Traveling is a hobby that many would love to do more of but feel like it is far too expensive. While five-star travel will certainly come at a premium, affordable travel is more accessible than you may realize. By following a few tips developed by lifetime travelers, you may be able to take that special trip that you never thought would be possible. So what are the best ways to save money while traveling so that you can see more of the world?
- Be Smart About Utilizing Credit Cards
- Share Lodging Costs Where Possible
- Plan Ahead
- Utilize A Home Swap With Friends
- Search For The Best Gas Prices
- Utilize A Storage Unit While Travelling
- Eat Smart
- Travel In The Off-season
- Leave During The Week
- Select Your Airline Wisely
- Be Smart About Utilizing Credit Cards
Credit cards can lead to serious debt. But, if they are paid off in full every month, they can be an extremely useful travel tool. For example, some credit cards offer programs where the money that you charge to the card is redeemed for points and these points can then be used to get free flights all around the world. It is imperative that you note that some credit cards have blackout dates for which you cannot use airline miles to redeem free flights. If you are able to properly pay off your credit card bill each month, you could find yourself exploring a new city for little to no cost.
- Share Lodging Costs Where Possible
When traveling with a group, sharing hotel rooms instantly cut your lodging expenses in half. Most hotels offer rooms with multiple queen size beds as well as pull out beds which can sleep a large number of weary travelers who are just seeking to get a few hours of shuteye before getting back on the road.
- Plan Ahead
While picking up everything and running away to travel the globe may sound like a dream to some, it can quickly become a highly expensive endeavor. For example, if you don’t travel with a plan in mind about where you are going to stay and how you are going to get there, you may soon find yourself paying far more than you’d like to because it is the only option available. Instead, try to carefully plan your transportation and lodging ahead of time and leave plenty of time in between for whatever side trips you wish to take on the spur of the moment.
- Utilize A Home Swap With Friends
If you have friends that live across the country or even in a neighboring state, consider taking two weeks to visit one another in successive weeks for absolutely free lodging. In addition to saving on hotel fees, you will have two locals to guide you to the best spot in the city and show you the ins and outs of the area.
- Search For The Best Gas Prices
A road trip is an all American adventure that has intrigued travelers for decades. One of the biggest expenses during a road trip is fuel. To help curb these high costs, be sure to download an app that will help identify the least expensive gas along your route. While saving five cents per gallon may not seem like a lot, over thousands of miles of driving, this can add up to some serious savings.
- Utilize A Storage Unit While Travelling
Storage units are a great way to save money while traveling especially if you are a renter. Instead of paying rent for months on end while you are out of the country, you can instead pay a much lower monthly fee to store all of your possessions that are too large to take along while traveling. Now, instead of paying high rent for a space that you’re not even living, you’ll have a far more expendable income each month to more fully enjoy your travels.
- Eat Smart
The cost of eating out for every meal of the day is astronomically high, especially when your trips can last weeks on end. For this reason, it is imperative that you eat smart and on a budget. When searching for a hotel to stay in, seek out an inexpensive hotel that also offers breakfast included in the price. This way, you can eat a large breakfast for no additional cost. Then, you can eat a smaller lunch such as a handmade sandwich or even something as simple as a granola bar.
- Travel In The Off-season
There are certain destinations that are cheaper to fly to in the winter than in the summer and vice versa. For example, it is much more expensive to travel to the Caribbean in the winter when it is colder in the United States than it is to travel here in the summer. By traveling in the off-season, you are able to see the same incredible destinations all across the road for a fraction of the price.
- Leave During The Week
Seemingly identical flights can have vastly different costs. Perhaps the biggest determining factor about how much you ultimately end up paying. For instance, a flight from New York City to Los Angeles will be far more expensive if you leave on a Saturday than if you leave on a Tuesday. If you have a flexible travel schedule, consider leaving during the work week when flights are typically less in demand.
- Select Your Airline Wisely
If you know how to travel light, certain budget airlines can be a huge money saver for travelers. It should be noted that most budget airlines do not allow you to have any baggage free of charge and some even charge for a carry on bag. The best way to avoid these fees is to pack a personal item, such as a backpack, with all of your essentials for your weekend getaway.
Travelling doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. If you can plan ahead, and utilize even a few of the tools, you are well on your ways to maximizing your travel dollars and being able to afford even more adventures.
