50 quick tips to save money while travelling
Travelling can get expensive quite quickly if you're not careful! Here are a few tips to help you cut down on the costs wherever possible.
Let's start off with five 'big' tips
1. Travel off peak
Everyone knows that flights, hotels and activities are usually more expensive during the school holidays - and on weekends. If you can, try to travel outside of these times. If you can't, try to book well in advance.
2. Find the best deals
Sites like Groupon and Living Social offer lots of different holidays every day, with some serious
discounts! Get weekend breaks for two, family holidays and loads more. Also make sure to check for daily deals on a number of other holiday sites.
3. Stay in someone else's house
This may sound like a very odd suggestion to a lot of you, but you could cut the costs of your holiday massively if you stay in someone else's house.
There are a number of ways you can do this. Sites like CouchSurfing.org let you find people all
over the world who are willing to let you crash on their couch. They might even offer to show you around your holiday location! If you have a house in
a desirable location, why not consider sites like Homelink which let you swap houses with
someone in your desired holiday destination! If you don't have a house, you can also find houses all over the world to housesit on sites like Mindmyhouse.com.
4. Hostels
Pretty much anywhere in the world, it's likely that you'll be able to find clean, cheap, safe accommodation in a hostel. You can cut the costs even
more if you're willing to share your room with other people. Make sure to check reviews and pictures online before you book, so you know you're getting
the best deal!
5. Geocache your way around!
For those unfamiliar with Geocaching, it's basically a GPS treasure hunt. You can find out more here. The reason it makes travel so cheap is because
these 'caches' are all over the world. Wherever you go, you're likely to find some. It's a highly entertaining way to pass the time and explore your
surroundings for free (although you may wish to purchase the app or a premium membership), even if you can't afford to go anywhere exotic.
And now for some more quick tips.
6. Get a secret hotel with a discount! More here.
7. See if you can get a rail or bus pass for your destination of choice: for example, Oyster.tfl.gov.uk or Raileurope.co.uk
8. Visit street vendors for cheap food.
9. If your accommodation is self-catering, cook a few meals instead of eating at restaurants.
10. See if you can get a pass for the major attractions in your desired destination: for example, Citypass.com.
11. Get a part-time job while you're away using sites like this Wwoof.org.
12. If you want to eat out a lot, have a big meal for lunch (when there are often better deals), then eat a small snack for dinner.
13. Hitchhike. Be careful with this one - safety first!
14. If you love museums, visit the UK or WashingtonD.C. - most museums there are free.
15. Instead of flying direct, consider making a stopover.
16. If there are a lot of you, consider an apartment.
17. Compare prices online before you go.
18. If you get free breakfast, make it a big one that could keep you going until the evening!
19. Haggle.
20. Instead of booking really early, consider booking really late.
21. Walk wherever possible.
22. Look outside the main tourist areas for good deals on food and accommodation.
23. Get travel insurance. The cost of insurance can be tiny compared with the cost of something going wrong if you're not covered.
24. Be conscientious about your belongings - don't flash your expensive stuff about!
25. Make a budget for your holiday - decide how much you're allowed to spend each day and try to stick to it.
26. If you're tempted to buy a package, check to see if booking everything individually would be cheaper.
27. Don't ring your relatives while you're away - use Skype at an internet café!
28. Visit sites like Groupon and see if they have any discounts available for activities where you're visiting.
29. Investigate airlines' frequent flyer rewards.
30. Consider 'no frills' airlines such as Ryanair.com.
31. Take bottles of tap water around with you (if that's advisable in the country you're in) so you're not tempted to stop at a café for a midday drink.
32. Take a free walking tour. These guys do some great ones in Europe: Neweuropetours.eu.
33. Make sure you weigh your bags before you go to the airport.
34. Find the best exchange rates - use a comparison website.
35. Ask a local about the best places to eat.
36. Pack sandwiches to eat if you've got a big day out or road trip planned.
37. Check your bill after you've eaten: some places add a service charge automatically, or there might be a mistake.
38. If you've got a student card or an 'over 60s' card, ask if you can use it at every opportunity.
39. Holiday in places with really cheap food and refreshments: for example, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
40. Ask for an upgrade. What's the worst that could happen?
41. Ask for tap water with your meal.
42. Avoid souvenir shops. Your photographs, tickets and other leftovers will be good souvenirs.
43. If you want a cruise, wait until the last minute to book it. They'll need to fill up those ships!
44. Pack light and do some laundry while you're there.
45. Holiday in your home country.
46. Don't be afraid to cancel your current reservations if you find a better deal (as long as you'll get a full refund).
47. Look for group discounts if you're away with family or friends.
48. Rent a bike and cycle around the city instead of getting taxis.
49. If you have currency left over after your holiday, hold on to it for the next time you travel.
50. Sample the local beers, wines and food. They can cost a lot less.
Related resources
- Don't leave travel insurance until the last minute
- Going skiing? Don't forget your travel insurance
- Travel insurance guide launched
- Travel insurance often cheaper elsewhere
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Tags: travel, saving money, budgeting, saving tips, back packing, holiday, family