Travel is an enormous pleasure that many see as a privilege. And for good reason: it can easily be one of the most expensive things you do in a year if you aren’t careful.
But with some creative resourcefulness, you can freely explore without the high ticket price. Here are four travel hacks I use all the time to cut my costs down, so I can travel more!
Stay Flexible
One of the most effective ways to save money on travel is to be flexible with your travel dates. Airfare and accommodation prices can vary significantly depending on the time of year, day of the week, and even time of day. I often set alerts when prices drop, so I know when the cheapest times to fly actually are.
I’ll also use fare comparison tools to compare prices across multiple platforms if you can, be open to last-minute deals. Spontaneous flights a week or two before the travel date have saved me considerably. You just have to be willing to go for it!
Rethink Your Accommodations
Hotels are pricey. But Platforms like Airbnb or VRBO offer vacation rentals that can be significantly cheaper than hotels, especially for longer stays. The lower initial cost is a draw, but so are the more hidden reasons you’ll save money, the most notable being having a kitchen to cook and avoid eating out for every meal.
Hostels are also an option, and many now offer private rooms at a fraction of the cost of hotels, along with shared facilities like kitchens and lounges. I’m working my way up to the hostel, but I’ll always check out vacation rental homes before I consider hotels and do some number crunching to see what’s best.
Use Local Public Transportation
Many destination cities have decently public transportation systems. And while it wasn’t necessarily easy or comfortable to learn how to use them at first, I spent a good time familiarizing myself with the ins and outs of the system.
Before I knew it, I was confidently traveling all over the place (even if I wasn’t 100% sure I was going the right way). But even more importantly, try to walk as much as you can! It’s an incredible way to explore and find things you otherwise wouldn’t if you were zooming about in a car. I rarely rent a car when I travel now, and have cut back on my ridesharing considerably, too.
Dine Locally (Responsibly)
Eating out is my number one favorite thing to do when I visit a new place. I can’t imagine not going out to restaurants, and I’d like to do it as much as possible.
And I make this possible by being strategic. I’ll go out for happy hours, go for lunch instead of dinner, or take a walk through a market and see if I can try some new street food. And I’ll always do thorough research on restaurants in advance to see when and if there are any deals I can take advantage of while I’m there.
