10 Money-Saving Hacks Everyone Avid Traveler Should Know

Around the world, travel opens your eyes to new experiences and makes you a well-rounded human being. Reflecting on the experiences gained from traveling leads to the development of higher self-awareness.

Whether you are an avid traveler or you want to make traveling a part of your life, here are ten hacks that can save you money, especially now that competition in the hotel industry has led to the rise of hotel prices.

Choose a Good International Roaming SIM Card

Roaming charges are extra expenses that are often overlooked. While away, you will be required to check on family and friends. Besides, you might need to save your photos in Google Photos to prevent loss in case of any misfortune like theft. These activities attract huge bills that can create a dent in your bank account. Ensure you have an international roaming SIM Card for the country you are planning to visit to save on mobile bills.

US citizens who wish to travel often use T-Mobile services, which include free international data. This service is a great option to use while traveling.

Cheaper Room Alternatives

Five-star hotels are classy but are very expensive, especially for tourists. Instead, opt for three or two-star hotels because they also offer decent amenities and services at a lower cost. Remember that you do not need a room with extra space and amenities such as a gym. Such facilities only attract high costs.

There is a better alternative from websites like Airbnb. Airbnb provides private rooms at a cheaper cost than most hotels and is readily available. Airbnb prides in having numerous apartments and flats spread in about 81,000 cities across the world.

Staying outside the city is also an excellent way to save money because locations within the town are highly-priced.

Travel During Off-Season

Traveling during holidays is more expensive as service providers tend to hike prices due to increased demand. However, plane tickets and rooms tend to be cheaper during the offseason. You will not only save money but also have a smooth experience.

Prepare Your Meals and Snacks

The process begins by being able to identify farmer’s markets and local stores in the place you intend to stay. Farmer’s markets sell at lower prices towards the close of business hours. Fish or meat bought at a local store and prepared in your stay hotel is cheaper than eating from restaurants.

Opt for local meals because they are less expensive than McDonald’s and other fast food outlets. Local food restaurants serve local delicacies that also help shape your experiences.

To save on fuel and wastage, ensure that the room you book has a refrigerator and a microwave. Reheating leftovers and being able to brew a cup of coffee will save you money.

Kids need to eat often. Thus, having snacks with you while on a family trip will not only save money but also create time for more fun.

Grab a City Tourism Card

A city tourism card can give you benefits like free entry to some tourist attractions and also discounts at restaurants. You can reap other benefits like getting fast services on busy attractions, and free public transportation.

Prepare Early

You do not wake up and suddenly decide to go for a life-changing trip. You plan for air tickets, hotel rooms, and currency exchange. Call your bank to know whether your cards are allowed in your intended travel destination.

Booking your plane a week before your trip is cheaper. Most importantly, book on private browsing because the rates are relatively low for new customers. Besides, booking early, doing it in the afternoon is even cheaper as the demand for flights is low during this time of the day. Another effective way is to set up flight alerts. You can subscribe to alerts from sites like AirfaireWatchDog. This particular site will alert you whenever there is a drop in the air ticket price.

Get Multi-Day Passes

Having multi-day passes will save you money, especially if you intend to stay in a place for several days. Having a pass that you can use many times to and around town for several days is a great deal. Some even offer unlimited travel, especially on public travel.

Utilize Digital guides

Digital guides help you maneuver around in a new place. Having digital maps that you can easily download using your cell phones will help with directions. Getting to locate a place with the help of an app will save you from paying tour fees and cab fare if you need to get to a place not familiar to you.

Standard digital guides include Routard, Lonely Planet, and Petit Fute. The apps give room for customization, where you only get information on regions that you intend to visit.

Consider Recommendations from Other Travelers

Human beings sometimes learn from the experiences of others. Check customer reviews on amenities surrounding various tourist destination areas. Some travel enthusiasts also create blogs to share their experiences. Use that information to your advantage.

Rent Other People’s Cars 

Car on-demand Apps are easily downloadable to your cell phones. Common apps like Turo are ready with car owners willing to rent their cars to customers.

The advantage of using these apps is that you can rent high head cars that add to your experiences. For instance, renting a convertible Ford Mustang in a city like Los Angeles on Turo will cost $51/day. The same car would cost around $100 if renting from a car rental agency.