Travel is only expensive if you choose to make it expensive. Here are our top 10 tips for how to travel on a budget.
1. Flexibility planning your trip…
Just as important as WHERE you are going, is WHEN you are going.
What is “shoulder season”? Shoulder season is the hidden gem portion of the calendar when fewer than ever OTHER people are traveling!
It is typically Fall and Spring. I love to do my traveling when prices are down and crowds are low. That, my friend, is shoulder season. Prices are higher during summer and winter breaks. Families tend to travel then, making flights fuller and accommodations more expensive.
Sticking to March through May, and September through November will significantly lower the cost of your trip all around. It also lends to better customer service, less crowded tours, better dollar value all around.
Imagine being able to walk right up to the Mona Lisa at the Louvre in Paris… I’m not exaggerating. I was in Paris at the beginning of March and we only waited 15 minutes (vs up to 2-3 hrs in the summer) in both the ticket line and security line to get in, then strolled right up to that cheeky, smirking lady in all her beauty and were only surrounded by a handful of other tourists (midday!)
Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Remember to look at the “fare calendar” to keep an eye out for the cheapest days in and around your travel window. Adjusting your dates by one day can sometimes save you hundreds!
2. Time to book that trip…
You’ve found a great deal on a flight? Fantastic! Great job! Make sure it’s not too good to be true. Watch out for fees. Seat selection fees, luggage fees, meal and beverage fees… these days fees are everywhere. That unreal deal you just scored on your flight may be just that… unreal(
Seat selection is a big one that I often will forego. If you can check into your flight early enough, they can often accommodate you to sit by your mate (a kind word and a smile as you check in doesn’t hurt). As for fees for meals and beverages, skip ahead to tip #8 (BRING snacks!).
You’ve found a killer resort for less than you thought possible? Could be true… or could be too good to be true. Sadly the price in the window doesn’t always match the check out
Watch out for hidden costs such as daily resort fees, mandatory all-inclusive fees (this is a BIG one and will be in the fine print so look for it!), daily wifi charges. These are not typically obvious when you are browsing at the initial costs put forth through Expedia, Trivago, Hotels.com, etc.
Even on the final payment page, you won’t see charges for this. They are due AT the hotel/resort. NOT the surprise at check-in you want, safe to assume. They are listed in the information about the rooms, so just watch out for them.
3. Looking for Ways To Travel The World On a Budget? Sign up for deal alerts…
Have your sights set on a certain vacation? Why not start by signing up for deal alerts? You may not be picky about WHERE you want to go, and sometimes a deal falls into your lap for an exciting destination you otherwise wouldn’t have thought about.
This is exactly what has prompted an upcoming trip to China for me. Wasn’t on my radar at this particular point, yet when this deal fell into my inbox… well, it seemed too good to be true so I actually deleted it twice before finally clicking on it.
After looking into it, it was legit and we are going! For the price of two flights, 8 nights accommodations, and half our meals plus excursions… we wouldn’t be able to book ONE flight there if we did it on our own. Again… guess when it is? SHOULDER SEASON. They are trying to fill seats that would otherwise go empty.
My personal favorite deal alert I’ve signed up for it Travelzoo Top 20. Every Wednesday morning at 10 am, I get their best weekly Travel Deal finds in my inbox. I’ve booked more than once though them!
This being said, if you DO have a specific destination in mind, sign up for price drop alerts. A number of flight deal websites and search engines make it easy to set price drop alerts and will notify you when prices go down.
Often (at least for domestic travel), airlines don’t release their “sale” seats until 3 or 4 months before the flight. If you’re using Google flight alerts, enter your travel info, dates, passengers, origin airport, destination airport…. Then click “Track Prices” and watch the deals come in… hopefully!
Other search engines such as
4. Airbnb or Hotel…
This money saving tip for traveling on a budget is one I am asked about often. BOTH have their benefits and can offer vastly different experiences. I can’t say I necessarily prefer one over the other, however choosing appropriately will truly shape each individual trip. Ask yourself these questions:
What sort of home base am I looking for?
-Do I want daily housekeeping with fresh towels and someone to make my bed vs. a place that feels a bit more like home with a kitchen and amenities such as laundry facilities and bikes we can borrow?
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-Are you comfortable with the idea of staying in someone else’s house/apartment? There may be some of their personal belongings there. THEY might be there (if you want to ensure you have the run of the place, use the filters on the Airbnb website to select “Entire Home”, not “Shared”
-Hotels can sneak in extra fees upon check-in. Parking, resort fees, wifi, etc. Airbnb is up front at the time of booking. No surprises.
–Airbnb often gives you the “all the comforts of home” feeling. Coffee filters, seasonings in spice rack to cook with, full kitchens, room for extra guests, bikes to borrow, board games to play, etc.
-Hotels offer a standard of cleanliness, professional service a phone call away, an onsite manager to help sort out situations should they arise, room service, maid service, etc.
Prices can be very similar for either option. My advice is to look at both, see what sparks your interest. I have had nothing but great luck through Airbnb.
Only once did my heart sink walking into a building that had a foul smell and dirty carpet leading up to the apartment door… only to find a lovely, clean, accurately described
Shop around on VRBO, Airbnb, and hotel search engines. One suggestion if you DO go with a hotel is this… find the deal on the travel site of your choosing, then cross-check that price directly on the Hotel’s website. In the case of having to change or cancel your reservation, it is much easier to deal directly with the hotel.
If it is the same price, I would recommend booking directly (unless you are an avid traveler who likes to earn free nights on websites such as www.hotels.com for every 10th night booked).
5. Routing your flight…
Time to book! The obvious starting point is to look at the most direct, shortest route to get there and hope this is the most cost-effective.
Not always the case. Here are some tips to help you around that problem and
-Check to see if two ONE WAY tickets are cheaper vs booking a roundtrip.
-Look for surrounding airports that are less expensive to fly into. For example, Oakland is often cheaper than the San Fransisco airport. Airports aren’t always IN town, in fact they rarely are. In this instance, OAK is only a 13 min train ride you can catch for $4 into SF (or a $20 Lyft/Uber). SFO airport is 45 min by train ($10) or 20 min ($20) by Uber/Lyft. Both airports are roughly a 20 min drive, so price flying into each and see where you get the best deal. It may be that you fly into one and depart from the other!
-Open up the “fare calendar” if it’s offered and see if perhaps it’s less expensive to shift your travel dates by a day in either direction. There are definitely more expensive days to fly. The cheapest days are often Tuesday, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
6. Looking For Ways To Travel On A Budget…How about 2 Trips in 1?
Recently I took advantage of the FREE LAYOVER and it was fantastic! Often we try to book our trips to find the fastest and most direct routes, and often they can be the cheapest at first glance.
Let’s dig a little deeper though shall we? What if we didn’t automatically get sucked in and broadened our horizon just a bit? What if you could take that vacation and turn it into TWO adventures instead of ONE at no additional cost?
The example that comes to mind most recently (we have done this more than once!) is a trip to France I planned as a gift to my husband last year. I had 7 nights accommodation available just outside of Paris and we had 10 days available to us at the time to travel. I found very inexpensive flights to Paris via Icelandair, offering us a free layover (up to 7 days) in Iceland! A complete no brainer in my opinion!
With a rental car, from Lava car rental,
Most airlines will allow one free layover per roundtrip ticket. On our way to Dubai/Abu Dhabi a few years back we opted to layover in Amsterdam for a few days…free layover. Two very different trips rolled into one!
Be wary of the middle-of-the-night 3 hr layover which gives you zero options of exploring (most airport gift shops won’t even be open!).
Don’t dismiss an 8-24 hr layover though, offering an opportunity to briefly escape the airport and grab some delicious, authentic cuisine, visit a gallery or museum, or perhaps take a tour before jetting off on the next leg of your trip! These layovers are opportunities, not setbacks!
7. Booking your rental car…
Booking your rental car If you’re not staying in a central location, you may require a rental car. This can REALLY add additional cost to your trip you hadn’t really anticipated. Public transit or car hires such as Uber/Lyft or Taxis can save time, money and hassle in the end. That’s not always an option and sometimes you just need that car!
Here are some tips to keep that cost lower:
– Book from a location OFF SITE of the airport. They will almost always have a shuttle and are far cheaper than the desks/kiosks at the airport who have to uncharge as they pay an airport premium for their location.
– Book the cheaper car and hope for a free upgrade. Especially if you pick up your car in the morning before all the cars have been returned. The company has to give you what is available and for the price, you booked for. They will often offer you a better car than you booked.
– Bear in mind when renting a car, you must factor in extra costs for insurance, gas, and parking at the hotel or resort. This can add upwards of $40-$50/ day and all of a sudden that cheap hatchback you’re cruising around in is not so cheap!
– If you DO opt for a rental car, attempts to score one amenable to
In France, we often for an adorable, compact Fiat! Not only was it maneuverable on crowded roads, but it also offered an authentic European feel to our road tripping adventure.
In Florida, we lucked into a butter yellow Volkswagen Beatle convertible… maybe not the swagger of a sleek Corvette convertible (and maybe you wouldn’t be caught dead driving one in your home town), but a cost-effective way of feeling the warm ocean air in our hair as we cruised the palm tree-lined oceanside roads.
8. Snacks…snacks and more snacks
Speaking of Road-tripping in your rental car…bring snacks! I spoke about saving $ on flights and how I scored an Iceland layover. Snacks played a roll in saving us
It may sound frugal,
Look ahead at what food and drink options you will get in flight and pack accordingly. SNACKS. Trailmix, nuts, granola bars… they all pack nicely and you don’t eat them on the flight, they convert to road tripping or layover snacks, saving you from buying some uncharged almonds at the airport gift shop on a layover!
On our way to Iceland, we were happy to have thought ahead. Prices on flights rarely dip below $12 for a snack of any substance. For example, a Tapas box suitable for one person was $15. Half a turkey sandwich was $12. A bowl of oatmeal was $7.
The option to pre-order will occasionally give you a 10% discount and the (almost) guarantee they won’t run out of what you’re craving. Also, you are pre-paying so you can suffer the sticker shock in the comfort of your own home and not while on vacation!
Once you are at your destination, often prices feel costly…let’s face it, groceries in America are cheaper than almost anywhere. A lunch of beef jerky, nuts, and trail mix can save you big time so you can splurge on some authentic cuisine for dinner!
9. Packing tips…
You’ve picked your destination… your biggest hurdle is behind you! Let’s face it, most of us don’t have an endless supply of time off or travel money, so picking where you’ll spend both those precious entities can be tricky as the options are endless!
Packing for a trip can be as daunting as picking where you’re going. Where to begin?
I used to subscribe to the thought…”If it doesn’t fit, SIT ON IT!” Not anymore. My travel knowledge has expanded and my luggage size has shrunk!
Main reasons for packing light:
– Carry-on means NO or very MINIMAL fees for luggage. Especially budget airlines. Those fees add up and are often for each leg of the trip. That’s money you can put towards food or excursions!
– Your luggage is WITH you so no risk of it getting lost or mishandled. Also, no waisting time waiting at luggage carousels.
– No lugging around an overpacked, heavy beast of a suitcase. If you follow my packing tips, you can fit everything you need in a bag you can carry on your back, freeing up your hands and making maneuverability easy!
- see Packing tips
– If you DO check a bag (sometimes we get a free checked bag and it’s just easier for the individual in their case to take advantage of that)… think about what carry on you will bring and try to maximize its effectiveness. A friend taught me that her “Go To” carry on is her soft-sided Yeti cooler!
She can pack it with clothes, toiletries, and medications she doesn’t want to risk putting under the plane and then once she arrives at her destination, she has a great cooler bag to take to the beach, pool or on road trips. A great way of packing those snacks we’ve talked about. Maybe your carry on isn’t a cooler. Maybe it’s a bag that doubles as a beach bag, a hiking pack, a waterproof kayak excursion bag… options are endless. Make use of that free carry on bag.
For a less expensive but still good quality option, check below.
10. Fees for spending money…
Use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees (preferably one that gets you points). Seems like a no brainer right? Then why are we sucked into those foreign currency exchange kiosks at the airport? Lack of preparation, that’s why! If we do our research and prepare, we can by-pass that expensive mistake.
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, so rely on that card. Make sure to alert
Als
I tend to convert at least a small amount on the off chance that for whatever reason, my debit card doesn’t work or the ATM is down. I also learned to travel with a certain amount of emergency cash. It stays in my travel belt rolled up next to the
That cash is not for “emergency” late night pizza… it’s for legitimate emergencies like a lost wallet, etc. It is always my hope that will come home with us and be waiting in there for our next trip!
American $ is widely accepted and appreciated. I travel with about 50 $1.00 bills packed for quick grab tip money. Might sound weird, but trust me. It’s beyond handy. We’ve all been there, reaching for tip money and feeling like a jerk when we don’t have anything to offer or only have a $50 bill. Back to “you get what you give”… tipping brings forth good Karma, and being prepared brings forth the ability to tip!
