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12 Easy Money Saving Travel Tips

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Travel can be expensive, whether it's high gas prices during your road trip or increasing travel demand causing hotel and airline costs to rise.

But it doesn't have to be as costly as you might think with these tips for saving money on travel.

How to save money while traveling

1. pack light.

Packing light is undoubtedly beneficial for avoiding checked bag fees , but there are a few other incentives to do so. For starters, packing light means you can get around a lot easier. With a light suitcase or backpack, you're more agile, enabling you to navigate public transit rather than feel like you need to pay for a taxi.

So how do you pack light? Bring clothes that you can wash easily in a sink. Look for items that dry quickly, and pick clothes that you can mix and match. Default to basic items that go with pretty much any outfit, so you don't need to cram four pairs of shoes into your bag.

Plus, packing light means you won't be tempted to pay for souvenirs — because limited capacity in your suitcase or backpack will deter your urges.

2. Shop at local grocery stores

Visiting local markets can be an adventure on its own. You'll find different types of foods that you wouldn't necessarily come across at home. Plus, having food on hand means you'll likely save money, as you'll be less tempted to buy the stale, overpriced muffin from the hotel cafe just because you were hungry.

3. Pack snacks

If you can't visit a local market, packing snacks from home is the next best thing. Look for protein-heavy items like jerky and protein bars, which can make you feel full and not take up too much space in your luggage.

Bottled water can also shape up to be a considerable expense when you're on the go. Assuming you have access to a clean water source, pack your canteen, and consider a portable water bottle that can collapse to fit in your pocket.

» Learn more: A beginner’s guide to budget travel

4. Get yourself into the airport lounge

The Centurion Lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has a full buffet and access for certain American Express cardholders. (Photo courtesy of American Express)

One of the best ways to get food while traveling is at an airport lounge. Many premium travel credit cards offer lounge access as perks, generally through the Priority Pass lounge membership program . Food quality ranges by lounge, but you can usually expect light snacks like fruit, chips, cookies and coffee. The fancier lounges sometimes provide entire buffet meals.

Beyond food, lounges can provide Wi-Fi speeds typically faster than what's offered in the airport. In addition, some lounges offer showers, exercise rooms or massages. Get to the airport early to maximize the amenities.

5. Arrive early

Leave plenty of time to get to the airport early. If you're running late, you might hail an overpriced cab in a panic instead of taking public transportation at typically a fraction of the cost. You may also find that rideshare prices could be higher for routes to the airport at certain times. Having more time allows you to avoid the surge pricing.

Don't risk having to rebook a flight last minute because you arrived late.

» Learn more: 6 smart ways to travel cheaply

6. Get TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership fees reimbursed

You can speed through airport crowds by applying for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry . Both are types of Trusted Traveler programs offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

If approved, you'll be able to use expedited lanes, which typically have shorter, quicker lines because travelers aren't forced to remove their shoes, laptops, belts or jackets. According to TSA's data, 94% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes in December 2021.

Certain credit cards will reimburse your application fee , typically $85 for TSA PreCheck or $100 for Global Entry (though the TSA PreCheck fee has recently changed to $78 ).

Aeroplan® Credit Card .

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card .

Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® .

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card .

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card .

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card .

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card .

The Platinum Card® from American Express .

Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card .

United Club℠ Infinite Card .

United℠ Explorer Card .

United Quest℠ Card .

U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card .

Terms apply.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card . Enrollment required.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card . Enrollment required.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card . Enrollment required.

The Platinum Card® from American Express . Enrollment required.

» Learn more: How to add TSA PreCheck to your airline ticket

7. Take advantage of credit card free night certificates

Some hotel credit cards — even those with sub-$100 annual fees — offer free hotel night certificates . Assuming the value of your hotel room is more than the credit card's annual fee (which it very easily can be), it could be a smart move to get one of these cards to save some money with a free night stay.

Plus, these cards typically offer extra benefits like elite status , making your stay more enjoyable, and bonus points, which can make future stays free — or at least cheaper.

8. Book hotel rooms on points

Speaking of bonus points, it's almost always a good idea to spend your hotel points rather than save them. Booking rooms on points versus cash is certainly a smart way to avoid dipping into your cash savings for a vacation, but there are a few other benefits:

You may avoid resort fees: Resort fees (those extra charges that hotels impose to cover additional amenity usages like pools and Wi-Fi) are irritating, and they can sometimes run north of $50 per night. Thankfully, some hotel loyalty programs, including Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt , don't charge them for rooms booked on points.

You might get extra discounts: For stays booked on points, you might unlock additional discounts for staying longer. For example, you receive the lowest point-value night free for every five consecutive nights stayed at a Marriott property funded with Marriott Bonvoy points. Hilton has a similar policy where members with at least Silver Elite membership receive the fifth night free when booking on points.

9. Travel during the offseason

If you can travel during the offseason, that's not only a way to avoid crowds and the headaches that come with them, but you'll usually be able to get a better deal. A NerdWallet analysis conducted in spring 2021 of over 1,110 airfares found that airfares averaged more expensive for holiday travel than any other booking window .

Airfares for flight routes during the holiday season average 41% more expensive than other flights booked roughly six months out during non-holiday seasons.

10. Explore tourist attractions that don't cost you any money

The Hamon Observation Tower at San Francisco's de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is free to visit.

Even trips to notoriously expensive spots like San Francisco, New York City or Walt Disney World don't have to break the bank.

For example, there are tons of no-cost things to do at Disney World. Ride around the monorail, or watch fireworks from the beach at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. In addition, you can find free walking tours in most major cities (though tour guides typically rely on gratuity, so tip accordingly).

Prioritize the free tourist attractions over the ones that have a fee. For example, tickets to San Francisco's de Young Museum cost about $15, but you can go to one of its coolest rooms, the Hamon Observation Tower, for free panoramic views of the city.

And while there are dozens of excellent cultural institutions in St. Louis, start at the ones that have free admission, including the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Science Center and Saint Louis Zoo. If time permits, then turn to the attractions with a fee.

» Learn more: How to find cheap activities in any city

11. Get a baseline understanding of typical costs

Knowing the general prices of things can help you avoid getting up charged with a so-called, unofficial "tourist tax."

For instance, look up average taxi costs before you travel so you know the ranges to expect. Consider researching typical prices for items at the market so you can haggle with confidence. Avoid overpaying on a bus fare by knowing how to purchase official tickets in advance.

12. Consider travel insurance

If you're worried about losing the value of upfront travel costs, consider purchasing travel insurance . This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your airfare.

But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses such as flights or hotels on that card.

Sometimes, though, not even trip insurance will guarantee a refund. Unless you’ve purchased a Cancel For Any Reason policy , which is usually more expensive, you’re only entitled to a refund if you cancel for a covered reason.

Final thoughts on all the ways to save money on travel

Travel costs can add up. Your vacation might not be as cheap as that slick airfare deal may have led you to believe when you factor in other expenses. Often, vacation spending can rocket past your initial budget once you're out on the road.

Saving money on travel with these tricks can give you more freedom to spend where you need, whether that's on this trip or your next one.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2022 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee:   Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards:  Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card  

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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The 100 Best Money-Saving Travel Tips (2022)

Feature Image by FellowNeko/Shutterstock

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There is no denying that travel can be expensive. A pastime that was limited to only the wealthy not too many years ago, travel has become widely accessible to a full range of budgets. From five-star hotels and first-class flights to budget airlines and hostels, there is an extensive range of options available to the modern traveler.

For those looking to stretch the budget so that they can make the most of their vacation, the below list of 100 money-saving tips for travel provides a detailed approach to finding savings in every aspect of a trip.

From the early days of the trip planning stage to the time spent at your destination, there will naturally be plenty of choices and decisions where having a little bit of extra knowledge can help save enough for an extra special meal or an added attraction or activity.

Pick and choose the best tips for your trip plan and save them down as reminders in the same place as your itinerary. Expect that every bit of money saved helps, especially for couples or families traveling, where a few dollars savings per person can add up.

Travel Plan and Budget Money-Saving Tips

1. Set a Budget and Track Your Expenses

One of the most obvious yet often overlooked tips, having an awareness of how much you are willing to spend on your trip in the first place, is an excellent place to start. 

Untracked spending can add up. You can create an estimate of expenses as you plan your trip, then compare the actual costs against the estimate as you go. With this tracking, you can quickly identify where you are over or under budget and make adjustments early in your trip.

Use a spreadsheet on your phone, notebook app, shared notebook over the cloud, budget app, or even keep track on paper. Evernote offers a great free phone app to keep track of trip expenses and planning in one spot, with access across devices available for planning between a computer and phone. 

2. Book Fully Refundable Reservations as Early as You Can

There is no greater frustration in trip planning than missing out on a great hotel rate or airfare. Knowing that your indecision cost you potentially hundreds of dollars is a regret that won’t escape your mind quickly.  

Get yourself comfortable making and canceling reservations as part of the trip planning process. Then, if you see a decent rate that happens to be fully cancelable without a penalty and, even better, require no prepayment, book now and decide later.

These limited-commitment options are more often seen with hotel bookings than airfare, where more stringent cancelation policies exist. Though, when you come across an extremely cheap airfare, if there is flexibility to change the dates, a quick decision can help save you a lot of money on the fare.

Don’t forget to set reminders to cancel any bookings before the cancelation deadline. Your savings will quickly be lost when you find out that you accidentally booked two hotels for the same dates.

3. Stay Away From Big Cities

Larger cities with higher real estate costs, labor, goods, and services are guaranteed to be more expensive than the suburbs around the same cities or other less populated destinations.  

Sometimes it may be difficult to skip Paris if the purpose of the trip is to visit Paris’s attractions. But, for destinations like New England, you can save serious cash by avoiding staying in Boston if your objective is to see the historical sights around the region. Instead, head into the city for the day and book your hotel closer to towns like Lexington, Concord, Salem, Gloucester, or Plymouth.

4. Consider Off-Season or Shoulder-Season Travel

With peak-season dates comes peak-season pricing, providing great deals to be found for travelers willing to opt for a less popular time to visit. 

Most European destinations during July and August command the highest rates out of the whole year. However, visitors who can take their European vacation in late September or October will find lower hotel rates, less crowded attractions, and better rental car and airfare deals. From November to February in Europe, even better values can be found.  

Bigger cities or regions with a temperate climate will offer the best off or shoulder-season experiences. For example, while no one wants to visit a beach during a freezing winter week, Vienna, Rome, Kyoto, or Amsterdam can offer different experiences during the colder weather months. Visitors will find plenty to do, fewer tourists competing for the same attractions, and far less budget required to enjoy the same food, museums, architecture, and sights, minus the lines and crowds.

5. For Multiple Destinations, Search Flexible Routings

Nearly all airfare search engines, booking websites, or airline websites offer a third search option after round-trip, and one-way journeys, the multi-city option. This option is great for entering more complicated itineraries and seeing if the airfare comes back cheaper than booking separate one-way flights.

You can book open-jaw flights, where your departure flight is into one airport, and the return flight is back from another one—for example, flying from New York to London and returning on a Paris to New York flight.

You can book stopover flights, where you stay overnight or longer in one connection city before flying on to your destination, and then return directly back from your final destination. An example of this would be flying from New York to Paris for three nights, then Paris to Rome, and flying back to New York after four days in Rome.

You can even book a series of one-way tickets ending up back at your original departure point. An example of this would be New York to London to Paris to Rome to New York.  

While you may find that this search method returns more expensive results, there can often be savings found in some of the results, with simplified routing being an added benefit in some cases.

6. Setup Notifications or Email Alerts for Travel Deals or Newsletters

Subscribing to notifications from airlines, hotel chains, and travel booking sites will help to bring the deals to you. The downside of receiving these alerts is the frequency and volume of them, which can easily fill up your inbox.

Set up email rules to filter the emails into folders or categories. Consider setting up a separate email address to receive all of these emails separate from your primary email, where you can periodically skim the mails for deals when you are ready to book travel.

7. Be flexible With Your Travel Dates

Rates and airfare can fluctuate wildly between dates. For example, flying on a Friday could be more expensive than leaving Saturday morning, while hotel rates one week could be twice as expensive as the week before. 

Events, conventions, and higher demand can vary in rates, airfare, rental cars, and even restaurant availability. You can ensure you aren’t unnecessarily booking during a higher-cost week by starting your rate and fare searches with a range of dates in mind and even using flexible search date fields when available.

8. Avoid Peak Weeks at All Costs

Every destination has its own peak weeks for visitors every year. These could be the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day for ski resorts, Golden Week Holiday in China and greater Asia, school holiday weeks in different countries, and many others.

Depending on the destination, these peak visitor weeks can see hotel rates soar, restaurants book out, and lines for attractions quadruple in length. By avoiding these weeks, you’ll save money across nearly every part of your travel budget.

9. Search For Flights With Google Flights Explore

The most useful feature in Google Flights during the trip planning stage, Google Flights explore allows users to search for flights from a certain airport or airports without a destination and across a whole month. This essentially allows you to search for the cheapest flights across a whole region or even across the world by displaying prices on a world map.

Use Google Flights Explore to start with cheap flights for a trip to start off with one of the more costly aspects of travel.

Money-Saving Tips for Sightseeing

10. Ask for Seniors, Student, and Children Tickets or Discounts

One of the most obvious tips, yet often overlooked, keep an eye out for senior, student, and children tickets or discounts at attractions. These are usually listed along with the standard or adult ticket prices but can sometimes be unlisted. If discounted prices, just ask. 

11. Research Ticket Costs Ahead For Online Discounts

Always search online for tickets to an attraction before visiting. Check both the attractions website and a general search on Google for discounted tickets. 

Checking the attraction website can often show discounted tickets for theme parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, and more prominent attractions with higher ticket prices. These types of attractions benefit from earlier ticket sales as it helps to lock in a deal before you show up, and it helps to make for an efficient ticket sales process on site. This reduces line length and can save you time as well. 

Searching for discounted tickets on Google will help reveal any offers that don’t come directly from the attraction itself. Sometimes you can find discounted tickets through resellers or other organizations with sales agreements with the attraction. 

The knowledge of online discounts can, in many situations, be booked on the same day, allowing you to buy tickets with a discount standing right outside the attraction. This is great for those hesitant to book ahead. 

12. Avoid Booking Ahead

This tip may seem contradictory to the previous one but is essential to consider for weather-related attractions or sights. Booking ahead can commit you to a suboptimal day.

If you are visiting a skyscraper or mountain top viewpoint on a cloudy or foggy day, you’ll be let down by not seeing iconic sights you possibly paid ahead to see. Going to a theme park on a day when it’s pouring rain can be just as miserable. 

Anytime that weather or conditions can significantly impact the enjoyment of the sight, consider holding back on booking ahead, even if there is a discount by doing so. Visiting at a suboptimal time may not appear as overpaying, but it is when the conditions impact your enjoyment. 

13. Find Attraction Passes in Big Cities

Many popular cities offer tourist passes or cards that either includes entry to a number of the top sights and attractions or discounted tickets to each of them. 

These are most frequently found in Europe, with Paris, Rome, London, and Barcelona having them on offer amongst several cities and regions. Search the destination you are visiting to see if these types of passes are available for potentially significant discounts and the ability to skip the ticket line at attractions. 

The most significant savings from these passes comes when you can visit the most attractions on them. Travelers who prefer to pack a day from early to late with sightseeing will find great value. Those with more casual itineraries should calculate the individual tickets against the price of the pass to confirm it’s worth it. 

Using the Paris Pass as an example, the pass includes the Louvre, the Mussee, D’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, the Rodin Museum, Notre Dame, and over 75 attractions, including the most famous museums across the city. As a result, a two to six-day pass can provide significant savings across a trip, but only if it is used frequently enough. 

14. Find a List of Free Things to do in a City 

Web magazines, bloggers, and travel websites like this one love to publish lists of free things to do in a city. Search for these lists at your destination in Google and start your trip plan from there. 

Visitors will often find plenty of free things as an alternative to paid attractions in any given city, with architecture, nature, and viewing points being easy options. 

Below are a few examples of free thing to do lists for cities around the world:

Tokyo  – Tokyo Cheapo’s 101 Free Things to do in Tokyo

Paris – Timeout’s Best Free Things to do in Paris

London – Visit London’s 101 Free Things to do in London

New York  – Timeout’s Best Free Things to do in New York

15. Prioritize the List of Places You Want to Visit that Charge Admission

A perfect travel itinerary is often balanced with various sights, activities, and getting to know a city. The types of attractions or sights that typically charge admission are often the same: museums, viewpoints, historic buildings and homes, theme parks, zoos, nature parks. 

Prioritize the specific. Places you would like to visit to ensure you aren’t paying too much for admission over a trip. For a casual traveler, seeing more than a few museums over a few days is too much to keep your attention. 

Instead of visiting all of the top museums in a city, choose the ones that interest you the most and skip the rest. While the fear of missing out on a key attraction may drive us to keep buying tickets to everything, casual museum-goers will appreciate not paying to mindlessly wander through a fourth or fifth one on a trip. 

16. Opt for Group Tours over Private Guides

Private guides will always provide a sense of security and focused attention, especially when visiting countries where a different language is spoken or an intimidating street environment that makes you feel like you may get lost. 

The reality of a private tour guide is that they will often deliver the same information at sights as a group tour will, but at a much higher cost. 

While a private tour guide has many benefits and having idle chit-chat between attractions can help get to know a city, the cost can be significantly more expensive than a group tour. 

17. Skip the Paid Tourist Viewpoints

Seeing an iconic city skyline from a high viewpoint is one of the most exciting parts of travel. A perfect photo of a sunset lit sky or a fully lit city at night can make for the best travel photos. One consideration that is often overlooked in travel planning is the cost of tickets and time spent waiting for popular views. 

Plenty of cities offer alternative viewpoints that can be visited for free, with some even offering better views. 

If you are visiting Paris, skip the Eiffel Tower and opt for Montmarte. Not only is the viewpoint free, but you also get the Eiffel Tower included in your iconic photo, which you can see when you are standing on top of it. 

If you are in Hong Kong, skip Sky100 or the Peak Tower and visit the Lion’s Pavillion for a free and wide-open view of the iconic city skyline.

If you are in Tokyo, pass on the Tokyo Skytree or the iconic Tokyo Tower. Opt for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which offers sweeping views of the city, with Mt. Fuji visible on a clear day.  

Airfare Money-Saving Tips

18. Search on Google Flights

There are plenty of great flight searches online, with many having different business models or capabilities. However, Google Flights consistently offers the most extensive search results and the best features for searching flexible itineraries.  

Start with Google Flights to cover searches across dates, airports, and even use the explore function to search for low airfare to whole regions at a time. Want to go to Europe and not too picky about the exact city? Using the explore function, Google Flights will search for the cheapest airfare across the whole region in one single search.

The search feature also allows you to search across multiple cities simultaneously, and with easy-to-use alerts, you can wait for the best deals to come to your inbox.

19. Earn Miles from Credit Cards

Most airline mileage programs have transitioned from awarding mileage on miles flown to awarding them on dollars spent. Unfortunately, outside of business travelers and those paying for business or first class fares, this makes earning meaningful balances from flying increasingly tricky for the less frequent traveler. 

One alternative to earn sizeable mileage balances for reward flights is earning through credit card spending. Many airlines offer affiliated credit cards that earn miles with the use of the card for everyday spending and offer lucrative signup bonuses that can sometimes be enough for a reward flight. 

20. Book long layovers on flights to add a city

Long layovers are typically dreaded. They can extend your flight itinerary and require you to spend extended time in an airport, tired and waiting. 

Use these long layovers to your advantage. Those looking to add an extra destination to their trip can consider flights with long layovers that last from a full day or overnight to an extra day. Leave your luggage checked in and head out to see a different city you weren’t expecting to visit. 

You can also search directly for these layovers using the multi-city search function on airlines websites. When connecting at the airline’s hubs, there can at times be no difference in fare price for a couple of days layover. Some airlines even prompt these types of bookings as an added benefit. 

Search for these by targeting major airline hubs. 

To name a few options:

Emirates Airlines – Dubai

Singapore Airlines – Singapore

British Airways – London

Air France – Paris

ANA – Tokyo

Korean Airlines – Seoul

21. Don’t pay for seat selection when traveling in groups of two or more

Airlines love scaring travelers with the idea of getting a dreaded middle seat by charging seat selection fees to prey on these fears. 

When traveling in groups of two or more, the airlines will typically seat guests next to each other, except in situations where there are only middle seats available. 

While there is no guarantee that you will be seated together, there is a higher likelihood that you and your travel group will be put into seats next to each other, avoiding all being put into middle seats. 

There is an element of playing with chance with this tactic in that there is no guarantee in the terms of the fare that you won’t get random middle seats. But conversely, by paying a seat selection fee for a middle seat, you will be paying a fee to reserve one of the least desirable seats. 

Single travelers that dread the idea of getting a middle seat may still want to pay these fees for peace of mind. 

22. Search Across Different Dates and Different Airports

Airfare supply and demand can create significant anomalies at times. For example, flights one day can come in much higher than the next, and two nearby airports can offer vastly different fares.

Put in flexible search conditions and even tick the box to check fares across multiple days if you can. Depending on your location, consider flying from different departure airports that are within reach of your home. Then look for other airports that you could practically arrive at, and search for all of the combinations.

Instead of searching for only flights from BWI Airport to London Heathrow, consider searching for Dulles and Reagan airports, and also include Gatwick, Stanstead, and London City airports. The expanded search covers a much higher number of flights when connections are considered, giving you the lowest possible fare from your location.

23. Fly on an Off-Peak Day or Time

While business travel has naturally been reduced from the pandemic, higher demand travel times remain depending on the location. 

Some cities can see higher fares in the morning or evening than late afternoon weekday flights, while these afternoon flights can have higher fares on weekend days. 

Limiting yourself to specific times and days of the week can reduce the possibility of finding the cheapest fares. 

24. If You Find a Deal, Search Across Sites and With the Airline

When you have finally found flights that work for you and are at a reasonable cost, search for the same flights across several other sites to spot anomalies. Then, run an additional search on the airline’s website to see if they offer a lower fare as well.

While today’s flight searches seem as though they cover everything, you’d be surprised at how often an extra search can uncover additional savings.

25. Make Sure You Are Considering All Costs When Comparing Airfares

While low-cost airlines have been around for some time, the introduction of cheaper airfares from full-service airlines marketed as basic economy fares is a recent industry innovation. These are different from traditional economy fares. Some airlines have limited the carry-on baggage to a single personal item that can fit under the seat and no longer includes seat selection in the fare.

Low-cost airlines are well known for charging for bags, carry-on baggage, seat selection, the printing of tickets at the airport, snacks, drinks, the use of bathroom inflight, and more.

While these airlines and different airfare categories can help save money, calculate the final cost before committing to one option over a traditional economy fare. Saving a few dollars to have your legroom cut, seat padding limited, and likely a long delay with your flight may not be the best savings when considering the stress it could add.

Airport and Inflight Money Saving Tips

26. Bring Food to the Airport

While bringing drinks through airport security is highly restricted, bringing food is not. So skip the typical and generally bad airport food officers to save some money by bringing your own sandwich, fruit, and snacks to enjoy before your flight. 

All items must be adequately wrapped and may need to go through the scanner separately, but for a family, homemade food for the airport is an easy way to save at the start of a trip. 

27. Bring Snacks For The Flight

To extend the tip from above, bring your own snacks for the flight. Skipping the airport snack purchases saves money on candy and snacks and allows you to consider healthier options that might not be found at the airport.

The limitations on liquids are still in place, so be mindful that the snacks will need to go through security. 

28. Don’t Buy Anything at The Airport

Limit your airport purchases to only things in the event of an emergency. Skip the books, ignore the magazines, avoid the bags of candy and snacks, use your own water bottle to skip buying one, and don’t fall in love with an intelligent travel gadget.

Anything you find at the airport will be overpriced, so you can find it outside if you do need it. Except for a last-minute purchase of a local food or snack as a gift, which will also be more expensive than outside the airport, there is no need to spend extra money shopping at the airport.

29. Get Dropped Off or Take an Uber

Check the prices on long-term parking and consider asking a friend or family member for a pickup or drop-off.

Ease the guilt of asking for an untimely favor by Handing over a handmade coupon for you to return the favor for their next trip.

If you don’t have someone close by to take you, or your flight is too early to too late to inconvenience someone, price out the cost of Uber compared to the cost of parking.

30. Download Your Entertainment For The Flight

Buying books and magazines at the airport bookstore has long been one of the standard travel experiences. A $20 book for two 8-hour flights was a worthwhile investment to stay entertained.

With inflight entertainment, tablets, kindles, laptops, mobile phones, and offline downloads from streaming services, there is no reason to pay extra at the airport for entertainment.

Download everything you need before you head to the airport, and you’ll have no worries once you switch to airplane mode.

Transportation and Getting Around

31. Walk Everywhere You Can

Walking is not only a great tip for saving money while traveling; it allows you to get to see a city in a way that you never could in a subway, bus, or even speeding by buildings in the back of your car. 

Getting your steps in is also a fantastic way to burn the extra vacation calories, giving you an excuse for the extra crepe, waffle, gelato, or mango sticky rice. 

32. Know Your Traffic Rules and Speed Limits

Driving in another country is far less intimidating than most people expect. However, the relief of getting on the road can quickly turn to overconfidence, with drivers losing track of traffic laws, speed limits, and parking rules. 

Be aware of the laws and your own speed to avoid receiving a ticket in person or even a camera-triggered ticket in the mail weeks after returning home from your trip. 

33. Look for Multi-Day Transport Passes

Whether you are looking for a European rail pass, Japanese rail pass, regional pass in a particular country, or city pass covering a city, transport passes across multiple days can offer a lot of Vaud to travelers. 

Typically these passes are offered exclusively to foreign visitors, which is below what typical commuters would pay for a similar amount of use. 

Consider the transportation included, the number of days of validity, and your expected use before purchasing. For example, a $10 a day all-you-can ride subway pass sounds like a no-brainer until you estimate that you really only need one or two round trips at $1.50 a ticket, for a total cost of $3 or $6 maximum. 

The same goes for long-distance trips. For example, the weeklong JR Rail pass in Japan is often purchased by travelers who only use it for a round trip train journey from Tokyo to Kyoto, which is cheaper if purchased separately. 

Calculate your needs first, and if it makes sense with your itinerary, make the purchase. 

34. Compare Rental Car vs. Rail Pass

Europe is famous for its rail passes, making them an iconic part of traveling across the continent. As a result, international travelers will often assume that rail is the most logical option for easy travel and even cost, with great multi-day passes. 

The above assumption is typically correct for single travelers moving between cities, though a key exception is when traveling as a group. One rental car can offset four rail passes, providing substantial savings depending on the itinerary. 

Don’t forget to factor in tolls, gas, and parking when comparing the options. While a rental car can provide a level of convenience as a sort of a mobile home base, the comfort can be lost when city-hopping across Europe. 

35. Use Public Transportation

Public transportation can be intimidating for inexperienced travelers and with language barriers. Some countries cater well to foreigners with English signage and announcements, while others make navigating bus routes nearly impossible for non-locals. 

Anytime you use public transportation like local trains, subways, or buses, you’ll find significant savings over taxis, Uber, or car services. 

Subway or rail lines should be the first option when available, with the ease of use limiting the intimidation factor. Bus lines are also a viable option if you feel comfortable with the information available to navigate the network. 

Multiplied over a whole trip, using public transportation is an easy option for daily savings. Reserve the taxi or Uber trips for late-night trips back to your accommodation to stay safe. 

36. Use Google Maps and Citymapper Apps to Get Around

Beyond money-saving tips, both of these apps are travel essentials for anyone looking to get around major cities. Both offer easy-to-understand directions, with integrated public transportation routes.

Those looking to navigate public transportation systems will find these apps do all the hard work, breaking down the route, location of stations or stops, and walking directions to get there. Then, all you need to do is research how to use the city’s transportation.

37. See If the City Offers Public Bicycles

In the current times, with environmental awareness and quality of life in city’s getting a lot of focus, public bicycle sharing has become more prevalent globally. Globally there are different programs, ranging from government-sponsored bike rentals to companies offering public bike use.  

Research to see if your destination offers public bicycles and see how to sign up for use. Not only does using a bike in place of more expensive transportation save money, but it’s also a great way to see a city.  

Check out Citi Bikes as an example of how New York City’s program works.

Saving Money on Cruises

38. Book Last Minute Cruises

Unlike hotel rooms and airfares that can spike in price for last-minute bookings, especially when limited rooms or seats are available, cruise bookings will generally drop in price.

The primary reason for this is the business model of a cruise ship, where significant revenues come from onboard sales, activities, meals, drinks, and gambling. Fewer guests aboard will limit the ability for ships to make these additional revenues, incentivizing cruise lines to drop prices at the last minute to fill the vessel up.

Those with flexible plans or willing to wait until later can find significant savings booking as late as possible. However, this also runs the risk of missing a dream destination for specific dates, so you should only wait if you are flexible.

39. Consider the Cheaper Room Options

A window with a view or a balcony to get fresh air is essential for some cruise fans or first-time cruisers looking for the best experience, though they cost more than the inside rooms. 

Consider an inside room for some easy savings on a cruise, with the room category being the cheapest available across ships. While the lack of an outside view does t sound optimal, those planning on making the most of the ship’s facilities will find that their room is primarily used for sleeping and showering, and a window at night doesn’t offer much scenery when at sea. 

Families in need of more than one room can request an inside room across the hall from a room with a balcony. This helps balance the budget and have the best of both worlds in savings and outside space. 

40. Know The Cruise Line’s Policy on Bringing Alcohol Onboard

Cruise lines vary in their policies for bringing alcohol on board. Some are pretty restrictive, limiting guests to only bringing a bottle of wine or two per person, while others are more relaxed.

Confirm the policy before traveling to maximize your allowance. For example, buying on board can be more costly, and having a bottle of wine to enjoy from a sea view balcony offers an affordable way to enjoy a sunset aboard. 

41. Pay-up for a Beverage or Dining Package

Beyond the base dining package on cruises, various premium packages are available depending on the line. These include meals at the higher-end onboard restaurants to all-you-can-drink options across the ship’s bars and lounges. 

Those who plan on enjoying more drinks and better meals can find decent savings with these packages compared to ordering individually throughout the trip. Research the costs of ordering off-menu to see if these packages are the right choice for your trip. 

42. Bring Aboard Everything You Will Need

Cruise ships at sea are the perfect captive consumer base that cruise lines love when pricing items for their shops. As a result, they can almost charge guests whatever they want for essentials, steep premiums over what can be found in stores on land. 

Carefully write your packing list to include everything from essential medication, toiletries, suntan lotion, batteries, chargers, sunglasses, and swimwear. Limit the possibility of having to buy anything on board to avoid overpaying. 

43. Use Your Credit Card or Visit ATMs When in Port

Stay away from exchanging any currency onboard and use your credit card where possible when visiting each destination. If in need of hard currency, use an ATM to get the lowest exchange rate when in port. 

If you are on a cruise with destinations that use different currencies, avoid getting cash or using it where possible. Even small amounts of leftover currency at each port will result in lost value when exchanged onboard or leftover at the end of a trip. 

44. Try Out the Free Activities Onboard First

Cruise ships can at times feel like floating theme parks with the number of attractions, rides, games, and activities on board. However, the challenge to your wallet can be that many of these attractions have prices associated with them. 

Each ship will offer several free activities, and the information desks can help point these out upon inquiry. Start with the free activities before moving on to the paid ones; this will avoid any unconscious spending when the excitement from being onboard is still high. 

45. Visit the Gift Shop’s on the Last Day

On the last day, ships will often discount items in their stores and gift shops to move inventory and reduce onboard stocks of items. 

If you are looking to pick something up as a gift or souvenir to remember the trip, wait until the last day of the journey to get the best possible price. 

46. Reconsider Paying For WiFi

Unfortunately, some cruise lines still charge daily or trip-long fees for a WiFi connection. Research your ship’s policy before your trip and consider whether you need it. 

Some ships offer several free WiFi locations to help you connect with family or check messages periodically. Consider if you really need to pay the sometimes outrageous fees for a continuous connection or if you can enjoy some time being off the grid. 

How to Save Money on Rental Cars

47. Book Early, Cancel Later On

Many directly booked rental car reservations do not require any down payment and have no cancellation penalty. If you see a reasonable rate and there is no need to worry about your plans or dates changing, get the booking in, and you can cancel later if there is a change.

Be sure to read the rate terms to confirm that you are booking a no-penalty rate.

48. Search For Package Deals

The package deal includes a flight and car rental, and possibly a hotel is often the best way to reduce car rental costs for a trip. Online travel agents like expedia.com or priceline.com often provide the best deals for those booking in one package. 

Perform a couple of searches to compare rates. While the savings for shorter trips may not be massive, you can find significant savings for multiweek trips. 

49. Search For Discounts Before You Book

Rental car companies are notorious for having multiple sales, discounts, corporate discounts, and coupon codes running at all times.  

Do a little research online or check for discounts from organizations you are a member of or your company. Larger travel desks often have discount codes available to staff for pleasure booking, and plenty of other organizations and credit cards also have discounts.

These discounts are more widely available for future reservations compared with last-minute bookings when rental car companies have more knowledge of their supply of cars available.

50. Bring Your Own Child Seat

Rental car companies can often charge $10 or more for a child seat per day. This can really add up across multiple days or with more than one child.

While packing a child seat for a trip may sound like a hassle, your luggage allowance should have room if the child has their own ticket, meaning in most cases, there won’t be an additional cost to bring it.  

Don’t be deterred by the thought of lugging the seat around airports as it only needs to be carried from the baggage return to the rental car pickup. Then it can remain in the car for the rest of your trip.

51. Skip the Added Insurance

Rental car companies are notorious for offering additional insurance that most renters do not need. Offering an additional insurance policy that will cost an additional $30-60 USD per day is an easy way for the fear of driving an unfamiliar car to get the best of us.

Before your trip, check your car insurance policy to confirm your coverage as well as its applicability to rental cars. For drivers and car-owners with existing insurance, many policies will cover everything the $60 policy will cover, with the same deductible you would have to pay if you damaged your own car.

52. Use a Credit Card That Covers the Primary Insurance Deductible

Car rental companies also offer insurance coverage at a per-day cost to cover the deductible you would pay with your policy.  

Beyond your insurance, premium credit cards include additional rental car insurance coverage as part of their benefits. This coverage will not replace your insurance policy but can often supplement it to cover the deductible. 

Yet again, if you have these benefits and are clear on the coverage, there is no reason to buy additional coverage with your rental car that would overlap with the coverage from your credit card.

53. Pay Tolls in Cash or Bring Your Own Toll Pass

Another money grab by rental car companies is to offer the convenience of an automated toll pass located in the car already.  

The pass is set up so if you need to drive through a toll, you can pull down a box to expose the toll pass and go through the automated lane without having to pay at the toll.

The downside of this convenience is that you will still need to cover the tolls, but with some rental car companies, you’ll be charged an additional $5.95 daily fee from the first day you use the pass. After that, the rental company will charge this fee every day until you return the car, even if you only use it once on your first day.

To avoid this charge, pay your tolls in cash or bring your own toll pass on your trip if you have one for added convenience.

54. Turn Down The Extras

Beyond the examples mentioned above, rental car companies offer plenty of extra services that are not essential as part of a trip.  

Prepaying for a full tank of gas when you return the vehicle sounds fair when you see the price. However, in reality, this doesn’t make sense when you realize the likelihood of you managing your gas usage to have a perfectly empty tank is relatively low, meaning you will most likely be paying for gas that you never use.

Paying by the day for satellite radio or GPS in the car is also unnecessary considering that your mobile phone and Bluetooth connectivity will cover both for free.

55. Take a Walk Around the Car Before Driving Off

While it’s not a common occurrence, it’s still possible for a scratch or dent that was previously on a rental car to not be identified by the rental car company when the vehicle was returned, resulting in it being attributed to your rental period.  

To avoid the possibility of taking the blame, charge, and hassle for someone else’s mistake, take a quick walk around your car before you get in and drive off. Then, if you spot something, raise it to the staff.

56. Set a Reminder To Fill-Up on Gas Before Returning

Returning a rental car with a full tank sounds easier said than done when trying to remember your flight time and navigating to the airport on unfamiliar roads. It’s easy to forget the stop you need to make for gas.

Add an alert to your phone, which can be set up even when you make the rental car booking, to make sure you remember to stop around the time you would be driving back to the airport.  

If you remember as you start your drive, don’t enter the airport address into your navigation app, but enter a gas station. Look for one that is close, but not too close, as airport gas stations will charge higher rates than their competitors even a few miles further from the airport.

Shopping Tips to Save Money While Traveling

57. Buy Less

Souvenirs and gifts brought back from vacations used to be an essential part of the experience. They were the best things to keep around to trigger a happy memory and share exotic finds with friends and family.

In previous decades, the number of rolls of film, film processing, and photo printing could add to a traveler’s costs. Fast forward to the digital age, and you can photograph or take a video of almost everything on your trip.  

Enjoy capturing your memories in photos and video, and enjoy not needing to buy as many things to remember a destination. Of course, this doesn’t mean you don’t shop while traveling, just that being more thoughtful in your purchases can save you money.  

58. Avoid The Touristy Souvenirs

The Big Ben snow globe probably doesn’t drive the same excitement in the 2020s as it did in the late 1980s, so no need to pick one up.

Pass on the overly touristy souvenirs, which are often overpriced and not even made in the country you are visiting. For example, the cheap chopstick set at the Tokyo gift shop may cost a lot less than a handmade set from a specialty store. However, there is a much higher possibility of the budget-friendly set having its paint chip away after a few years, while the handmade set could last a lifetime.

59. Don’t Be Afraid to Bargain or Negotiate

Bargaining or negotiating prices in the US and other Western countries is not typical due to the corporate nature of the economies. The produce manager in your big box grocery store is not likely to be able to accept your lower price for oranges because you are pretty convincing.  

Many other countries worldwide have long histories of market cultures allowing for or even expecting bargaining for the price as part of the experience.

Don’t be shy about asking a shopkeeper or market stall owner for a lower price or a special deal when buying more than one item. Each country has its own norms on bargaining, so be sure to research a little and don’t be intimidated asking for a better price.

60. Look Out for Local Heritage Brands as Souvenirs

Many countries or regions often have decades-old local brands that have stood the test of time and built up a loyal following. These brands could sell anything from soap to knives to tools but are often closely associated with their home country and may not even be known overseas.  

Once you have done a little research to find the legendary local brands, take a stop by a local store that is not remotely touristy to find those items as a gift.  

Examples of this could be picking up a tool at a German hardware store, paper at a Tokyo stationery shop, or a traditional corkscrew in Spain. These common everyday items will make fantastic alternatives to cheap souvenirs and save you money if you find something you need.

61. Buy Something You Will Consume

Rather than forcing yourself to buy another coffee mug, t-shirt, or keychain that you don’t need, buy everyday items that you can enjoy.  

Look for local soap, shampoo, cosmetics, or everyday personal care items. Also, consider buying food items in the grocery store that you’d love to try, sample sauces, pickles, spices, noodles, oils, or snacks.  

By purchasing consumable items from local stores as souvenirs or gifts, you will save the money otherwise spent on things that might end up in a box or closet within a couple of weeks of returning home.

Tips to Save Money on Hotels and Vacation Rentals

62. Consider Airbnb and Other Home or Apartment Rentals 

Airbnb’s disruption to the hotel industry has opened up plenty of unique and high-value accommodation options for travelers.  

Deserving of being the first tip in this category, searching for Airbnb and other vacation rentals is an easy way to better meet your needs outside of hotel offerings.  

Whether you plan a more extended stay, opt for renting a room over staying in a hostel, or need enough beds that multiple hotel rooms would be too expensive, looking into vacation rentals is an excellent place to start for savings.

63. Beware of Resort Fees

One annoying charge at many resorts in the resort fee, which can be most commonly found in the US. Resort fees are additional charges that can sometimes be called destination fees, facility charges, or amenity fees.  

They are an additional per-day charge that resorts will charge for gym access, WiFi, pool access, beach services, etc. Ranging from as low as $20 a day, they can reach $100 a day.

Given that these fees are not typically quoted as part of the room keeping an eye out for them is critical for comparing across properties.  

There are some ways to avoid them, either through having certain levels of loyalty status with the big brands or even in some cases complaining to hotel managers when caught by surprise.

64. Book a Hotel For a Purpose

Know the reason you need to book a hotel in the first place before choosing which one. Quite often, consumers will align themselves with a certain standard, and in the case of hotels, book certain brands or rated properties by default.  

This post breaks down the methods you can use to make more strategic hotel bookings and avoid booking a hotel with facilities you won’t need during your stay.

65. Compare Prices With Booking Directly

With plenty of online travel websites like Expedia , Agoda, Booking.com , and Priceline offering great deals, and more consolidated searches across brands, it’s easy to find what you need on these websites. 

If you are looking to maximize your savings, check out the hotel’s website before you book, as it may offer a better deal, or the brand may have a policy of always offering the cheapest rate. Using Marriott Hotels as an example, the hotel chain has a low-rate guarantee and will provide up to 25% off the competitor’s published rate if cheaper than their own, depending on the brand.

Additionally, loyalty members may only receive benefits for reservations made directly with the hotels, possibly cutting out additional savings if booked through an online travel agent.

66. Pack The Air Mattress

When traveling with a group of friends or family with older children, the discomfort of full-grown people sharing a bed can drive the need to book a second room. Such as booking a room for four, including parents and two grown children.

If you book a room large enough in square footage, consider packing an air mattress and ordering an extra pillow or blanket. This will save on the costs of the old-fashioned rollaway bed that hotels used to offer for free. This tip is most practical for car trips, as flying with an air mattress will use up a large chunk of your luggage allowance.

67. Skip the Minibar

The convenience of the minibar gets the best of all of us at some point in time. It’s just too easy to reach for a cool refreshing drink when room temperature bottled water or tap water just won’t work.

Plan ahead and bring your own drinks and snacks to the hotel, or head out to a convenience store nearby. Cities in Asia will often have a convenience store no more than a block or two from the hotel, often right outside. So there is no reason to spend $5 on a drink that would cost you $1 outside.

68. Book a Room With Club or Lounge Access

Assess the rates for rooms that offer club or lounge access and calculate the value for your stay. Hotel clubs and lounges typically include breakfast, all-day drinks and snacks, and an evening happy hour with a small buffet.

A family of four looking to unwind at the hotel in the evening may find that the difference in rates for the club and lounge rooms divided by four offers excellent value for the meals it provides. This is also a good value for groups who prefer to relax with a few drinks and snacks at the end of the day.

Those looking to explore the local food scene, especially in cities with a great local breakfast culture with cheap baked goods right outside the hotel, will find the value isn’t there.

69. Consider the Breakfast Rate

Calculate the cost of breakfast and alternatives when comparing the different room rates. For example, when a breakfast rate is only an additional $15 for a room with four guests, that will offer a great value compared to buying breakfast outside the hotel.

If you are in Paris, with a breakfast rate costing an additional 30 Euros per night, it might seem like a lot. But, considering, if you would be happier spending only a couple Euros for breakfast at a local bakery, the breakfast rate doesn’t make sense.

70. Join the Hotel Loyalty Program

If you are staying at any major hotel chain that offers a loyalty program, it always makes sense to join before your stay. Even if you don’t foresee yourself building up to point balances from multiple stays that could ever earn you a free night, these loyalty programs often offer some free perks just for general members that sign up for free. 

Perks like free WiFi or even the ability to justify a slightly later checkout can make the few minutes to sign up worthwhile.

Money-Saving Travel Tips for Eating and Drinking

71. Eat Like a Local

The more you localize your dining and drinking choices while traveling the more you will save. From skipping hotel restaurants and avoiding foreign foods and drinks to eating humble street foods and dining at restaurants frequented by locals instead of tourists, the more that you can dine like a local, the more you’ll save.

Try local foods, local brands, local drinks, and avoid ones that would be more familiar to you in your home country. Local beer and wine will typically offer a reasonable discount over imported brands, local fast food and chain restaurants will always be cheaper than foreign brands and chains. Eat and drink local and it’ll go a long way to saving you money while traveling.

72. Make Lunch Your Main Meal

Lunch is cheaper in nearly all destinations, with plenty of top dining spots and even Michelin-starred restaurants offering a lunch option that can be even half the price of their dinner menu, with the same quality of food served at lunch.

Restaurants catering to locals will also try to drive business by offering special set menus or business lunch specials that provide an excellent value for visitors looking to save.  

Having a larger meal at lunch also works well with itinerary planning. It is typically in the middle of a day that you may be walking a lot, providing an energy boost when you need it, and while you are out in areas that have interesting restaurant offerings. 

73. Keep Your Meals Simple, Skip the Extras

For some, dining out on vacation in a food-focused country is the highlight of the trip; for others, it is part of a complementary experience. Those in the second camp should order the must-have dishes and skip the rest. 

Stick to main courses and a drink to go along with them. Order the popular dishes, but skip appetizers and desserts. While these are undoubtedly great additions to a meal, cheaper alternatives will also add to your experience, like street snacks or desserts.

74. Have Drinks in a Park or With a View

Many countries don’t have open container laws limiting people from having alcoholic drinks in public. If your destination has fewer restrictions on this, consider buying a bottle of wine or a few beers and enjoying some drinks outside with a view or in a scenic park.  

Not only will the savings over a bar or restaurant help with your travel budget, but the experience will also make for a unique memory on your trip.

75. Shop at Local Grocery Stores

Local grocery stores offer the best source of affordable food while traveling anywhere. In addition, stores can offer a selection of snacks, fresh fruits, prepared meals to go, drinks, and ingredients to make meals at a home or apartment rental.

Even shopping at a local grocery store can offer a great experience of exploring how locals shop and eat in modern times while allowing you to save some money at the same time.

76. Find Local Markets and Buy Fruit for Your Hotel

Picking up some local seasonal fruit while walking through a market is not only a smart way to save money on snacks or food at more expensive restaurants; it also adds to the trip experience by exploring local specialties.

77. Ask for Tap Water

If you are traveling to a destination with reliable and clean local water available, don’t be afraid to ask for tap water at a restaurant. Many restaurants offer it for free when requested.

Menus, especially at more touristy restaurants, may lead you to believe that large bottles of premium still or sparkling water are the only options available. Before ordering, ask for tap water to save some precious funds for better use.

78. Avoid Touristy Restaurants

Touristy restaurants are guaranteed to cost more than similar ones frequented by locals. While they may sometimes be an attraction themselves or offer an iconic view, avoid them at all costs for other situations.

There are plenty of rules that travelers use to avoid touristy restaurants, like don’t go to a restaurant in a foreign country with a menu that is not in the local language, or don’t go to a restaurant within a five-minute walk of a major attraction. Whichever rule you are using, be on the lookout for any restaurant primarily serving tourists.

79. Skip the Hotel Breakfast

If breakfast at your hotel is already included in the lowest rate, you can find substantial savings, especially for a family. If it is not included, reconsider paying up for the inclusion, and avoid paying for it separately.

Hotel breakfasts offer plenty of convenience for business travelers but are known not to provide an excellent value for others. Additionally, hotel breakfasts, especially at the large chains, are generic in their offerings and rarely offer as memorable an experience as a delicious local breakfast.

80. Don’t Skip Convenience Store Snacks

Local convenience stores offer the perfect opportunity to sample everyday foods that locals eat today. Countries with strong convenience store cultures, like many in Asia, offer a wide selection of local snacks, quick meals, drinks, and more.  

With affordable prices and an opportunity to sample what locals eat in modern times, sampling food and snacks from convenience stores make for a great way to curb your hunger, avoiding the need for larger meals at more expensive restaurants.

81. Have a Hotel Picnic

Avoid the pressure to feel that you need to eat every dinner out while on vacation to avoid missing out on an experience. Instead, a hotel picnic is a more affordable alternative that helps you relax and enjoy delicious local foods.

Plan to bring local specialties, fresh foods, and gourmet market foods back to the hotel for an in-room picnic while relaxing after a busy day out. You can bring together a variety of must-try foods from your destination to enjoy while recounting the events from the day or planning the next.

Visit our guide to hotel picnics to learn how to plan the best one.

Travel Money-Saving Tips for Foreign Exchange and Credit Cards

82. Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees

Foreign transaction fees are simply transaction fees added to any foreign transaction made on specific credit cards for the currency conversion on the transaction. This is typically a flat rate of around 3% of the total charge, which can quickly add up when using a credit card for hotels, rental cars, rail tickets, and meals while traveling.

Avoiding the fees is simple. Many credit cards are available which don’t charge foreign transaction fees, and some don’t have an annual fee. Bring a credit card that doesn’t have an annual fee, and use it wherever credit cards are accepted for payment.

83. Skip the Exchange Desk, Get Your Money From ATMs

ATMs will almost always provide the best exchange rates for purchasing foreign currency.  

If you are using your Visa or Mastercard at an ATM, those companies will calculate the interest rate, which is a very fair rate due to the high volume of foreign exchange transactions processed by the companies.

Ordering foreign currency at your local bank or exchange desks in airports, hotels, or railway stations will naturally need to use worse exchange rates or add fees to compensate for the labor involved in the transactions compared with the automation from an ATM.

84. Get a Debit Card With Free ATM and No Foreign Transactions

While using an ATM with the fees involved will typically still be a better deal than exchange desks, having a debit card that doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee and waives ATM fees will help to reduce unnecessary costs further.

Cards with these favorable fee policies are rarer, though still readily available. Charles Schwab was one of the first banks to offer these in the US, though Capital One also provides a popular option for a similar no-fee account.

85. Look Out For Dynamic Currency Conversion

By far the most egregious mistake a traveler can make while abroad, Dynamic Currency Conversion is typically seen at credit card point of sale terminals and ATMs. The machine will offer the option to pay or be charged in your countries home currency. This will be presented as a more convenient alternative for the customer.

This effectively means that the company that provides the point of sale terminal or the ATM will perform the currency conversion rather than your card issuer. With the extremely favorable conversion rates offered by Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, by choosing to be charged in USD instead of Euros, you will likely be paying a much higher charge on the transaction than if you accepted in the local currency.  

There are awful examples of a $1000 hotel bill costing an extra $70 due to you accidentally accepting the charge in your card’s currency instead of the local currency. Therefore, unless your card network or issuer specifically has unfavorable terms for foreign transactions, always accept payment in the local currency.

86. Know Your Exchange Rates

Avoid overpaying for items in the local currency by having a benchmark in mind or a rough rate to quickly calculate on your phone.  

When shopping, if you see an item that costs 250 in the local currency, which you can roughly convert at 100, equal to $12, you can easily know that the item will cost you $30.Having a benchmark will help avoid purchasing items that you would never buy for the price offered or skipping restaurants out of your budget.

87. Never Pay in A Foreign Currency For Convenience

Shops will often proudly show signs to let customers know they will accept USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, or other currencies. But, unfortunately, this seemingly convenient gesture will only overcharge you compared to other payment options due to largely unfavorable exchange rates.

Use a credit card with no foreign exchange fee at these shops, and you will avoid the excessive rate.

88. Earn Points or Miles With Your Credit Card

Having a credit card that earns points or miles with everyday purchases is a great way to save for lucrative travel rewards every day.  

Using these same cards while traveling can often lead to higher point or mile earning opportunities. Airlines, hotels, and premium card issuers generally offer higher earning options per dollar spent on airfare, hotels, and other travel arrangements using the cards.

89. Know the Tipping Culture

Each country has its own culture around tipping, with some having a percentage of the bill left as a tip for certain services, others rounding to a certain amount, and plenty having no tipping culture whatsoever.  

Research tipping rules before you travel to know the cultural practice, and don’t tip beyond that. Knowing the norm will not only save you money, but it will also avoid you disrespecting someone in countries where tips are viewed as an insult, like Japan.

90. Get a Card with Travel Perks

Beyond earning points and miles, many credit cards offer a variety of valuable travel benefits that can enhance your experience.

Airline cards offer baggage allowances, lounge access, priority check-in or boarding, and other discounts. Hotel cards provide room upgrades, late checkout, and sometimes free elite status.  

American Express, Citibank, or Chase premium cards offer a mix of benefits for air travel and hotel stays, along with valuable trip insurance, lost baggage compensation, and other perks that can enhance a trip or offer value in the event of a disruption.  

Annual fees vary depending on the card, so choose the right card for your travel frequency and habits to ensure you aren’t overpaying for the benefits you need.

Internet, Phone, and Connectivity Travel Money-Saving Tips

91. Use a Local Sim Card

International roaming and international plans offer very little in value, considering the costs they add to an overseas trip. 

While the security of knowing you will be connected right after you land may sound essential, most airports these days have WiFi you can access by the time you reach the baggage claim. 

Do a little research before you depart for your trip, and you’ll find the options available to get a local SIM card for your destination, offering sizable savings, sometimes with a much larger data allowance. In addition, you can order some overseas SIM cards before you fly, though these will also have a convenience fee built-in. 

92. Opt for a Mobile WiFi Device if Available 

Even better than getting a local SIM card, renting mobile WiFi devices often offer better value. They can be used for your phone, tablet, and even laptop and can be shared across multiple users. 

Often referred to as WiFi eggs, Mobile WiFi devices are like a small portable router that receives a data signal through a SIM card and send it out to users through a typical WiFi connection. 

Research your destination online to see if these are available, with their recent popularity for use by travelers, making them commonly available for pickup and drop off at international airports. 

93. Get The Right Data Package

Whether you opt for a local SIM card or a mobile WiFi device, knowing how much data you will use is key to avoiding running out or being overcharged. 

Many budget-conscious travelers have made the mistake of thinking that 2 GB of data could get them through a week, only to find that their social media, YouTube, and Netflix use burned through the data on the first day. 

Error on the side of cautions by getting a bit more than you think you need.

94. Switch to Free WiFi When Possible

Even if you have set yourself up with an affordable local connection, it’s still worth tracking your usage and switching to free WiFi when you can. 

A common mistake with travelers who got themselves a local SIM card is forgetting to switch to free hotel WiFi when winding down in the evening and catching up on a Netflix show on their mobile phone. 

Most phones will auto-connect to WiFi when you return to the hotel, so set it up once, and you won’t need to worry for the rest of your stay. 

95. Don’t Pay for Long Distance Calls

The days of $5 a minute international calls from hotel rooms being rushed to tell your loved ones that you are still alive and enjoying your trip are finally behind us. 

With a wide selection of options to make phone or video calls over the internet, there is never a reason to need to make a long call home with your hotel phone. So don’t even consider it. 

There are plenty of options available from WhatsApp, Google, Skype, Zoom, Facebook, and more. If you have less tech-savvy family members, take some time to set up their account before you travel and give it a test run as well. 

Packing and Travel Gear Money-Saving Tips

96. Borrow Travel Bags and Gear Instead of Buying 

There is no need to go online and order every travel accessory available to start your packing process for your big international trip. Instead, ask a friend or family first if you don’t have a travel adapter, luggage, roller bag, digital camera, action camera, large backpack, or other accessories.

First-time travelers can find that all of the accessories that help for an exciting vacation can add to their expenses when buying in one go. Luggage, cameras, adapters, and other small accessories can easily cost hundreds of dollars, with suitable options to borrow.

Borrowing is also a great way to find your preferred features on different travel gear before purchasing something that could last for years.

97. Pack Light to Avoid Extra Baggage Fees

Packing is a practice in prioritization. Spend the time to make decisions with your packing between what you truly need and what you can leave out.  

Limit the number of shoes you need to bring. Pack clothes with the plan to re-wear things that don’t get seriously dirty. That nice shirt or dress that you might only wear for a two-hour dinner can be worn again a few nights later.

Even if you are well within the weight and baggage limits that come with your airfare, packing light can also create some extra space for anything you might buy along the way.

98. Weigh Your Luggage Before You Leave

Avoid the surprise of excess weight charges at the airport due to not taking a few minutes to weigh your luggage before leaving.  

Paying extra for luggage when you could have easily prevented the charge by making a few more packing decisions makes for a frustrating start to a trip.

Weighing your luggage for your return flight can be harder, with most hotels not offering scales. Ask housekeeping if a scale is available.

99. Take a Water Bottle 

Make a green decision to bring your own water bottle for your trip. Pack it empty in your carry-on bag, and you can save money avoiding buying the ubiquitous airport water bottle, then use it along the way for the rest of your trip.  

Clean public water fountains and sources have become more prevalent globally, do a little research before you leave to know where to find them when you arrive at your destination.

100. Limit the Devices You Pack 

Many see a twenty-hour flight itinerary, followed by two weeks traveling across Southeast Asia as the perfect opportunity to bring their phone, iPad, laptop, drone, GoPro, DSLR, extra batteries, charging cables, and accessories. Unfortunately, though the advertisements may have sold you on the need for these devices to capture memories and stay connected, they never mentioned weight.

While most travelers will pack fragile electronics in their carry-on baggage, this weight and space will use up valuable space that could be used to manage your checked baggage weight. Some airlines, especially low-cost airlines, will charge you for overweight carry-on bags.

Prioritize what you need to bring for your trip and share the pain of carrying it all amongst your group. For example, will you really need your tablet and your laptop? Will you have to bring a digital camera or can your phone take what you need? Are you visiting a big city where drones may be difficult to use?

You don’t need to over-minimize your packing and bring only your phone, though you can, but rather it’s suggested to be mindful of the potential costs that come with carrying too much, even if it is in your carry-on.

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43 Amazing Money Saving Travel Tips and Hacks

Save big and travel more! Make your holiday cheaper with these 43 amazing money-saving travel tips and hacks to make your money go further.

1. join facebook groups.

Facebook isn’t just for posting all your fabulous travel photos. Join travel groups that alert you to cheap and limited travel deals.

2. Be flexible

If you want to travel to a certain place, be flexible about the timing. If you want to travel at a certain time, be flexible about the location. Choose one — not both.

3. Ask for cash or travel gift cards

Make the most out of your birthday, graduation, and every other holiday under the sun by asking for travel gift cards.

4. Haggle for a hotel

Hotel rates are notoriously blurry. The rate quoted on a website is not necessarily the lowest rate available, so it is always worth contacting a hotel directly to ask what their best price is, and then ask whether that really is their best offer. In other words, you should haggle. It helps if you are flexible with dates or have the nerve to book the hotel close to your departure.

5. Set up an automatic travel savings account

Keep your savings account inaccessible from your internet banking so that you’ll never be tempted to transfer money over and spend it.

6. Make international money transfers with WorldRemit

Benefit from consistent bank-beating exchange rates, low fees, and the ability to make transfers, manage your account and track payments 24 hours a day. Sign up with World Remit here.  They also have a fantastic app you can use on the move.

7. Work out a credit and debit card strategy

Avoid being charged any foreign transaction fees when you’re abroad. Consider bringing multiple credit cards to gain points on food and travel, and of course, that don’t charge international transaction fees.

8. Travel mid-week

Take advantage of cheaper airfares. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are often the cheapest days to fly. You can save hundreds on a round trip just by hacking your vacation schedule.

9. Subscribe to email alerts for “mistake fares” and flight deals

Sites like Secret Flying and The Flight Deal let you narrow down your preferences to flights departing from certain countries and send you an email when a deal pops up. Alternatively, learn how you can fly for free.

10. Use Search Engine Rome 2 Rio

Possibly the best transport search engine in the world Rome 2 Rio will tell you how to get to your destination by all transport methods, and tell you straight up which is the cheapest! If you’re driving to the airport,  compare and save on airport parking with Airport Parking Reservations.

11. Check one-way ticket prices

Before booking a round-trip flight, look at the cost of two one-way flights. Sometimes it turns out to be cheaper!

12. Try out hidden city ticketing

Hidden city ticketing is based on the idea that airline fares are priced based on market demand, not distance travelled, so booking longer routes can save you money than booking direct.

For example, if you wanted to fly NYC to Houston, you might book NYC –> Houston -> Los Angeles and just skip the last leg. If you don’t want to do the research yourself, there’s an app called Skiplagged that does the work for you. To be on the safe side, you should book two one-way tickets instead of a round-trip ticket as most airlines will cancel your return trip if you don’t complete the first.

13. Get a free extended stopover

Get creative when booking your flights. Research multi-leg flights to see where you can go without having to pay extra.

For example, a round-trip flight from L.A. to Cancun might have a one-hour layover in Miami as part of the trip. Try searching for a multi-leg flight, flying from L.A. into Miami, then a few days later flying from Miami to Cancun. Then, instead of returning directly to L.A., you can try adding a leg from Cancun to Mexico City, then Mexico City to L.A..

This strategy works all over the world, and often, you won’t have to pay any difference in fare since those stops are considered layovers.

14. Travel during shoulder periods

There are times in the travel industry called ‘shoulder periods,’ which are basically off-peak times. Like, when kids go back to school (September), after New Year’s (early January), and just after Spring Break (April).

Airlines and hotels often give big discounts on airplane seats and hotel rooms during this time, since it’s not a popular period to go.

Shoulder periods change in different parts of the world, so choose your destination by watching for online deals by following hotels and airlines on Twitter, where they release last-minute deals.

15. Bring your own airport snacks

This one takes some minor preparation but by packing your own food for the airport/flight before heading out the door you will save significant bucks — especially since once you pass through security, food prices go through the roof.

16. Invest in a Priority Pass for the airport

Priority pass gets you into 850-plus airport lounges around the world, with the base tier being $99 for the year and $27 per lounge visit, and the top tier being $399 for the year all-inclusive.

Bringing a guest for all tiers is always $27 per person. When you think about how much food, alcohol, and Wi-Fi cost at airports, you’re paying a very similar price but getting luxurious amenities and comfortable spaces on top of it. Click here to get 10% off your membership.

17. Go to museums for free

Many museums around the world, especially in Europe, not only offer free or discounted student pricing but also cheaper tickets for young adults (usually up to 25 years old) as a way to encourage interest in the arts. In France, you can even get cheaper movie tickets since it’s a ‘cultural’ experience!

Other cultural institutions have a policy of ‘suggested donations,’ although it can be misinterpreted as the ticket price. For example, you can get into the Metropolitan Museum of Art for only a $1 donation. Many museums also offer a free night once a month; find out if your visit overlaps.

Alternatively, a great idea is to invest in a city pass such as CityPass , Paris Pass , London Pass , and New York Pass , which include access to all the major attractions as well as public transport with a total saving of up to 44%!

18. Catch public transportation everywhere you go

Buses, minivans, sweaty trains, 20 people in a tuk-tuk, catch whatever it takes to get around. Not only is it a great way to save money, but it’s the best way to see a country and get up close and personal with its people.

19. Travel overnight

Save money on a night’s worth of accommodation while you get to where you need to go by either by plane, train, or bus.

20. Follow the so-called ‘six-block rule’

Meaning, never eat within six blocks of a major tourist sight. The food is double the price and half as good. Walk far away from the people and get much better food at a better price. Sites like Yelp! , and Openrice can help you find restaurants!.

21. Don’t over-order

After a long day sightseeing, it’s easy to order everything on the menu. Order a reasonably sized meal and see how you get on. You can always order more afterwards!

22. Have a picnic in the park.

Just pick up a variety of fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses or other local specialities from a farmers market in the city you’re visiting. It’s so much cheaper than a restaurant and just as fun! Plus, the food can be absolutely delicious — not to mention traditional.

23. Avoid plastic

Buy fresh food from farmers markets and food stands, and not packaged food. It costs less and is healthier for you. Same with water. Use a filtered refillable water bottle and skip buying plastic bottled beverages.

24. Use ride-sharing apps

Everyone knows about Couchsurfing , but fewer people know about ride-sharing. Transportation is a huge expense on the road. Use ride-sharing websites like BlaBlaCar , or message boards like Gumtree to find rides with locals and other travellers to save big money.

25. Hit up the morning markets.

You can buy cheap snacks that you can enjoy and eat incredibly fresh meals. It’s cheap, fresh, and a wonderful way to take the pulse of a new place.

26. Get breakfast from the grocery store

It’s the easiest meal to do on the cheap. Consider buying a yogurt, fruit, and pastry from the grocery store or corner shop and eating it at a local park. Bonus points if you have a mini-fridge in your hotel so you can store snacks.

27. In non-English-speaking countries, offer your language services at local restaurants.

Specifically, if you stumble into one of those restaurants with poor translations and loads of misspellings on the menu, offer to help. Many times business owners will be happy to offer a free meal in exchange for you proofreading and editing their menu.

28. Eat where the locals eat

Rather than eating at expensive ‘international’ restaurants in non-Western countries, follow the locals to the places they eat. Street food and small single-dish restaurants have tastier, much cheaper food — and if there’s a line of locals out the door, you’ve much less chance of getting sick than when you’re the only person in an empty hotel restaurant.”

29. Use apps to call and text back home.

You’ll save even more money by making calls and sending text messages using apps rather than your carrier’s service. Skype, Google Hangouts, and others let you talk and video-call anyone else who uses the app, and you can call any phone number in the world at a much-reduced rate.

Google Hangouts even lets you dial most U.S. and Canadian numbers for free! To send text messages, get your friends on WhatsApp or Viber, and message back and forth using Wi-Fi or cell data instead of paying per message.

30. Ask the locals what things should cost

With an accurate benchmark, you can try to avoid paying anything over that from transport to food to activities.

31. Buy European train tickets online directly

You can buy most European high-speed train tickets up to three months in advance, and the earlier you book, the more likely you are to find great deals. These seats will almost always be cheaper than going through another website, and they’ll give you access to all the same sales and upgrades that are offered to locals.

32. Use Trail Wallet

Trail Wallet keeps tabs on every single cent you spend while travelling. You can also break it down into categories so you can see where your biggest expenses are, and if you need to cut down next trip.

33. Don’t wait until you’re hungry

Waiting until you’re hungry means you’ll probably just choose the most convenient option regardless of price. Instead, give yourself some time to shop around before your stomach starts rumbling.

34. Always withdraw money; never exchange.

Your bank card will carry the best currency exchange rates, so forgo bringing wads of cash and instead withdraw local currency from the ATM as needed. And be sure to travel with a bank card that reimburses all ATM fees (like Schwab).

35. Don’t try to go everywhere on your list in one trip.

The biggest costs in travelling are transport and accommodation. By travelling slow, you lessen the need for frequent transport — and you can also negotiate with hotels/hostels etc. for a discount because you are staying longer.

36. Avoid booking in advance

The more flexible your plans, the more fun you’ll have — and the more money you’ll save. Rather than being forced to stick around spending money somewhere you hate or forfeiting bus/train/flight/hotel bookings to stay longer somewhere you love, avoid booking in advance as much as possible.

37. Travel with friends

Share accommodation expenses by travelling with friends. If you’re not keen on staying in hostels alone, by travelling with friends you can ‘upgrade’ to a hotel room for a similar price.

38. Don’t get lost in conversions, download XE

With XE you can calculate conversions to and from any currency to see what you’re really spending.

39. Take advantage of first-time user discounts

There are constantly new travel services opening up which entice new customers with generous discounts to sign up. Consider booking with Booking.com and get $20 off when you book , or HotelsCombined.

40. Beat the baggage fees

If you’re worried about excess baggage charges, why not wear your extra items instead of cramming them into your case? There are some fantastic products on the market that let you take additional belongings on your person ensuring they won’t count as excess baggage. A luggage jacket combined with a good hand-luggage bag will get you the absolute maximum amount of luggage on a plane, without having to pay any check-in costs.

41. Weigh your luggage

Some of us get to the airport to find we’re over our baggage limit and end up paying puffed up charges. Avoid this by weighing your bag before you leave home and take out any unnecessary items if you find you’re over the limit.

Keep your luggage in check as you travel with this nifty portable digital luggage scale .

42. Get cheaper travel insurance

Taking out an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy is often cheaper than buying on-the-spot insurance for a single trip. Get a free quote here.

43. Sign up for The Intrepid Guide’s Newsletter

Every week I send my followers links to special online travel offers. From discounted city passes, to cheap flights, accommodation and car rental discounts. Sign up here to get all the latest offers delivered straight to your inbox. Don’t miss my guide to my favourite and top recommended travel accessories and travel gadgets .

Want more travel tips? Don’t miss these

• 57 Brilliant Travel Accessories Every Traveller Must Have
• How to Travel Cheap: Ultimate Guide to 108 Travel Resources
• 20 Clever Ways to Staying Fit While Travelling You Should Try
• 10 Simple Long Haul Flight Tips for Arriving Rested and Relaxed
• 23 Top Travel Essentials: Ultimate Travel Packing List for Backpackers
• What Pack for Winter in Norway: 17 Must-Have Packing Items

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The Best Budget Travel Tips — From Saving Money on Air Travel to Spending Less on Hotels

The finance and travel pros have you covered.

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It’s clear that people are thinking about travel this year, and if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of them. Whether a weekend getaway, staycation, cruise, or faraway excursion, a trip is in the plans (and/or wishes) for many Americans. According to an IPX1031 survey with 1,000 participants, more than 90 percent of Americans plan to travel in 2023. The majority (86 percent) are planning a trip out of state, and nearly 30 percent expect to vacation abroad.

RetailMeNot asked 1,000 U.S. consumers about their spring and summer travel plans and found that 96 percent hope to take at least one trip between March and May. Their survey also revealed that price is the most important factor when it comes to deciding on vacation experiences and activities. Two-thirds of the respondents agreed that inflation is impacting where and how they travel, especially the high cost of transportation.

Even with budget concerns, though, travel is still possible. Getting away from the daily routine, even briefly, provides relaxation, enjoyment, enrichment, and health benefits . To help make those travel plans come to fruition, we gathered some ideas on budget vacations from travel and finance expert.

How to Plan Travel Within a Budget

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"Don’t let Instagram influencers make you think you can’t travel on a budget, and don’t believe travel isn’t worthwhile just because you don’t have a lot of money to spend," Samantha Brown , travel expert and host of PBS’s Emmy-winning series, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love , told Travel + Leisure .

With that encouragement, Brown offered some suggestions: " Road tripping saves on both costs and stress because so much travel anxiety can be attributed to airports and airlines." She continued, "Take more road trips in your own car and explore your own state. Travelers rarely think about their own backyard, but they should."

Along those lines, Brown suggested checking out the National Wildlife Refuge System , with more than 560 refuges, including 100 urban national wildlife refuges located near metropolitan areas. There’s also access to hiking and biking trails, wetlands, and a thriving animal population. 

Brown added, "Think in terms of opposites: If it’s summer and everyone’s going to the beach, head to a city and enjoy all their free events such as outdoor concerts." Consumer financial advocate Courtney Alev of Credit Karma echoed Brown’s suggestion to avoid popular spots during their high seasons, when prices are guaranteed to be more expensive. Instead, look into alternative, similar destinations. Alev added, "A fun getaway doesn’t always involve a flight. Look at destinations that are within driving distance of home and see where you can go close by."

T+L A-list advisor Jonathan Alder agreed that travelers should seek out the shoulder and off-season periods when costs are lower. He suggested considering destinations outside of the U.S. "Many people might assume it’s less expensive or a greater value to travel within the U.S., although that is far from true for the last few years. Consider destinations that might not be your first thought as there are so many amazing countries out there."

Saving Dollars on Air Travel

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Kristin McGrath, shopping expert for RetailMeNot, suggested signing up for email alerts from tools like Expedia, Travelocity, and Google Flights to get early access to coupon codes. "Experiment with different travel dates," she said. "If your travel plans are flexible, check alternative flight dates to see if you can dig up a lower fare. You may be able to trim your ticket price by changing your dates by as little as one day."

Alev added, "When your travel plans are flexible it’s usually easier to find cheap flights. Traveling during the week, tolerating a longer layover, or taking a red-eye flight often provides the best deals. Also, book somewhat in advance so you aren’t paying last-minute prices."

A travel trends report from Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo suggests Sunday is the best day to book and Wednesday is the best day to depart. They recommend one month lead time for booking domestic flights and six months for international flights. Of course, advice on this topic varies, but it’s a good idea to compare and learn as much as you can before booking. 

Spending Less for Hotels

"Spend no money on accommodations. Think of house swapping or housesitting. You can stay all over the world for free," Brown told T+L, recommending TrustedHousesitters and Home Exchange as two sites to explore.

McGrath, meanwhile, advised, "For vacation rentals, book your stay as early as possible. Whether you’ve been dreaming of a tropical vacation or are planning to head home for a specific holiday or event, book early. Vrbo, Airbnb, and other vacation rental prices tend to be less expensive when booking months or even weeks ahead."

McGrath also suggested booking bundled vacation packages that include flights, hotels, and car rentals. In addition to saving money, you’ll know the price of your entire trip at the time of booking, rather than getting a cheap flight only to be surprised by the cost of hotels and car rentals. 

The Expedia travel trends report points out a boom in more affordable three-star hotel stays. "Fewer stars don’t equal lower standards ... Many properties still offer excellent amenities, stylish interiors, and unique vibes...just at lower rates." The report continues, "As nearly a quarter of global travelers plan to be more frugal in 2023, added value without compromised quality is vital.” 

Budget Travel Without Debt

According to a study from Accrue Savings , one in five consumers have gone into debt for travel, with 81 percent incurring more than $500 worth of debt. Instead of facing payments for a past vacation, the company recommends saving in advance for a trip. 

Alev advised creating a separate savings account to give your money a purpose. "Dedicating that account to a specific getaway will make it easier to see how your savings are growing over time, and will help you avoid accidentally spending that money on something else." She also suggested setting up automatic withdrawals from your checking account or having part of your paycheck automatically deposited into your savings account.

Retail and shopping expert Kristen Gall of Rakuten understands it’s hard to resist buying items to have a piece of that memory at home. "However, it’s important to remember you don’t need every souvenir that catches your eye. I recommend only purchasing items that you simply can’t get back at home or that are small enough to not impact your luggage weight."

With these expert suggestions and your own creative approach to budgeting, this may be the time to start planning a well-deserved vacation.

Travel Hacks That Actually Save Money

Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life

The benefits of travel are manifold. Whether you’re going on a multi-country adventure or getting some R&R at the beach, there’s real value to unplugging from everyday life, connecting with new people and enjoying a change of scenery.

But what people aren’t always sure about is the monetary value of the experience.

“I think there’s an assumption that travel has to be expensive because until fairly recently it has been more of a luxury and certainly more expensive,” said Katie McIntosh, a travel blogger and creator of The Katie Show . “While it’s a privilege and still requires some money-saving dedication, the cost has been significantly reduced now that we have access to many different price-checking websites, apps, and platforms.”

Indeed, there are lots of ways to cut down on costs as you plan a trip — some more effective than others. Below, McIntosh and other experts share their favorite hacks for saving money when they travel.

Rethink your default airport

“It makes perfect sense that when booking a vacation, you’ll select to depart from your nearest airport, but it’s worth comparing prices first,” said Blake Walsh, a travel expert at Travel Lens . “Vacation costs can differ when traveling from different airports, so carry out some research to see if you can save money by flying from an airport which isn’t as close to where you live.”

If you live in Miami, for example, you might find cheaper options if you expand your search beyond Miami International Airport and look at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as well. Similarly, if you’re a New Jersey resident, you might have better luck flying out of Philadelphia than Newark.

“While you may have to drive a little extra, flight prices could be hundreds of dollars cheaper at the next-closest airport,” said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer .

Find a local car service

“Pre-planning things as much as possible is a great way to save costs,” said Laura Ratliff, senior editorial director at TripSavvy . “For instance, while I used to rely mainly on big global rideshare services in most cities, now I take a few extra minutes to find a local car service wherever I go.”

Think about how many Uber s or Lyfts you take during a typical vacation and how those costs add up. Compare their prices with other ride options, and you might be able to save a significant amount of money on a trip. Ratliff noted that local car services have other benefits.

“Many of them are cheaper, have nicer vehicles, and offer services like pre-scheduled, in-person airport pickups, which can be handy when you’re struggling with lots of luggage or arriving late and want the reassurance that you can safely get to your hotel,” Ratliff said.

Prioritize free parking

Whether you’re driving your own car or renting one, don’t overlook the related costs that can add up ― like parking.

“If I have a rental car, I look for a hotel that offers free parking for guests,” said travel blogger and TV host La Carmina . “Otherwise, the hotel parking rate can cost you $40-50 a day.”

She also tries to choose a hotel that’s within walking distance of great food and amenities to cut down on transit time and gas costs.

“When I was in Miami with a rental car, I stayed at AC Dadeland Hotel because it is connected to an upscale mall and has plenty of free parking, which checked off all these boxes,” she noted.

Or better yet, stick to public transportation

“Taking public transportation is often much cheaper than getting a taxi or renting a car,” said travel blogger Sean Lau . “It is also a great way to get to know the area and get a better sense of the local culture.”

Although not every destination has quality public transit, plenty do. So, before your trip, conduct some research to see if you have safe and convenient options.

“Many popular cities offer easy-to-navigate metro systems, as well as widespread bus lines or trams,” said travel blogger Rocky Trifari . “If your route is accessible via public transportation, you can probably get there for a fraction of what it would cost to go directly via taxi.”

Break up your trip with multiple lodgings

“Consider breaking up your trip by staying in different hotels rather than the same one,” said Sosie Matos, a wealth coach at OneEleven Financial Wellness . “You can sometimes get a better deal and also get to explore more of the area.”

Staying in different accommodations allows for greater flexibility, which leads to more savings. As you look into hotel options, see how the rates change for various durations.

“Search different lengths and dates to make sure you’re taking advantage of promotions like third, fourth or fifth night free,” advised Chris Hutchins, a “financial optimizer” and host of the podcast “All the Hacks.”

Choose accommodations with a kitchen

“One of the biggest expenses when traveling is food,” Lau said. “Eating out can get expensive, especially if you’re dining in a touristy neighborhood.”

Consider cooking some of your own meals. In addition to saving money, you’ll get a nicely immersive tourist experience by shopping for local ingredients at markets or grocery stores. Try your hand at a local recipe if you’re feeling inspired.

“I always look for hotels with at least a kitchenette,” Dengler said. “Staying at a hotel with a kitchenette or full kitchen allows you to prepare your meals and avoid high restaurant prices. I save hundreds of dollars on trips by cooking breakfast and lunch in my hotel room or Airbnb and only eating out for dinner.”

Look for restaurant specials

“I always save my fine dining experiences for lunch,” said Jessica van Dop DeJesus, founder and editor at The Dining Traveler . “Most restaurants offer a prix-fixe lunch menu that is much more affordable than the evening menus. I splurge for lunch and then eat at fast-casual places or street food at night.”

Even if you want to try lots of restaurants during your trip, you can still spend less by putting in a little time to plan in advance. Cast a wide net and look for deals.

“A usually pricey restaurant may have a delicious special menu one night of the week or a discounted happy hour menu at a particular time of day that you can uncover with some research and planning,” Ratliff said.

Take advantage of ‘shoulder season’

“I recommend traveling during the destination’s shoulder season,” Dengler said. “That is the time between the peak and the offseason.”

He noted that the shoulder seasons for a summer beach trip are typically late May to early June and late August to mid-September, when it’s “still warm enough to enjoy the beach and ocean but without the usual crowds.” Different types of destinations have different seasonal demand, so, as always, do your research to identify this ideal travel time.

“Not only will it be cheaper for you to fly to the destination, but once you arrive, prices might be cheaper overall,” said travel blogger Esther Susag . “A lot of popular destinations will hike up the prices of their excursions, hotels, and even restaurants during popular months to travel.”

Keep a currency conversation cheat sheet

When traveling abroad, try to familiarize yourself with the local currency.

“One common behavior people fall into while traveling is overspending simply because they don’t understand the conversion,” McIntosh said. “When there is a large difference in the conversion rate it can be overwhelming to keep track of and constantly be doing the mental math of calculations, so many times people just purchase things without thinking of what they are actually spending.”

McIntosh recommended keeping a “cheat sheet” with the currency conversions in your phone for easy reference as you make purchases so that you know what things actually cost.

“It’s saved me from overspending many times over the years,” McIntosh said. “It’s also very helpful when getting cash out of ATMs, because sometimes the denominations offered are far more than you would need.”

Avoid costly exchange rates

On the subject of foreign money, you’ll want to get the best exchange rates possible, so that your money goes further.

“If you are traveling to a destination where you have to use a foreign currency, you might be tempted to use a currency exchange,” Lau said. “However, this can often be a costly mistake. Instead, consider using a bank card that offers no ATM withdrawal fees and no international transaction fees while you are abroad.”

Be strategic about when you book flights

“If possible, pick your trip dates based on the cheapest days to fly to your destination,” Dengler said. “Doing so can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.”

Google Flight’s calendar view can help you identify the cheapest travel dates from a variety of airlines. The day you search and purchase your flights can also make a difference. Weekends are popular times for booking, so costs might be higher.

“Buy air tickets on Monday or Tuesday between 11 p.m.-12 a.m.,” recommended finance coach Tatiana Tsoir . “Prices are highest at weekday lunchtime, and sometimes even if you keep checking the same site several times, the prices will go up because your IP address is being recognized. Clear the cookies.”

Set flight alerts

“Flight alerts can be a useful way to help monitor airfare if you have some parameters in mind for your trip,” Trifari said. “For example, if you know you aim to go to a specific destination during certain dates, I would recommend enabling alerts to monitor for price increases and decreases. Not unlike stocks, timing the market can be difficult.”

If you wait to book your flight, you risk the possibility of the price increasing, which is more likely to occur for popular itineraries. When you aren’t taking an in-demand trip, however, you stand to save money by waiting and then pouncing as soon as there’s a price decrease. The other side of flight alerts is opting in for notifications of trending deals, which can be helpful, even when you don’t have a specific trip in mind.

“I love using flight services like Scott’s Cheap Flights or Travel Pirates to get notifications for cheap flights, and that can also take out a lot of the work to research and find the best deals,” Susag said.

La Carmina, who is based in Vancouver, noted that she uses YVR Deals , which sends email alerts for cheap fares out of the area.

“Thanks to this head’s up, I got my dad a flight to Hong Kong for around $500 roundtrip, and helped my friends book flights to Australia for under $1,000,” she noted. “Just be sure to book the flights immediately upon receiving the deal alert, as they usually sell out quickly or the price jumps back up within hours to a day.”

Find free tours

“A little time spent researching can save you a lot,” Hutchins emphasized. “The trick is that the travel industry is great at monetizing our desire for convenience and simplicity, so you might need to put in a little extra effort, but the returns can be huge.”

This not only applies to flights and accommodations, but also activities like guided tours.

“I just searched ‘London guided tour’ and the top few results were all in the $30-$200 range,” Hutchins explained. “But if you had found your way to Free Tours by Foot , Strawberry Tours or GuruWalk , you’d realize there are a ton of amazing free tours you can take ― though I do encourage you to tip the tour guide for their services.”

Explore outside main tourist areas

“It doesn’t matter where you travel to, if you are in the main tourist area then you will be paying more than you need to,” McIntosh said. “Often times you can easily save money by simply walking a couple of streets outside the center of town — provided the area is safe to do so, of course.”

McIntosh suggested taking this approach for meals to get better value for your money, as well as a more authentic experience.

“Check out forums and groups for the local community where you’re going,” Tsoir advised. “Ask for their advice on local gems, places to eat and visit beyond the touristy areas. Sometimes those are nice to explore and are cheaper too, while also being spots that reflect the true culture.”

Use comparison sites for research

As you plan your next trip, consider exploring sites like Kayak , Expedia and Orbitz to get a sense of which dates and travel providers are offering the rates you seek. Play around with the destination options as well.

“One of my suggestions is to look at smaller neighboring towns, cities, or even countries to fly into instead of some of the major hubs,” said Ben Julius, founder of Tourist Journey . “Sometimes, you’ll find that this saves quite a bit of money, and often provides less of a tourist view of the destination. For example, instead of flying into Milan or Venice, try Verona or Bergamo instead.”

Erika de Santi, a solo travel expert and co-founder of WeRoad , advised using these booking sites as an initial guide.

“Comparison sites can be useful in the research stage of planning your trip,” she explained. “But while they claim to scan every site to bring you the best deals, they often don’t flag those that are specific to an airline or hotel.”

De Santi recommended booking your flight or hotel of choice directly with the travel provider unless it’s more expensive. Consider calling to see if they’re offering additional deals you aren’t seeing online as well.

“When I’m ready to book I always prefer to book direct with the airline, so I’ll check on their website, and then I’ll download their app and check the price there too,” said Claire Summers, the travel blogger behind Claire’s Itchy Feet . “This doesn’t work for all airlines but some often do special app-only prices, so it’s worth a try.”

Join travel rewards programs

“I highly recommend booking your next vacation with a travel rewards credit card,” Dengler said. “Popular cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Platinum Card have high earning rates for common travel purchases, including airfare, hotels and rental cars.”

If you’re not looking to add another credit card, you can also earn travel rewards points by joining the loyalty programs for the chains you use.

“Always be sure to apply the number to whatever you travel by on that trip,” Tsoir said, pointing to Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. “There is one there too. And those bigger chains often have locations that are prime. Points on airline travel and hotels make it significantly cheaper than traveling using dollars.”

Tsoir also suggested signing up for email lists that share promotional rates and taking advantage of discount programs you qualify for — whether it’s through work, school, military service or something else.

“There are plenty of apps that will help you find live discounts on food and drinks, cheap fuel, and occasional freebies,” said David Woody, a country development and travel expert at Sixt .

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t take advantage of all the discounts out there, though.

“While you can seek out all the travel hacks to save money, at the end of the day, hotels, flights, dining, activities all come with a cost and to really enjoy a trip, you likely need to be prepared to spend some money,” Hutchins said. “But I think the experience you get from traveling, meeting people from other cultures, and eating food from around the world, is a fantastic use of my savings.”

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Money-Saving Strategies for Buying Travel Insurance

5 tips for navigating to the right choice for your trip, sharing is nice.

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If you're planning a summer vacation , thinking about what could go wrong is probably the last thing you want to do.

But travel insurance could come in handy if your trip is canceled or interrupted due to a medical emergency, a natural disaster, or another unforeseen event. And deciding whether you need it—and if so, what kind—means planning for the worst.

The first question is whether you need a policy at all. The answer? Not always, according to Jeffrey Miller, a travel law attorney and professor at Florida Atlantic University, who says that much depends on your personal situation as well as the type of trip.

"The millennial going to Las Vegas doesn't need travel insurance," he says. "But if you're in your 40s and have elderly parents who might fall ill and cause you to cut short your holiday, then yes, you should definitely get coverage." 

In general, it's probably prudent to protect any trip that's valued at more than a few thousand dollars. Beyond that, other factors to consider might be the age and health of the travelers and whether your itinerary takes you into remote or risky territory.

"Our No. 1 claim type is trip cancellation," says Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection vice president Carol Mueller. So bear in mind that you don't always need a Cadillac plan that covers everything from lost baggage to medical evacuation costs.

There are, of course, a multitude of plans to choose from, and you can narrow it down with the help of a travel agent or an online aggregator. Generally, policies fall into three categories—basic, midlevel, and premium—with coverage and prices rising accordingly.

Typically, premiums for comprehensive coverage range from 4 to 10 percent of the total tab of your trip. In recent years, however, travel insurers have come out with tailored policies at lower prices. For example, Berkshire Hathaway has a no-frills "Air Care" plan that just covers flight mishaps like delays or lost bags, starting at $26 for a simple round trip.

If you do decide you need to cover all bases, however, you might want a broad-based policy. Just bear in mind that it's important to know exactly what's covered.

Inquiries to travel insurance companies typically soar after high-profile events like acts of terrorism, or an outbreak of a disease like the  Zika virus.   For example, calls to insurers spiked after the recent grounding of the  Boeing 737 Max , according to the comparison site Insure My Trip. But as anxiety-provoking as events like these may be, under most travel insurance plans, they're not considered valid grounds to get a full refund if you cancel your trip.

Here, five guidelines to make sure you get what you need without overpaying.

Check Your Existing Insurance Coverage

You may already have some travel insurance as a perk of your credit card, but you'll need to check.

Some credit card issuers offer coverage for car rental damage, lost luggage , or trip cancellation, but any protection they do offer is likely to come with some limits on the ultimate payout. For rental cars, your personal auto insurance may cover you, too.

Nonetheless, if you have credit card coverage, you may be able to get by with a less expensive general trip protection plan. And when it comes to baggage , know that coverage from travel insurers is typically considered secondary, meaning it will pay only for anything in excess of what you're entitled to if you file a claim with your airline .

It's also worthwhile to look into your health insurance and whether it will cover you when you're on the road. Medicare, for example, won't help if you're not in the U.S., but other insurers might.

Aetna, for instance, covers policyholders on international trips, but the care is reimbursed as "out of network," which means higher out-of-pocket costs. And if you have an accident and need to be airlifted to a hospital, the costs of care can skyrocket .

If you're buying travel medical insurance, be aware, too, that some policies won't cover pre-existing conditions. Even when they do, they're often dependent on your purchasing the policy close to the date when you bought the trip. (Some have a "look back" clause that can search your health records for as long as a year prior.)

Comparison Shop

If your trip planning begins with booking an airplane ticket, you'll almost certainly be prompted to buy trip protection from the airline before you hit the purchase button. Don't rise to the bait, says Miller. "It's better to seek out all the options before you buy."  

Whether or not you buy through them, websites like InsureMyTrip and SquareMouth provide free quotes from multiple insurers and make it easy to filter search results by your customized needs.

In many states, travel agents who sell trip insurance are licensed for that purpose, and their knowledge and experience can also help narrow your choices appropriately. Whatever source you use, think carefully about what benefits you actually need before putting your money down.

Be Aware of Timing Provisions

Perhaps it's hurricane season, and you're having second thoughts about having paid in full for that upcoming beach holiday in the tropics. Can you take out an insurance policy to ease your worries?

You might be able to, but don't wait until a particular storm threatening your vacation is powerful enough to have been christened, advises Berkshire Hathaway's Mueller.

"When a hurricane is named, it is no longer an unknown event and no longer covered as a reason for cancellation" if you haven't already purchased the policy, she says. 

That's not the only timing factor to consider. A terrorist attack in your intended destination could be grounds to cancel under some policies with a terrorism clause. But usually that coverage applies only if you're traveling within 30 days of the event. If your trip is still six months away, the insurance won't pay out simply because you no longer want to go.

In general, you may be able to buy some types of trip protection up to 24 hours before your departure, but waiting until that point might mean you can get only basic coverage like baggage loss or damage protection and emergency medical coverage, according to Allianz Travel Insurance .

For more comprehensive coverage that includes benefits like a pre-existing medical condition waiver or protection if a trip is canceled because of a terrorist attack or an airline bankruptcy, a policy typically must be purchased within 14 days of making the initial trip deposit.  

Look Into Annual Plans

If you're taking more than two major trips per year, an annual plan could be a better deal than paying as you go with single-trip policies, according to Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com . Both types of plan can cover the same occurrences (trip cancellation, medical emergencies), but the year-long coverage could bring your pro-rated costs down. 

For example, insurance provider April Travel Protection recently launched a customizable annual plan that covers an unlimited number of trips per year, both in the U.S. and abroad. Customers can choose their level of coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, medical care, evacuation, and other events.

Prices start at $75 for those under 30, rising up to $179 for those 60 years or older. This policy isn't sold in all states, however, and the state of Washington doesn't permit annual plans of any type to be sold there. 

Be Careful About CFAR Insurance

Every insurance policy has sits own specific rules about what triggers coverage. That's why you should be skeptical of "cancel for any reason" (CFAR) insurance, which sounds appealing but is pricey, frequently running 40 percent more than basic insurance. What's more, this coverage often pays out only from 50 percent to 75 percent of your total expenses vs. the full cost paid by regular travel insurance.

Some states, such as New York, may limit or prohibit sales of CFAR policies. (The New York Department of Financial Services explains that because insurance is intended to protect against unforeseen events, CFAR can't be considered real insurance since it allows the buyer to control the reasons for filing a claim.)

So keep in mind that trip insurance, like all other protection policies, is subject to state regulation, which can vary widely around the country. Check with your own state's regulator if you're concerned whether you can buy a particular type of coverage.

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Travel expert advises against ‘stress-inducing' money-saving method

Money-saving tips and hacks are key for some travelers , who manage to cut down costs thanks to clever methods that can help them save hundreds of dollars.

However, a vacation planning business owner explained why he would put off collecting points if that means having more peace of mind.

Mitch Krayton, owner of Krayton Travel in Denver, told Forbes why focusing too much on collecting points can become stressful.

"There is so much stress involved in collecting points and even more redeeming them," he said.

"It's best to first know where you want to go, when, and what you want to do once you are there.

Read more: Millions on alert as US braces for extreme weather after devastating tornado

"Folks deserve to travel the way they want instead of being subject to complex rules and the restrictions of points."

Certain airlines reportedly have frequent flyer redemption rates that fall below 10 percent, implying that the effort invested in accumulating miles may be futile.

According to Krayton, in 2023, a more practical approach is to prioritize booking the desired trip directly rather than attempting to navigate it through points.

Now, as 2023 comes to an end, travel enthusiasts are already planning ahead for their next adventure - and looking for the best deals has become a task in itself.

Mark Johnson, from hotel booking website H18YC, shared his insights on the optimal timing for booking to save money and ensure maximum availability.

Determining the ideal time to book a holiday involves considering various factors such as destination, budget, flexibility, and desired experiences.

If you have specific destinations, accommodations, or experiences in mind, booking well in advance ensures availability. This is particularly advantageous for popular destinations or exclusive resorts and may also secure early-bird discounts.

Mark noted that while concerns about changing plans may deter some from early booking, many sites and hotels offer free cancellation policies, allowing flexibility while capitalizing on early-bird savings.

Discussing the possibility of booking 8-12 months in advance, the expert noted: "It's the best of both worlds - securing great deals while retaining the flexibility to adapt if needed."

For those with flexibility, keeping an eye on deals 3-6 months before the trip can yield significant benefits. This period often sees airlines and hotels releasing promotional deals to fill remaining capacity.

Mark emphasized that this timeframe strikes a balance between early planning and last-minute spontaneity, allowing travelers to secure high-value offers without compromising quality or preference.

GOBankingRates works with many financial advertisers to showcase their products and services to our audiences. These brands compensate us to advertise their products in ads across our site. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site. We are not a comparison-tool and these offers do not represent all available deposit, investment, loan or credit products.

6 Unexpected Money Tips for Traveling Abroad

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If there are two things most people love to do, it’s travel and save money . It may seem like the only way to save money on your travel expenses is to decrease your luxury and potential for fun. However, you can do several simple things to save money while still enjoying your next trip .

Here are six unexpected money tips for traveling abroad.

Bring Cash in Perfect Condition

If you take cash on your trip abroad, take fresh notes from your bank. Currency exchanges sometimes won’t accept bills with marks or even minor tears. You should also take a variety of large and small bills, so you can exchange only what you need — but keep in mind that some currency exchanges will give better rates for big bills, like $100 bills.

It’s also important to get a favorable exchange rate to ensure you get the most value for your dollar. Exchange rates are always in flux. Before exchanging money , download an exchange rate app or do an online search to determine what amount you should receive back in the foreign currency.

Convenient places, like airports and hotels, often offer unfavorable rates. Researching online for the best spots or banks to exchange your money once you arrive can maximize value. You can also exchange money at your local bank before you go, but plan ahead, as processing a foreign currency order may take time.

Coordinate With Your Bank

If you don’t like carrying large amounts of cash during your trip, you can still find ways to save. Coordinating with your bank can help you get some travel deals. For example, some banks, such as Chase , offer travel credit cards that waive foreign transaction fees.

Other financial institutions offer  checking accounts that offer unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide. With this, you can withdraw the exact amount you need, instead of withdrawing a considerable amount to make it worth the fee.

It’s always important to notify your bank about your travels. Otherwise, your bank may assume someone stole your card and block the transaction when you try to use it in a foreign country. This can lead to a stressful situation of having your card suddenly blocked and perhaps not having Wi-Fi or phone data to contact your bank to complete an important transaction.

Know the Local Scams and Customs

You could end up losing money on your travels simply by being uninformed.

Watch for Scams

While traveling can be an enriching experience, some locals see tourists as a way to make easy money. Understanding some of the scam tactics that some locals can use will better prepare you to protect your wallet. A quick online search before your trip can help you understand what scams other travelers have experienced.

For example, some taxi drivers will charge tourists an inflated price instead of using their taxi meters. Savvy travelers who know about this might demand that the driver use their meter or download a local ride-share app ahead of time, which will give them a fair price.

Research Customs

Knowing the local customs can also save you money. In many places, especially at local markets, sellers expect buyers to haggle. Sellers may give you an initial price for an item that could be three times what they would accept.

Also, while tipping is an important part of U.S. culture, it isn’t common everywhere. Doing prior research to know whether to tip at restaurants, hotels, taxis or on tours can save you a lot of money throughout your trip. Some countries, like Japan and South Korea, may even find it offensive if you try to tip.

Go Off the Beaten Path

When you plan your trip abroad, you may want to look beyond the Eiffel Tower or the Roman Colosseum. Heading to popular attractions will require a much larger budget than checking out lesser-known places.

Famous sites and attractions pull in tourists from around the world, allowing hotels, restaurants, shops and taxis to drive up their prices. Doing research ahead of time or speaking with locals can open up a variety of cheaper options and better experiences.

Use Public Transportation

It might be slower or a bit intimidating, but public transportation can help you save big. With the purchase of a local SIM card, you can use phone data to access different apps or websites that show you the fastest and easiest routes to your destination via local bus, train or subway. Using public transportation instead of taking taxis or renting a car can save you hundreds of dollars.

Likewise, walking is a great way to save money and explore a city. In addition, some cities offer free walking tours, which can be a great way to learn about the local history and culture without spending a dime.

Look at Different Accommodation Options

Staying at a hotel or resort for your trip will provide convenience, but it will also come with many unexpected extra costs. While booking well in advance or finding deals can cut back on your accommodation expenses, you may end up spending more than you realize when you eat at expensive restaurants connected to the hotel or grab a Coke from the mini fridge.

You may be able to save some money by booking through a short-term rental company like Airbnb. For longer trips, Airbnb in particular offers discounts of 10% or more if you stay longer than 28 days.

These short-term rentals offer a more local experience and may be available in more affordable areas of the city you’re visiting. You can also book an accommodation with a kitchen. This gives you the option to shop for groceries at local stores and markets and cook some meals, which helps cut costs significantly.

Save Money While Traveling

Traveling doesn’t always have to mean splurging. By putting in some time beforehand to research where you can save a bit here and there, you can find ways to make your trips more affordable while not compromising on enjoying great experiences abroad.

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• Spotlight on unpaid carers: 'You can't afford to feel': The woman who cares for her daughter, son and husband
• Ian King analysis: Why an interest rate cut may not come as soon as you think
• Basically… How to improve your credit score
• Money Problem: My boss ruined end of maternity leave with ultimatum - what are my rights?

Tesla has recalled more than 3,800 of its Cybertruck models following complaints that the accelerator pedal is at risk of getting stuck, US regulators have announced.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had contacted the carmaker, founded and run by Elon Musk, about the issue earlier in the week.

That was after a video came to light, on the billionaire entrepreneur's X platform and TikTok, showing how a rubber cover attached to the accelerator could come loose, pinning the pedal down.

It has since been watched millions of times on both platforms.

Meta's AI has told a Facebook user it has a disabled child that was part of a New York gifted and talented programme.

An anonymous parent posted in a private parenting group, asking for advice on which New York education programme would suit their child.

They described the child as '2e' which stands for twice-exceptional and means they have exceptional ability and also a disability.

"Does anyone here have experience with a '2e' child in any of the NYC G&T [Gifted & Talented] programs?" the user asked.

"Would love to hear your experience, good or bad or anything in between."

Instead of getting a response from another parent, Meta's AI replied.

"I have a child who is also 2e and has been part of the NYC G&T program," it began.

Read more on this story here ...

People who are fit to work but do not accept job offers will have their benefits taken away after 12 months, the prime minister has pledged.

Outlining his plans to reform the welfare system if the Conservatives win the next general election, Rishi Sunak said "unemployment support should be a safety net, never a choice" as he promised to "make sure that hard work is always rewarded".

Mr Sunak said his government would be "more ambitious about helping people back to work and more honest about the risk of over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life" by introducing a raft of measures in the next parliament.

You can read more about what they include here ...

Building society reforms - backed by MPs - could help people trying to get on to the property ladder.

The Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Bill is closer to becoming law after its third reading was unopposed in the Commons.

The idea is to expand societies' lending capacity via modernisation.

Tory MP Peter Gibson the bill would help with "cutting red tape" and removing "outdated bureaucratic governance systems not faced by the big banks". 

It follows a government consultation which looked at how to allow building societies to "compete on a more level playing field with banks".

The bill is government-backed and Labour is behind it too, saying the changes will support "more working people to become homeowners".

Labour's Julie Elliott, the bill's sponsor, said: "It is important to acknowledge that whilst the housing sector has recovered significantly since the record low mortgage approvals during the COVID pandemic, approvals currently are still below that which we saw before the pandemic. 

"That is why I think a bill like this, which gives more choice to the building society sector to operate in the interests of its members, is a good thing."

Treasury minister Gareth Davies offered the government's support and said the bill would help ensure the "future growth and success" of the building society sector. 

Labour's shadow Treasury minister Darren Jones said building societies "direct a significant proportion of their lending to first-time buyers" and the bill "could unlock significant additional lending capacity".

The bill will undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords.

By  James Sillars , business reporter

There was a worse than expected performance for retail sales last month, defying predictions of a consumer-led pick up from recession for the UK economy.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported sales volumes were flat in March, following an upwardly revised figure of 0.1% for the previous month.

It said sales at non-food stores helped offset declines at supermarkets.

Sales of fuel rose by 3.2%.

ONS senior statistician Heather Bovill said of the overall picture: "Retail sales registered no growth in March.

"Hardware stores, furniture shops, petrol stations and clothing stores all reported a rise in sales.

"However, these gains were offset by falling food sales and in department stores where retailers say higher prices hit trading.

"Looking at the longer-term picture, across the latest three months retail sales increased after a poor Christmas."

While the performance will not damage the  expected exit from recession  during the first quarter of the year, it suggests that consumers are still carefully managing their spending.

While the  cost of living crisis  - exacerbated by the  Bank of England's interest rate rises  to push  inflation  down - has severely damaged budgets, wage growth has been rising at a faster pace than prices since last summer.

Separate ONS data this week has shown the annual rate of inflation at 3.2% - with wages growing at a rate of 6% when the effects of bonuses are stripped out.

Economists widely believe consumer spending power will win through as the year progresses, despite borrowing costs remaining at elevated levels.

"Misleading" labelling in some supermarkets means shoppers may not know where their food comes from, Which? has said.

Loose cauliflowers, red cabbage, courgettes and onions at Sainsbury's, peppers, melons and mangoes at Asda, and spring onions at Aldi had no visible origin labelling on the shelf or the products themselves, the consumer organisation found during research.

Only 51% of people find origin information on groceries helpful, a survey found.

Two thirds (64%) said they would be more likely to buy a product labelled "British" than one that was not. 

Almost three quarters (72%) said it was important to know where fresh meat comes from, while 51% said they wanted to know where processed and tinned meat comes from.

Under current rules, meat, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, honey and wine should be labelled with the country or place of origin.

"Research has uncovered a surprising amount of inconsistent and misleading food labelling, suggesting that - even when the rules are properly adhered to - consumers aren't getting all the information they want about their food's origin," said Which? retail editor Ele Clark.

"Supermarkets should particularly focus on labelling loose fruit and vegetables more clearly."

An Aldi spokeswoman said: "We understand that our shoppers want to know where the food they buy comes from, and we work hard to ensure that all our labelling complies with the rules.

"When it comes to fresh fruit and veg, we are proud to support British farmers and aim to stock British produce whenever it's available. Customers understand that at this time of year that isn't always possible, but we remain firmly committed to supporting the British farming community."

Asda said: "We have stringent processes in place to ensure country of origin is clearly displayed at the shelf edge and on products themselves where applicable, at all our stores.

"We have reminded our colleagues at this particular store of these processes so that customers are able to clearly see the country of origin."

A spokesman for Iceland said: "At Iceland our products are great quality and value for customers and we follow UK government guidance on food labelling, including country of origin."

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "We have processes in place to make sure country of origin information is clearly displayed on the product or shelf and we carry out regular checks working closely with our regulator, the Animal and Plant Health Agency."

By Jess Sharp , Money team 

Barclays has been criticised for making the "ludicrous" decision to limit how much cash its customers can deposit in a year. 

Ron Delnevo from the Payment Choice Alliance said the move was a "disgrace" and accused the bank of trying to force businesses to stop accepting cash. 

From July, the change will mean Barclays customers can only deposit up to £20,000 per calendar year into their personal accounts. 

The limit will reset every January. 

It comes after Natwest made a similar decision last year, capping deposits to £3,000 a day, or £24,000 in any 12-month period. 

"The decision by Barclays is ludicrous. This is plainly an anti-cash move," Mr Delnevo told Sky News. 

"It is trying to take free choice from people. It's like it is saying, 'if you are using cash, then we think you are a criminal'.

"It's a disgrace quite frankly and there is no excuse for it. It's just wrong." 

Asked if he was concerned other banks could follow suit, he said: "Definitely." 

He gave the example of someone selling a car for cash. "How would you deposit the money into your account?" he asked.

Barclays said the change was being made to help it identify "suspicious activity". 

"We take financial crime and our responsibility to prevent money laundering seriously," a spokesperson said. 

"We have contacted customers to let them know that from July we are making some changes to the amount of cash customers can deposit into their Barclays accounts.

"We have set the limit at an amount that will allow us to better identify suspicious activity, while still ensuring our customers have access to cash."

The UK's estimated 23 million pet owners are at risk of a new kind of scam, one that took nearly £240m in the first six months of last year. 

Scammers are now targeting the most vulnerable owners – those who’ve lost their pets. 

Fraudsters are turning to lost pet forums and websites to claim they've found missing pets, demanding a ransom payment for their return.

Figures from UK Finance reveal this type of fraud – known as Authorised Push Payment (APP), when a victim is tricked into sending money directly to a criminal’s account - cost British consumers £239.3m in the first six months of 2023.

James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, has some tips on how to avoid the scam...

• Never pay the ransom – If someone is demanding a large sum of money in exchange for your pet's safe return, call the police immediately. Never pay the money upfront, as it will most likely be a scam. Be sure to take a step back and analyse the situation.
• Examine the photos - is it a fake? – In an era where the use of artificial intelligence to fabricate photos is becoming increasingly commonplace, spotting a fake is becoming more challenging. But if you do receive a suspicious photo, make sure to take a closer look to determine whether it is in fact your pet. To do this, check if the photo has been taken from your social media profile and reframed to pass as a recent photo. You should also check for any signs of photoshopping. This could be the way the image has been cut, or the lack of shadows. It is also always helpful to get a second opinion – what you might miss, another person could spot.
• Spotting fabricated stories – Scammers may share specific personality traits you recognise about your pet to convince you they legitimately have it in their possession. However, they may be getting this information from adverts you’ve shared on missing pet websites, or even details shared about your pet on your social media profiles. Be extra cautious and question their authenticity.
• Be careful not to overshare on social media – While sharing information of pets on social media channels is commonplace, this can make them a goldmine for fraudsters. Always be careful about posting personal details, such as your address, pet’s name, or your location in real time. This is all information a fraudster could use to their benefit. Even if you have a private account, you still need to be cautious, as fraudsters have sophisticated methods for obtaining personal information.
• Avoid using your pet’s name as your password – The easiest password to remember is your pet’s name, but unfortunately fraudsters know this too. Of course, you need to be able to remember your passwords, but it’s vital not to make them too simple. The ideal password should contain a minimum of 10 characters using a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. As a rule of thumb, it’s also best to ensure you are using muti-factor authentication, when possible.

The British public donated some £13.9bn to charity last year, but higher earners who give to their chosen causes could be missing out on a tax break. 

"Many may be missing out on the tax perks of giving to charity, which can help to reduce their tax bill and save them from tax traps," Charlene Young, pensions and savings expert at AJ Bell, said. 

There is some £500m of unclaimed Gift Aid rebates - which you could be eligible for - according to data seen by AJ Bell. 

In order to get to the bottom of this, we need an understanding of Gift Aid. 

"Gift Aid is a tax incentive that gives a top up on donations from UK taxpayers to a UK registered charity or community amateur sports clubs (CASC)," Charlene explains. 

Within the scheme, the government tops up the charity donation by 25% - turning a £100 donation into £125 for the charity or CASC. 

"But there’s a tax break on offer for higher and additional rate taxpayers too - they can claim up to 20% or 25% on their donations," Charlene adds. 

Not only does the scheme mean charities can access more money at no extra cost - higher band taxpayers can claim some cash back. 

This table shows how much you can claim back...

"Claims are usually made via a self-assessment tax return, but you can ask HMRC for a P810 form to fill in if you don’t normally file a return. You can also backdate claims for up to four years, so it is worth looking into this as soon as possible," Charlene says. 

Although 94% of higher earners donating to charity have heard about Gift Aid, only 52% are aware they could claim a tax rebate on their donations, according to HMRC data. 

That leaves expected unclaimed rebates at around £500m. 

Geoff, a higher rate UK taxpayer, pays £780 in charitable donations over the course of a year. 

Gift aid tops this up to £975.

Geoff is eligible to claim back £195 (20% of £975) in tax relief from HMRC via self-assessment, or by contacting HMRC directly. 

In total, this means the charity has received £975 - but it has only cost Geoff £585. 

Avoiding tax traps

"If you're caught by tax traps, gift aid could help you lower your tax bill and put money towards good causes," Charlene says. 

"You might be a parent who has gone over the £50,000 high income child benefit charge, meaning you'd start to lose child benefit [HICBC].

"Or if your earnings have breached £100,000 you start to lose your tax-free Personal Allowance at a rate of £1 for every £2, a whopping effective rate of tax of 60% on earnings between £100,000 and £125,140.

"Making a charity donation and claiming Gift Aid means the full value of the donation [what you pay plus the government top up] is deducted from the income that would otherwise count towards the £100,000 limit [or £50,000 for HICBC]."

The market reaction to Israel's attack on Iran is muted so far.

While Brent crude oil rose by 2% in response initially, it is currently just over 1% up on the day at $88 a barrel.

That is below where it started the week after Iran had launched its drone and missile strikes on Israel.

The future direction will probably depend on how Iran chooses to respond to events overnight.

Stock markets are also feeling some strain and, being Friday, we could see a rush to protect positions over the weekend later in the day.

Japan's Nikkei was 2.6% down though the Hang Seng was just 0.9% lower.

In Europe, the reaction was similar to that seen in Hong Kong.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.4% at the open - with small gains in energy stocks offsetting some of the wider hit to sentiment from events in the Middle East.

Travel-related stocks were seeing some of the worst pain due to the threat of disruption.

British Airways owner IAG shed 3.5% while easyJet was 2.3% off and Ryanair not far behind that figure.

By Ollie Cooper, Money team

It can be hard to balance getting nutritious foods that make you feel good without emptying your wallet.

In this series every Friday, we're trying to find the cheapest ways to identify the healthiest options in the supermarket.

We've asked  Sunna Van Kampen,  founder of  Tonic Health ,  who went viral on social media for reviewing supermarket products in the search of healthier choices, for his input. 

The series does not aim to identify the outright healthiest option, but to help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today we're looking at ketchup - which contains a surprising amount of sugar. 

What's the worry with sugar?

"Reducing added sugars in your diet can lead to significant health benefits, including weight loss and decreased risk of heart disease," Sunna says. 

"But fear not, ketchup connoisseurs: there's a way to enjoy your sauce and look after your health too."

How much sugar? 

The average bottle of ketchup has around 4g of sugar per tablespoon. 

If you're having a generous dollop of ketchup three times a week, you're adding more than 600g of sugar to your diet each year from one condiment. 

"That's a whole lot of sweet for something that's supposed to be savoury," Sunna says. 

"Another way to look at it is that you're having a teaspoon of sugar drizzled over your French fries - it feels wrong, doesn't it?"

The good news is there's plenty of options.

Avoiding premium ketchups can save your wallet and your sugar intake - they tend to up sugar content by 35% to more than 30g per 100g.

A standard bottle of Heinz contains 22.8g of sugar per 100g.

"Without getting into the taste debate, Heinz's rival Hellman's comes up trumps for your health by lowering the sugar content to 18g per 100g," Sunna says. 

Heinz has created two lower-sugar versions: a 50% less sugar option (at 11g per 100g) and Heinz's No Added Sugar & Salt (4.4g of sugar per 100g).

"But watch out here," Sunna says, "as they do add artificial sweeteners in their place (sucralose)". 

In his view, there are two newer challenger brands that deserve a mention as they cut sugar without the artificial additives. 

"Dr Wills Ketchup using dates instead of sugar (15g per 100g) and Hunter & Gather keep the sweet stuff out entirely (6g per 100g). 

So, he says, there is "plenty to choose from to suite your taste buds and health needs".

What does that look like over time?

Making small changes for your health can build up to a big impact over the long term. 

"Going from standard Heinz to the brand's no sugar option will save you more than 500g of sugar a year in your diet," Sunna says. 

What's the cost? 

"Surprisingly, opting for a healthier ketchup doesn't mean squeezing your wallet dry," Sunna says. 

A bottle of Heinz No Added Sugar & Salt costs around £0.80 per 100g and is the most expensive.

The 50% less sugar version is cheaper at £0.54 per 100g. 

That's only 4% more than the standard, more sugary version, which costs £0.52 per 100g. 

"This way you'll save 32% on the price of your ketchup (compared with no sugar) and 50% of the sugar content for your health - that's a win-win," Sunna says. 

"In the grand scheme of dietary changes, switching ketchup varieties might seem small. But it's these little tweaks that can add up to a big difference in your health."

The nutritionist's view -  from  Dr Laura Brown , senior lecturer in nutrition, food and health sciences at Teesside University

"I would say that yes, they are correct in that the focus should be health over money and the reduced sugar version does not make too much of a difference. 

"Also, there is the option of making your own ketchup too, in which you could manipulate the ingredients to add more natural flavours that will reduce the need for the added sugar - provided it is consumed within a shorter space of time."

Read more from our series... 

By Bhvishya Patel, Money team

This week, we've been speaking to some of Britain's struggling unpaid carers, hearing at times heart-breaking accounts of their physical, emotional and financial struggles.

In our final instalment in the series, a woman who cares for her daughter, son and husband says it is a "lonely job" and you often feel "looked down on" as she urges the government to "look at the bigger picture" when it came to help.

"I care for three people but I'm allowed to get Carer's Allowance once. The allowance is deducted from my Universal Credit so in effect I do not get paid for caring at all." Suzanne Buckner, unpaid carer

Suzanne's daughter Charlotte, or Lottie as her mother and father Mark call her, was three when she was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects children and develops in early nerve cells, in 2010.

Her gruelling treatment left her with a number of healthcare problems, including the development of three benign tumours in her liver, non-autoimmune type 1, type 2 and type 3 diabetes and asplenia.

Charlotte, now 17, is also deaf and has severe back problems due to discs growing into her vertebrae.

"My daughter was told by her oncologist in December they didn't actually expect her to survive," Suzanne, 56, says.

Suzanne is also a carer for her son, 23, who has multiple complex conditions and her husband, 62, who has mental health conditions.

"It's an eclectic collection - one minute I'm a mental health nurse, then I'm dealing with behavioural problems and then it's just classic nurse," she says.

Suzanne receives universal credit of around £972 a month after her carer's allowance is deducted.

She says the carer's allowance earnings limit, set at £139 a week, means carers like her are "caught in this trap" where they can't earn above the limit for fear of losing their benefit money.

"I care for three people but I'm allowed to get carer's allowance once. The allowance is deducted from my universal credit so in effect I do not get paid for caring at all," she says.

"It's ridiculous because if I handed my family over to the state, can you imagine how much money it would cost?

"I sometimes think central government does not have the ability to calculate or look at the bigger picture."

Recently, Suzanne got "quite poorly" and was told to go to A&E after she was unable to get an appointment with her GP.

"I thought 'I can't go to A&E I've got to look after my family'. I think that's another area that's not looked at - the health and wellbeing of carers. It's a lonely job," she says.

"Even though I was sick, I was making sure Lottie was having her injections and medicines. You can't afford to feel.

"Emotionally it is hard because sometimes you can't fix the problem. There isn't a magic solution and you can't make a phone call.

"It doesn't matter to a degree how much money you've got, it  isn't going to go away. If someone is poorly, they are poorly."

Suzanne used to run several companies, including an advertising agency, before becoming a carer for her family and now does telecoms regulation consultancy work when she can.

Holding down a 9-5 job is "not possible for most carers".

"Lottie getting cancer taught me so much about life - do not plan," she says.

"If she had to go to hospital today that means I have to change all the tutors she's having and it can happen overnight.

"Having a child with cancer is even more of a lonely thing because it's quite a rare thing. If she gets sick, life just turns upside down."

After undergoing chemotherapy, Lottie was left with a low blood temperature and therefore keeping the house warm is important, Suzanne says, which increases heating costs.

The costs can go up further if Charlotte needs to go to hospital as this means trips "all over the country" to hospitals in Birmingham, the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, increasing fuel and food costs.

'Less of a citizen'

Suzanne says there is "absolutely" a pressure on her finances and if it were not for the inheritance her mother left her, she "wouldn't be living".

"Both my husband's parents are dead and my parents are dead. I don't have siblings that live close by so I don't have any support," she says.

"I think the problem is, unless you've walked in somebody's shoes, you really don't understand."

Suzanne says there are some things central and local government could do to help, such as giving personal budgets through direct payments, which would allow carers to choose the support and help they needed.

"Personally I feel you get looked down on. People think you're only a carer, you get benefits, you're less of a citizen - that really annoys me," she says.

"I think the benefits system doesn't work. I'm not suggesting that all carers in the UK should be paid a certain amount, but they should be paid equitably so that people don't get to the point mentally where they say 'I can't do this anymore'. 

"There need to be some serious, high-level debates and they need to involve carers in those debates. 

"The government need to look at how much money they are wasting in the care system by doing the wrong things."

Speaking of her daughter's battles, Suzanne adds: " I don't know how she copes - I think she's an inspiration.

"She has to be pulled and tugged by doctors and have test after test, and she tolerates it all. Sometimes when I'm watching her have these tests I think to myself 'I don't know how she does it'". 

Charity calls for review

Helen Walker, chief executive at Carers UK, says it is in the state's interest to support unpaid carers because "if a carer goes down then the state has to look after two people".

If you have to give up work to care, she says, "you are going to find yourself spiralling into poverty".

"Carer's allowance hasn't had a fundamental review for years so we would like a review looking at who is eligible for it, how it works and an increase to the amount," she adds.

"And also there needs to be an increase to the amount of hours you can work while caring.

"Social care is underfunded so it needs some real investment in order for unpaid carers to be able to care safely and well.

"What many carers will say is they need a break. It's not that they don't want to care, it's that they are exhausted. They are at breaking point."

A government spokesperson said: "Unpaid carers play a vital role in the lives of their family and friends, which is why from April we're boosting carer's allowance meaning carers receive an extra £1,500 a year compared to 2010.

"Those in low income households may also be eligible for additional financial support such as universal credit."

You can read the previous parts of our series here:

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