7 Ways to Reduce Your Travel Expenses
Travel and budget never seem to coincide, as there are always extra expenses to deal with. The overall cost is on the rise, for both leisure and business travel. When you need to cut the costs, consider these seven ways so you get more trip for your buck.
1 Hostels
Depending on where you are going, a hostel will be much cheaper than a regular hotel. Though the downside is less privacy because you are staying in a dormitory. However, most hostels have the proper amenities as well as some surprises.
For example, many of the hostels I choose to stay at have kitchens, spacious bathrooms, free shampoo, breakfast, superior Wi-Fi, laundry and printing services. When all of this is on-site and usually included in the low rate, how can you say no?
2 Short-term rental
Okay, so some of us prefer our alone time. Depending on where you are traveling and who you are going with, consider short-term rentals. In the long run, paying monthly is more budget-friendly than paying weekly or daily.
Some Airbnb locations and other vacation rentals even have monthly discounts. Though the outright cost may be a bit much, if you plan in advance and use a line of credit wisely, it will be much less of a burden.
3 Rewards programs
Airlines and hotels are ramping up their game when it comes to providing fantastic rewards and travel perks. Even if you are against the idea of having a credit card, having one that provides you travel miles, access to lounges, free amenities, and other typical bonuses is going to save you a lot of time, money, and frustration, especially if you find yourself flying around for business quite often.
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4 Book in advance
Planning in advance means more than racking up hotel expenses on your credit card. If you know you have to fly somewhere, or are looking to go to a destination sometime soon, start monitoring your desired flight at least 3 to 6 months in advance.
Some websites like Orbitz and Kayak off free price tracking, so you can jump on a deal when it hits the a record low. I would never recommend waiting until last minute, although some people have gotten extremely low rates the day of.
5 Cook your own meals
I know, I know. No one wants to cook when they are on vacation. Still, when you have an Airbnb or a hostel that has open kitchen, you should make use of it. Buying groceries not only gives you a local experience, it helps you budget.
Making your own food is going to save you loads of money. Some places even have ethnic cuisine experiences that allow you to make a smorgasbord for a low rate.
6 Only a carry-on
If it is feasible, packing all of your essentials into a carry-on is one way to save if the budget airline you booked makes you pay to check luggage. The only downside is if the airline also weighs your carry-on and finds it to be overweight.
Then you still get slammed with excess fees. When in doubt, pay a bit more of an airline that includes your baggage in the fee. Sometimes reducing cost is all about avoiding unwanted surprises.
7 Slow seasons
Every place in the world has its off-seasons. At this time, tourist traffic is low, and so the price of accommodation drops. Usually, this means that you may have to deal with weather or other factors that make the location unpopular during that time. For example, heading to Singapore during monsoon season may mean sloshing through the rain as you walk around.
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Reducing travel costs can be frustrating, but with a little planning and some compromise, the price tag can drop exponentially. When you budget wisely, do not spend needlessly, and avoid tourist traps, you automatically save. So now that you know these tips, let the wanderlust kick in.
