12 Ways to Save Money on Travel
Need some quick tips? Here’s a list of 12 ways you can save money on your travels.
Hopefully you’ll use that extra cash to plan your next trip.
1. Stay in a Hostel
As a traveler, you want to see the world, not your hotel room!
Why spend a lot of money on a place you’re only going to spend a fourth of your time in? I have stayed in some amazing hostels all over the world, and they are significantly cheaper than hotels. It’s also a great way to meet people if you are traveling alone. Try the hostel life and be a part of a community as you meet travelers like yourself!
2. Walk, walk, & walk
Walking will most importantly save you money
Walking is great exercise
Walking gets you familiar with the area
Walking allows you to see things you might have missed
Walking can keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels healthy
3. Eat street food
Can we break the stigma that good food has to be expensive?
When talking travel, one of the first things we think about is the food—and it doesn’t get much cheaper than your local night market. I’ve found some of my all time favorite dishes while exploring local street markets. We can learn a lot from the local dishes— traditions, history, and spices. Instead of going to a restaurant, check out a night market or the corner food stall. Most importantly, try to stay away from major -international- chains.
Eat street food, help the locals.
4. Fly Smart
Flights are the most expensive part of planning a trip, so let's be smart about when we fly.
Hint, Hint: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically the cheapest days to fly. There are a lot of different sites where you can view multiple airline and ticket prices, but I like to use Google Flights. The interface on Google has a simplistic calendar view that allows you to see overall prices for that entire month—which makes life so much easier. Also, try to avoid flying right before or after any holiday… they can get rather pricy. If you don’t mind, flying on the actual day of a holiday can save you a pretty penny.
In 2019 January, February, and September are projected to be the cheapest months to fly.
5. Join a frequent flyer program
Who doesn't love free money?
If you love free money, then sign up for as many frequent flyer programs as you can find. With each purchase, these programs allow you to earn points that you can later be exchange for upgrades, add ons, or even FREE flights. Over the course of my travels, I’ve collected enough points that have covered a few of my international flights, which saved me a lot money.
More money, means more travel!
6. Stop hidden Bank fees
Don’t you feel like banks are out to get us?
Most banks and credit card companies will charge anywhere from 2% - 5% in foreign transaction fees and up to $10+ per ATM withdraw. My life changed, when I switched to Charles Schwab—they don’t charge you a penny for foreign transactions and even reimburses all your ATM fees at the end of every month.
This is money you worked hard for, don’t just give it away to those greedy banks!
7. Sleep as you Travel
Save a little bit of cash and travel at night!
As you travel by plane, bus, train, or boat you can save the cost of accommodation by sleeping while you’re moving. So many backpackers do this, and you’ll most likely meet friends along the way. Overnight flights tend to be a cheaper and less crowded. If you are traveling by bus, there is usually less traffic at night which means you’ll get there faster.
Nervous about getting good sleep? I cannot sleep sitting up for the death of me… but luckily most buses, trains and boats offer full beds for just a few extra dollars!
8. Do the FREE stuff
Visit a market
Swim at the local beach or lake
Stay in, watch YouTube or Netflix, and relax
Take a walk or sight see
Find some local music
Get-to-know the locals
9. Look for Free breakfast
Purchasing food while you are traveling can quickly eat away at your budget.
A lot of hostels —especially in Asia— will have breakfast included with your stay, so make sure you’re looking for it! I use HostelWorld because they have a great app that clearly shows all the amenities each please place has to offer. Try to book places where breakfast is included so you’re not paying for 3 meals a day.
10. Drink in, not out
Alcohol can get pricey. You’d be surprised how much more bars charge for a drink compared to your local market—especially in tourist areas. So order something local at the bar and embrace the homeland alcohol to save a little bit.
Or even better, go to a local market to buy alcohol instead of buying drinks at bars or restaurants. You’ll feel more like a local that way!
11. Shop Local
Tired of the same old close you see at your local H&M?
Try to shop at local markets and stores—some of my best fashion pieces have come from places that aren’t sold in my hometown. There’s nothing like coming back from a trip looking like you just starred in a movie The best thing about it, the local stores usually have the best deals. Oh, don’t be afraid to bargain!
12. Use That Free WiFi
Want to use your phone aboard? That can get quite expensive!
In my years of traveling, I have never had to pay for internet. I’m not sure if it’s pride or me being cheap, but I think Wifi should be a human right—like water. I will only stay at a place with FREE wifi, unless of course I’m planning a remote type of excursion. That being said, yes we should all disconnect from our phones, but running an online business requires me to stay connected.
Most hotels/hostels will offer free WiFi, so make sure you check to see if it’s listed. Reading reviews will give you a better understanding about the wifi situation. If you just want to stay connected with your family and friends back home, even the most basic wifi will suffice.
A smart traveler always discovers the best deals. These travel tips will help you keep a little extra cash in your pocket—more money means more travel. We would also love to hear from you! Do you have any travel tips that help you stay on budget? Comment below and let's start saving and traveling together.
Cheers, #TeamTravelTooMuch
I guess I should get into the budgeting part… it’s probably the main reason why you clicked. So after traveling in the Philippines for 28 days, in Singapore for 5 days, and Malaysia 60 days in Malaysia, I’ve come to the conclusion that Southeast Asia is fu*king CHEAP compared to the USA.