Travel Savings Tips: How to Save Real Money While Traveling
Greetings from London! Today I’m sharing tips for saving money while you travel because most people don’t realize you can save a lot of money while traveling, and use those savings to extend your travels!
Travel Savings Tip #1: Reserve Tickets & Hotels in Advance
Last minute bookings can cost you a lot more. You can save a lot of money by booking all of your tickets and hotels ahead of time. You might even get a discount on museums and attractions by booking early. In Europe, train tickets increase significantly on the day of travel, so you can always save money by booking ahead.
Travel Savings Tip #2: You Don’t Have to Always Eat at Restaurants
Eating out is part of the fun of travel, but it can get expensive. You don’t necessarily have to have a kitchen to eat a few meals at “home.” You can go to the supermarket and get simple ingredients for sandwiches. Buying a few supermarket meals during your trip can add up quickly to travel savings. European cities are full of beautiful green spaces just perfect for a picnic!
Read: How to Eat Cheap AND Well While You Travel
Travel Savings Tip #3: Eat Your Big Meal at Lunch
Another way to save money on food when traveling is to eat your biggest meal of the day at lunch. A lot of places offer lunch specials so you can still get great food, but at a much lower price than the dinner menu. Also look for happy hour specials when you’re traveling as those can be a great way to save money.
Travel Savings Tip #4: Use Public Transportation
Taking public transportation while you travel can save you a lot of money. Even when you first arrive at the airport, there’s usually a bus route than can be significantly cheaper than taxis or shuttles.
Travel Savings Tip #5: Consider Transportation Prices in your Lodging Choice
Keep public transportation access in mind when choosing your hotel. You might save a few bucks on a hotel that’s far from the city center, but you’ll likely use up that savings in extra transportation costs. Sometimes you can actually save money by spending a little bit more on a hotel with easy access to public transit. Think of your time as money also, and the added time you will spend commuting to the attractions you want to see.
Travel Savings Tip #6: Rent an Apartment Instead of a Hotel
Especially if you are traveling as a family, renting an apartment can save you a lot of money over staying in a hotel. European hotel rooms are small, so a family of four or five will need two rooms. An apartment has an added bonus of having a kitchen so you can eat some meals at home, as suggested in tip #2. You can often do laundry in an apartment, and it’s just nice to have a home base from which to take your day trips.
Travel Savings Tip #7: Use Regional Rail or Bus Passes
Many regions have a special rail or bus pass that can save you money while traveling. It’s always a good idea to compare prices to see where you’ll get the best price. In Germany, there’s a Bavarian ticket, which is good for up to five people traveling anywhere in Bavaria, for the whole day. It never hurts to ask about discounts. There are often savings for children, students, or seniors and you don’t know until you ask.
Travel Savings Tip #8: Buy a Multi-City Ticket Arriving in One City and Departing Another
If you’re visiting multiple destinations in your trip, don’t buy a round-trip ticket from the same city. Consider flying into one city, and flying out of another city. This will save you at least a day of travel and the additional airfare is usually minimal.
Read: Why You NEVER Get Those Cheap Airfares You Hear About
Travel Savings Tip #9: Use Budget Airlines When Available
When you’re visiting multiple European cities, you don’t always have to take the train. There are many low-cost carriers in Europe like EasyJet and RyanAir. In places like the UK, the train can be outrageously expensive, while it’s cheaper to fly.
Travel Savings Tip #10: Don’t Arrive After Public Transportation Has Stopped Running.
Try not to arrive in your destination too late, if the public transportation doesn’t run late. You could spend up to 100 pounds to get from Stansted into London if you arrive after hours. Suddenly, the great deal you got on a late-night flight isn’t so great.
Travel Savings Tip #11: Use Your Debit Card at an ATM to Get Local Currency
When it’s time to exchange money while traveling, the exchange houses will usually give you a bad rate and charge a fee on top of it. I find that using my debit card at an ATM machine will give me the best possible exchange rate. This is also usually the lowest amount of fees you’ll pay, too. Credit cards typically charge a foreign transaction fee, plus cash advance fees.
Travel Savings Tip #12: Pick and Choose the Major Sites to Visit
Trying to visit every museum and monument will get very expensive, very quickly. First, look to see if there are free options. Some things, like the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace are free to see, so including some free options in your itinerary will help you save money. For those attractions that cost money, prioritize them into what you really want to see.
Travel Savings Tip #13: Get an International Cell Phone Plan
Make sure you let your phone carrier know you’ll be traveling, and research the international data plans, so you don’t get a surprise bill after your trip. Depending on the length of your trip, you might find it cheaper to buy a cheap phone with a local SIM card upon arrival.
Travel Savings Tip #14: Research Your Destinations
Simply researching and choosing destinations based on price can save you a ton of money. If you decide to visit an expensive destination, there are sometimes smaller towns nearby that can save a lot of money. For example, instead of staying in Venice, you can stay in Vicenza. Don’t forget tip #5, though, and take all factors into account when choosing where to stay. If you are really traveling on a tight budget, you might consider lesser-known cities as destinations. Destinations like Portugal or Greece are also better for budget travelers than countries like Switzerland or Norway.
I hope these tips help you save money while traveling so that you can travel more. We use all of these tips and it’s how we’re able to travel so much as a family. If you want more travel tips, check out some of our other posts:
Read: How to Save Money When You Travel So You Can Travel Longer
Read: 7 Common Mistakes Tourists Make That Can Cost Them Big