10 secret travel tips that will save you money
Travel is one of those things that can seem so expensive that the only way to get anywhere is by selling your first-born.
But you can actually travel the world on any budget - if you have a solid plan, a bit of self-restraint, and a few clever travel hacks.
And Quora.com did all the hard work for you when it asked users, "What travel hacks have saved you a lot of money?"
1. Frequent flyer miles
Ok, you have to spend money to reap the benefits of this one. But as user Matt Campbell found, it can be highly worth it.
"I booked a round trip flight for my girlfriend from the Philippines to the US on Delta during their summer season, and the best price available was over $1600. The next year, I booked a more direct flight on Singapore Airlines. It was a way nicer flight experience. Cost: $35 and 65,000 United miles."
2. ATM budget
User Muneeba Qadeer has a tactic he likes to call the "ATM budget" when travelling - and it's as self-explanatory as you would think.
"While other people might be into using apps like Mint to track spending, I am old fashioned and believe in taking out my allocated amount of money per week and then using that for all of my expenses."
3. Carry-on only
Betsy Megas has mastered the art of travelling with one bag, which she says helps her avoid both luggage fees and all sorts of hassles and lines at airports.
"Having only one bag also makes you look less like a tourist, and lets you get around by walking and public transit, so you need not rely on taxis or rental cars."
4. Supermarket dining
It can be tempting to dine out every night when travelling, but it also costs a fortune, as Ryan Wilhelm found. He advises travellers to visit local grocery stores or markets instead.
"This seems really obvious but a lot of people do it anyway when they go on vacation. I like to try local restaurants too, but it's not necessary if you're trying to save money."
5. Ditch the hotels
Marina Arubalova says private rentals are budget-friendly and better quality than many cheap hotels.
"Airbnb is everyone's favourite site nowadays, but there are a few others which are older and just as reputable - although they tend to cater more to longer stays."
6. Sleep trains
As long as you're able to actually get to sleep on a train, this is a good one from user John Ruzicka.
"In Europe, if you're going between countries, take the train at night and save yourself the cost of a hotel."
7. Travel alerts
Gillian Morris uses TripCommon to set up alerts for all of the cities she is interested in visiting.
"It'll let you know when there are particularly good deals to the places relevant to you, not just a laundry list of every good fare deal out there."
8. Google flights
There are heaps of fare compare sites out there, but Mylène Truchon uses Google Flights to find the least expensive tickets.
"Usually, flights on Wednesdays are cheaper than flights on Fridays or Saturdays. If you pick a flight with stops, make sure they last at least two hours."
9. Sim card
Switch off your roaming and buy the local SIM card for your phone when you arrive at the airport, Phil Dubost says.
"This advice is particularly useful if you're travelling to the US, where you can get a prepaid T-Mobile SIM in minutes with unlimited texts, calls and data (yes!) for $2 or $3 a day, no commitment, no ID needed."
10. Travel slow
Adonis Villanueva says he picked up this travel hack over more than two years of this travel.
"I went through $10k in three months of travel when I first started travelling because I tried to cover as much places as I can in such a short amount of time. If you travel slower and stay in one location for stretches at a time, you also stretch your budget."
Have you got a holiday coming up? Do you think you will use any of the travel tips mentioned above? Are there any you’d suggest?
Let us know in the comments.
First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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