Traveling is one of life’s greatest gifts. It expands your horizons, broadens your perspective, and gives you the chance to make lifelong friendships and connections. There’s a lingering misconception that you need lots of money to go anywhere fun, but we’re here to tell you that’s not true! There are many ways to travel cheaply – here are our top tips.
Earn travel gift cards with Invisibly
When it comes to travel savings, gift cards and rewards are an easy way to cut back on flight, food, and accommodation spending. Invisibly is an app that lets you earn premium gift cards, from brands like Southwest Airlines and Airbnb, by signing up and answering fun, easy surveys. Here’s how it works:
- Download the app, create an account, and fill in your profile information.
- Answer short surveys or share your shopping history and start earning points. Your data is protected by Stripe. Invisibly never accesses your balances, credentials, or account information.
- Collect points and use them to acquire premium gift cards that you can redeem for your travel needs.
Plan ahead of time
A little planning and preparation can go a long way in helping you to cut back on unnecessary travel expenses. Firstly, it’s always a good idea to research when peak season is for your destination when air tickets will be at their highest.
Traveling during off-peak seasons can sometimes save you up to 50% on flight tickets, not to mention the other discounted rates that hotels, Airbnbs, and other venues offer! Buying tickets in advance for local attractions and intercity trips can also be a great way to save money before demand drives prices up.
How to save big on flights
Opting for budget airlines when booking flights is an easy way to cut back on unnecessarily expensive flight tickets. Cheap flights on low-cost airlines might not be as luxurious but they’re a far more economical way to fly, especially for shorter or overnight trips.
Some of these airlines may offer food and refreshments and others might not, so be sure to double-check the in-flight services before making any purchases. Remember that flight prices tend to fluctuate quite rapidly, especially for international flights, so keep an eye on emerging rates and when you see a great deal for your dates, don’t wait to get your tickets!
But scoring the cheapest flights is easier said than done, of course. Here are some tips to remove any extra cost to your air travel and lower that ticket price.
Use flight deal apps
Hopper
Hopper is a free travel app that allows you to choose any destination and simply sit back while it calculates the most convenient flight route at the lowest price. It’ll even notify you with price alerts when they fluctuate and determine the optimal time to book your flight.
Skyscanner
Don't check your bags
Stay on the lookout for promotions and gift cards
Choose public transportation
There’s nothing more exhausting than getting off of a plane, only to drag your luggage through an airport, jetlagged and sleep-deprived, and trying to navigate your way to your hotel. The easier alternative would be to simply call a cab or an Uber. Unfortunately, these methods of getting around are all relatively expensive.
Rather pocket what you would have spent on private transportation, or hiring a rental car, and take advantage of public transport. It’s cheaper and, in most cases, perfectly comfortable. Most major cities have subways, trains, buses, and trams that make getting around easy and much more affordable. Additionally, check the city your visit for any daily, weekly, or monthly rail passes that allow you to save even more on public transport.
Again, a little planning ahead can make all the difference. Do some research and find out if you can get a rail pass, bus pass, or any equivalent that lets you hop on and off different types of public transport. Bicycles and even walking are also a great way to get around while taking in your surroundings.
Find cheap accommodation
After flights, accommodation costs are likely to be the highest, taking a big bite out of your budget. Thankfully, with the rise of the sharing economy, there are now many cheap and even free accommodation options available to travelers.
Couchsurfing has been a popular way for people traveling to stay with locals for free, usually in exchange for a gratitude token like a gift or treating the host to a meal out somewhere. Pet Sitting and house sitting have also become highly sought-after ways for budget-savvy travelers to get free lodging in exchange for looking after their hosts’ pets while they’re away on their trips.
If sleeping on someone’s couch isn’t your idea of fun and pet caring isn’t on your agenda, there are still plenty of budget-friendly accommodation choices. Budget hotels, backing hostels, homestays, and some Airbnbs offer great value for money. Luckily, Invisibly even has an free Airbnb gift card waiting for you when you take our surveys!
Cook your own meals
Food is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of traveling. It doesn’t have to be expensive either. You can enjoy delicious food and not feel guilty or anxious about costs by deploying a few nifty dining choices.
The general rule of thumb is to avoid eating out in restaurants as much as possible. Food costs only continue to increase at restaurants, and if you want to save money on food, cutting this pain point can make all the difference.
However, if you do dine in restaurants, try to research some places beforehand while making your travel plans and take a look at their online menus to get a sense of how much you’ll be paying and if they offer any lunch or dinner specials.
Sure, it’s not as spontaneous or exciting, but it will help you keep your meal costs down. Pro tip: all-you-can-eat buffet breakfasts are a budget traveler’s best friend. Go wild and get your money’s worth so you can cover breakfast and lunch. Street food and food trucks are also terrific options, often giving you the chance to sample a variety of different cuisines for cheap.
Save on other costs
You may think you can stretch your budget as far as food, flights, and accommodation go, but there’s plenty more room for saving money!
Try to opt for tax-free shopping if you’re in a foreign country, which allows you to get the amount you would have paid in tax back at the airport when you’re departing (if applicable).
Credit cards are (surprisingly) also a great way to save on travel costs. Many credit cards offer points and rewards programs that can be exchanged for air miles and hotel stays, so be sure to double-check what points you could be earning when you swipe.
Stay flexible
One thing that’s certain about traveling is that things often don’t go according to plan. Whether it’s delayed flights, missed connecting flights, wrong buses, or trains, things can go south no matter how much you plan. The key thing to remember is to stay calm and remain flexible.
Things can seem like a catastrophe if they play out like you wanted, especially when you’ve put so much planning into it, but it’s a part of life. There’s always an alternative plan and a solution, you just need to keep a flexible mindset and be willing to adapt if need be!
