How To Save Money on Your Next Trip

The travel bug bit you and you feel that roaming fever once again. Pause momentarily and reflect on your previous travel before satisfying that adventure craving. Travelling is expensive and requires tedious planning and budgeting. You might break the bank if you don’t plan to save money on your next trip.

You need at least two to six months to map out and finalise travel plans, and you can do this in many ways to save money. Luckily, we have gathered everything there is to know about saving money while travelling. 

Save Money While Planning Your Next Adventure

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Whether or not Benjamin Franklin said this, it’s so true and applicable to so many things, including travelling.

By planning ahead for your next adventure, you’ll have more time to research, shop around, and find the best deals on flights, accommodations, and tours long before your scheduled vacation. Let’s explore how you can save money while planning your next trip.

Shop Around for Free or Discounted Flights, Accommodations, and Tours

If you book flights and hotels ahead of time, you can get tickets and accommodations for a lower price. Airlines like Wizz Air also offer great discounts for early bookings, making it easier to secure budget-friendly travel options.

For booking flights, you can compare prices among airlines and travel agencies using flight search engines like Kayak, Skyscanner, and Google Flights. They even alert you when there are price drops and changes. Additionally, you can save money while shopping for flights by following the tips below.

• Remain flexible with travel dates
  Flight prices can vary depending on the day of the week and the time of the year. Do some research to determine what travel dates are more affordable so that you can decide which dates work best for you. For example, Wizz Air is known for offering competitive rates on specific days, so keep an eye out for their deals.
• Consider other airports
  Nearby airports can be cheaper than your first airport choice. Sometimes, driving to a different airport with a cheaper rate for flights is more affordable. Airlines like  Wizz Air often fly out of smaller, less crowded airports, which can save you even more money.
• Compare different fare classes
  Find more value for your money, as different classes have different benefits and restrictions. Depending on what you need, you might get better prices in different fare classes, so be sure to shop around.
• Use the reward programs
  Take advantage of the reward programs from airlines and travel agencies. The programs are usually free to sign up for and offer discounted or even free flights. Wizz Air’s frequent flyer program, Wizz Discount Club, offers members exclusive discounts on flights and baggage fees, making it a great option for budget-conscious travellers.

Know Your Flight Rights and Compensation Benefits

To be well-prepared for any inconvenience on your next trip, knowing your flight rights and compensation in cases of delays and cancellations is a must.

Different countries have different regulations on flight rights and compensation. The same is true among airline companies. You have to know the regulations in other countries, such as UK flight delay compensation rules and US delay and cancellation policies as they can be very different.   Wizz Air compensation, for instance, allows for up to 600 Euros to be paid to qualifying passengers. So, learn more about your airline’s compensation policy beforehand.

Flight delay and cancellation compensation include monetary compensation for the cost of meals, accommodation, and transport, as well as compensation for lost income or other expenses incurred due to the disruption of your flight.

Knowing your rights ensures you’ll never be caught off guard by a delay or cancellation, thus resulting in peace of mind, reducing stress and anxiety, and enjoying your trip. Plus, you’ll be assured the airline company will comply with regulations and improve their service, leading to a more convenient travel experience for all passengers.

Set Your Travel Budget

To save money on your next trip, set a budget. Which aspect of your travel will you allocate a budget for? First, determine how long you are going to travel. Then, assign a budget for the following:

• Daily travel budget or allowance: How much is your daily budget for each person?
• Transportation: How much will you allocate for flights, trains, buses, or taxis?
• Accommodation: How much money will you use to pay for hostels, budget hotels, or vacation rentals?
• Food: How much will you spend on each meal? Will you purchase every meal, cook some of your meals, visit areas for street food, or dine at budget-friendly restaurants?
• Activities and sightseeing: Would you participate in tours, visit attractions and museums, go hiking, explore local markets, or engage in other activities? What is the cost of these activities, and are there any free or low-cost ones?
• Souvenirs or shopping: If this is part of your itinerary, what is your budget limit for souvenirs?

Open a Travel Savings Account

Another way to save while planning a trip is to open a savings account exclusively for trips. You may opt for monthly auto-deduction from your salary to your travel savings account (similar to what you may already do for your bills, investments, or rent) to ensure you are well-funded when your next trip comes.

Choose Travel Rewards Credit Card

A credit card offering rewards and benefits that match your travel needs can save you money on your next trip. By spending money using a travel rewards card, you will be eligible for rewards points, cashback, or miles that you can redeem for flights, hotels, car rentals, or other travel-related expenses. Credit Cards usually offer sign-up bonuses worth hundreds of dollars in travel rewards points or miles. You can do some research to know which card fits your needs and make sure you meet the spending requirements to earn the bonus.

Be sure to use your travel rewards credit card wisely by spending only on expenses you can afford to pay off each month. Avoid carrying a balance on the card, as the interest charges can quickly outweigh the rewards benefits.

You can maximise your rewards by booking flights and hotels during promotional periods or using your card for purchases that earn higher rewards rates.

Save money and enhance your travel experience by redeeming your points for free checked bags, airport lounge access, or travel insurance. To understand how to earn and redeem rewards effectively, remember to read the terms and conditions of your travel rewards credit card and any reward program you sign up for.

Get an Overview of Specific Travel Costs

How much does an average taxi fare cost, or what are the typical prices of items in the country’s local market that you would visit on your next trip? An understanding of the specific costs can help you save money by avoiding getting charged higher and overpaying.

Researching the average prices in your planned destination helps you haggle with confidence and score discounts for advance purchases.

Explore Tourist Attractions that Don’t Cost Money

Beat inflation and enjoy free things! Prioritise the no-cost tourist attractions of the country you visit next. To successfully take advantage of the free options, you must plan and research to find the best ones. Often, airlines provide much useful information about the destinations they fly to.  

Offering cheap flights to London, Wizz Air gives many good suggestions of what to see there. You can visit famous architecture and museums like The National Gallery in London, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, or Getty Center in Los Angeles. Or maybe you’d prefer to traverse Teide National Park in Spain for a free hike or enjoy the scenic beauty of ancient mediaeval ruins at Glendalough in Ireland. Even Disney World has free rides on the monorail and free fireworks that you can watch from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Some travel destinations offer free walking tours, museums, and other attractions that can help you save money while still experiencing the local culture.

Pack Light

Save yourself from checked bag fees by packing light. Pack sink-washable clothes that dry fast. Choose clothes you can easily mix and match and pair with any outfit, and avoid shoving bulky items in your pack.

You can easily travel anywhere with a light suitcase or backpack. With a small bag, you’ll surely avoid the temptation of buying souvenir items, further increasing your savings.

Bring Snacks

Snacks found in the airport and in travel destinations are often at marked-up prices. So, bringing chips, protein bars, and bottled water is a practical way of saving money on travel. Plus, they only take up a little bit of luggage space.

Arrive at the Airport Early

Head to the airport early so you don’t have to spend too much on an overpriced cab or get caught in rush hour traffic.

Not only that but if you arrive late and miss your flight, you’ll pay fees to change your ticket or buy a new one. So, arrive early at the airport and leave plenty of time to check in, go through security, and make your flight without any unexpected fees.

Travel Off Season

Wouldn’t it be nice to travel with a smaller crowd, have shorter lines at attractions, and have cheaper flights and accommodations? Travelling off-season can get you these benefits while saving you money. Low-cost airlines like Wizz Air always report high and low seasons for destinations. For example, they say London is better to visit in January if you want to plan a budget trip.

Avoid Tourist-Heavy Locations

Local stores in tourist-heavy locations often charge higher prices for goods and services because of high demand. Venturing away from the tourist area is less expensive and offers a more authentic experience.

Food, local restaurants, markets, shops, accommodations, transportation, and attractions are cheaper, and goods and services are better in areas off the tourist path.

More often than not, tourist-heavy locations attract scammers and thieves who prey on unsuspecting visitors. By avoiding these areas, you can reduce your risk of falling victim to scams and losing money.

Reserve Accommodations with a Kitchen

Whether at home or any travel destination, eating out at restaurants costs more. Cooking your meals can save you a significant amount of money. You can buy groceries at a local market or grocery store and prepare meals in the comfort of your accommodation. Additionally, you can avoid food waste when you save leftovers for future meals.

Cooking meals helps you avoid buying expensive drinks and snacks, often marked up in tourist areas. Buying your favourite beverages and snacks at a local grocery store and keeping them in your accommodation lets you save on your travel.

Isn’t it more convenient when you have access to a kitchen? You have a comfortable place to relax in your accommodation while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, making your snacks, and enjoying the comforts of home away from home while saving money.

Choose Prepaid Travel SIM

Your regular mobile phone plan provider might charge you expensive international roaming fees, causing you to exceed the budget. A prepaid travel SIM helps you avoid these fees and pay less for calls, texts, and data usage rates. You can even choose a plan that includes the amount of data, calls, and texts you need for your trip without paying for unnecessary services.

A prepaid travel SIM helps control your spending and avoid unexpected charges because you can purchase a specific amount of credit for your SIM card and use it as needed, so you’re sure to stay within your travel budget.

Additionally, prepaid travel SIMs are easy to use. You won’t have to sign a contract or provide a credit check. You can purchase one in advance or at your destination and use it immediately. It saves you time and hassle and helps you stay connected while travelling.

Purchase Travel Insurance

Unexpected events during your travel can result in significant expenses. Purchasing travel insurance will come in handy. Here are the benefits:

Trip cancellation or interruption coverage

When you want to cancel your trip for covered reasons, such as illness, injury, or a natural disaster, travel insurance provides reimbursement for the non-refundable expenses you’ve already paid, such as flights, accommodations, and activities.

Emergency medical expenses coverage

Travel insurance also covers medical treatment, hospitalisation, and emergency medical evacuation costs if you’re ill or injured while travelling and require medical attention.

Lost or stolen baggage coverage

When your baggage is lost or stolen while travelling, travel insurance can reimburse the cost of replacing your items. It saves you from the cost of purchasing new items or travelling without your belongings.

Travel delay coverage

When your trip is delayed due to a covered reason, such as flight cancellation or severe weather, travel insurance reimburses the additional expenses, such as accommodations, meals, and transportation.

Assistance services

Some travel insurance plans also provide assistance services, such as 24/7 emergency assistance, travel concierge services, and translation services, that help you navigate unexpected situations and avoid costly mistakes on your trip.

Get protected in your travel. Choose a plan that best suits your needs and budget, and make sure you read the policy details carefully and understand the coverage provided.

Walk or Use Public Transportation

Avoid the hefty costs of travelling in a taxi. You can save money on travel when you walk (in appropriate circumstances) or use public transportation.

Walk short distances when you go sightseeing. Some cities also offer walking tours or self-guided walking routes to enjoy the sights. Visiting and exploring the local markets, shopping areas, nature trails, and parks on foot is best. Finally, walking between transportation hubs on your trip will be more convenient.

Walking allows you to explore your travel destinations at your own pace.

Stay at Hostels

Instead of staying in a hotel, opt for hostels to save money. Hostels often offer dormitory-style rooms shared by several guests. Some hostels provide communal kitchens, allowing you to cook your meals.

Staying at hostels can cost you  your privacy and comfort, but you will  have these benefits instead:

• Social atmosphere: The hostels’ lounges and kitchens encourage interaction between guests, a great way to meet other travellers and make new friends.
• Local Knowledge: The staff is often local or experienced travellers, so they can offer valuable insights and recommendations about the area– the best local food, attractions, and activities.
• Flexibility: Enjoy more flexible check-in and check-out times than traditional hotels. They even have 24-hour reception desks, which can be convenient for travellers with unpredictable schedules.
• Cultural Immersion: You can have more immersive cultural experiences in a hostel because it often reflects the local culture and may offer activities or events that give you a deeper understanding of the local area.

Take Photos, Don’t Shop

You may be a souvenir-type-of-person, but shopping and buying souvenirs are not wallet- and luggage-friendly. Taking photos and making memories are the best and budget-friendly options.

Photos don’t add to the weight of your luggage. They won’t rot, fade, or collect dust. So, instead of buying souvenirs, you can invest in a dependable travel camera that captures every detail of your travels while saving money.

Connect with Locals

The locals know best. They can offer valuable insights into the area, including recommendations for free or low-cost activities and events that are not typically found in guidebooks. They can also provide insider information on discounts or promotions that are not widely advertised, and tell you the best places to eat, shop, and visit. They help you avoid tourist traps and find the best deals, saving you money in the long run.

Connecting with them gives you the best travel experience – friendship, having somebody to return to and realising that you live in a small world despite your differences.

Don’t Pay Foreign Transactions and ATM Fees

In another country, you may pay for foreign transaction fees and make up 2%-3% of your purchase. Avoid non-bank ATM usage fees, ATM operator access fees, and international conversion fees.

For free or cheaper options, you may use cash in the country’s currency, credit cards with no transaction fees, online payment services (PayPal, Wise), local banks, or debit cards with no ATM fee.

To Great Savings on Your Next Travel

To save money on your next trip, plan it two months or more ahead of time. Following the tips above will ensure a great experience, an amazing adventure, and a wallet-friendly journey!