Travelling can be expensive more especially if you have kids but proper planning and budgeting helps a ton. I love travelling. I travel at least two to three times each year or more depending on my work schedule so I am constantly on the look out for new ways to reduce my travel costs without compromising comfort.
You don’t need to be mega rich to have a holiday at least once a year or to enjoy some level of comfort whilst travelling.
Here are some tips I have put together that I think might help.
Explore Local Options
Surely, there must be attractions and cities within your country you are yet to explore. Not all holiday trips have to be international. Search for lovely local destinations and short getaway deals available within your city or country and you would be surprised what you find.
Travel in the off-season.
Avoid the crowds. Flights and hotels are significantly cheaper during off-season The locals are also more relaxed and friendly. Just watch out for pitfalls like rainy season at the beach.
Choose a cheap 5-star destination.
When holidaying internationally and looking for a 5-star retreat think about the country first. You want a country where your currency buys a lot. Then find the luxury experience within it. From Ghana think Lagos, Cape town, Zanzibar, São Tomé. From North America consider Central America. From the UK think Croatia, Greece and Portugal.
Travel with a group
Travel isn’t usually something one thinks to buy up in bulk, yet there are some serious savings to be had in travelling with friends or family. One can save a tad bit on air fares or cab fares. Also, splitting the cost of an apartment or hotel suite will often end up cheaper than would renting a single one.
Enjoy a little luxury before take-off.
Buy a pass to an airport lounge to experience a bit of luxury. Historically this kind of service has been for business and first class passengers but now the luxury is available to everyone. When you think of the cost of airport food, it may be less expensive that you think.
You can either Pay-In Lounges, buy a third-party lounge membership. e.g a Priority Pass membership card which gives you access to 700 lounges around the world for as little as $27 per visit or buy a lounge membership with your favorite carrier. If you fly frequently, a membership may make sense but they can be expensive. If you don’t fly frequently you can purchase a day pass. The cost is $20 to $50 per three hours. .
Have a travel schedule
Planning your travels well ahead of time enables you to properly save for your trip ahead or arrange for smaller more manageable payments. Flight tickets are also cheaper when booked well ahead in advance. You can have a three-year travel schedule. A close friend of mine who lives in the UK has a ten year travel schedule planned for herself and her family. She has a list of countries she intends on visiting and when. Crazy I know, but it sure helps.
Apartment rentals can be more affordable than a hotel.
- Airbnb is well-known for booking reasonably priced luxurious apartments, homes or rooms. If you click here to book you’ll get a $30 credit as will I. (It may only be for your first booking.
- Homeaway for booking a holiday home.
- Vacation Home Rentals, another option for holiday rentals
Register for air miles & travel credits
All of these programs are free. Don’t waste time signing up for every airline and hotel right this second. When you stay at a new hotel chain or fly a new airline, make sure to sign up for their program at that time to earn credit. Never take a flight or stay in a hotel without earning some type of points or miles. To maximize on this, be a repeat customer. You can always check the hotel or airline’s website before you book to see if they are running any promotions that can earn you bonus miles/points. Air miles can also be used to upgrade to business/first class tickets.
Search for flight deals & offers on hotels(dates)
Google flights” is a great site for this. It recommends alternative dates to save money on flights. It has all the tracking features of other sites. Also, look for lower rates at business-minded hotels and resorts, especially if you can be flexible with your dates. Expedia and cheap flights.com are great sites for flight deals too.
Watch for the deals in your inbox.
You can book an upscale trip based on special deals and rewards accumulated from other travel expenditures or other purchases.
Stay at a boutique hotel.
Smaller hotels with fewer amenities than the chain hotels with restaurants, bars, and pools may well offer more luxury for less money. There is no international standard for the hotel star system so you can’t really count on it to tell you how luxurious a hotel is. Read reviews to really get a sense of what you’re booking.
Check out a City Pass to see if it will save you money on what you want to do.
America – City Pass will give you up to 50% off admission to major attractions in most of America’s top cities.
Europe –
- The London Pass
- The Paris Pass
- The Berlin Pass
- The Dublin Pass
- The Rome & Vatican Pass
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Bon Voyage !!!