If you know me, you know I love anything to do with leaving town for a few days or even hours. From traveling across town to across the ocean, I have always loved the ability to get up and go when I want to. Many of my friends wonder how I am able to travel and still pay my bills, let alone keep a budget. So, I thought today, I would share with you my top 10 hacks to help you get out of town for less and enjoy your time away more!
Top 10 Budget-Friendly Travel Hacks
- Purchasing cheap flights- Most of the trip locations I have been able to see in the last several years have been because the tickets were on sale and it was on my want to visit list! But how do I do that on a budget? Well, start with subscribing to a flight tracking email service. I have used Scott’s Cheap Flights, Cheap DFW, and AirDrop to find deals. These emails tell me what has gone on sale that day, and then I typically book my flights through my credit card travel service. Another way to help save money while you travel is if you have flexibility in your travel dates. Traveling during off-seasons not only gets you there for less but often the attractions are less crowded and cheaper!
- Use those points- One way I have really saved money and earned traveling rewards when I was spending money was through the use of a fantastic travel card. I personally use the Chase Sapphire card. It allows me to earn points on everything, but more on those transactions related to travel (hotels, taxis, eating out, etc.). I also love this card because the points I earn can be used with many of their travel partners I may have accounts with (airline, hotel, rental car, etc) or transferred to gifts cards or just cashback onto my account. I am not an advocate for going into debt by any means, but I am an advocate for getting rewarded on the things I am already spending money on (like groceries, gas, etc.) to do things I love to do (like travel). Check out NerdWallet for some great recommendations on the best credit cards to fit your lifestyle and reward desires.
- GRAB A FRIEND- Traveling with someone is not only so much fun, but it also helps in keeping prices down. You can share accommodations, share meals, split taxis, and of course look out for each other while you are traveling.
- Save on baggage fees- As you are preparing to travel, think about saving on those baggage fees by investing in a great travel carry on and utilizing packing cubes. I have a Patagonia duffle bag (pictured below) that also has straps to be worn as a backpack. This bag along with my packing cubes (amazon basic!!) have helped me pack for two or three-week trips all in one bag, while also saving me anywhere from $25-75 in bag fees PER flight while I am traveling. I tend to travel among cities or countries while I am overseas, and those bag fees can add up quickly. My trusty Patagonia has paid for itself 10 times over in the 4 years since I have purchased it. Check out my previous blog- What’s in the Bag– where I dive into what I actually pack to be able to travel with just a backpack!
- Exploring the city for free- I love going to a new place and learning their history from a local. One of the absolute best ways I have found to do that is by utilizing Free Walking Tours. I just google the city I am going to and see if they have any walking tours available. Most of the places I have been offered a variety of free tours. Here’s how it works: you can reserve a spot online (depending on the company) or just show up at the meeting place. From there you go on a 1.5- 2-hour walking tour of the city, most often seeing all of the historical sights and learning about their history from someone who lives there. Then, if you think they did a good job, tip them whatever amount you think is appropriate. I usually pay the US equivalent of $10-20 depending on how good the tour way. I try to go on these tours on one of the first few days I am in a new location to help me get a sense of direction in the city.
- Eating out while abroad- Meals are a must but can add up quickly. One way of fighting that feeding financial frenzy is to find hotels that include breakfast or space for you to make your own. I love having an Air BnB with a kitchen and heading to the local market to pick up some essentials. This allows me to cook breakfast and even make sandwiches to take with me for lunch. Otherwise, take advantage of a hotel with included breakfast and grab some fruit (banana, apple, or oranges for example) to take with you as a snack throughout the day. I also recommend choosing a few meals while you are traveling to splurge on (for both calories and money!). If it a specific place, try going at lunch instead of dinner. Often you can get the same meal (maybe a little bit smaller of a portion) for much less and then (BONUS) you still have all day to walk off those calories too! The idea to stay on budget when it comes to food while away is balance.
- Pack the snacks & Bring your own water bottle- While we are talking about food, I mentioned grabbing fruit from the hotel, but also purchase snacks at the local store or bring some with you. My go-to travel snacks are: trail mix or granola (good breakfast substitute if I have an early morning), fruit strips, goldfish, turkey jerky (for protein), and then M&Ms (for something sweet). I also ALWAYS have a water bottle with me. I use a Vapur water bottle (below) because it rolls up when it is empty, taking up less room in my bag than a normal empty water bottle would. This trick has always saved me money, always! And it is more environmentally friendly than purchasing a plastic bottle all the time and tossing it.
- Schedule in advance- Many vendors offer you a discount for reserving your spot online. This is true for airport shuttles, attractions, even hotels. As you are investigating what you want to do and reserve in advance, it’ll give you time to check the event calendar of the place you are going. Often there are city activities, food festivals, night or Christmas markets that are free to attend. If you are able to flex your trip to include some of these types of events, not only will you save some dollars, you will also get to have a unique experience of the local life while there!
- What to splurge on- So if I am saving money in all of these areas while I am traveling, what do I actually spend money on? ACTIVITIES. This is where the memories are made, and the photos are taken that last forever. I have always valued what I am able to do more than what I ate or what I bought for myself (or others) while I was away. I will never forget zip lining through Costa Rica, climbing to the top of the Duomo in Florence, riding an elephant in Thailand, learning to make pasta in Rome, experiencing a Turkish bath in Istanbul, touring the pyramids in Egypt, and so many more. These are worth every penny to me, well every sensible penny. I still fish around for good deals, coupons, and discount codes, but this is where I want my money to be spent!
- Relax on vacation- This may sound like a given to you, but it isn’t for me. I am the trip planner and activities director, so when I am on a trip, I often don’t actually relax. I am too worried about making trains or queues on time than actually fully relaxing and enjoying what I am getting to do. So, to help me move from stressed out cruise director to peaceful, easy-going, travel Rachel, I take lots of baths while I am out of town. I usually carry bath salts or a few bath bombs with me, along with face and eye masks to help me relax. Some hotels have provided bath salts for me, others I just use the soap or shampoo they have provided to make a sudsy, relaxing both. I also always bring my own tea, because tea makes me happy and often makes me sit and just be still for a while. These things help me slow down and remember to enjoy what I am doing, not just fight to get to the next thing.
- BONUS HACK!!!- Remove your work email from your phone- I need the break when I am on vacation, and in the past, I would just try to ignore the growing number of missed emails piling up my inboxes. This year, however, I learned a new trick, well new to me anyway. There is a way to remove work (and personal) email from your phone without having to COMPLETELY remove it, but rather to keep it from refreshing while you are gone and I’m going to walk you through how to do it. I am an iPhone user, so if you are not, I’m sure you can google instructions on how to do this for yourself. Go to Settings- Passwords & Accounts (which is totally not where I thought it would be)- select the account you would like to temporarily remove, and then unselect Mail on the next page. Or mail and calendar if you are feeling bold!
This will keep your mail from updating while you are gone. Then when you return, simply turn the mail back on, it’ll take a bit for the inbox to update, but once it does, nothing is lost and you didn’t have to reenter your password or reset your account to actually enjoy some downtime on vacation. WHHHAAATTT?? I know, mind-blowing. This changed my life on my latest trip to Japan and helped me to not stress about work while I was away.
Traveling is one of my all-time favorite things to do! But I also have goals to reach financially and relaxing to do while I am there to be able to actually, fully enjoy my time away. What are some of the things you do to prepare for a trip or while you are traveling to destress and be budget-friendly? Share in the comments below! I’d love to try some of your travel hacks too.
