Updated 11/11/2022
Is it safe for me to assume that you are curious about ways to make travel a part of your life? And specifically ways to save money on travel while you are vacationing and how to save for a vacation?
You’re here. You’re reading.
Many people that I talk to say that one of the BIGGEST barriers to travel is the COST. Especially if you are interested in traveling overseas.
Would you AGREE?
So…What Are Some Ways to Save Money on Travel?
What you really need are practical tips and suggestions on WAYS to save money ON travel and FOR travel that honestly work.
My first 2 tips start you on the road to the “best ways to save FOR vacation” long before you ever board an airplane.
You can begin to plan and dream about travel BECAUSE these two tips are in place.
And just an FYI, these tips work just as well if you are planning travel overseas or excursions a little closer to home.
I know these tips work because my husband, Chris, and I implement all of them in our travels and adventures.
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TIP #1 Create a Vacation Fund
An ancient Chinese Proverb states, “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now.”
The same goes for starting a vacation fund and creating HABITS to save money.
“The best time to start a vacation fund was twenty years ago. The next best time is now!”
The goal when you create a vacation fund is to establish the habit to SPECIFICALLY and PURPOSEFULLY save money for travel each month. It means getting your financial house in order.
If you travel regularly, you will find that you build up your vacation fund, plan a trip, use up your fund, and then start to build again. So starting today versus twenty years ago is totally do-able.
For many though, traveling, especially traveling to international destinations, is a once-in-a-lifetime event. If you start to save money for travel today, your vacation fund will begin to grow until you are ready to go.
Where do you find the extra money to add to your vacation savings account?
Making travel a goal in your life might mean that you begin to make sacrifices in other areas:
- Attend fewer movies, plays or musical performances
- Eat out less often
- Limit clothing splurges and purchases
- Pack a lunch for work
- Cancel music subscriptions
- Cancel cable tv subscriptions
- Check out magazines from the library instead
- Create and stick to a monthly budget
- Make your coffee at home
- Buy store vs name brand
These sacrifices all support your dream of traveling and are worth the effort. You do not have to have excessive wealth to travel, but you do have to make saving for a trip a PRIORITY.
Do you need ideas on how to budget for your travel? Check out these 7 Tips for Creating a Travel Budget.
There are many more creative ways that you can trim your budget and find a little extra cash to stash in your vacation fund.
TIP #2 Sign up for Travel Rewards or Travel Credit Cards
You might have seen the article I wrote about 6 Steps to Plan Travel with Reward Points. It outlines the goal of signing up for hotel rewards programs, enrolling in frequent flyer programs, and choosing which rental car agency to use on a regular basis in your goal to save money for travel.
“… you should decide which airline, hotel chain, and rental car company you want to accrue points with and then stick with them as much as you can.
My husband, Chris, actually signed up primarily with Hilton and Marriott since some international cities only have one or the other brand (both chains have plentiful options across Europe with dozens of brands in their portfolios).
Consider which chain will work best for you.
“Over the years, we’ve gone on many vacations where we have only paid for food and activities because reward points covered the hotel stay, our airfare, and the rental car. It has been a blessing and has allowed us to travel to a lot of amazing destinations.”
If you aren’t a frequent traveler, then you might want to consider a travel-related credit card that will begin to accrue points with your purchases that you can then use for booking flights and accommodations.
We have had a great experience with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card.
Here’s a BONUS TIP if you plan to travel with children or teens: Have them earn “FUN” money before the trip for the mementos and souvenirs they wish to buy.
TIP #3 Minimize Your Packing to Save Money
Some airlines charge baggage fees—fees you may not have been planning on—which add to the cost of your flight.
Some carriers have even started to charge for your personal handbags and backpacks!
Check Airfarewatchdog for an overview of major airline carriers’ baggage fees when flying from the United States and Canada.
Do your research and pack lightly. If you fly within Europe, you will most certainly encounter baggage fees.
Consider the weight of your suitcase. Luggage today is designed to be ultra lightweight making them easy for travel, stowing in overhead bins, and lifting as you travel.
Now, to minimize your packing.
For those of you who typically plan an outfit where the pants and top match but don’t really go with anything else that you have packed, you need to adjust your thinking when traveling.
Consider investing in travel-specific clothing that is lightweight and breathable with zippered pockets for safety.
Choose neutral pants, skirts, shorts, or capris that will match with more than one shirt and can be worn multiple days before being washed. Realize that wearing the same shirt a couple of times over the course of a vacation is perfectly acceptable.
I’d recommend packing an extra pair of underwear and socks and go light on matchy matchy shorts, shirts, and pants. Your efforts to coordinate outfits will definitely help you save money on baggage fees.
Oh, and rolling your clothes instead of folding them really does keep them less wrinkled.
NOTE: All liquids, gels, and creams must be within the 3.4 oz (100 ml) Liquids Rule of TSA. That’s a positive since it requires that you pack smaller sized containers.
TIP #4 Bring Your Own Snacks for More Ways to Save Money on Travel
It is totally doable and acceptable to pack your own snacks and consider what food to bring on a road trip to save money while traveling. We also plan for snacks for air travel as well. We typically pack a duffel bag or backpack with snacks and as the snacks are depleted, the bag or pack is refilled with souvenirs and mementos.
There are some members of our family (me included) who need to eat regularly otherwise we crash with low blood sugar, no energy, and crabbiness.
If this is you, you might be affectionately called “hangry”—a combination of hungry and angry!
We travel with snacks. Snacks that we like to eat. It cuts down on the “Mom, can I buy…” as we travel. It is another one of the EASY TO FOLLOW ways to save money on travel!
Our girls like Goldfish Crackers and some type of gummy treats that come in single-serve or small packs. Chris also includes Peanut M&Ms, Built Bars, microwave popcorn, trail mix, nuts, applesauce pouches (ingenious), and Crystal Lite single-serve drink mix. You can find all of these items listed on My Favorite Travel Things page.
We have tried a variety of power bars, and no doubt whichever kind we pack, we are pretty sick of them by the end of a two-week trip. But when you need food and miss meals due to travel, AND that is what is available, the whining is minimal… never mind, the whining still happens.
Built Bars are our new favorites.
Bonus * Use Code SJTRAVELS at checkout for 10% off your Built.com purchase.
We also travel with Clif Bloks energy chews and Jelly Belly Sport Beans as well as electrolyte packets, and ZipFizz powder to add to water for a quick burst of energy when we are lagging after a long, hot day of walking and being tourists. You’ll find these on My Favorite Travel Things page under Snacks!
The food on planes is not always great, so be sure to add some snacks to your travel back or backpack as well.
Oh sure, we all still get hungry as we travel and sightsee; we often treat ourselves to local snacks and treats. And gelato.
TIP #5 Bring a Camelbak Hydration Pack
Now, I know some of you may prefer other options than this, but this is something that works for our family.
One of the must-haves on our family vacations and another one of my money saving travel tips is a 3.0L Camelbak Hydration Pack Reservoir with a high flow, self-sealing, bite valve.
Say what? It may sound weird and strange, I know.
Chris’ carry-on backpack with the padded laptop section is perfect for transporting his electronics on the plane to our destination, but then transforms to a day pack which we fill with snacks, the Camelbak, and extra water bottles once we begin sightseeing.
Check out all of My Favorite Travel Things
You can learn more about the Camelbak Hydration Pack Reservoir.
The laptop section of Chris’ backpack is padded enough to keep the water in the reservoir cool and minimizes any leaks to other sections of the backpack.
I will say, you REALLY have to like the people you travel with to use this method. We all drink from the same bite valve!
If you are traveling solo, or with people you’d rather not share with, consider investing in a smaller sized Camelbak reservoir.
We fill the Camelbak reservoir each night with water and put it in the fridge in our hotel room if a fridge is available. (If a freezer is available, only fill the reservoir half way and lay it flat.) If no fridge is available, add ice to the reservoir and fill it with water in the morning before you head out for the day. On a hot day, we refill the Camelbak at least once.
Hint * If you stop for lunch at a restaurant, ask for water and refill the reservoir. That is another one of the SUPER EASY ways to save money on travel over buying bottled water.
Chris also notes that the chilled water keeps his back cool throughout the day, and fortunately, it gets lighter as the water is consumed.
Another bonus * Our girls are big enough that they each get a turn to carry the backpack too.
We have not encountered any tap water in Europe that is not safe to drink. If you are concerned, ask.
It is also common for us to bring a couple of empty water bottles from home (and we usually collect more during our travels) and fill those for me to tuck into the external side pockets of my backpack. Having the water bottles makes it easy to add a single-serve Zipfizz (peach mango is my favorite flavor) or Electrolyte pack to a bottle.
When you are in the hot sun and walking all day long, water is essential. CNN Travel offers tips from experts on how to stay hydrated as you travel.
TIP #6 Use FREE WiFi to Save Money on Travel
If you can handle only using your phone when you have free WiFi access, you can save money. Many cafes and public places offer free WiFi; it is definitely becoming more accessible throughout the world.
Just be mindful of the websites you visit and the login information you use on public WiFi. Hackers set up imposter networks surprisingly similar to legitimately offered networks in an attempt to steal your data.
To save on fees when making phone calls, I recommend that you connect with family and friends using Google, Facetime, or Facebook Messenger or similar Apps as long as you have a reliable internet connection. It is not quite as convenient, but a whole lot cheaper.
To avoid international cell phone bill shock 1) for those of you who are infrequent travelers; 2) for those who just need a reminder; 3) or for those who may be traveling with kids who are normally glued to their devices, it is worth your time to research your provider’s international phone plans. Contact your provider’s customer support if you have questions.
FYI, many international plans are offered at slower speeds.
Consider setting up a VPN connection to establish a secure connection between the internet and you.
“When you connect to the internet through a VPN, all your data traffic is sent through an encrypted virtual tunnel. This has multiple advantages:
1. You’ll be more anonymous on the internet: your IP address and location won’t be visible to just anyone anymore.
2. You’ll be safer on the internet: the encrypted tunnel will keep away hackers and cybercriminals and your device won’t be as vulnerable to attacks.
3. You’ll be more free on the internet: by using different IP addresses, you’ll be able to access websites and online services that would otherwise be blocked.”
VPN Explained
If using a VPN is an option for you as you travel, you will want to do some research before you leave home to get it set up.
I hope that I have sparked your thoughts with some ideas on SUPER EASY Ways to Save Money on Travel that you hadn’t considered before.
TIP #7 Try FREE Walking Tours
Chris and I love the Rick Steves Audio Europe free audio tours (though our girls aren’t always so enthusiastic about them). These tours aren’t available for all countries.
Be sure to download the specific tours while you have WiFi access before you leave home or your hotel, and don’t forget headphones. Our family listens on separate devices and communicates with each other to “Start now” so everyone stays in sync.
You may also be interested in walking tours hosted by guides who share information and history as you walk around a city in a tour group. While these tours may be advertised as FREE, it is good etiquette to tip your guides.
The cost for these tours will generally be less than an excursion-type tour.
Check Pinterest as well. I have found self-guided tours created by creative individuals who share their tour itinerary. The tours require you to follow their outline and read the information yourself, but you can still learn a lot…and save money while traveling!
TIP #8 Plan for the FREE Museum Day in Europe
Many cities within Europe offer FREE entrance to museums on the first Sunday of every month. Chris and I have totally planned some of our day trips in Europe around the first Sunday of the month.
We planned our visit to Pompeii on the first Sunday of the month in June 2018!
Do a little research and find out if there are museums close to your travel destination that participate in this program (not all do).
Also, check to see if the “FREE” day falls on another day besides that first Sunday of the month.
Thanks for sticking with me. Let’s wrap up these SUPER EASY ways to save money on travel with Tips #9 and #10.
TIP #9 Skip the Taxi & Travel as the Locals Do
Taxis are typically a last resort for our family. If you do need to take a taxi, note that you can pay the driver with a credit card, but ask first.
If the meter isn’t running, agree upon a price before you get in, otherwise the driver could just come up with a random amount to charge you. Don’t be afraid to get out of the taxi if you aren’t comfortable with the arrangements (before the driver starts driving).
Instead of a taxi, take the train. Train travel is a fabulous way to see Europe. And it is often a great way save money. Other options include taking a bus, the subway, or a tram.
Chris’ favorite site to book European train travel through and to save money on train travel is Trainline.com.
Trains are safe, plentiful, and affordable. Don’t be shy about booking train travel in your itinerary. Trains are an important consideration when establishing the anchor points of your trip.
We took trains on many of our day trips in Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium.
Train stations are centrally located within each city or town and make a great point of reference (but make note that larger cities will often have more than one train station).
Once I pinpoint the cities Chris and I wish to visit (and our anchor flights are arranged), Chris takes care of the travel logistics within the country.
When traveling internationally, we have found that it is so much cheaper to purchase train tickets months in advance if you can. You can definitely save money here.
In fact, first class fares on an InterCity (IC) train are often cheaper than 2nd class fares when purchased a couple of months out.
If you wait until the last minute or change your mind, the cost may jump tremendously.
Chris looked once at buying four train tickets in Italy that he had noted were $40 a few months in advance. Our schedule wasn’t locked in, so we opted not to purchase them at that time. The four tickets jumped to $280 to purchase them at the last minute.
Buying in advance does mean you do have to stick to your schedule since most tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable, but it is another one of the great ways to save money on travel.
Check travel forums in your planning to determine your best transit options. Some hotels include transit passes with your stay.
Many cities also offer an easy-to-use day pass package. You have to weigh the cost with the amount you might use it along with the number of people in your group.
Uber and Lyft are useful for short trips and generally safe; you don’t have to worry about language difficulties or having enough cash as all transactions are conducted via the app. You choose where you want to be taken and select the vehicle according to your group size. No minimum fare is charged.
Note, Uber and Lyft are not available in all European countries. Other companies may also be available.
And finally, #10 on my list of 10 SUPER EASY ways to save money on travel.
TIP #10 Plan for Picnic Lunches
Normally, when Chris and I travel, we love to eat simply for our afternoon meals. We can definitely save money this way.
Usually we find bread, cheese, meat, some carrot sticks, drinks, and fruit. Of course, the lunch fare tastes a little better in the Italian countryside, but we enjoy this simple fare while traveling within the United States too.
When I know that we have planned to have a rental car, I pack a Foldable Insulated Cooler in the bottom of my suitcase. It does not take up much space and is super handy to have as you travel.
Fill the cooler with drinks and lunches as you take day trips. I also pack a gallon-size Ziploc bag and fill it with ice from the hotel’s ice machine. It works like a charm to keep snacks, lunches, and water bottles cool.
TIP #10 is my favorite for making great family memories in the French or Italian countryside.
Do these tips make you excited to travel? Perhaps you are beginning to think, “Yes, I can actually do this!”
Do you still need a little more guidance? Want tips and suggestions for all aspects of your travel?
You’re in luck.
My SUPER EASY Travel Planning eBook goes beyond the ways to save money on travel and guides you through the process of planning your trip and gives you confidence to:
- Book air travel
- Find lodging
- Make transit reservations
- Collect the necessary documents
- Plan your day trips
- Fine tune your packing for luggage and carry-ons
- Make use of travel apps and websites
- And so much more
The eBook is packed full of the essential advice you need as you begin your travel adventures—especially if you are traveling to Europe!
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Final Thoughts on 10 SUPER EASY Ways to Save Money on Travel
If you are a first-time traveler planning your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy, just remember to take your planning one step at a time. Travel can be exciting and fun.
Begin building your vacation fund today and then start to implement these additional money saving expert travel tips into your planning.
I seriously can’t wait to travel again without all these COVID restrictions. Money-saving trips for travel are always so helpful and needed. 🙂
I hear ya. My husband and I can’t wait to travel again.
You are a pro! Love all these tips. I’ve never taken advantage of a pre-downloaded audio tour before, but definitely need to add that to our travel checklist for trips in the future!
Thanks! I enjoy listening to the audio tours and learning things I would not otherwise learn.
My husband and I are planning a trip in August for our anniversary. These were some good tips as we want to save as much as we can!
Let me know if I can help you with anything more. My SUPER EASY Travel Planner will be launching soon too. It would be a fantastic help in your planning.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing them, some I’m already using but many to implement still.
Let me know how the new ideas work for you.
Some great minimalist tips in this article!!
Minimalist and money-saving!
We have tried one other brand of the hydration packs but do like Camelbak the best.
Seriously these tips are great, especially for people who have children. I have 4 kids, and my dream is to take them to Africa. I was planning to it this summer, but with COVID-19 restrictions, it didn’t work. I love your tips, and I enjoy saving money for later use because it is the only way to help me reach my goals. Thanks for sharing.
Africa would be amazing. We had planned to visit in December 2019. Alas, Covid…
I’m a big fan of a picnic lunch or a super cheap bite to eat at a local spot. Also travel points are my best friend!!
We have had some pretty memorable picnic lunches in Europe. Highly recommend planning for them.
Great tips! I am huge on the miles and points. Life changing.
It allows one to see the world when it might not be financially possible otherwise.
So many great tips, thanks for sharing these!
Ohhhh now I’m itching to travel! Great tips!
Me too! Where will you go first?
Enjoyed. This was different.
Easy ways to save that we don’t always consider.
These are amazing tips! I can’t wait to start traveling again. I’ve marked a few of these down for the future vacation! Thank you for sharing!
Where are you going on your next vacation? I am glad the tips were useful.
This is a great reminder to start working on my vacation fund again.. it can be so helpful to have money put aside for a holiday and the pandemic has put this priority to the back of the list but I am hopeful that this changes soon! Thank you for all of these ideas about how to save money on traveling!
Start putting those pennies away. They all add up.
Oh, this post is giving me such an itch to travel again! These were great tips and I definitely agree that no matter where you go, it’s possible to save money while travelling. My most recent trip was to Japan, which everyone said was going to be so expensive. But I stayed in capsule hotels for only 10 dollars a night (and they were amazing and super comfortable) and ate like a local and my trip was not any more expensive than usual! I especially agree with your suggestion to travel like a local. It can be confusing to use subways at first but definitely saves you money!
I would still get lost without my husband, but he has the traveling like a local thing down.
Great tips! I cannot wait to start going overseas again!!!
It’s like the Christmas commercial where people are waiting for stores to open. We are just waiting anxiously for the world to open and saying, “Open Open Open.”
Great. Glad you can use the ideas!
I agree about the hydration pack. We always bring one when we travel to Disney and get so many comments about it.
It is a great idea for sure!
Great tips! I can’t wait to start traveling again
My husband and I often say we are homesick for travel.
Like you, I get crabby when hungry so I always pack granola bars. I have paid for many flights with points from my Delta credit card. Good tips.
Thanks! Using points for travel is awesome. If people aren’t accruing points, they need to sign up now!
Minimizing packing is great advice! I always make sure to pack only what I know I’ll use.
Often, that is simply something you learn after trial and error.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These are such great tips. If travel is something you love you really do need to prioritise it and start a vacay fund. At least, we can all start on that one before we open up for travel again… can’t wait!
Every little bit helps.
These are very good tips, I should start looking into it again, particularly tip no.2. I feel like in Europe there aren’t that many good deals in terms of credit cards as there are in the USA. Maybe, I’m wrong…
These are great tips! I’m definitely going to look into the VPN, thanks!
Great tips, especially #3, although I’m still working on streamlining my packing!
I usually find that there’s one more thing I don’t need to pack each time and try to be a minimalist.
These are all awesome tips! Creating a travel savings fund was such a game-changer for me. It’s great to know that there is money specifically set aside for traveling, so you don’t have to feel “guilty” pulling out of your savings. Also, I love bringing my own snacks! It saves so much money, and then you can spend money on the “foodie” experiences you really want to enjoy.
Glad we aren’t the only ones out there bringing snacks! Great job on saving for your travel.
These are some very practical ways of saving money. I have been using all of them for my trips and they’ve been really helpful. Best thing I did was to sign up for a travel credit card, seriously made life so much better.
Amazing how we can save money without a lot of effort.
Use most of these money saving tips. #1 is especially important, just start with it.
Those are some good tips, vacation fund is really good idea to have as traveling is not cheap especially now with covid.
Let’s just hope the world opens back up soon. We should all be building our vacation fund right now!
Hi dear, you have made a great guide with some very cool tips! Thanks for that! I like to minimize my packing (have saved a lot of money here), but I still need to try 2 things – free walking tours and free Museum Day. About these 2 things, I am always forgetting .