Travel is an amazing experience, but if you aren’t careful, it can really blow out your budget. The top three travel expenses are: transport, accommodation and everything else.
So, how can you save money on travel expenses? Let’s talk about it now. Get ready to save big money!
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Plan ahead and do your research
Planning and doing research before you travel will save you a tonne of money. Why? Doing research and planning will help you include unexpected costs in your budget, so they won’t surprise you. Planning ahead also means cost savings as you pay in your local currency so you aren’t affected by changeable exchange rates.
Also, researching means you know the cost of living at your destination. You know ahead of time what food, transport and other necessities cost.
Ditch the transport and start walking
Talking of transport, ditch it and start walking. Transport costs can really add up. If you are physically able and you are close to where you will be exploring and doing activities, grab your best pair of walking shoes and hit the pavement.
The benefits are endless. You’ll see a lot of the local surroundings which you won’t see from a train or bus. You will meet the locals and have wonderful conversations. You will save money. And the best benefit of all, you are doing a fantastic thing for your body and health. What is there not to love about walking?
Need a cheap airport transfer? Viator can help!
Be smart about your accommodation choice
Accommodation is another big travel expense. There are many budget friendly choices for accommodation. Hostels, homestays, couch surfing plus others like Airbnb and hotels. This is a fantastic way to reduce costs.
Want cheap accommodation? Book with Booking.com
Make free activities part of your itinerary
Did you know that most travel destinations have free walking tours or other free activities you can get involved in. What a bonus for your budget.
The beauty of a free walking tour is a local who knows the destination like the back of their hand guides you. The tour is free, just give a donation to the guide at the end of the tour.
Want to book cheap travel activities? Book with Tiqets
Balance your eating routine
Eating restaurant meals is terrific and so tasty, but if you eat too many, there will be a big hole in your travel budget. So, how do you save money but still enjoy eating?
The answer is to eat supermarket food to replace some meals. If you do eat a restaurant meal, go where the locals go as there will be amazing food and it will be cheaper too. The locals are also watching their budgets, so take their lead!
Use airline miles/points to get free travel
Do you have a stack of airline miles/points that you’ve been saving up? Well, now is the time to redeem them for flights, accommodation, tours and more.
Just think of all the money saved by using airline miles/points. How happy will you feel knowing that you are travelling without putting a dent in your bank balance. What a smart traveller!
Looking for cheap flights? Book with WayAway
Suggested post: 5 easy ways to save money travelling
So that’s a wrap! Do you have other ways to save money on travel? ✈️🧳Comment below ⤵️
Linda is an Amazon author, writer and travel blogger. Her website The Smart Travelista offers travel resources and tips via her blog, books, videos and more.
