meal a day and eat more economically with the other meals.This one might sound obvious, but avoid tourist traps if you have a tight budget. Do some research before you go and try to avoid overpriced tourist traps. If you are traveling into nature, it’s easier to save than being in a bigger city like Venice or Rome.
Use public transportation. Taxi and rental cars can be expensive. Consider using public transportation or even walking to save money. For example, take a train in Europe. However, In Iceland, you will need to invest in a great rental car and need to save money in other ways.
Find free activities. Many cities have free museums, parks, and other attractions that you can visit. Nature will naturally have trails, camping, etc. Joe and I like to stay at hotels further from the main attractions so that we save money, and our walk to visit the attractions becomes a part of the experience. Do some research to find free activities to do while you're there.
Travel off-season. This is probably the best option all-around. Generally, prices for flights, accommodation, and activities are often lower during the off-season. The northern Hemisphere's most common “off-season” months are April-early May and September-October.
How We Save Money
We book all travel transportation and hotels through our travel credit card prior to our travels. This saves us money, and we get more points this way, which will save us more money in the long run.
In cities, we book hotels that are further from the main attractions and more affordable in price. Since we enjoy walking through cities, walking from place to place and seeing more of the local life becomes a part of our experience. When we travel into the mountains, we try to stay at more local accommodations or camp near trailheads.
For meals, we stray off the beaten path. We often only spend money on one big meal, like lunch or dinner, and then go to a supermarket or gas station for a cheap breakfast. Lately, we have booked hotels with a full breakfast included in the cost.
We book the type of travel most affordable at the time, and we choose between flying, road-tripping, and cruising. In 2020, we road-tripped frequently when gas was very cheap, but in 2022, we booked two cruises, because cruise lines were offering 40-50% off major cruises, and we saved nearly $3,000 just by cruising for 14 days. Look to see how the economy is doing, and see if you can save money flying, driving, or cruising.
