Many people dream of taking trips around the world, but never get around to it because the cost of travel is too high. In this article I’ll be sharing my top six tips for keeping travel cheap!
1. Third-Party Travel Booking Websites
Third party booking sites offer deals and discounts to their customers, and are helpful for comparing prices between companies. Their deals are a sure fire way to keep travel cheap.
Some popular third-party booking sites include: Booking.com, Kayak, Priceline, Expedia, etc. Third-party booking sites can be less secure than booking directly through your company though. If you find a cheaper deal on a third-party booking site you can call the Hotel or Airline directly, and ask them to price match it for you.
Personally, I have always used justfly.com, and skyscanner.com when looking for cheap flights. They pull deals from all other sites and compile them into one. Because of this they can also create flight connections out of multiple airlines flights, for shorter overlays in airports.
When booking through 3rd party sites be aware that if you miss a flight connection, or need to cancel or reschedule a flight you may have a much harder time than if you had booked directly through the airline itself. That being said, if you are sure of your travel dates, and give yourself enough time between flight connections to allow for potential delays you can save yourself hundreds of dollars on flights! It may not be the right option for everyone but it sure does keep travel cheap.
2. Hostels & Airbnbs
If you’re traveling in Europe, hostels are a great choice for cheap accommodations while traveling. Most commonly known for their dorm-style bedrooms, some hostels can cost under 20$ a night! They do not offer as many amenities as a hotel, but they do offer all the basics, like a bed, outlets, and bathroom. Some hostels have extra charges for towels or toiletries, so if you want to avoid extra fees, make sure to check with your hostel about extra costs ahead of time.
Hostels are also a great choice for solo-travelers looking to meet friends, due to their open common areas and shared rooms. The rooms can be separated by gender, or they can be co-ed, and some hostels do offer single rooms at a higher cost. That being said, a great way to keep your travel as cheap as possible is to choose rooms shared among more people. Make sure to bring a lock for your luggage if you plan to leave it in the hostel unattended, since you may be lodging with strangers.
If a hostel doesn’t sound like your style, Airbnbs could be a better fit. Airbnb’s offer a variety of accommodations available for booking online. They also offer tourism experiences through local guides and programs on their site.
The filters on their site make looking for budget friendly accommodations as easy as ever! You can choose a price range for yourself, and have the option between Entire homes/apartments, a single room in a home or apartment, or a shared room accommodation.
When searching for an Airbnb though, remember to pay attention to their total prices more than their “price per night” as many hosts will charge the cleaning and service fees to make their prices sound more appealing than reality after their extra fees.
3. Pack Lightly
Airlines will often charge extra fees for checked luggage. This is especially common for airlines outside of the U.S. European airlines are known for their cheap prices, but also for their incredibly strict luggage policies. For this reason, if you are traveling outside of the U.S. it is ideal to utilizatize a carry-on as your luggage instead of a checked bag. Packing a checked bag can rack up fees quickly, and it’s harder to keep track of anyways!
If you are packing a checked bag, it is ideal to pack only one as each bag could have its own fees associated with it. Travel with less to travel for cheap!
4. Understand Currency Conversions
With different countries operating in different currencies it can be hard to keep track of just how much money you’re spending on your trip. For this reason, it is important that you understand how the currency you will be using on your trip relates to the currency you are used to using at home.
For example, in Copenhagen they use the Danish Krone as their currency. 100 U.S. Dollars is about 667 Danish Krones. So for every 667 Danish Krones you spend you are spending about 100 U.S. Dollars. It would be a shame to spend $300 if you only intended to spend $100 just because you didn’t know how much you were spending.
Understanding currency conversions can also help you determine whether things are reasonably priced, or overpriced when looking to buy items in another country.
5. Travel With a Friend(s)
Traveling with a friend (or friends) can help reduce certain travel costs, and gives you a companion to enjoy the journey with!
Costs that can be split between friends include taxis, hotels, gas, & groceries. Also, if you’re traveling with a large group of friends or family you may qualify for group rates at certain tourist attractions! Always be sure to inquire.
6. Student Discounts
Student travelers, be sure to ask about student discounts wherever you go!! Many museums, attractions, and even retail stores offer student discounts world-wide. For this reason it is important to always keep your student I.D. in the wallet or purse you travel with most often. This is a great way to save money as a student even when you aren’t traveling and I highly recommend taking advantage of it while you can.
For more travel advice, check out my Travel Tips & Tricks page!
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