How I save money on travel
I’m going to be straight up with you here - you are not going to hear the standard tips of staying at a cheaper place or getting the cheapest flights because I have a few rules when it comes to travel - the place I am staying at has to be ALOT nicer than our house (it has to be worth it to leave my fur baby behind) and we usually travel premium economy or business - I am super fidgety and sitting still in a small space is torture to me.
I am also a foodie who doesn’t want to skimp on eating out when away so I am not going to tell you to eat sandwiches in the hotel/Air BnB. Obviously if these things don’t matter to you, you can apply savings to accommodation, flights and food and also incorporate my tips below. With that said, lets dive in!
#1 Travel during none peak season. Because we don’t have kids the first thing I check is when school and public holidays are and avoid them like the plague. I also try to avoid high season, unless the weather is really important for the particular trip (e.g. I don’t mind paying more to go to Fiji to avoid monsoon season but I am happy to go to Queenstown in Autumn). Not only will this mean your plane tickets and accommodation (usually the highest cost) will be less, you will most likely find that activities cost less and there will be a lot less lining up and less people in general when you are away. Example: we went to Disneyland when it was low season and didn’t have to line up for a single ride. We had the best time and this was the total opposite experience to when I spoke with friends who had gone and only managed to go on 3 rides due to having to line up for hours each time.
#2 Plan ahead Although I have been known to say yes to a last minute girls trip away (provided that I have money to pay in cash of course!), my hubby and I usually will plan our trips way ahead of time. We usually discuss what trips we would like to take at the beginning of each year as part of our money dates. Planning ahead means: we have time to wait for flights to go on sale and more choice in accommodation. It also gives us more time to save for the trip (check out this post for more on how to budget your trip).
#3 Ditch the extra suitcase Confession time - I used to shop ALOT on trips and in general. Since finding minimalism, I don’t really get much joy out of ‘shopping’ as a pass time, however I do notice that the old me can emerge whilst away since I have more of a YOLO and splurge whilst on vacation mindset. The solution? Don’t have room in your suitcase to bring too much home. Also, my hubby hates checking in bags so a lot of the time we will just travel with a carry on.
#4 Eat where the locals do When we were in Thailand we found that the best food was actually from make shift ‘huts’ along the beach - no joke, they were literally a few bamboo sticks with outdoor furniture. When we ventured to a more ‘touristy’ area with fancy buildings - the food was a lot more expensive and tasted subpar which was the most disappointing part.
The best way to find these places if you can’t be bothered looking up reviews? Look for the places that are full of locals instead of tourists. We also made the same mistake in Hong Hong - we were tired from jetlag and didn’t want to line up for dinner (there were literally lines for restaurants at 10pm at night). We ended up eating at the hotel restaurant where the food was horrible, expensive and (unsurprisingly) empty of locals. We learnt our lesson though and for the rest of the trip would only go to places where I could see lines out the door (this is usual for Hong Kong) and had the best meals for the rest of the trip.
These tips are all about making the most of your travels without compromising on your experience. By choosing off-peak times, planning ahead, packing light, and dining like a local, you can enjoy a more relaxed and authentic journey whilst also saving money!
