Here are 20 of the best travel hacks I’ve gathered after 15 years of traveling the world. Use these to save money on your next trip!
20 Best Travel Hacks That Will Save You Money
20 Best Travel Hacks to Help You Save Money
1. Book In The Afternoon
Though it’s well known that flight prices are likely to fluctuate during the week, not many people know that they also change during the day. To save some money, book in the afternoon as prices tend to be higher in the morning when business travelers book most of their flights.
2. Check Prices On The Less Popular Booking Sites
Online Travel Booking Agencies allow you to search for the best price across a number of different airlines at once. Oftentimes, the less popular sites offer bigger discounts compared to the major OTAs. These are a few of our favorite sites to check prices: Momondo, Vayama, and CheapOAir.
Tip: Be sure to read the change/cancellation fees carefully before you book.
3. Set Up Flight Alerts
If there’s a particular place you want to go, sign up for flight alerts with AirfaireWatchDog. You’ll get emails whenever there’s a drop in price from the departure location you set. Also, sites like Scott’s Cheap Flights offer deal alerts to your email for a small fee — these are often the mistake fares that you only have a small window to purchase but they save you hundreds of dollars. I’ve found some great deals with his service!
Best Travel Hacks That Will Save You Money
4. Choose Affordable Accommodation
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Other than flights, hotels end up being the next most expensive thing when planning a trip, but if you’re willing to sacrifice homogenous roadside enterprises for something a little more economical, you can spend more on activities.
Hostels, both backpacker, and luxury are excellent alternatives that often provide the same quality of service as hotels. We use booking.com to find the best prices on hostels and hotels.
5. Earn Money While Traveling
In today’s market, there are a hundred different ways to make money while you’re on the road. Teaching English to children or adults or freelancing on platforms like Upwork are just a few of the options.
Whoops! It looks like you forgot to specify your html tag. Read more: 10 Best Jobs for People Who Love to Travel the World
6. Become A House-Sitter
House-sitting is not something many people consider when traveling, but it’s a great way to not only get FREE accommodation, but you’ll also get a better idea of what it’s like to actually live in the destination you’re visiting.
Trusted Housesitters is the best website to connect with homeowners looking for people to house-sit and care for their pets while they are away. They have the largest selection of houses all over the world. I recommend becoming a member to get the best selection of house-sit gigs and have the opportunity to apply for the most popular locations as soon as they are listed!
7. Roaming Charges
After my first international trip, years ago, I came home to a huge cell phone bill. Luckily, nowadays, you can either switch out your SIM card for a local one to avoid international fees or purchase an international package with your current carrier.
If you’re based in the United States and you travel often, T-Mobile includes free international data on their basic plans, which has literally changed my life. I no longer have to worry about going without service or scrambling to find WiFi. I’m actually surprised at how many frequent travelers don’t know about this feature with T-Mobile.
Whoops! It looks like you forgot to specify your html tag. Read more: How to Keep in Touch While Traveling Abroad
8. Shop Like A Local
When it comes to everyday items like fruit and coffee, find your local market and head there instead of the nearest supermarket chain. Especially in places like Asia and South America, you’re guaranteed to find everything you need at a reduced cost.