Super Simple Ways To Save Money When Travelling

Who doesn’t love the thought of a spontaneous holiday? I know that sounds great to me! However, it’s not as simple as that is it. Holidays can be expensive to book and even more so when you are there. Below I have listed my 15 top simple ways to save money when travelling. These have saved us no end of money over the years and I hope they help you save some pennies too!

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TRAVEL OFF-SEASON AND BE FLEXIBLE WITH FLIGHTS

Not fussed when you go away? If like us you just want to get away whenever possible, this is a great money-saving tip. Being flexible with what month and what dates opens up a whole world of money-saving. You can use apps like Skyscanner and kayak to see what the lowest prices are each day and each month. You could save yourself hundreds by flying a week later. Travelling off-season usually means you will receive instant discounts. A week after kids go back to school you will see a huge drop in price… be sure to make note of when school holidays are so you can book around them. Even just booking mid week rather than a Monday can save you a chunk of money.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

This is so important when money is concerned. If you book a cheap hotel…that’s great… but then you realise you need to get a cab or tube every time you want to head out. This is an easy way to rack up a big bill and your spending money will be gone before you know it. Spend a little time and do your research. Where the main attractions points? What do you plan on doing? Wheres the most central location to all these points? Then look for a hotel in that area. The initial cost might be slightly higher than what you previously looked at but in the long run will save you serious bucks!

SKIP THE ADDED EXTRAS

Going on a short flight? Only heading off for a long weekend? Why not skip the extras to save a bit of cash! If you are only on a short flight do you need to pay to pick your seat? Reduce your luggage and save money too. Do you need 2 check-in bags or can you share? Can you get away with just hand luggage? This is something we always think about when packing for our holidays as unnecessary baggage can cost you a small fortune.

DON’T BLOW IT ALL ON THE ROOM

When we are away the only time we ever spend in the hotel is when we are asleep. Staying in a fancy hotel is great…but think about your priorities…Will you use all of the facilities? Are you going to spend much time there? Are you paying for the view? Think about what you want out of your hotel and if like us its a place to lay your head, opt for a more basic alternative. As long as its clean and the location is good do you really need to splash the cash on your room?

BOOK A ROOM WITH A KITCHEN

This is such a great way to save money that’s often overlooked. If you buy your basic food cheap supermarket, then you are all set! Having a kitchen gives you that freedom to prepare your own meals. You can even keep fresh anything you may have picked up that day and not finished. You can make lunches to go which will have probably cost you a quarter of the price compared to when you are out and about.

OR A APARTMENT INSTEAD

If you are travelling as a family or with friends, why spend time looking and fork out for multiple rooms? This can be a headache and frustrating if your rooms are miles or floors apart. If you book an apartment you are sure to save money. This will be a fixed cost and you can split it between however many of you there are. Plus with an apartment, you tend to have a kitchen so that’s a win-win from an earlier point! double savings.

PACK NIBBLES FOR THE PLANE

I always get hungry on the plane even if it’s only a short flight… maybe think its boredom lol. I always pack some sweets and crips in my hand luggage for on the way there and some in the suitcase for on the way back as I begrudge paying like £3 for a KitKat! This ensures you have something just in case on both flights. I always pack my reusable bottle to as this saves me having to buy endless bottles of water and also is much better for the environment.

PACK A SNACK

Following on from a previous point, Bringing your own snacks will save you endless amounts throughout your holiday. Snacks are something we don’t often think about as you pick things up as you go, this adds up quickly! Visit a supermarket and buy easily packable snacks for a quarter of the price you would pay out and about! Same goes for drinks, buying cans of pop at the supermarket will be a fraction of the price from street vendors.

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

Tourist spots are always the most expensive places to eat, as they can up their prices for convenience. Speak to the locals…ask around and see where they can recommend to eat. This not only is a great way to absorb the culture but get wholesome food that’s not got that whopping price tag attached. You might surprise yourself that there are cafes just around the corner that will offer the same style of food for half the price!

BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET

Set yourself a daily budget, how much do you need to spend on food each day? How much if your attraction entrance? How much is travel? Have a set budget per day and stick to it! Don’t take any more cash out with you than you need to, that way you cant overspend! This is such a simple hack that helps you save money without even thinking about it.

CASH NOT CARD

We always take our holiday money in cash (or on a travel card) that way you can keep track of your spending. It’s so easy to get carried away with credit cards as you book that extra trip or buy that fancy handbag. You can’t spend what you don’t have. We only take a credit card as an emergency and never take it out with us we leave it locked in the safe to avoid any temptation.

DON’T BUY AT FIRST SIGHT

I love souvenirs.. and postcards. This is something I always pick up to remember my travels. It can be so tempting to pick up souvenirs as soon as you see them .. but if you are shipping on hight streets and touristy areas most shops offer the same if not similar souvenirs every shop you go into so take your time and look around before splashing the cash first chance you get!

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE

How cliché but sometimes the best things in life really are free… Where ever you go on holiday, there will always be free things to do. Whether this be walking tours, checking out a museum, looking for iconic monuments, local parks or national parks or even just relaxing on the beach. There is always something for everyone that can cost you absolutely nothing! When you arrive always remember to google “free things this week in___” as you might be surprised at what you find!

DISCOUNTS AND CITY PASSES

If you are anything like me, you love a discount! There are always, always deals to be found! Check out places like Wowcher and Groupon to see if they have attraction discounts. If you are staying in a city with lots to do check to see if they offer a city pass. Places like London and New York offer these where you get entry to all the top destinations for a fraction of the price. This is the easiest way to save potentially hundreds of pounds if you are a keen sightseer! Check out the get your guide link below to see other city pass options!

TOUR THE CITY ON FOOT

This is probably the easiest solution to save money. Everywhere we have visited recently seems to offer a bus tour of the city. This seems great but why not do the same route on foot for free? This will save you money and give you more flexibility as if there is something that piques your interest you can stay as long as you like with no time constraint. Why not grab a tour leaflet to see what the best route is and take your time exploring it on foot!

Well, there we have it! My top 15 super simple money-saving tips for travelling! I hope these help you out on your next journey. If you have any great tips you think I have missed let me know in the comments below! Want to see more like this, Check out my ultimate travel accessory guide!

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