Five Ways to Save Money while Travelling

Photo by Brett Zeck on Unsplash

I've always had a passion for travel, back when I was in my early twenties I spent a month travelling around Europe, I loved discovering new places and experiencing different cultures and if I had the money at the time I would have continued on my adventures and expanded my horizons further. Fate has its way of working things out the way they should be though, as it was just after I got back to the UK that I met my now husband and father of my children.

My life took a different turn and within a few years we were married and parents to two wonderful little people. Ours travels now tend to be a lot more UK based such as our youth hostel adventures in Yorkshire.

I have to admit that my heart is still filled with wanderlust and world travel is certainly something in my future plans. One of the benefits for us of having our children at an early age is that once they are older we can fulfil our dreams to spend time travelling the world and satisfy that desire to see the the sun rise and set in far away locations filled with earth shattering beauty.

Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash

Even though our worldly travels may be a few years in the future, that doesn't stop me from from mentally planning them now and one thing that won't change is my compulsion to make my money stretch as far as possible, so while I'm dreaming of sunsets on far away shores, I've pulled together some top tips to save money for travelling the world.

Photo by The Enlight Project on Unsplash

Top Tips for Saving Money while Travelling

Lay Your Head Somewhere Different

Why not think outside of the box when it comes to accommodation? Rather than staying in a hotel room all of the time, just imagine the adventures you could have pitching a tent in Thailand, sleeping on a boat in Reykjavic or spending your nights on the road, travelling around the Australian Outback in a caravan you found on Gumtree. Closing the door on hotel rooms isn't just about saving money either, you will be able to see the city you are visiting from a truly different perspective.

Talk to the locals

It's a simple one, but it really can make a difference to how much money you end up spending. When you arrive in a new country or city, talk to the people who live and work there. Find out the best value places to eat, the hidden gems that the tourists usually miss out on and the the best times to visit those must see attractions. In these days of modern technology, you don't even have to wait until you arrive to do this, you can check out forums and facebook groups online before you even set off on your trip!

Visit fewer places and stay longer

The slow travel movement is really taking off. It makes so much sense when you think about it, how many times have you come back from a trip and just wished you had longer to take it all in. Instead of planning an action packed itinerary that will risk you burning out half way through, why not get to know somewhere really well?  As well as feeling more relaxed and being able to explore so much more of a destination, this will also save you a lot more money that you realise. Flights, bus trips, train journeys and driving long distances can really eat into your budget. You can also often negotiate better rates on accommodation if you are staying for longer, so the savings all add up. 

Slow down, take more in, save money and discover so much more.

Be Flexible with your Flights

If you have the luxury of being flexible with your dates of travel, it can really save you a fortune! Firstly, when booking flights, it's always best to use an incognito or private browsing mode so you see the best prices. The next step is to identify the cheapest day to fly, it is often accepted that this is a Tuesday, however that could be just a myth, so to be sure for the time that you are travelling you can do a search on a booking site such as Skyscanner. To do this, choose your departure and arrival destinations, select a the one way flight option, then select 'depart', but instead of selecting a date, choose 'whole month', then 'cheapest month', and then search flights. You should now have an idea of the best value dates to fly and can start to arrange your travel around these.

Walk More

When you are at home or in a place you are familiar with, you are much more likely to walk from place to place than when you are visiting somewhere new. When travelling, it can be almost instinct to jump on a tram or bus when you see one that displays your destination, even if it is within walking distance. However, by walking across a town you can see so much more of the place you are visiting and save those pennies for the important things!

This is a collaborative post.