11 Tips For Saving Money When Traveling

If you are like me, you love to travel. Taking a vacation can be so much fun and something that we all look forward to well in advance. However, travel expenses add up quickly and sometimes we end up spending more money than we had anticipated. Oops! It can be hard to alter our day to day lives and routines in an attempt to save money for an upcoming vacation.

Who wouldn’t like to save money when traveling? Although it can be tedious, every little bit counts! Here are 11 tips for saving money when traveling that should be easy to implement into your life.

#1 Research Flights

Do not book the first flight that you come across, the first time that you look online. Rookie mistake! Take some time and research what flights are available or if there are any nearby airports that you could use instead.

If you look into flights more than once, clear your browser history and cookies. Each time that you search, you will see increased ticket prices if the website knows that you have previously searched for it. No, this isn’t fair, but it happens. Shop around on different websites to compare prices.

Read this post for help in finding the best website for cheap flights. 

#2 Book an Airbnb

A lot of times, renting an Airbnb is cheaper than a hotel room. Best of all, if you rent the entire apartment/house you will have much more room than you would at a hotel and potentially pay less. Airbnb hosts love to give you information about their city (what restaurants to try, attractions worth visiting)!

#3 Travel in the Off-Season

Traveling during the offseason is wonderful. There are no crowds and often times the weather is better. I have no idea why people choose to visit Walt Disney World in July, when the park is packed and it is one hundred degrees. Another perk for traveling in the off season is that prices, of pretty much everything, are cheaper. 

#4 Book Flights in Advance

It has been said that the best time to book a flight is 6-8 weeks ahead of time and the best day to buy your ticket is Tuesday. Unless a last minute deal occurs (which 99% of the time will not), this is when you will get the best price for your ticket.

#5 Shop Around for Hotel Deals

Often times you can get a room for less than the price listed on a hotel’s website; you just have to put forth some effort. It does not hurt to look around and I bet that you will find a better deal. We use Kayak to check prices for our travels. 

Tip: Learn how to stay for free at Hyatt All-Inclusive Hotels in this post. 

#6 Do Not Overpack

Overpacking is a big mistake, especially if you are flying. Airlines can charge customers $100 or more for bags that are overweight. And since you have to pay for each checked bag, you want to check as few bags as possible. This is really just wasted money. 

Pro Tip: Watch for weigh limits. Some budget airline carriers use 40 pound weight limit instead of 50, which is typical of most.

#7 Drive, Instead of Flying

I am going to step out on a ledge and say that 99% of all people do not enjoy riding in a car for long periods of time. I am one of those people. Yet, since my parents live in Florida and my husband’s family lives in Texas, we spend a lot of time traveling to see them. And by a lot of time, I mean 12 hours or more.

It is not that bad and after a while you will, almost, get used to it. Typically the cost of our gas to and from a destination is cheaper than one plane ticket would be. Plus, we get cheaper gas by shopping and getting gas at Kroger. 

#8 Skip the Souvenirs

I know that you mean well and want to bring people back home something from your trip, but I bet that it will not be used much. Skip buying another t-shirt and send a postcard. It is much cheaper and getting something in the mail is always a nice surprise.

#9 Drink Water

Dining eats up majority of your traveling money. Opt for water instead of soda to save a few dollars at each meal. You will probably be surprised at how much you save over the course of your vacation. This is my favorite tip on how to save money when traveling. My mom kicked soda and has probably saved $10-20 a week. That is a huge amount of money. 

Note: This applies only when traveling to a destination where the water is safe to drink.

#10 Look into a Ride Share Program

In some cities, the price of taking a taxi is outrageous, yet necessary. Check out Lyft or Uber, as their prices may be cheaper. Typically, I will get an estimate for how much it would be to my destination using the Lyft/Uber app and then I will ask a cab driver how much they will charge to take me to the same destination. Nine times out of 10 the ride share is cheaper. And you get to pay through their app with your credit card, so you can save some of your sacred cash. Score! 

#11 Get Money for Your Trip, Quickly

Raising some extra spending money right before a trip is a bonus. Sell unwanted items on Ebay or Facebook yard sale, have a yard sale, eat at home, or cut back on luxuries (such as getting your nails done).

Every little bit helps!

Saving Money When Traveling Feels Good!

Well, there you have it. Wherever I May Roam Blog’s 11 tips for saving money when traveling. If you have any other ways to save money, please let us know.

We would love to hear from you!

When you are ready to book your next trip, check out the best deals on TripAdvisor!

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Taylor Pittman Hardy wrote this article.

Check out some of our other traveling tips:

Guide to Packing For a Cruise Vacation    

Disney World Hacks