12 ways to save money while on vacation
With the increased costs of everything, we often wonder if we will be able to take a break still and go on vacation. Here are some tips to make your next vacation a bit more affordable.
- If driving, use an app like GasBuddy or Gas Guru to decrease your price at the pump. If time is not an issue, consider driving at or under the speed limit to conserve fuel and check your tire air pressure regularly. Properly and slightly over-inflated tires will contribute to your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
- Planning to stay at a hotel on your trip? Conduct research on hotel royalty programs and determine which is the best for you. Hotel rooms a few miles outside of downtown will always be at least 10-25% cheaper than ones located near popular attractions.
- Avoid souvenirs and nick-nacks. This may sound simple, but it is one tip that can apply to almost everyone while on vacation. If you want to bring anything home to commemorate your trip, make sure you make your purchases outside of major touristy areas.
- Purchase drinks and meals for the road trip and the hotel room at grocery stores instead of convenience stores and tourist traps that are likely to surround your hotel room.
- Conduct research online about restaurants close to where you are staying and compare prices. Also Read: The Cheapest Travel Destinations in the US
- If you are vacationing in an urban or downtown area, consider walking, biking, or using public transportation instead of taxis, Ubers, and car rentals to get around town.
- Make a budget before your trip and stick with it. The more your budget is on your mind before and after your trip, the more likely you are to stick with it or even outperform expectations.
- If there is a day, in particular, you plan on spending more money on your trip, it can be beneficial to save that day for the last day or vice versa. By doing so you can avoid instinctual spending on your trip.
- Preplan your activities. All major cities have tons of parks, landmarks, and scenic places you can visit without a paywall. Look up lists of free things to do so you can cut corners if necessary.
- It may be tacky, but coupons can help out a lot.
- Plan your trip ahead of time; flights, particularly to popular destinations, will normally be cheaper if purchased in advance. However, normally does not always mean if a flight is under-booked days before takeoff, tickets will go on sale towards the end of particularly popular times of the year. If hotels and local businesses are underperforming, they will normally offer discounts. Take advantage of this; in the days leading up to your trip, look out for any last-minute deals on flights and hotels. If they are cheaper than your current reservation, look into a refund on your original purchase.
- This tip can be difficult to execute, considering that credit card interest is anything but budget-friendly and, to a lesser extent, easy and simple. However, travel credit cards can contribute a lot to airfare, hotels, and activities at your travel destination. Check out your provider’s rewards options regularly long before your trip and use them to your advantage.
