Table Of Contents
Introduction
Traveling and exploring are very important for making memories and experiencing different cultures.
With limited vacation days and paychecks, traveling can be expensive, making it hard to comfortably enjoy your stay or get the most out of your vacation.
To help afford traveling while on a budget, I want to share 5 tricks that have saved me hundreds on a single trip, allowing me to experience more and still save money for my long-term goals.
Planning Your Trip
Saving money on traveling starts before you even make your first purchase or commitment. Choosing the best destination and time will drastically impact the overall price and experience of your desired dream getaway.
When planning, make sure to consider the following advice to save as much as you can while experiencing an unforgettable vacation.
Destination
Have you ever tried to buy anything in a tourist location? If so, you've probably run across $15 chicken tenders or a $5 bottled water like I have.
Visiting large, popular tourist areas almost guarantees price markups because attractions know tourists are more willing to spend more for convenience and experience.
With that in mind, it is important to consider alternative locations to popular tourist attractions so you can get more out of your vacation.
Not only can they be cheaper, but alternative locations can also be better for experiencing nature and culture as these locations will not be polluted with traffic and scams.
For example, according to livingcost.org, Costa Rica is 32% more expensive than Honduras. This means that you only need $30 a day to enjoy a vacation in Honduras, but you need over $50 a day to enjoy Costa Rica according to Indie Traveler.
For more affordable tourist attraction alternatives, you can check out this post by Travel Lifestyle Magazine.
Time
Not only does the destination impact the price of your vacation, but the time of year or season is also very important.
Especially with cruises, there are slower months in the year when a lot of attractions will be discounted to attract visitors during those slow times. Typically, the best deals can be found in the spring and fall in the months of May, June, September, and October.
In addition to the locations being cheaper, the transportation to the attractions also varies by the time of year and popularity. To see how to save money with flights and more, check out the transportation section.
Preparation
The last thing you want while you're traveling is when looking for a place to stay, all of the cheaper places are booked out, so you have to settle on an expensive hotel room you can't afford.
Preparation and research are vital for a successful vacation. Don't get me wrong, a spontaneous trip is thrilling, but not having a place to stay or an activity to do can put a damper on your mood.
While planning for a vacation, research popular activities to do, food to eat, and places to stay so you have an idea of what to expect and are not wasting time on your trip trying to figure out what to do.
My favorite website for researching vacations is TripAdvisor. It has every attraction you can think of and is broken down into categories for easy searching. Plus, everything is rated by users so you know exactly what to expect.
If possible, make reservations in advance so you know that your must-haves are a will-have. No one wants to arrive at a restaurant and find out that it's a 3-hour wait or buy a ticket only to find out that the tour is full.
For tips on how to save money on your plane tickets when planning your vacation, check out this Google Flights Hack.
Save Money on Lodging and Hotels
Lodging is a considerable portion of your travel budget, and it's important to save money on your stay so you can spend more on experiences.
Finding lodging can be tedious, but following these tricks can ensure that you're getting a good deal.
Which Lodging Option is Best?
There are a lot of lodging options nowadays between hotels, motels, Airbnb, and hostels, making it hard to choose the right one for your stay.
But, here are some general trends that can help you narrow down your search:
Hotels are the most reliable, consistent, flexible, safe, and family-friendly, but also can be the most expensive
Motels are more affordable and have similar characteristics, but can be inconsistent in quality and service
Airbnb has a great range of prices and access to kitchens most of the time, but are also inconsistent, unreliable, lack privacy, and have expensive hidden fees
Hostels are the cheapest and are great for socializing, but have little privacy, are inconsistent, and are not family-friendly
Book Your Lodge Correctly
There are a lot of third-party websites that boast cheap lodging deals and want you to purchase rooms through them, but do not do that!
First, these websites have to make money somehow, so they may increase the price of the booking or add a fee to make commissions and take advantage of you using their service.
Additionally, booking rooms through these websites gives you no leverage or security if something goes wrong. If you need to cancel or relocate a room, staff cannot accommodate your requests or refunds since a third-party website made the reservation on your behalf.
But this doesn't mean you cannot use these websites. In fact, I still encourage it, but instead of making purchases through the website, only use it for research.
Once you find your desired room, go to the hotel's or hosting company's website and reserve the room there. For help finding the exact hotel booking, check out the Travel Arrow Browser Plugin.
TripAdvisor is a great resource to find lodging because it leverages other lodging platforms, like Expedia, to give you the best offers available. Also, it tells you which days are cheaper, has every filter you can think of, and includes real reviews so you find your best match.
Bonus Tip: view lodging rates on a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This will mask your location so Google won't rip you off based on the wealth statistics in your area.
Use or Buy Points For Cheaper Rates
Did you know that you can save money on lodging by paying with hotel points instead of cash or credit? You don't even need the points in the first place because you can buy them on the company's website to save hundreds!
Many lodging companies allow you to purchase your stay using points, and with a little bit of math, sometimes the cost to buy enough points for the room is a lot cheaper than using your credit card directly.
For example, let's say that a room is $268 a night or 8,000 points. If you can buy 8,000 points for $134 on the company website, that means that instead of paying $268 for one night, you can purchase and use points to get the same room for only $134.
That's half off! And if you spend 3 nights there, you already saved over $400 on lodging alone just with this simple trick!
Better yet, companies will occasionally have discounts on points, so keep an eye out for any promotions when planning a trip.
To save more money, you can also apply this trick to get cheaper flights. Check out the travel section here.
If you want to earn more points with your everyday purchases so you don't have to buy points in the first place, check out the best credit cards for travel points.
Bonus Tip: view lodging rates on a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This will mask your location so Google won't rip you off based on the wealth statistics in your area.
Last Minute Lodging Savings
If it's getting late and you need a place to stay that night, the Hotel Tonight app is easy to use and gives you a list of cheap hotels in the area.
Sometimes, hotels will discount rooms last minute because they'd rather fill the room for the night and earn money than have the room sit empty.
With the Hotel Tonight website or app, it finds those last-minute deals for you when you're on the go, or even days beforehand.
Hotel Tonight has its own points as well, so the more you use the app, the more you can save.
But, don't solely rely on Hotel Tonight to find deals on Hotel Rooms. As mentioned before, it is better to book a room with the hotel directly to receive better service, upgrades, and cancellation forgiveness.
Save Money on Transportation and Flights
Just like with lodging, transportation can easily become a large portion of your travel budget, but you can still save money with proper planning.
To get the most out of your travels and not break the bank, try these tricks to save money on transportation.
Which Transportation Option is Best?
Not only should you be thinking about how to get to and from your destination, but you also need to plan for how to get around once you're there.
Long-distance transportation includes flying, driving, and trains. Here are the pros and cons of each:
Plane: flying is the fastest and is great for long distances (especially overseas), but is also expensive and limited luggage
Car: driving is very flexible as you are on your own schedule and is great for transporting more items, but also takes the longest and can be hard on your vehicle
Train: trains offer the most comfort and legroom while still being affordable, but are slower than flying and have limited routes
Local transportation has more options such as car, bus/tram, taxi/Uber, subway, and ferry. Pros and cons of each include:
Car: you can save a lot of money if you're driving your own car and it's very flexible, but you also have to worry about parking and traffic
Bus or Tram: there can be free public busses and trams available and you don't have to worry about parking, but you must work with the schedule, wait at stations/stops, and figure out which routes to take
Taxi or Uber: you don't have to worry about parking and can call an Uber ahead of time, but this option will be the most expensive and shouldn't be used unless necessary
Subway: like busses and trams, subways are affordable, but they're on a schedule, can get crowded, and you must figure out which routes to take
Ferry: usually when you take a ferry, it's because it's the most accessible water transport, but it can be expensive and has limited luggage accommodations
Planning transportation ahead can not only save money but reduce stress as you already have a plan (and maps, if necessary) so you can focus on the experience and not the transportation.
Tips to Save on Flights
Flying can be expensive with two-way flights around $800. But, there are of course tricks you can follow to save you hundreds.
Checking Luggage
Companies and airlines like Spirit can easily surprise you with expensive luggage fees, making you lose any savings you could have if you chose an airline with free checked baggage. Therefore, you need to prepare when traveling with luggage.
The easiest way to save money on checked luggage is to have a credit card that gives you free checked luggage. For suggestions, check out the best credit cards that offer free checked luggage.
If you don't have time or access to a credit card with such a perk, a lot of airlines have cheaper rates for carry-ons, including a free carry-on.
I personally use this carry-on backpack because of the following features:
Waterbottle, hidden phone/wallet, and other small outside pockets
External USB charging port and internal pocket for portable battery
Computer/tablet/book front compartment for easy access
Water-resistant internal pocket for liquids and toiletries
Shoe pocket with vents
Optional shoulder straps that can be tucked away
Expandable to give you an extra 2.5 inches
6 complimentary packing cubes
Perfect carry-on size and won't catch on anything
If all else fails and you're traveling with your significant other or close friend, try to pack one suitcase and split the cost if possible.
Use a Pillow as a Suitcase
This trick is becoming more popular, so airports may start checking, but instead of bringing a traditional pillow, fill a pillowcase with clothes to save room in your carry-on.
Airlines consider a pillow as a free carry-on separate from your small carry-on and a personal bag, so you can pack a lot more clothes for free.
Additionally, if you pack the pillowcase with soft items, you can still use your pillow for sleeping on the plane.
Packing Lighter
If you struggle to fit everything into a carry-on or have a habit of overpacking and have to pay fees for overweight bags, you will definitely benefit from these tricks.
To save space with clothes and pack lighter, I suggest bringing layers instead of large, heavy clothes. I find that thermal undershirts like these often do a good job of keeping me warm and can be easily taken off if the climate changes.
Additionally, bring clothes that you can style with multiple outfits. For example, a pair of jeans can be worn multiple times and look great with different shirts. The Belle Voyage has an easy guide to travel capsule wardrobes here.
Furthermore, finding solid alternatives to liquid products can save a lot of space and keep your luggage mess-free. This shampoo and conditioner bar is great because it is all-natural, lasts a long time, and is free of preservatives, silicones, and dyes.
Finally, this may be the easiest tip, but wear your heaviest garments on the plane. Wearing hiking boots and a heavy winter jacket will save you so much room for smaller items.
Find the Best Rates with Travel Arrow
Travel Arrow is a browser plugin and website that lets you easily compare rates on different third-party sites.
The benefit of Travel Arrow is that you can search the same flight on Skyscanner, Kayak, and more instantly, saving a lot of time and headaches.
Additionally, Travel Arrow has free virtual travel agents to help you plan your trip and flight.
Once you find the flight with the best rate, I still recommend trying to purchase the ticket from the airline's website so that if anything goes wrong with your flight, it'll be easier to receive accommodations and service.
Google Flights Hack
If you're planning a vacation and are not sure of the exact dates or location, you have the potential to save so much on your flight tickets.
For the travel hack, go to Google Flights and choose where you're leaving but not the destination. For more options, you can add up to 5 locations if you have multiple airports around you that you can leave from. Then, view your results.
You can find round-trip flights under $100 and can play with filters such as flexible or specific dates to find the best option for you.
Bonus Tip: view the results on a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This will mask your location so Google won't rip you off based on the wealth statistics in your area.
Find Cheap Flights with Skiplagged
If you don't mind layovers, Skiplagged can open way more doors for you to save money on a flight.
Skiplagged is a website that looks for connecting flights to get you to your destination as cheaply as possible.
For example, a nonstop flight from Nashville to Detroit may cost $700, but Skiplagged can find a flight from Nashville to Indianapolis for $200 and another flight from Indianapolis to Detroit for $300. Using Skiplagged, you may only need to pay $500 for your flight instead of $700.
Although you won't need to know the destination location when searching for results, you will need to know the departure and return dates.
The biggest catch when using Skiplagged is to not use it often and buy the tickets directly from the airline websites. Although it's not illegal, airlines do not like this practice because they lose money and may try to ban you.
If you use this practice sparingly though, you'll go unnoticed and can save a lot of money.
Another important detail is that you must use carry-ons instead of checked bags so your luggage stays with you when you switch flights and won't be left behind at the intermediate airport. For tips on packing a carry-on, check out the packing section.
Taking these factors into consideration, a lot of experienced travelers use this practice, helping them afford their travels.
Use or Buy Points For Cheaper Rates
As I explained in the transportation section, paying for flights with points instead of cash or credit can save you hundreds.
A flight that costs $700 can cost the equivalent of $400 in points. Even if you don't have the points, you can navigate to the airline's website to easily buy points and save money.
Better yet, airlines will occasionally have discounts on points, so keep an eye out for any promotions when planning a trip!
If you want to earn more points with your everyday purchases so you don't have to buy points in the first place, check out the best credit cards for travel points.
Bonus Tip: view flights on a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This will mask your location so Google won't rip you off based on the wealth statistics in your area.
Tips to Save on Rental Cars
Like lodging and flying, you can save a lot on rental cars if you know some tried-and-true tricks. To help you save on your next rental, here are some tips to try.
Best Websites for Cheap Car Rentals
The first step to finding affordable rental cars is to know where to look.
For those who are Costco members, the Costco travel portal has a lot of affordable options and is a reliable company. Plus, you can cancel anytime up until pickup without a penalty fee, which is helpful for the next money-saving trick.
Another useful website is Autoslash. Although it varies for each rental, most rentals can be canceled at any time before pickup without a penalty or even no fee for no-shows! But before taking advantage of this, make sure your specific rental follows that policy.
For the car rental version of Airbnb, check out Turo. Turo connects you with local car owners who are renting their cars, making it more affordable than renting from a rental company. Additionally, they have free cancelations up to 24 hours before pickup.
Keep Your Eye Out for Lower Prices
Even after you book your rental car, there's a chance you can still get the exact same booking for cheaper.
This is why it's important to pay attention to the cancellation policy and take advantage of it.
Every so often, return to the same webpage where you booked your rental car and check if the price went down. If it did, and you are still within the cancellation period, rebook the rental car and cancel your previous order.
Depending on how many times you're able to do this, you can save hundreds of dollars on your rental car alone using this trick, giving you the best deal possible.
Use Your Credit Card
If you want to earn points and rental upgrades just from your everyday purchases, look into getting or using a credit card with such perks.
For a list of great credit cards that can help you get free rental cars, check out this post by CardRates.
Eating Out
If you don't happen to be staying at an all-inclusive resort, you most likely will be paying for meals, and depending on your family size, that can quickly reach $100 a day.
To keep your meal costs low without sacrificing a great experience and quality food, try these tips.
Eat Out for Lunch
Instead of eating out for every meal, eat out once a day, and maybe try to have leftovers stretch to your next meal if possible.
I personally like to eat out for lunch instead of breakfast or dinner because of multiple reasons:
Lunch has more options than breakfast, giving you more ways to experience the culture or atmosphere
Lunch is cheaper than dinner and many restaurants may have a promotion to attract customers midday
The timing is perfect. If you're out exploring an area, you can stop at a restaurant to embrace the experience and people-watch
You can have leftovers for dinner
Better yet, indulge in a filling brunch so you can knock out two meals for the price of one.
For eating-in ideas while you're traveling, keep reading.
Pack Ready-to-Eat Food
I know this one is a no-brainer, but it is easy to forget or neglect when you have a busy schedule.
For packing food on the go such as in the car, your best bet is to keep it simple. For a portable mess-free meal, a Lunchable- or charcuterie-style meal is really easy to prepare and customize for the family.
Bento boxes are a great way to store food and snacks when you don't have time to sit down at a dinner table. I really like this bento box because of the different stackable compartments and it comes with utensils and sauce containers.
If you don't have time to prepare bento boxes, packing a cooler of cold meals is an easy alternative. You can stick with classic PB-and-J sandwiches, or get creative with pinwheels and pasta salads.
For ideas, check out these cold lunch ideas by Taste of Home.
Prepare Food
If you have some time for grocery shopping before your trip, get ahead of your meal plans with easy and affordable meals you can make in a kitchen or microwave.
Easy Meals with Pots and Pans
If you have access to a kitchen with pots and pans, one-pot or one-pan meals are super easy and affordable. Plus, most of them come pre-prepared and you just have to heat it up!
One-pot meals include stir-fries that are loaded with protein and vegetables. There are a lot of frozen premade stir-fry kits or you can make your own with fresh or frozen vegetables, protein, grains, and sauces. Just heat them up and serve on some microwaved rice!
One-pan meals are the same thing, except cooked in the oven. It is easy to throw and season all of the ingredients on one baking sheet, leaving minimal dishes. Although there are frozen premade kits and ingredients, I suggest using fresh ingredients for better results.
One-pan and one-pot meals are easy to transport since each meal can be stored in only 1 to 2 bags, depending on if any meat needs to be separated. Here are some frozen one-pot recipe ideas by Happy Money Saver.
Easy Meals with a Microwave
Not everyone has access to a full kitchen when traveling, but microwaves are easier to come by. Plus, microwave meals are super simple and don't take a lot of time to prep.
The easiest choice is premade frozen microwave meals. I like Lean Cuisine from Target because they're a great choice if you're on a diet, but they aren't very big, so keep that in mind if you have a big day ahead.
If you want something a little bigger, check out these microwave recipes by Taste of Home.
An easy side idea that'll give you a boost of nutrients and fiber is steamed vegetables. I like to use this microwave steamer and the vegetables come out perfectly every time. You can also make oatmeal, rice, and noodles using this microwave steamer that comes with a spoon.
For breakfast, this microwave egg cooker will give you a huge protein boost in under 1 minute. They're perfect for a breakfast sandwich or they can be scrambled and eaten as scrambled eggs.
Grocery Shop Instead of Eating Out
Instead of spending an arm and a leg for chicken sandwiches at a restaurant, you can feed your entire family for $10 with a trip to the grocery store.
One precooked rotisserie chicken, a pack of hamburger buns, and any desired condiments can make upwards of 6 healthy chicken sandwiches.
Some popular ingredients for making easy grocery shop meals you can throw together are:
Canned or packet meats
Precooked meats (rotisserie chicken is a super cheap option)
Canned or fresh produce (vegetables, beans, fruit, etc.)
Packaged condiments and toppings
Premade sides (such as potato salad)
Bread and wraps
Another great food to buy at the grocery store instead of eating out is desserts. A fancy ice cream shop can quickly add up, but a pack of cookies or cake from the grocery store can last a few days and give everyone something to look forward to.
Split Meals
If you have family members who can't finish a meal, such as your kids, or you're going to a restaurant with large portions, consider splitting meals.
Instead of trying to eat an entire entree, plan to share it between 2 people and add on any sides as needed. That way, for 2 people, you pay for a $16 entree and a $3 side instead of two unfinished $16 entrees, saving you $13 and wasted food.
Also, I split my desserts all the time. I often cannot finish a large treat and I find it more meaningful when I can share it with someone.
Especially when you're on a diet but you still want to have a sweet experience, splitting treats is a great way to save money and calories.
Affordable Activities and Attractions
Because it is the activities and attractions you'll remember the most, don't skimp on this category. It is ok to splurge a little after saving so much on lodging, food, and more, as explained previously.
But, you also don't want to blow all of your hard-earned money in one day, so you must find a balance between high-cost and low-cost activities and attractions to fill your trip.
To make that balance easier, you can try these tricks.
Prioritize Must-See Attractions
It can be easy to overbook yourself in the excitement of an adventurous trip. Maybe you hope to do 5 things in one day, but only have time to do 3.
Or, maybe you're putting too much money into the smaller activities and can no longer afford that one attraction you've been dying to see without going over budget.
Either way, make sure to schedule and budget the activities that are most important to you so you can guarantee enough time and money to do them.
Then, fill in the rest of your trip with smaller, not-so-important activities that you can delegate to fit into your schedule and budget. For ideas, keep reading.
This strategy helps you focus on the most important experiences without going over budget or running out of time.
Research Free or Low-Cost Activities
Maybe you have a spare hour or two one day that you want to fill with an activity. If this activity is just to fill time, your best bet is to find a free or low-cost activity so you can stay within your budget and not feel bad if you need to cancel the activity.
Hikes, walking, and people-watching are very easy activities that can enhance your trip. If you're in nature, find a cool trail to hike, or if you're in the city, walk around and check out what the culture has to offer.
If you're going to a popular location such as a city, keep your eye out for local events that are commonly hosted in the summer. Festivals, fairs, and carnivals are great examples of fun activities you can enjoy without breaking the bank.
For more ideas for your area, check out TripAdvisor to find different things to do. You can also Google self-guided tours in your area to find some hidden gems.
Find Discounts
A lot of attractions will offer student, military, and senior discounts. The best way to find out is to ask before purchasing or calling ahead. You can also search for locations that offer such discounts in your area.
If none of these discounts apply to you, Groupon is a great website to check out to find discounts. Groupon is a website where businesses will post discounted goods and services to attract customers.
With Groupon, you can find discounted memberships, meals, rentals, activities, goods, and services. Even when I'm not traveling, I'm always checking Groupon whenever I need a haircut, a night out, or a membership renewal.
Prioritize Nature and Low-Cost Outdoor Activities
Whenever I need a getaway from the city, work, or suburban life, I go for a nature-focused vacation.
My go-to cheap weekend-long vacation is camping or backpacking. It's very refreshing to disconnect from the media and embrace the fresh air on a hike in the woods.
Even if camping is not your thing, try to find destinations that have beautiful landscapes you can explore. I love to walk in rivers and on beaches or find some hidden caves and waterfalls.
You can spend an entire day exploring nature in an area, and you can get some cool pictures to show your friends too, all for a very affordable price.
Conclusion
A nice fulfilling vacation doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Additionally, lodging and transportation don't have to take up your entire budget.
With proper planning and implementing the tips previously explained, you can experience an action-packed vacation while saving money for your goals.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my affiliate links
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