For most people, traveling is a luxury that can’t be afforded often. These people believe that traveling frequently could cause them to put their dreams of buying one of the Burlington houses for sale or a new car on hold. However, what if I told you that you could actually travel without breaking the bank? So how exactly can you travel on a budget and still have an amazing time?
Here are ten travel hacks that you can use to save money away from home.
Book Early
The first thing that you should do to save money when traveling is to book way ahead of time. If you book early, then you will secure your travel arrangements well before demand spikes for them. As your travel date nears, more people will be looking to book those travel arrangements, thus spiking demand. Hotels and airline companies will take advantage of this spike in demand by raising their prices, forcing you to pay more. Thankfully you can avoid all of that by simply booking your travel arrangements well ahead of time, saving you considerable amounts of money.
Travel Out of Season
Another thing that you can do to save money when traveling is by traveling out of season. There are certain time periods where people travel a lot more, spiking the demand for flights and hotels. During these time periods securing travel arrangements can be quite pricey, forcing you to spend more money. Peak travel seasons usually are around holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day, as many people have work off and are trying to visit family. If possible, try to avoid planning your trips around these peak travel times, as securing travel arrangements during these times will cost quite a bit more money.
Be Flexible
A common mistake that people make when trying to secure travel arrangements is being too committed to a certain option. People want to stay in a certain location or have their flight leave at a certain time, limiting their options. Although these options may be your personal preference, they aren’t always the best for your wallet. You may be able to find better deals by staying in a slightly different location or taking a red eye flight, allowing you to save a considerable amount of cash. If you’re traveling on a budget, you should definitely be flexible when it comes to travel arrangements, as it can really save you some money in the long run.
Shop Around
When trying to save money on anything, it’s extremely important to shop around for different options. Although the idea of comparing various prices may seem like a basic one, you’d be surprised at how many people fail to do this basic step. It’s very easy to be enthralled by a deal that you think is great, and immediately jump on it. However, before you make any hasty decisions, you should always look around to see if the deal is really the best that you can get.
Use the Sharing Economy
One of the newer aspects of traveling is the sharing economy. Things like Airbnbs and ride share apps can make traveling much easier and cheaper for you. A few decades ago, these options didn’t exist and you were forced to use hotels and taxis. However now that these more modern solutions exist, you can actually save a lot of money by properly using them. If you want to save money while traveling, then you should take advantage of the sharing economy.
Look for Travel Bundles
One of the best ways to save money on travel arrangements is to look for bundles when shopping around. Certain hotels may be partnered with airlines, meaning you get a little bit off of both your hotel stay and flight for using both companies. Saving a little bit off of your hotel and flight can be a huge difference when traveling on a budget, so this is definitely something that you should look into.
Take Advantage of Credit Card Rewards
Something that people don’t utilize enough when it comes to traveling on a budget is the use of credit card rewards. Most airlines offer some form of credit card that you can use to make purchases with. The more you use these cards, the more points you will accrue. These points can later be redeemed for discounts or deals on flights, something that can save you lots of money on travel arrangements. If you want to travel on a budget, then you’d better take advantage of these rewards.
Utilize Free Walking Tours
Getting around and exploring the destination that you’re visiting is an extremely important part of your travels. That being said, exploring your destination and getting around it may be quite pricey. Most tours usually cost a lot of money, something that you might not be able to afford if you’re traveling on a budget. Thankfully, there are options like free walking tours that you can take advantage of. These options allow you to get around and explore the location you are visiting, without breaking the bank, something that can make a lot of difference for those on a tight budget.
Save on Food and Drinks
A common mistake that people make while traveling is spending too much money on food and drinks. Travelers will either spend lots of money on low quality hotel and airline foods simply due to their convenience, while others may wish to spend lots of money on fancy restaurants while they’re traveling. Food and drinks can get quite expensive while traveling, so it’s important that you set a food budget and stick with it when going to a destination. If you’re having trouble sticking to your food budget while traveling, try eating at cheaper locations or packing snacks and drinks for you to enjoy on your trip.
Avoid Common Tourist Traps
One of the worst money mistakes that you can make while traveling is falling for common tourist traps that are designed to get you to spend your money. These common tourist traps include pointless souvenirs and memorabilia, as well as pointless tours and other money grabs. When you’re traveling on a budget, it’s important to be stingy with the money that you spend.
Conserve your money, stick with your budget, and avoid common traps designed for tourists and you should be able to travel on a budget often.
