After the long period of lockdowns and restricted movements, you will agree with me that the idea of traveling brings about a lot of excitement. However, traveling is not cheap, and if you plan to take a flight, then the cost of the trip only increases. Sometimes I sit down and look at my traveling budget and wonder whether the vacation is worth spending all that money on.
However, after I have embarked on the trip, then all my doubts dissipate, and I create memories that I will live to remember for a long time. Over the years of my frequent travels, I have developed some hacks that will help you extend that extra dollar during your travels. For instance, if you have an interest in social media influencing, you can try your hand at travel blogging, which can help you generate extra money as well as get you opportunities of getting sponsored by various small businesses. That means, a lot of free products, such as food, skincare, clothes, daily use gadgets, etc. And to get all these things, you may only need a professional camera, reliable internet from internet providers chicago (or wherever you are traveling), and content creation skills.
So, here I want to share a few more tips with you so that you can have more money as you travel.
Buy Less Stuff
Buying more items translates to more monetary expenses. Given the fact that I have already spent so much money planning for the trip, in terms of flight tickets, car fuel, and accommodation, I must buy very few things during the trip. By buying less stuff before and during the trip, I have more money to create memorable experiences by visiting more places. Besides, in most cases, I remember the experiences and not the things I bought.
Traveling During Off-Season
The worst time to travel is during peak holiday seasons when everyone wants to travel. This time everything is costly since there is a higher demand. During the off-season, I can get almost anything at bargain prices. This decreases the amount of money I spend on food, tours, and accommodation as there is little demand. Most service providers also offer great discounts off-season to motivate their potential clients to travel and enjoy. With that in mind, let us move on to the next money-saving travel hack.
Flying on Off-Peak Day and Time
Anyone that flies frequently understands that flights on peak days and times are more costly than flying on off-peak days and times. Whenever I am traveling, I assess what times there is less traffic and note those days and times. I then plan my vacation holidays around those days so that I get discounts. Such small decisions save me a lot of money.
Open Travel-Friendly Bank Accounts
Traveling the world means spending a lot of money not just before but also during the trip as well. Since withdrawal fees vary from one country or location to another, I save on withdrawal charges by choosing bank accounts that provide unlimited ATM withdrawals abroad with no transaction fees.
Consider Renting Out Your Place
These days earning extra income from your empty home can be done after a couple of mouse clicks on your computer. When I travel I usually put up the house on Airbnb to earn some money when I am away. This money can be used to offset some travel costs and make the trip less expensive. At first, it was not easy letting a stranger into our home when we were away, but after a couple of years, we got used to the idea. Also, reputable hosting services like Airbnb protect both the host and the guest and even surcharge the client if they break anything in the house. If you do not like the option of renting it out, consider having a close friend or relative stay with you while you are away. Leaving your house empty for too long might also result in an infestation (especially in the kitchen). If such a problem arises, you should consider contacting a pest control service. For instance, if you live in and around the Hawaii, you might need to search online for ‘exterminators in hawaii‘ and find the ones near your home, once you are back from your travels!
Using Orbitz
These days you can get reward points for making various travel booking on sites like Orbitz. It is one of the best booking sites in the market today because of the amazing reward program it offers. For instance, one receives ‘Orbucks’ immediately after booking which can be used for future bookings. These rewards translate to cash that I can even use to book hotels in some European cities, or even use as traveling money.
Finding A Home Away from Home
Everyone loves staying at high-class hotels when traveling, but no one talks about the huge prices, especially when traveling in groups. This is where Airbnb comes in handy and guarantees you comfort at a fraction of the cost hotels charge. I tend to go for rooms that have amenities to suit the whole family and have a kitchen. Thus I can make my meals at a cheaper cost. In case we are unable to cook we can always eat street food which is fresh in most cases.
