Last Updated on January 20, 2020
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I’m sure you heard it more than once: traveling is expensive. I don’t fully agree with that statement, because while it certainly can be, it doesn’t have to, if you know a few tricks. There are many ways to save serious money for your next trip, if you’re willing to invest some time doing research. If you are wondering how to save money when traveling, it’s basically a combination of doing your homework before you leave, and using some tricks and tips while you are on the road.
Saving money on your next trip starts with making the right arrangements. The key to making your trip affordable is doing your research and planning, which of course requires some time investment. You can’t just sit down at your computer for 1 hour, book everything and expect it to be the deal of your lifetime. But if you are really looking to save money on your next trip, it’s totally worth it.
How to save money when traveling
Travel off season
If you are not tied to the school schedule and have flexibility when you can travel, take advantage of it and travel off season. It has more than one benefit to it. Once the summer crowds are gone, prices drop significantly, both on flights and hotels. In a lot of places, weather continues to be really nice, so it’s a win – win. Some of the most popular destinations get so crowded in high season, that you can’t even properly enjoy them. Barcelona off season was a delight ( here ).
Be flexible with your dates
If you ever wondered how to save money when traveling, this is a big one. Flights are often one of the biggest expenses of your trip, but if you are lucky to have flexibility in your schedule, ability to travel on odd days is a huge money saver. Flight search engines like Skyscanner have an option to let you view and compare fares for the entire month. You will be surprised how much cheaper you can fly on some week days compared to weekends.
Book flights and hotels early
This is especially true for traveling in high season, when most hotels sell out anyway, so waiting too long for a good deal to come around is not a good idea. There’s a huge demand, and hotels know they will fill up, so they have no incentive to offer any huge discounts. It does however pay off to book early, as many of them offer early bird specials. A lot of times you can also take a few dollars off of your room rate if your stay qualifies for an extended stay. This usually happens when you book for 3 nights or longer.
Booking.com is a great source for finding great deals on hotels around the world. If you book and complete 2 stays, you unlock a free Genius membership, which gives you an additional 10% discount. The more stays you complete, the higher level you reach, and the discount gets bigger.
For more tips about traveling to Europe in high season check out my post Summer in Europe – 5 tips for surviving peak season.
Book separate flights
You might think that booking a round trip ticket is the best deal you can get. It is true in some cases, but very often you can fly for much cheaper if you buy your flights separate. This is especially true for traveling to Europe, where there are many budget airlines, that might not necessarily show up on Expedia or other popular sites. By playing around on flight search engines and trying different combinations, you can put together a much cheaper flight. So how exactly does that happen ?
First, you find a cheap flight from your home base ( in my case that’s Boston ) to one of the major European airports. Your best bet are some of the bigger airports, that often serve as a connecting airport anyway. The ones that I usually manage to score a good deal to are : Paris, Madrid, Berlin and Copenhagen. Next step is to check what budget European airlines connect one of these airports with your destinations. Ryanair, Easyjet, Wizzair, Vueling are just a few of the cheap, regional airlines. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve connected between European cities for € 20-40.
IMPORTANT: one thing to remember by booking separate flights is to always allow enough time between them. Since you have 2 separate tickets, you will need to collect and re-check your baggage. Also, the flights could be leaving from different Terminals, on opposite sides of the airport.
Avoid Currency Exchange
Currency exchange stores, especially those at the airport, have the worst currency exchange rates, so avoid them if you can. Instead, use your ATM card to withdraw cash, but do check with your bank if and what kind of fees you’ll incur on your withdrawals. For that reason it’s best to make a larger withdrawal, instead of multiple small ones. Those fees will add up.
Don’t forget to inform your bank about your travel plans, so you don’t get shut off. Many banks exercise extreme caution to prevent fraudulent charges, and when an unusual activity occurs, they will block your account. If you are in a different country, it’s always a hassle to call and straighten things out. Much easier to let your bank know when and where you will be traveling to.
Get a credit card with no international fees
Most credit cards will charge a fee for making transactions in foreign currency. When your plan is to use your card a lot, these fees will quickly add up. If you travel internationally, it makes sense to have a credit card with no fees, or one that will reimburse you afterwards.
Skip the taxi
Hopping into a taxi outside of the Arrival Terminal is very convenient, but that convenience often comes with a hefty price tag. Also, some cities have a minimum charge when leaving the airport no matter how far you go. In Barcelona and Madrid you pay at least € 20, even if your hotel is just 2 miles away. Skipping the taxi and using public transportation instead can save you quite a bit of cash.
A lot of airports are well connected with city centers with Aerobuses or trains, that will get you there for fraction of the taxi cost. Barcelona, Lisbon and Reykjavik are among the cities with a convenient Aerobus connection. Other places like Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin or London are easily accessible by trains that run directly from the airport to the city center. Skipping taxi and using public transportation or airport buses is another excellent example of how to save money when traveling. Below are just a few examples of how much you can save by not taking the taxi.
- Barcelona – Aerobus – € 5.90 vs € 30-35 taxi
- Lisbon – Aerobus – € 4 vs € 20 taxi
- Granada, Spain – Aerobus – € 3 vs € 25-30
- Iceland – Flybus from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik – 3.499 ISK ( $28) vs 15.000 ISK ( € 107 )
- Amsterdam – train from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal – € 5.50 vs € 45-50
- Berlin – TXL bus from Tegel Airport to Hauptbahnhof – € 2.80 vs € 25
- Paris – train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris center – RER B train € 10.30 vs € 50-55
Visit attractions during off peak hours
Some attractions have different pricing, depending on what time of day you visit, with the peak visiting hours being the most expensive. Try to visit during the least popular times, and you will save a little money. Bonus: it will be least crowded as well.
Join a free walking tour
You can find free walking tours in most major cities. It’s not only a budget friendly activity, but also a great way to familiarize yourself with your destination. If you have a couple more days left in the city, the walking tour will give you a better idea about where things are. The guides are usually very knowledgeable and enthusiastic locals, who can also be a great source of invaluable tips. Even though the walking tour is free, ALWAYS remember to tip the guide.
Skip organized tours
Signing up for a tour is the easiest, as you don’t have to worry about logistics, transportation, or pretty much anything else. While all you need to do is show up, you do pay for that convenience. If you don’t mind doing a little research, you can save a lot of money by doing things independently. If you are traveling in Europe, public transportation there is excellent, cheap and easy to use.
Pick restaurants away from tourist areas
Most of the time, cafes and restaurants located near tourists attractions are way overpriced. What happens is, you basically pay for the location. Also, avoid restaurants that have menu with pictures, as they are geared towards tourists, and food is usually mediocre at best. To find a better deal and way better food, get off the main streets and find places off the beaten path. If you see a lot of locals there, that’s always a great sign.
Prepare some meals
I will not try to convince you to never eat out, because local food is one of my favorite parts of exploring a new destination. But you can save a bit of money by keeping some drinks and snacks in your hotel’s fridge. A lot of hotel rooms have a little kitchenette, perfect for preparing breakfast or small meals. Visit the local supermarket to pick up a few things, or even better, hit up one of the local markets. A lot of the vendors lower the price near the end of the day, so it’s a great time to buy a few items.
Get travel insurance
Many skip that part during travel preparations, and I have been guilty of it myself. Although you might not focus on it while getting excited for your trip, things do occasionally go wrong. Sometimes it’s lost luggage, other times more serious issues like illness/accidents or family emergencies. Even though you might be tempted to skip the additional cost of travel insurance, it really is just a fraction of the expense you might incur in case something major happens. World Nomads has a wide selection of affordable travel insurance, allowing you pick the right coverage for your trip.
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