Traveling the world doesn’t need to cost the earth, there are always tips and tricks you can use to try and save money. Here are some of the best travel hacks on how to save money whilst traveling.
Accommodation
One of the biggest expenses when it comes to traveling are hotel and accommodation costs. Luckily there are plenty of tricks you can use to cut down on costs here, from the type of place you stay to the location and season.
Hostels, Couchsurfing, homestays, and Airbnbs are cheaper options to consider instead of hotels if you don’t mind compromising on privacy and space. Also, consider looking at booking accommodation in residential areas instead of the city center. These kinds of locations are often much more affordable to stay in but still have strong public transport links for people commuting to work. Another option to consider is housesitting websites where you can get free accommodation in exchange for looking after somebody’s house.
Finally, the time of year that you travel also has an impact on accommodation pricing. For example, peak travel periods during the summer or New Year can often push up prices. If a special event or seasonal festival is happening, this will also affect hotel pricing. Take some time to do a bit of research before traveling to figure out when the cheapest times to visit are.
Flights
Another major expense when it comes to travel costs, the prices of flights can vary massively depending on when you travel. Here are a few tips on how to get the cheapest flights.
Consider taking a connecting flight instead of flying direct. If you are flying long-haul, direct flights are usually more expensive than if you break the journey up by changing flights somewhere along the way. Although it may add a few hours to your traveling time, sometimes it can be nice to break up the journey by stretching your legs for a couple of hours before making the rest of the trip, and the financial savings could be substantial.
Another tip to find the best-priced flights is by combining searches using flight comparison sites such as Skyscanner and cross-checking it with Google flights to check the best dates. Pay for your flights using a credit card with airline rewards and you can also collect points to use towards discounts on future flights too.
The price of airfares changes depending on which day of the week you fly. Weekends are typically more expensive so if you can be flexible on dates you can easily save money. Finally, try to avoid flying during school holidays when prices increase dramatically.
Eating Out
Trying new food is one of the best parts of traveling, but it can be all too easy to find yourself at expensive restaurants geared towards tourists. Do a bit of research before your trip and try to eat where locals do. Food markets and street food stalls are usually cheaper options than dining in restaurants.
If you stay in an apartment or somewhere with kitchen facilities, then you can save money by combining eating out with some nights in. Try cooking local dishes using ingredients purchased at food markets and supermarkets.
The easiest way to find out where the best authentic and affordable restaurants are is to download the Oody app and arrange a foodie meetup (we call them OodyMeets) where you can meet locals who will take you to their favorite places to eat at affordable prices. Instead of paying to join an expensive food tour to find those hidden restaurants that require insider knowledge, this app is completely free to use, and you only need to pay for the food you order.
Sightseeing
Tours and attractions are other areas where it’s easy to lose track of how much you’re spending whilst traveling. Most cities have free walking tours you can join run by volunteer tour guides, so do a bit of research before you travel to see if there are any you can join. If you like to visit lots of museums there is usually some kind of city pass you can buy too that includes admission to a range of attractions which will also save you money.