Some may say that if you’re on a budget, then travelling is a luxury one can live without. But with some smart money-saving travel tips you can still explore new destinations and enjoy new experiences. In this article, we share some recommendations on how to save money while travelling and outline directions to follow in your trip savings strategy.
Plan! (Or not)
Figuring out the perfect timing for your trip might be tricky. On the one hand, it is reasonable to book everything in advance since it is cheaper early on. However, one of the secrets to travelling cheaply is to take advantage of last-minute travel offers, which can be super economical compared to ‘normal’ ones. Similarly, if you are not thinking of a grand, multiple-destination trip but just want to escape the routine for a week, then sometimes it makes sense to go through travel agencies’ all-inclusive offers. It helps you with trip savings in terms of money, time, and effort.
Luggage
Over the last decade, with the development of low-cost air travel, luggage has evolved into an independent participant of any journey since you are literally required to pay as if for a separate ‘ticket’. When looking at how to save money on vacation, it is, therefore, important to meticulously think through your packing options. For instance, if you intend to fly and only take a small backpack with you, you save on the plane tickets but might need to spend extra money on some things you haven’t been able to bring with you. But if you’re on a road trip in a car, some extra luggage won’t hurt anyone, and you will have everything you might need with you.
The matter of finding an ideal luggage arrangement is even more urgent if the list of your planned activities includes shopping. After a visit to a brand outlet, you may end up needing another suitcase, which can be a complication for your travel saving plan. If that sounds familiar, make sure you update your return tickets in advance: paying for an extra piece of luggage at the airport will cost you dearly.
Food
Tasting foreign cuisines is one of the most fascinating benefits of travel, and in any case, everyone needs to eat, travelling or not. But even though you cannot avoid food expenses, there are some travel tips to save money. First, a banal but no less valid recommendation: avoid overpriced touristy places. Do your research online or just veer off the main street to look for less posh places frequented by locals.
Being on the go also means that you might not always have the time for a proper meal and need to make do with a snack. Here is another great money-saving travel tip: instead of buying street food or fast food, pop into a grocery store or a supermarket and get something to eat there. Not only will you be paying much less but you will also have a chance to observe how locals do their shopping. Plus, this is a great piece of advice if you’re thinking of how to save money on a road trip. Stock up on some food in advance to avoid paying double for mediocre meals on the road.
Transport
Another unavoidable expense is transportation. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways to save money on travel. If in a major destination, check if it offers special tourist tickets – the so-called ‘all-in-one passes’ or ‘city passes’, which usually combine access to public transport and discounts on entry to the most popular places of interest. The city/country you are visiting might also have an umbrella transport app where you can check the routes and timetables, buy tickets, or learn about alternative modes of transportation such as carsharing or scooter rentals. All this may contribute greatly to your attempts at travel savings.
Internet
Modern travel is defined by whether you have an internet connection on the go. Having online access helps you to find exciting opportunities, map out the best routes, locate the places you want to see, and generally solve many issues. Besides, how will you be sharing with your social media followers all those exciting experiences that you are having? But most importantly, staying connected enables you to save money while travelling. You can calculate your movements with public transport instead of taking a taxi. You can locate a great, inexpensive place on a side street instead of eating at an overpriced central establishment. You can find cheaper accommodation in an unknown city in case you urgently need a place to stay (and that can happen even on the most thoroughly planned trips).
Relying on sporadic public Wi-Fi connections is short-sightedness, to say the least. You can be sure: at precisely the time when you need your connection the most, there won’t be any. Hence, the best travel tip to save money and time is to ensure you are connected throughout your trip before you set sail. If you plan to visit multiple destinations, one way to get prepared is to enquire about available data roaming plans with your mobile operator. If it is a single-destination trip, try to find out if you can buy a local SIM card or get an eSIM data package.
Free or almost free
When trying to save money on travel, why pay if you can get something very similar for (nearly) free? We have already mentioned the ‘city passes’, which entitle you to various discounts on entry tickets to museums, galleries, and such. Alternatively, buy your tickets to places of interest online. They may be cheaper, and you often are able to skip the general queue. Moreover, some popular places sell tickets for specific time slots, and simply showing up might end up in disappointment. Thinking of all this in advance helps you to save money while travelling.
If you’re visiting the place for the first time, a simple walk around it might be just as exciting as a hop-on-hop-off bus tour. Yes, you might miss out on some historical facts, but there’s always a podcast or a YouTube video with all the information you need – for free. Go to a national art gallery instead of an expensive private museum. Visit a city park instead of an oceanarium. Choosing cheaper but no less worthy alternatives is a sure way to save money on travel.
Recommendations
When looking for money-saving travel tips, ask for first-hand experiences and seek advice from locals. Join location-specific online groups, directly contact those who have already visited the place – most people would be happy to share some of their secrets to travelling cheaply. This might also come in handy in case of emergency as you can try and search for urgent help or advice online.
Money
Unsurprisingly, the most effective travel tips to save money have to do with, well, money. The basic question is how to minimise losses from the exchange rate and various fees and charges. If you’re dealing with cash, avoid exchanging it at popular locations, which usually offer a very unfavourable rate and may charge commission. Using an ATM, make sure it is one of a local bank and not of international ATM networks. The latter are notorious for their exorbitant charges, which surely doesn’t help you to save money on travel.
Another wise step to take is to install an international money transfer service app, such as Profee. It is an EU-licensed Electronic Money Institution (EMI) which allows you to send up to €1,000 immediately after the signup. It is user-friendly, fast, convenient, and secure, even when you are on the go. Here are just a couple of examples of how Profee can come in handy.
As the service operates in over 60 destinations across the globe, there is a high chance that you are travelling to one of those and that a local vendor of whatever it is you would like to buy already has the app installed. So, if you don’t have cash on you and want to avoid additional charges on your bank card, you can pay them via Profee and save money. If you know a local, you can take advantage of Profee, too. Simply transfer them the money in the app, and they give you cash in the local currency. Considering that Profee offers the most competitive exchange rate and only charges a small flat fee (or no fee at all), that could definitely be an answer to the question of how to save money while travelling. And by the way, if you are on a group trip, it’s a great opportunity for you to take advantage of the referral programme offered by Profee. Share a promo code with your fellow travellers, and once they have sent their first transfer of €100 or more, you get €10 cashback. In other words, with Profee, you can not only save money on travel but also earn some extra income.
