If you love to travel, and want to do it more, it is important to save some pennies. Us too! There are a few things that we do as a matter of habit for every trip to make it a little cheaper and spread the travel budget further. Here are our best budget travel tips so you can travel more!

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1. Be Flexible With Your Flights

If you are really trying to save money, you cannot fly to New York from Heathrow on a Friday or Sunday. However, a Tuesday from Gatwick might work. It’s all about comparing a multitude of options and picking the cheapest, not the most convenient one. Staying flexible with your travel dates and times is vital. Start with your flights and build the trip from there. You could also consider different airports. In London, Heathrow has really high passenger taxes so flying from Stansted, Luton or Gatwick can save a fair whack. (Remember to account for the cost of reaching each airport in your calculations).

Don’t get swept up by cheap offers on the first page of budget airline websites. You need to consider the extra fees that will be added as you go through the booking process. Baggage fees, the cost of booking a seat (per person) and airport check in can really bump up the final price.

If you are going to popular holiday destinations, check out package deals. This might sound counter intuitive but sometimes this brings the cost of the flight way down. It provides charter flights that you cannot book otherwise. Whether you actually stay at the hotel you have booked or not is up to you. I once found a flight to Goa for £290 by checking out last minute packages. It was cheaper to book this with the cheapest hotel option and then stay elsewhere than to just book flights.

2. Try a Different Destination

Try the “Anywhere” feature on flight booking apps to discover destinations you have never heard of or never wouldn’t have thought about. There are plenty of cute cities and beach resorts you might not be familiar with that make brilliant trips. Let the price of the flights guide your destination ideas.

Remember: Although you are starting with a flight aggregation website, book directly with the airline. Booking direct may cost a little extra but it will save you so much if there is any disruption.

3. Pack Light

Baggage fees are costly and you will save lots if you can pack into hand luggage. For most big carriers that is going to be 8-10kg 55x40x25 or so. With packing cubes and bringing mini version of things, you can easily get a week’s worth of things into your hand luggage. This is harder when you are looking at short haul, budget airlines as they tend to have much smaller allowances. However, with practice (and a short trip) it can be done. You will save £££ by avoiding the check in baggage or the “bigger” hand luggage fees.

Check out our post all about packing in hand luggage here!

Plus, not having a heavy bag to drag into town means you can afford to take public transport and…

3. Travel Local

Public transport is often much, much cheaper than taxis and private transfers. Do your research before you travel and it is highly likely there will be a train, bus or tram that will whisk you to your destination. In London, Paris and New York, it is often faster to jump on the Tube, Metro or Subway as well as being cheaper. It can be daunting but google is pretty good at knowing how to travel around places these days, and you can always ask your hotel for advice too.

Of course this isn’t always the case. Some places like Lisbon have very cheap taxis and if there is a group of you, it can work out better value to hop in a cab.

4. Eat Local

If you are going to eat out in a popular city, there are a couple of things to put into practise to save some money. Eating outside of major tourist areas can save you at least third on the cost of your meal. Avoid anywhere with touts outside the restaurant and menus in multiple languages. These two things can be an indicator of somewhere less than authentic.

Street food is an excellent way to try local dishes for not too much money. In Greece, for example, a cheap and cheerful gyro or souvlaki is a flavourful meal on the go. Some places like Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have some of the most fantastic night markets and street stalls full of delicious edible treats.

You could also shop at the supermarket for a picnic or ingredients to cook yourself. This is the cheapest way to eat when you travel for sure but it is dependant on having somewhere to cook or store your food.

Finally, check out foody apps. Too Good Too Go in many European cities helps, restaurants and supermarkets sell surprise bags really cheaply. We have had full meals for £6 in Switzerland which is entirely unheard. Other great apps like The Fork and Time Out have good food deals with 20-50% off selected restaurants.

5. Book Local

Booking tours when you reach your destination can be much cheaper than using a tour operator before you get there. There is usually less of a slice of commission to pay when booking locally, or if you research the provider you can even visit them directly in which case, there’s none. You can even try and haggle a little, especially if there’s more than one of you.

6. Look at Alternative Accommodation

Hotels are not your only option (but they are a good place to start). You can also look at hostels, many of which have great facilities and private rooms, as well as dorms. Many hostels offer great value tours, laundry and other budget-friendly local offers. They are also an ideal to meet travel buddies, something that isn’t so common in hotels.

You could also consider other options:

• Airbnb – Controversial but if used correctly, it can still be a responsible and great value way to travel. Opt to use rooms within people’s houses and spend time with the host.
• VRBO – A good option for booking whole properties. This is only good value if there is a decent sized group paying together.
• Local B&B websites – Bed and breakfasts are often not on big booking websites but on more local ones. The nice things about b&bs or guesthouses is that you can book direct with no fees and can sometimes ask for a cheeky discount.
• Couch Surfing – The site now costs a little subscription fee but sleeping on people’s sofas, in their spare rooms or on their floor for free is going to cover that for sure! It is another great way to meet locals.

7. Avoid the “Airport Tax”

There’s nothing you can do about Air Passenger Duty, that’s not the tax I mean. Everything at the airport is expensive so bring snacks with you. Just remember, can’t take anything that isn’t a liquid gel or cream through security so sandwiches, crisps etc are fine but hummus or yogurt are no nos. Make sure you pack a reusable water bottle. You can fill it up once you are through security and save big when compared to buying bottled water on the go.

Some airports are bringing in drop off fees, so you might want to skip the lift and come with public transport instead. If you can, give airport parking a miss as it can be extortionate! While you travel, your car is just clicking up the fees.

8. Check Entry Deals

Many big cities have free entry to their museums on certain days of the month. In London, many of them are always free. You can also search for 241 deals or multi-entry deals. Buying a city card or multi-admission ticket can save you lots but only if you are sure you want to visit everywhere on the ticket.

9. Don’t Pay for WIFI

If you need data, compare eSIM deals as these are often much cheaper than using your home provider. I’ve used Airalo, Yesim and Sparks on my travels and they have all been grand. (Airalo has usually come out cheapest for me, and they have a great app but shop around). These exist at a digital Sim in your phone, so there’s no fiddling about with physical Sim cards.

You could pick up a local SIM card, especially if you are spending an extended time in a place. These can be great value but it always takes a bit of time to sort and you need to keep your normal sim safe if you don’t have a dual sim phone.

Take advantage a free Wi-Fi in cafés, your accommodation, and even some city centres. The only thing to remember about this however, is that public Wi-Fi isn’t that secure and you could leave yourself open to malicious attack on your device. Having a good VPN will help prevent this. 

10. Bring a Water Bottle

Most of Europe and the USA has drinkable tap water so save a bundle and bring a refillable bottle. You can use it on your flight by filling it up when you get through security. If you are out and about sightseeing, some European cities have public drinking fountains on the streets. Italy is particularly good for this. It is better for your wallet, and for the environment over buying bottle after plastic bottle of water.

11. Bag Some Bargain Booze

I could suggest avoiding alcohol altogether, as this can really burn a hole in your wallet, but you’re on holiday! Look for happy hour deals to save a lot, drink house wine (usually pretty great in much of Europe) or buy a few bottles of something from the supermarket and enjoy at your hotel/at a picnic.In Scandinavia, you are going to need to make use of the duty free at the airport. The steep price of alcoho;l is mostly tax, so the prices without it aren’t too bad at all.

One last thing to try is to only take cash out if you are going to a nearby bar. As the alcohol sets in, buying more drinks can seem like a great idea, until you have no budget left for the rest of the trip. Bringing cash means you have a finite amount of money to spend and won’t drain your account.

12. Use Your Points

This is especially true if you are lucky enough to have an American credit card. The points you can accrue there far outstrip those in the rest of the world. There are brilliant deals to be had by converting card points for hotel rooms or combing them with a little more for cheap flights. Check out excellent sites like Head For Points or The Points Guy for amazing advice on hoe to make the most of your points.

UK readers, you may find you have enough Tesco Clubcard, Nectar, Virgin Red or AMEX points to book something for free or with a significant discount. (Eurostar on Nectar for example).

13. Bring Fee-Free Cards

As the world gets increasingly more reliant on payment cards you need to ensure you have at least one card that is good for travel. This means no fees for both payments and cash withdrawals worldwide. If not, it may only be a couple of pounds per transaction but these really do add up quickly!

Don’t forget, you should always pay in local currency if you are given the choice. Don’t be tempted into paying in your home currency, they can use whichever exchange rate they fancy. Your bank/card provider will always be better.

14. Try Off Season or Shoulder Season

High season means more people and a higher cost. This is especially true during school and public holidays when prices truly skyrocket. If you are not bound by travelling during the holidays, travel in the more unusual times of year.

• For Europe, you should have some nice weather and lower prices in spring and autumn. Avoid Easter when people have school holidays and many people travel to celebrate the festival.
• In the USA, skip any public holidays (labor day, veterans day). The annual leave allowance is small so everyone makes use of their long weekends.
• In South and South-East, you could battle the heat and visit in March before it starts raining. Even more hardcore visitors brave the monsoon rains themselves but this can make travel difficult.

15. Take Free Walking Tours

Most popular cities around the world will have at least one free walking tour. These are a “pay what you think or can afford” deal. Technically this means they are not free but if you would have tipped a tour guide anyway then you have saved some money. They are definitely a great way to orientate yourself in a new city too, which allows you to decide on your itinerary going forward.

16. Find Free Activities

As well as free tours, there are always things happening in big cities that don’t cost anything. Use Time Out or similar local websites to look for free events or festivals taking place. Facebook groups are another great place for local activities. We have accidently stumbled across many a street party or festival which we were unaware of when we booked the trip. There are also free fitness classes, special openings and more to be discovered. HeadOut had paid activities but offers deep last minute discounts.

17. Share the Burden

Travelling solo can be an expensive business. Try and find a travel buddy so you can half the price of rooms, taxis and more. Of course, you can sleep in a dorm where you only pay for one bed but it is much nicer to be in a quiet room with people you know. If you are alone, you can always ask fellow travellers if they fancy splitting costs. For example, if you are travelling on a flight, train or bus and know there is an expensive ride at the end, make fast friends. We have travelled with randoms into Bangkok by taxi before and it saved us all a bundle.

18. Give Haggling a Go

Negotiating on [rice is common in many countries around the world. Give it a quick Goog, and if this is the case, try it out. Keep things lighthearted and have a number you are happy to pay in mind. You can haggle for taxis if there are no fixed prices or meters. Of course you can haggle for items you purchasing. You can even haggle for accommodation if you are a walk up. A few tricks to try:

• The laugh with a shaking head – This gives a sense of “I am enjoying this but couldn’t possible pay that much“
• The comparison – “Oh, I saw this at a spot elsewhere and it was great quality for a little less.
• The multibuy – Will they do a deal if you are buying more than one of something, or are booking something as a group? This guarantees them more income.
• The walk away – If they chase you, you are on to a winner!

19. The Car Hire Excess Trick

If you are planning to hire a car on your travels, it is much cheaper to buy your car hire excess cover separately. There are plenty of websites that do this and it will only set you back a few pounds. Not only will this be cheaper than buying it from the rental agency, but they are much less likely to take a HUGE deposit from you and holding your precious travel funds. (Oh, and in general, the sooner you book the car hire itself, the cheaper it tends to be).

20. Learn the Exchange Rate

One of the biggest mistakes is not getting handle on what you are actually spending. Of course, we are not expecting you to be able to time everything by 4.56 in a split second. Instead, round it up or down to the nearest easily workable number. Times it by 5 instead, and you will soon get used to the feel of the calculations. If you round it up to your advantage, you will end the day feeling a little richer than you thought.

21. Remember Your EHIC

If you are travelling within the EU, and have an European Health Insurance Card (replaced in the UK by the Global Health Insurance Card) then make sure it is with you. It entitles the holder to healthcare throughout the European Union. It means you will not be out of pocket on the day. Do remember that it will not cover snow rescue, flying home or private healthcare so you will still need travel insurance.

22. Skip the Plane

Short haul, budget airline tickets may look seriously tempting, but the prices can often stack up quickly. Once you have added on the costs of getting and from airports, adding on luggage fees and sitting next to your friend/loved one, then it could be more expensive than you thought.

Instead, compare the price of trains and coaches like Megabus and Flixbus. These tend to go from city centre to city centre and include luggage. They can even be quicker than taking a flight so you aren’t even paying in time. If you can catch an overnight bus or a night train, you will also save on the cost of accommodation. I think the days of reclining seat night buses are over for us but we still adore a night train with a sleeping berth!

23. Buy Your Toiletries at Home

You will find that in much of the world, your bog standard toiletries are a lot more expensive than those at home. Deodorant costs a small fortune in India and in much of Asia, conditioner is rare so it is priced accordingly. Sun cream can be very pricy around the world and can sometimes contain whitening cream so bring it along with you. (If you are going hand luggage only, pick these things up in duty free en route).

On exception to the above is insect repellent in areas like South-East Asia., You will find nice smelling mozzie guard in 7/11 for a bargain!

24. Bring Your Discount ID

If you are lucky enough to hold a student ID then you can save money to loads of attractions around the world. This is especially true in the EU where it can even grant you free access if you are under 25 to famous museums like the Louvre in paris.

It is also worth binging proof of disability if you have it. This is another way you could save money on entry fees. In Italy, museums are often free and elsewhere, you can sometime bring a carer in for free and split the cost.

Finally, being over 60 or “a senior” can give you access to discounts for attractions.

Basically, it you’ve got it, flaunt it!

25. Check Your Travel Documents Early

There is nothing worse than being close to your travel date and realising you need a visa or your passport is running out. You are then left scrabbling to pay for fast track services which are expensive and the whole thing can be really stressful. As soon as you are booked, check your government’s website to see the entry requirements for where you will be visiting. This gives you plenty of time to sort things out, without it costing you more than it needs to.

26. Buy Travel Gear in Cheap Shops

With the popularity of travel increasing year on year, it is no wonder budget shops are getting in on the action. From suitcases down to packing cubes and plug adaptor, you can find decent quality things in Walmart and Target in the USA or Primark and Poundland in the UK. This will save you a small fortune when compared to trekking shops or at the airport. (We have had suitcases and packing cubes from Primark that are still going strong)

27. Compare Travel Medication Prices

Getting travel jabs and anti-malarials are unavoidable for some destinations. There are plenty of private pharmacies that offer these services. Don’t take the first offer though. Shop around and you could save a fair amount, especially if you are travelling for a long time. If you have state healthcare, don’t forget to ask them what they can do first. Even within the NHS there are different injections that your GP could offer.

28. Don’t Pay for Things at Home

Don’t forget to cancel or pause any subscriptions you won’t be using whilst you are away. There is nothing sadder than knowing there is a Hello Fresh box languishing on your doorstep which will never ben eaten. (Yes, I have had to donate mine to neighbour before). If you aren’t going to use, cut it. You should also turn off as many plugs as you can (not the fridge and freezer). There is no point paying for power you aren’t using.

29. Don’t Succumb to Politeness

If you don’t want a printed photo at a tourist attraction that you were told to pose for, if you are just browsing in a shop and if you don’t want the “lucky talisman” handed to you then do not pay for them! If you were not intending to spend money then don’t. People may apply some pressure or ladle on the guilt but it is your money and you can choose what to do with it.

30. Set a Budget and Stick to It

This is probably the most boring but sensible budget travel tip. Setting a daily budget really helps you keep on track. Overspend on a train ticket or night out today? You can take note of that an make concessions on the days after. It allows you to go for longer and make sure your funds last the whole trip. Over a five month trip, we documented everything we spent to the penny and managed to eke our money out to the last minute.

Final Thoughts on Our Best Budget Travel Tips

They say, “Save the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves”. I say” Save the pennies so you can go on that cool speedboat trip in Italy”. Using these money-saving tips, you can enjoy your money having once in a lifetime travel moments, and travel more!

Have we missed any budget travel tips that you use to make your money last? We would love to hear them!

Rosie xx