We all need a break from daily life at least once a year? How do you cut costs when vacationing? I noticed one time when we went to Disneyland families brought in their own lunch - so we started brining an ice chest with us on vacations so we can have lunch on our own. (We do splurge on dinner however… I mean you have to live a bit - especially on vacation!!). I also like cruising because food is one of the biggest expenses while vacationing and you can do a 4 day cruise - with food and entertainment included - very reasonably! What tips do you guys have on being a bit more savvy on vacation???
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I recently booked a trip with my sister to Greece - for almost two weeks! But we booked through a travel company that allowed us to pay each month for our hotels and excursions (which also included two meals a day!) so now when we go over in May, our trip will basically be paid for. I’ve been putting aside a little bit of extra money for any other food and souvenir items I want to buy while I’m there. But I can guarantee it’ll be saving us tons of money in the long run! We also booked our flights separately through a site called Momondo, for half the price of what the flights originally were!
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I take the train. A few years ago I took a vacation to Quebec, but found the flight home and the train were about the same price. So I booked myself a train trip from Montreal to New York City, one of the most scenic rail routes in the world (according to Amtrak), spent the night in New York, then went from New York to DC en route to Chicago. I spent the night on the train–slept great, by the way–and meals were included with my sleeper car. Once I arrived in Chicago, I took the Greyhound back home to Indianapolis. Both Amtrak and Greyhound have free WiFi and a lot of leg room, so it’s a comfortable ride. Like air travel, you run the risk of delays–I got stuck in DC for a few hours because a wheel cracked–so bring something to do just in case.
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@briana what site allowed you to do that? Can anyone use that site? My co-worker recently took a trip to Greece and she said it was beautiful. I need to add it to my bucket list. You will have to let us know how the trip goes!
@beckatsila that is a great tip. I have never personally taken the train, though I have considered it several times. Several of my family members have however for cheaper travel and they have had a good experience every time.
One way I consistently save money when traveling/vacationing is by booking an AirBnb instead of a hotel. For example, on my honeymoon, instead of booking the expensive resorts in Cancun, we instead rented an entire 3 bedroom 3 bath house with a private Jacuzzi and access to a pool in a secure neighborhood. The total cost for 10 nights came out to $450 as opposed to the $200+ a night at the resorts. This also meant we were able to avoid a lot of the tourist crowds and allowed us to experience Mexico from a different view.
I have rented in the States both entire homes and also shared homes and so far I have had great stays!
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Moore Income posted:
@briana what site allowed you to do that? Can anyone use that site? My co-worker recently took a trip to Greece and she said it was beautiful. I need to add it to my bucket list. You will have to let us know how the trip goes!
@beckatsila that is a great tip. I have never personally taken the train, though I have considered it several times. Several of my family members have however for cheaper travel and they have had a good experience every time.
One way I consistently save money when traveling/vacationing is by booking an AirBnb instead of a hotel. For example, on my honeymoon, instead of booking the expensive resorts in Cancun, we instead rented an entire 3 bedroom 3 bath house with a private Jacuzzi and access to a pool in a secure neighborhood. The total cost for 10 nights came out to $450 as opposed to the $200+ a night at the resorts. This also meant we were able to avoid a lot of the tourist crowds and allowed us to experience Mexico from a different view.
I have rented in the States both entire homes and also shared homes and so far I have had great stays!
It was https://www.momondo.com and yes! Everyone can use it. I can’t wait! I’m super excited and will absolutely update everyone. Maybe I can try and implement some of these money saving on vacation tips I’m learning and let everyone know how it goes!
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Great travel tips you guys posted. Thank you!!
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I own a timeshare so I have started searching for units that allow dogs. We then take a driving vacation and get to see and stop in some smaller towns on the way. This has cut the cost of our trips significantly since we no longer need to save for boarding and each unit has a kitchen so we can cook most of our meals there but still sample the local flavor.
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@briana Which company allowed you to pay month to month for your vacation? Would love to pay for a trip that way.
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rtms77 posted:
@briana Which company allowed you to pay month to month for your vacation? Would love to pay for a trip that way.
@rtms77 it’s called Go Ahead Tours: https://www.goaheadtours.com/. Definitely a lifesaver. It’s much easier to save a little each month instead of coming up with everything all at once. And once we go over for the trip, everything will be scheduled and paid off! Minimizing the stress as well.
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Interesting vacations I have not travelled in my life and i believe i am not the first one when i take or look for the cheapest hotels and intertainments what would happen in terms of saving money.In this world not everybody is successful but we want to learn and exprience life of other countries.
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when I have travelled to Europe in the past, I have purchased some snacks & fruit at ‘farmer’s markets & grocery stores’ rather than cafes to save some money. I keep a list of people I would like to buy gifts for, so that I don’t forget people or don’t over buy for a specific person.
In the US & Canada, I have visited tourist information centres that sometimes have coupons for local activities & restaurants and they can give you some local recommendations as well.
For camping trips, I save up rewards points for gas gift cards & enter contests for gas gift cards. I also plan meals & save my FPC (free product coupons) for snacks & treats that we only have camping (chocolate bars for smores, chips, etc).
If I need to exchange money, I have a couple of flight attendant friends that get a better deal at the money exchange than me & I usually treat them to a Starbucks coffee with a gift certificate that I have gotten from points or won.
You have to anticipate what your biggest expenses will be and go from there. As mentioned above, vacations are a time to relax and enjoy outside of your everyday life! It’s time to splurge on something special and label it as your “big ticket item”. This indulgence could be dinner for two at the best sushi restaurant in Tokyo, a day trip exploring glaciers in Iceland, a night at that five-star hotel you’ve been dreaming of, or a special souvenir you’ve been saving up for to buy for mom.
Once you’ve identified your big ticket item, map out ways you can save on the rest. If your destination involves a big layover, make sure to pack snacks in advance to avoid overpaying in airport convenience stores. Speaking of airports, some credit cards offer access to lounges where you can sleep and shower. Other cards award you with a certain dollar amount to spend at designated restaurants in your terminal.
After the travel comes the fun part. While I’ve found success in booking AirBnB’s in the US, don’t forget to check out good ole Expedia or Tripadvisor bundles when traveling abroad! Local hotels are in fierce competition with AirBnB (this = major deal$$$) and they can often save you a couple hundred bucks and the hassle of communicating with an AirBnb host/finding a tricky location. Parks, gardens, trails, aimlessly drinking in the architecture, and bike tours are sure to be as memorable as they are inexpensive. They’re also a great way to get a local’s perspective and skip the tourist traps. Shopping for food at grocery stores can also give you an insiders view on the culture and lifestyle of wherever you may be visiting and save you a more than a couple bucks along the way, even if it’s just breakfast for the week.
Hope this helps! Happy travels!
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I enjoy travelling. I assume I only have approximately three weeks off every year, therefore I’m willing to spend lavishly during those three weeks. Flying to the other side of the planet is insane. We spend roughly $4,000 to $5,000 on vacations in total, which is about 3% of our overall revenue.
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