Some people are experts at traveling on the cheap. Here are some of their secrets.
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The recent holiday cold wave that put much of the nation on ice probably has you dreaming of travel to warmer climates. Before you book a trip, make sure you look for ways to save.
By tapping into the wisdom of the most seasoned — and frugal — globetrotters, you can trim travel bills now or anytime during the year when you plan a vacation.
Following are some of the secret ways that frugal travelers slash their costs.
Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson has been all over the world — to Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand and Russia — but has rarely taken anything with him except a carry-on bag.
Doing so has allowed him to avoid baggage fees and a lot of unnecessary hassle. For more on why he limits himself to a backpack — and tips on how you can do the same — check out “How Can You Go to Europe for 10 Days With Just a Carry-On?”
Most travelers despise layovers and much prefer direct flights. But there are occasions where layovers can be your frugal best friend.
Jeremy Scott Foster, CEO at Travel Freak, tells the Associated Press that sometimes, you can book a cheaper flight that has a layover in the location where you really plan to stay. He uses a website called Skiplagged to find such flights.
“I took advantage of the Skiplagged website while on my trip to Dubai and booked a flight from L.A. to Bangkok with Dubai being the layover destination. And I simply (intentionally) missed the second leg of the flight.”
The Associated Press warns that if you use this technique too often, it’s possible the airlines will flag you. But Skiplagged says doing so yields an average savings of $128 per ticket.
Eating in restaurants every day during a vacation quickly gets expensive — not to mention the deleterious impact on your waistline and overall health.
However, booking a hotel or Airbnb with a kitchen allows you to create more healthful meals at a cheaper price.
Make sure to do a little math on this one. It’s even possible that by paying a little more to get a room with a kitchen, you will come out ahead financially.
For more tips, check out “10 Ways to Save Money on Food While Traveling.”
Sometimes, travelers know exactly where they want to go. But in many other cases, they simply want to get away to somewhere new and exotic.
If you fall into the latter category, you can save a lot of money by going to where travel is cheaper.
Each year, the website Price of Travel releases its Backpacker Index that ranks major destinations around the world by price.
Cities are ranked by the daily cost of paying for:
Some cheap places to visit in this year’s rankings of 136 destinations around the world include Vientiane, Laos ($16.82 a day); Delhi, India ($21.78); and Quito, Ecuador ($24.99).
Compare those prices to Boston ($149.80); Zurich, Switzerland ($133.65); and Tel Aviv ($97.42).
If you travel a lot, it pays to invest in travel products that save you time and money. For example, a worldwide travel adapter will allow you to plug in portable, non-grounded devices in locations around the world. Then, you don’t need to worry about purchasing a different adapter for various destinations.
For more on such must-have items, check out “17 Travel Products That Save You Time and Money.”
The cost to park your car at the airport is egregious. In fact, if you plan a long trip and get a great deal on airfare, it’s possible you might pay nearly as much in parking fees at the airport as you paid for your flight.
Getting a ride to the airport or taking public transportation is usually a better option.
Failing that, try to park in one of the “park and ride” lots located away from the airport itself. Rates here are almost always much cheaper than what you would pay for the convenience of being close to the terminals.
Having the right credit card in your wallet can save you money when traveling. If you are going to Europe, make sure you have a card that does not charge a foreign transaction fee, for example.
Other credit cards offer perks — such as frequent flyer miles or cash back — that allow you to build up rewards before you travel. You can then use these rewards to reduce the price of your trip.
Stop by the Money Talks News Solutions Center and search for a great travel rewards credit card.
There is nothing wrong with paying to see special things. If you are going to New York, go ahead and spring for a Broadway production.
But you can balance out those splurges by finding low-cost or even free activities to do at other times. For example, in the notoriously expensive Big Apple, walking through Central Park will cost you nothing.
Or head out for a free day on Rockaway Beach. Even the Staten Island Ferry — with its views of the city and the Statue of Liberty — is free.
As any experienced traveler knows, the markup on food inside an airport is flat-out ridiculous. Instead of wasting money here, grab a bite at McDonald’s or some other restaurant before you head to the airport.
Or even better, eat something at home or make a sandwich to take with you.
Finally, the ultimate example of being a frugal traveler is to travel for free. If you are flexible and think outside the box, you can discover many ways — from volunteering to house-sitting — to get away from the daily grind for next to nothing.
We share some ideas in “7 Ways to Travel for Free.”
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