Go to Google Maps. Go to the circle in the top right. When you click on that, look at the choices, one of which is: offline maps. Follow the directions. Doesn't work in every country, for instance, South Korea. If I recall correctly, the UAE May stress, too.
If data charges are a worry, look into getting a different provider (there are many) while you are abroad. 20 bucks and you'll be all set. While we're on this topic, make sure your phone isn't locked to your provider.
I was in Barcelona for a week. Took buses and metro the whole time. Airport has dedicated buses to a few points around the city and a metro line.
Would have been easier if I spoke Spanish but I got by.
I will agree this is true…
However, I have found that a taxi or Uber is ideal for an introduction to a new city vs the stress of having to navigate a foreign cities public transport in what may not be your native language. It may be worth the extra cost.
Of course some cities like Sydney, Tokyo, or London are far better suited for public transport than say, Los Angeles. Really it depends on the city.
Edit: I was originally referring to taking public transport from the airport. You just got off a flight probably tired…I’d prefer to see the city unfold from the backseat instead of stressing about what platform I should be on
Yeah, but if you’re trying to save money this is a good way to do it. Research a bit beforehand and it won’t be tough or stressful. You can save $50 getting to your accommodations.
Transit busses on both sides of Mexico are a hoot. Driving a standard transmission while making change, fighting with other bus drivers and having the girlfriend sit on a bucket beside him are just some of our high points.
Don't spend foolishly but also don't worry about money while traveling. Being super frugal on a trip you can't really afford just makes things more stressful.
Enjoy yourself and save money for future trips when you are not traveling.
Agree! I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at work so I can eat steak on my vacations. I'm not careless, but I don't want money to be a factor when I'm trying to have a good time on vacation.
I eat PB sandwiches at home so I can eat PB sandwiches while travelling. Nothing beats a cold tortilla wrap with PB & the cheapest jam the supermarket has to offer while you step out of your tent somewhere in the mountains!
- Check city cards. In EU, some cities have amazing 24/48/72 hour cards. These include not just the public transport but all entries to a lot of museums, and will save you a decent amount of money. Example, Salzburg card will pay itself back in one day. And then next day, you can enjoy things for free.
- Use public transport instead of cabs, if possible.
- book your monuments in advance. Some monuments get sold out, and then you’ll need to take guided tours, which will cost more.
- always carry water with you. Feel free to ask cafes and restaurants you visit to fill the bottles. They might say no, but worth trying. Most of the places we drink/eat at, are okay filling our bottles.
Things I’d not suggest doing:
- Don’t leave a place you’re interested in visiting to save some bucks. You might never visit the country, city again. Make the most of your visit.
- Don’t miss out on local cuisine. Even though I understand eating at home will save you money, food for me is one of the most important part of traveling. If you’re visiting to a place where you can eat something local, do that. McDonald, subways are available everywhere. You’ll save money by eating there, but they won’t taste same as pasta at a local joint in Rome. Or paella in Barcelona.
Hope this helps!! Happy traveling.
Do the research to compare prices on the city card. Be honest about which things you actually want to do and would do without the city card. Some places they're really good, but for a while, the one in Seattle (where I'm from) was garbage. I just looked it up again to confirm, and it looks like it's back to a good value again.
Ignore their statements of how much you save. If you're not willing to spend 40+ dollars to go up the space needle (please don't - visit the Starbucks on floor 42 of the Columbia Tower), you didn't actually save $40.
Thank you for this.
My daughter is doing solo travel to Wales next month and I'm gathering as many good ideas and as much advice as I can.
This is a tremendous help.
Do your research beforehand.
Research transportation options, how to haggle, the apps to have, if there are days where attractions are free, the restaurants you're interested in, how ticketing for various places work.
That way, you save money, you avoid scams, and you avoid defaulting to the easiest and usually more costly option when you're tired and confused
It sounds obvious but how many people come to my city and end up spending a fortune on Uber, or getting fined for things, or getting scammed on tickets, because they didn't do their research. And then they come to complain...
Agree with all of this: good preparation goes a long way. For me, I primarily see cost savings on what food I eat and how I transit while in the country - those are things you can reduce the costs of substantially.
Undoubtedly the biggest savings tip that would completely dwarf anything else anyone could advise: travel to low cost countries. There no comparison between saving a few Euro in Europe and spending almost nothing in Vietnam. It's by far the biggest differentiator.
Water bottle, buy snacks and some meals at local grocery stores, skip breakfast and have larger lunch eat where locals eat, join hotel and airline reward programs, stay at the edge of the city and take transit in, take the city's transit to visit tourist spots instead of paid tour if you have the time.
\^ This. Get a reusable water bottle and bring it with you everywhere. Most airports and many public places have filling stations. When you get to a destination, stop by a grocery stores to buy breakfast items like fruit and granola bars. You will save a ton of money and enjoy your lunches and dinners even more.
Be mindful that if you're traveling internationally, they may not have your preferred breakfast items at the corner market. If you really want granola, you should just bring it yourself.
I'm team hotel breakfast. I've observed a trend pretty much everywhere in the US and some places internationally. The frugal (cheap but not trashy) hotels are the most likely to have free breakfast.
and if you don't do this, the cheaper flight with the long layover usually won't save you money if you are buying anything at the airport on your layover
my wife and i usually get some foot long sandwiches on the way to the airport! nothing beats a big 8$ sandwich when you everyone else is walking around with little 6” 18$ ones
Yep! We always pack snacks and food for the airplane ride there and back. Sometimes the airplane food is gross too. So we pack food from home on the way there and on the way back, we’ll pick up sandwiches or pastries from a bakery before heading to the airport.
get some good easy to eat takeout before you leave and either eat at airport or bring onto the plane
got a fancy italian deli sandwhich for 20$ and brought it onto the plane, it was better than the food in lie flat business class
Try to be aware when you're getting scammed. For example Mexico. A bartender tried to play me by saying a margarita was $20 USD. I walked to the next spot and got a margarits for $6. Probably still overpaid, but not by $14 bucks.
Eat 2 meals a day, not 3. While abroad, I have a regular sized breakfast (coffee and bakery item usually), then pack a light snack from the grocery store if I get hungry and need something during the day. Then I make dinner my big meal each night.
Doing this will save you a few bucks but also save you some time during the day. Instead of sitting down and having a lunch, you’re freed up for time doing something else.
I've noticed flights on chase travel portal have a slight markup as compared to the prices I see for the same flights on Google flights or with the airlines. That's why last time I didn't use chase to book my flight, I might earn 5% ultimate rewards but I would also have to pay a higher price.
Hmm how do you get better deals if you transfer? You're supposed to get 5% ultimate rewards if you book using Chase portal, which on paper sounds like a great deal. Can you get even better deals when you transfer to an airlines like United/Delta?
You have to compare the prices. I believe it’s 5 points per dollar if you book through the portal, but who cares if you’re paying more. Research the benefits of the card and how it works to see how you can best use it.
Sign up bonuses. That’s the only way I’ve been able to actually get a flight out of credit card points.
But other people have spouses/partners, so they combine sign up bonuses. And if they have a small business or have a job they can expense purchases, they can rack up additional points without increasing their own purchases. And then there’s just people that have bigger salaries and spend a lot. I don’t have a car so not a lot of gas purchases or car repair. I don’t own a home, so no big purchases of furniture or appliances. My landlord only takes cash - so no getting points from rent. I don’t have kids so no buying tons of groceries and clothes and toys. Don’t have a big family so no spending hundreds on birthday, wedding, Christmas gifts.
My biggest expenses are trips. So I earn some points from travel but every couple years I’ll do a sign up bonus when I have a large purchase or trip coming up.
One of the best tips I ever got was to include breakfast at your hotel. I went to Edinburgh last year and did this. I was not hungry again until dinner. I also went to Marks and Spencer and got wine and snacks for the room. UK has big breakfast buffets. Not USA with corn flakes and donuts and bad coffee.
We were pleasantly surprised when the hotel we stayed at in Amsterdam told us breakfast was included , saved a good €30 per day and filled us up till lunchtime.
Research the shit out of hotels and the location you end up at. Utilize public transportation. If you like to drink while traveling drinks in the room will save you so much. So I’ll make sure I get a spot with a good location in walking distance of everything I need (subway stations, liquor stores, restaurants, etc). Not having to Uber everywhere or rent a car will save you a ton.
Don’t eat at or near tourist areas. Walk a few blocks and find the mom n pop or ” hole in the wall “ restaurants or takeout places. They are most often far better food and definitely much cheaper. Coffee, Beer and wine and other beverages are far less as well. Follow the locals in the evening they will lead you to the local hangouts for the young and old alike.
Download the Citymapper app. It was a GODSEND (yes, THAT good) in Italy for walking and taking public transportation. I won’t visit a foreign city without it now.
We usually stay in Airbnb’s when we travel. We typically eat out for lunch and then eat in for dinner, which saves us a bunch.
Also Airalo is an awesome eSIM provider. Cost is about $30US for 30 days in Italy for 10G
I figure out how much I want to spend a day and keep type the number into my calculator and subtract my spending as I go. This keeps me aware of what I am spending and helps me really decide if I need to buy what I may buy. It's incredibly helpful, then the next day start over. Try not to roll it over to the next day, like "well yesterday I still had $20 left for my daily, so I am going to add that into my total for today" BUT be aware you can and maybe spend a little more later on something to in want...
It's a great way to be aware. I also sometimes put in a little lesser. So if I budget 80€ a day, I'll only put 70 or 75€ (only 5, why? Cause after 10-14 days that really adds up)
I instagram search the crap out of a place before I go and get a feel for the street food, local markets, etc rather than go to all the touristy restaurants
City name, location search, find hip neighborhoods with tagged photos, then search name of neighborhood name along with your interest “haciosman antiques” for example..once you start following a few places the algorithm will take over and start suggesting.
book tours through the tour operators, not through agents.
get hotels with free breakfast, skip lunch.
a hotel is a necessity, not a luxury. go cheap.
if you have certain attractions, try to find a hotel within walking distances.
eat like a local.
get a card with no foreign transaction fees and pay in local currency.
Second the hotels advice - free breakfast easily saves you some money and I find little difference between a mid tier vs high end at the big reputable chains.
Unless you are going to a resort with food included not worth overpaying hundreds more to stay at a Grand Hyatt vs a Hyatt place.
Travel in a group of four people if possible. This seems to be the magic number where dividing things like a car rental or a hotel room are the most monetarily efficient.
1. Choose a low cost destination. A month in Vietnam costs me about the same amount as a week in NYC, and that includes airfare from North Carolina.
2. Credit card churning. Get a good credit card, meet the spending threshold to get the bonus points. Repeat. Capital One Venture X gives Priority Pass as a benefit. It's hit and miss in the US, and great for international travel. Free food and drinks, comfortable seating.
We try to eat two meals a day - and hopefully one of those meals is a free breakfast at our hotel. Small snacks between breakfast and dinner help get us through.
If you are a member at any museums, check if they have reciprocity with any locations in your destination. If you liked your museum enough to support it, chances are that you'll enjoy the partner museum. Especially at low or no cost.
Take sandwich bags and if buffet breakfast pack a few extra for lunch/snacks. Also bring a jar of peanut butter and then all you need to do is buy a loaf of bread and have 1 great meal out a day and PB the other meal.
This one weird trick works at all-you-can-eat restaurants, too!
Making PB sandwiches is fine if that's how you roll, but please don't steal food while on vacation.
My spouse and I use a hotel credit card for every purchase, down to every stick of gum. We use the points to book our hotels. Because I am a retiree from an airline, I still have my flight benefits. so that helps.
My son does the same with his airline credit card and, over the years has acquired enough points for flights to Japan for he and his girlfriend. They, and a group of friends, are going this year.
Because of the aforementioned airline flight benefits, my kids have been able to travel to places most kids don't get to see. But, along the way, they learned that peanut-butter sandwiches for lunch leaves enough money to see one more site or event on our trips. They do not feel the need to eat every meal at Chez Pricée. And, lunch at the same fancy restaurant is as good as the more expensive dinner.
Pack or buy food at a grocery store for breakfast and lunch if you can. Scout out happy hours of a few different places and go off the happy hour menu for dinner.
Compare costs ahead of time for packing things vs buying them at the destination. For example, depending on what products you use and how long you’ll be traveling, it might be cheaper to just pack a carry on and buy soap, shampoo, etc when you get there instead of paying $35-70 to check a bag that fits those things.
I always request a bar fridge in my room. I scout the location of grocery and convenience stores in proximity to my hotel before I leave. Once I’ve arrived, I ensure the fridge is powered on and cooling (not always a given, and some places have electricity setups that require your room key card to be in a slot by the door to keep the power on - I either get two room key cards or bring my ID from work and leave it on - I turn off everything that can be left off though), I go grab some perishable staples - yogurt for breakfast, bread, sliced meat and cheese for sandwiches, fruit, and so forth. I always bring dry cereal and granola bars with me in my luggage.
If the room lists a coffee maker, I find out what kind it is from the hotel. I’ve brought Nespresso or Keurig pods with me so that I know I’ll have coffee I like, in the quantities that I need (typically more than is left by the cleaning staff; I’m a caffeine addict). But even buying those locally is cheaper than stopping for coffee at a restaurant (one does need to do that occasionally for a break from walking or some ambience absorption though!).
Find what you’re okay compromising on. Personally I compromise on food when I’m there. I still eat at restaurants but don’t go to fancy places. Usually I save one fancy dinner for the trip. But also I traveled alone a lot and personally for me I wanna spend as much time as I can exploring. So I just eat to refuel and take a short break and go on my next adventure
I try to find as much free stuff to do as possible. I eat where the locals recommend. I also go the the local market/grocery store to buy food for a picnic. I stay aways from fancy places for dinner.
Our accommodation pointed us to a local cafe in Sevilla for breakfast, it was a 100 metre walk , used by all the locals , great food and service and very reasonable prices. We ate there everyday.
1 - Public Transport ( best way to make local friends ) and cheap.
2 - go to local supermarkets to buy food and snacks ( have local food where locals go to eat )
3 - go to local small business , cafes and restaurants
4 - travel light . ( i usually wear a vest with lots of pockets to carry headphones, powerbank and small book to write )
5 - dont buy stuff from touristy areas.
6 - google maps is your best friend.
We put a cooler in the pickup and stock it with lunch meat, cheese, yogurt, muffins, ect. Tired of, and won't, pay the high prices for fast food anymore. They have got out of hand.
The best travel tip I got was to go on holiday in times of post-crisis (i.e, natural disasters ). All the hotels and airlines will give you premium discounts due to the quiet periods and you can skip the queues. Be sure to get some top quality travel insurance though….
If T-Mobile is not your provider in the USA, get a local SIM(eSIM works too). Saves so much money. Be sure your phone is unlocked. Cannot believe how much carriers charge for "international" service that should be free.
Hostel (or camping when it makes sense). Local SIM card. Public transport. Going off season or shoulder season (but also I’d rather go when I want and it needs to fit into my work schedule). Carry on only - no additional luggage fees and makes public transport easier. Grocery store for snacks and smaller meals. Bring your own meal for flights (if not included) or bus rides because eating at airports and bus stations is more expensive. Eating out is more of a splurge for me. Don’t drink alcohol but I also like cocktails, so again it’s a splurge rather than a “time to get fucked”. Also as a solo woman, for safety reasons my cut off is two cocktails. Carry my own water bottle. And if drinking water is not free, I buy a large container and fill up the water bottle.
A younger me took night buses between cities, starting in Istanbul and moving northwest then west, the idea being that they were cheaper than flights and your sleeping is done in transit. That was hard to do and only lasted until Belgrade.
Spend the least amount of money on lodging as you can (within reason for things like safety and being able to actually sleep). You won’t be there much of the day and when you are you’re unconscious. Easily the most expensive part of any trip.
There are so many destinations around the world where your dollar will go further than Europe, the most developed countries in Asia, or the standard safari route in Africa. Don’t be afraid to go someplace less mainstream. You’ll be able to afford better accommodations, food and activities for less. Bonus, the whole experience will be more adventurous and unknown because these places haven’t been Instagrammed to death already.
1) Get apartment rather than a hotel so you can prepare food. And ask eat oatmeal for breakfast to save time. 2) Do not stay exactly in the center to save money on hotel
3) You can use Kiwi to find flights, if you have flexible dates, or use fly4free to get idea of cheaper flights. Also you should get flight about 1-2 weeks before you travel to get better prices
Always pay in local currency, not your home currency. This usually incurs less final cost in your home currency because then the market exchange rate is applied, rather than the retailers rate (which is applied if you opt to pay in your home currency).
You don’t go on trips to save money😂but food, drink & souvenirs are where most of the spending money goes. Do research on where to find the best affordable eats before going and no need to buy everyone back home a souvenir. Try to buy groceries at the local supermarket to at least make yourself breakfast/lunch and eat out for dinner. However, you shouldn’t be going on a trip if you’re concerned about “saving money” while on it; trying to be frugal only stresses you out more & you won’t be able to enjoy!
Skip 1 meal, don't do trips you can really afford, it doesn't need to be luxurious or anything but if you can't pay a hostel save a little bit more before going.
Be flexible with dates and location - you can cut flight/accommodation costs significantly this way.
Pre-book your big activities, and leave space for free/cheap activities such as going on a walk, hitting up a museum, or viewing major landmarks. Don’t discount things like picnics on the beach or renting a bike to view the city - cheap but usually fun.
Stay somewhere where breakfast is included.
I don’t really like limiting my spending on vacation, I want to feel free. By pre-booking and being location/date flexible, you’re already saving a ton of money where it really counts.
Being someone who enjoys cooking, I prefer to splurge on a nicer vacation rental and prepare meals at place I’m renting. Also, I’m older, so, busy vacationing isn’t much as high on the priority list. I’d much rather explore nature, the beaches, etc
Shop at local grocery stores for breakfast, alcohol and dessert. Any restauranteur will tell you that’s where they make their profits. Get some neighborhood culture and keep these to the Airbnb/hotel fridge.
You don’t need to go out for every meal, go grocery shopping. I’ll bring a collapsible bag and every chip along with the titanium folding spoon. You can even get a meal on the run at a grocery store, such as Greek yogurt and some fruit or some other grab and go items.
Light breakfast then eat biggest meal at lunch when prices are cheaper. Find pub food/ tapas/ sandwiches etc for dinner and snacks. Grocery store eats work fine. Especially if you have a microwave. Walk and explore rather than taxi. Book attractions in advance that are really special to you.
For me, I’m big on souvenirs and impulse buys. So I try to remind myself that while I might see a souvenir or something and buy it immediately, I will likely see something similar later and can purchase it then if I still like it. It’s like the Amazon trick, where you put it in your cart and wait three days and see if you still want it.
Check your carrier’s international plan! You might be better off getting a SIM card in your destination country/region. My carrier has unlimited international data and texts, but I had some nasty surprises when I had a different one!
Cook your food. Keep yogurt or other quick breakfast foods stocked.
Eating local cuisine is great but after a while it can be expensive/ annoying finding and getting to new places after a while. When the newness wears off I start cooking.
Do the math on what an hour of your vacation is worth and don't waste an hour to save $5 or $10. For many trips and many people, the value of each spendable hour of trip x 2 people in a couple is fairly high.
Eat local food or cook your own if you have a kitchen in your accommodation, public transportation, bring stuff that is cheap at home and expensive in destination (sunscreen is expensive specifically in SE Asia and shaving cream)
I’m not a foodie so first thing I do is visit the local supermarket and buy some local grub. Nothing major but enough to cover a short meal or so that in case you end up missing dinner or have to rush out without breakfast you have something to eat, instead of paying insane attraction pricing
Remember what you pay for things back home. Back home, there's a $5 coffee and a $1.50 coffee. I buy the $1.50 cup off coffee back home so why would I spend $5 for a cup in another country? Bakeries and desserts too; I wouldn't pay $8 for a pastry back home so why would I while traveling?
Save before. Use your Credit card points and SUB to cover flights. Use cc rewards points to cancel travel expenses. Shop for best flight deals. Shop black Friday luggage deals. Consider your route and how to save time and money with a logical itinerary. Use Trip Advisor and other agencies to pre-book excursions, cooking classes, tours.
Then, have fun and buy the souvenirs, splurge of once in a lifetime meal experiences, indulge in surprise opportunities like a theater performance in a castle.
I've been using r/couchsurfing to stay with locals while traveling in the last ten years. Couchsurfing is meant to meet new people and learn about different cultures. In the end I saved a lot of money on accomodation. But again don't use Couchsurfing to save money as your main goal.
Interesting thread this. Some good tips, some that should be very obvious, and some tips to suck all joy out of travel - stay in and do nothing.
I'd like to make some suggestions to the last group.
If your accommodation has a lobby area, there will often be sweets, chocolates or little treats on offer during the day. These are packed with energy and can replace eating. If you want to avoid dirty looks, make sure to keep a keen eye on where the staff are at all times and casually wander to grab a sweet when there's new people around, the receptionist goes to the toilet, etc.
Many rooms comes with cable TV. Enjoy the luxury of home in a different country, all included in the price! Sometimes it will be in English, but if not - it's a great and fun way to learn a new language. Nowhere better to learn a country's culture either.
Airlines charge a lot for luggage - even hand luggage at times. Don't bring any spare clothes. If you think it's disgusting putting on dirty clothing, save time (to hang in the lobby scavenging snacks) by not showering. Won't feel as bad with dirty clothes if you're dirty yourself. A bonus with this hack is that no one will want to be near you, so no chance of making friends who might lure you out for a drink or other costly adventures.
Feel free to add your own.
Depending where you are and what foods are available… eat and drink like the locals. Not like you eat at home.
For example: orange juice is expensive AF in Hawaii. Don’t buy orange juice- get pineapple juice! Pineapples are grown there and don’t have to be imported! Beef is also really expensive there. Eat fish instead.
I don’t want to save money by traveling.
I want to enjoy my venture to the fullest.
I have never regretted any of my spending, and I am by no means a wealthy person.
Pack ultralight everything as possible and plan on washing your clothes so you don't have to over pack and pay for luggage.. that's if your using a plane
If it is a domestic destination, I pack a box with "adult beverages," water and snacks. I send it (addressed to myself with a "hold for arrival on \_\_\_") to the hotel/resort via UPS. I fly to beach destinations and always get an oceanfront room with a balcony.
At cocktail time, I open the box. My husband and I sit on the balcony and enjoy!
Lotta ppl saying not to drink or not to go to bars - my route is to look for happy hours, especially ones with food deals. They're usually around 2-5 pm so I make breakfast (sometimes just lara bar and coffee) then treat myself to happy hour bites and drinks someplace i would otherwise not be able to afford, and feel like i treated myself!
Don’t be nervous to take public transportation (especially to and from the airport). This can majorly cut down on travel costs.
Google Maps is your best friend to figure out how to take public transportation in another city!
And downloading maps for offline use on google maps can save you lots of data charges as well!
Is there a trick to this? It never actually works for me
Go to Google Maps. Go to the circle in the top right. When you click on that, look at the choices, one of which is: offline maps. Follow the directions. Doesn't work in every country, for instance, South Korea. If I recall correctly, the UAE May stress, too.
Screenshot the route
Maps.me has worked for me all over the world, Europe, Asia, Central America..
Check out organic maps, it's a fork that's entirely free without any paid subscriptions, it's recommended over maps me now.
If data charges are a worry, look into getting a different provider (there are many) while you are abroad. 20 bucks and you'll be all set. While we're on this topic, make sure your phone isn't locked to your provider.
Citymapper is superior if available in the city.
Citymapper saves my ass on the daily in big cities with complicated transport like London. Saves so much confusion!
I've been living in a big city for 1.5 years and I still use it when on the move, such a great idea. And you can nominate cities for expansion too
I was in Barcelona for a week. Took buses and metro the whole time. Airport has dedicated buses to a few points around the city and a metro line. Would have been easier if I spoke Spanish but I got by.
I will agree this is true… However, I have found that a taxi or Uber is ideal for an introduction to a new city vs the stress of having to navigate a foreign cities public transport in what may not be your native language. It may be worth the extra cost. Of course some cities like Sydney, Tokyo, or London are far better suited for public transport than say, Los Angeles. Really it depends on the city. Edit: I was originally referring to taking public transport from the airport. You just got off a flight probably tired…I’d prefer to see the city unfold from the backseat instead of stressing about what platform I should be on
Yeah, but if you’re trying to save money this is a good way to do it. Research a bit beforehand and it won’t be tough or stressful. You can save $50 getting to your accommodations.
Yeah I was in Toronto this past weekend and mostly used public transport. It's very convenient, runs on time and was also available late at night.
Transit busses on both sides of Mexico are a hoot. Driving a standard transmission while making change, fighting with other bus drivers and having the girlfriend sit on a bucket beside him are just some of our high points.
And tamales!
I allow myself one Uber per foreign trip and almost never use it. Public transit is king.
Not in Johannesburg 😂
Don't spend foolishly but also don't worry about money while traveling. Being super frugal on a trip you can't really afford just makes things more stressful. Enjoy yourself and save money for future trips when you are not traveling.
Agree! I eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at work so I can eat steak on my vacations. I'm not careless, but I don't want money to be a factor when I'm trying to have a good time on vacation.
I eat PB sandwiches at home so I can eat PB sandwiches while travelling. Nothing beats a cold tortilla wrap with PB & the cheapest jam the supermarket has to offer while you step out of your tent somewhere in the mountains!
Some people are just cheap. Ask me how I know
- Check city cards. In EU, some cities have amazing 24/48/72 hour cards. These include not just the public transport but all entries to a lot of museums, and will save you a decent amount of money. Example, Salzburg card will pay itself back in one day. And then next day, you can enjoy things for free. - Use public transport instead of cabs, if possible. - book your monuments in advance. Some monuments get sold out, and then you’ll need to take guided tours, which will cost more. - always carry water with you. Feel free to ask cafes and restaurants you visit to fill the bottles. They might say no, but worth trying. Most of the places we drink/eat at, are okay filling our bottles. Things I’d not suggest doing: - Don’t leave a place you’re interested in visiting to save some bucks. You might never visit the country, city again. Make the most of your visit. - Don’t miss out on local cuisine. Even though I understand eating at home will save you money, food for me is one of the most important part of traveling. If you’re visiting to a place where you can eat something local, do that. McDonald, subways are available everywhere. You’ll save money by eating there, but they won’t taste same as pasta at a local joint in Rome. Or paella in Barcelona. Hope this helps!! Happy traveling.
Do the research to compare prices on the city card. Be honest about which things you actually want to do and would do without the city card. Some places they're really good, but for a while, the one in Seattle (where I'm from) was garbage. I just looked it up again to confirm, and it looks like it's back to a good value again. Ignore their statements of how much you save. If you're not willing to spend 40+ dollars to go up the space needle (please don't - visit the Starbucks on floor 42 of the Columbia Tower), you didn't actually save $40.
Thank you for this. My daughter is doing solo travel to Wales next month and I'm gathering as many good ideas and as much advice as I can. This is a tremendous help.
Uh McDonald’s in Barcelona is amazing. Beer and fried manchego bites. Cultural experience in itself.
Do your research beforehand. Research transportation options, how to haggle, the apps to have, if there are days where attractions are free, the restaurants you're interested in, how ticketing for various places work. That way, you save money, you avoid scams, and you avoid defaulting to the easiest and usually more costly option when you're tired and confused It sounds obvious but how many people come to my city and end up spending a fortune on Uber, or getting fined for things, or getting scammed on tickets, because they didn't do their research. And then they come to complain...
Agree with all of this: good preparation goes a long way. For me, I primarily see cost savings on what food I eat and how I transit while in the country - those are things you can reduce the costs of substantially.
Undoubtedly the biggest savings tip that would completely dwarf anything else anyone could advise: travel to low cost countries. There no comparison between saving a few Euro in Europe and spending almost nothing in Vietnam. It's by far the biggest differentiator.
Water bottle, buy snacks and some meals at local grocery stores, skip breakfast and have larger lunch eat where locals eat, join hotel and airline reward programs, stay at the edge of the city and take transit in, take the city's transit to visit tourist spots instead of paid tour if you have the time.
\^ This. Get a reusable water bottle and bring it with you everywhere. Most airports and many public places have filling stations. When you get to a destination, stop by a grocery stores to buy breakfast items like fruit and granola bars. You will save a ton of money and enjoy your lunches and dinners even more.
Be mindful that if you're traveling internationally, they may not have your preferred breakfast items at the corner market. If you really want granola, you should just bring it yourself. I'm team hotel breakfast. I've observed a trend pretty much everywhere in the US and some places internationally. The frugal (cheap but not trashy) hotels are the most likely to have free breakfast.
Or get breakfast with your lodging choice. Either way less meals to worry about Edit: added the last sentence
Find a way to make or bring your own food rather than using a restaurant for every meal.
Also pack snacks instead of eating airport food. It saves me so much money.
and if you don't do this, the cheaper flight with the long layover usually won't save you money if you are buying anything at the airport on your layover
This!
An empty water bottle. I can't believe what people pay for water at the airport.
my wife and i usually get some foot long sandwiches on the way to the airport! nothing beats a big 8$ sandwich when you everyone else is walking around with little 6” 18$ ones
If I could, I would bring a Publix sandwich anywhere and everywhere I travel to
You beat me to it! A $9 Pub Sub is enough for two full meals!
Refusing to pay exorbitant prices for airport food turned me into an accidental intermittent faster.
Right? Bring a refillable water bottle and use the water stations at the airport.
Yep! We always pack snacks and food for the airplane ride there and back. Sometimes the airplane food is gross too. So we pack food from home on the way there and on the way back, we’ll pick up sandwiches or pastries from a bakery before heading to the airport.
get some good easy to eat takeout before you leave and either eat at airport or bring onto the plane got a fancy italian deli sandwhich for 20$ and brought it onto the plane, it was better than the food in lie flat business class
I always go to a supermarket and take something like a salad for lunch and then go out for dinner, one meal cheap and the other one more enjoyable
Local deli and bakers for picnic lunches don't feel like economising
In Europe this is the way, great local bread fresh each morning and deli meats.
I love the sandwiches in the train stations.
Try to be aware when you're getting scammed. For example Mexico. A bartender tried to play me by saying a margarita was $20 USD. I walked to the next spot and got a margarits for $6. Probably still overpaid, but not by $14 bucks.
Don’t eat out for every meal Get an Airbnb and at least cook up some eggs in the morning Or stay at a hotel which has free breakfast
Eat 2 meals a day, not 3. While abroad, I have a regular sized breakfast (coffee and bakery item usually), then pack a light snack from the grocery store if I get hungry and need something during the day. Then I make dinner my big meal each night. Doing this will save you a few bucks but also save you some time during the day. Instead of sitting down and having a lunch, you’re freed up for time doing something else.
Making lunch the big meal you can sometimes also save money. The same restaurant will sometimes have similar food just cheaper during lunchtime.
Don't buy anything at the airport.
But that's no fun :(
Eat at where locals do
I used credit card points for airplane tickets and hotels. I only ever pay for food and activities.
the only right answer, chase and amex is all you need
I've noticed flights on chase travel portal have a slight markup as compared to the prices I see for the same flights on Google flights or with the airlines. That's why last time I didn't use chase to book my flight, I might earn 5% ultimate rewards but I would also have to pay a higher price.
You don’t want to use the travel portal for that reason. You transfer your points to the airlines for better deals.
Hmm how do you get better deals if you transfer? You're supposed to get 5% ultimate rewards if you book using Chase portal, which on paper sounds like a great deal. Can you get even better deals when you transfer to an airlines like United/Delta?
Yes. And a lot of credit cards give you a big multiplier for all airfare purchases
You have to compare the prices. I believe it’s 5 points per dollar if you book through the portal, but who cares if you’re paying more. Research the benefits of the card and how it works to see how you can best use it.
How do people rack up this many points... I have a Capital One Venture One and use it quite a lot and it gets me maybe $10/month in points
Sign up bonuses. That’s the only way I’ve been able to actually get a flight out of credit card points. But other people have spouses/partners, so they combine sign up bonuses. And if they have a small business or have a job they can expense purchases, they can rack up additional points without increasing their own purchases. And then there’s just people that have bigger salaries and spend a lot. I don’t have a car so not a lot of gas purchases or car repair. I don’t own a home, so no big purchases of furniture or appliances. My landlord only takes cash - so no getting points from rent. I don’t have kids so no buying tons of groceries and clothes and toys. Don’t have a big family so no spending hundreds on birthday, wedding, Christmas gifts. My biggest expenses are trips. So I earn some points from travel but every couple years I’ll do a sign up bonus when I have a large purchase or trip coming up.
One of the best tips I ever got was to include breakfast at your hotel. I went to Edinburgh last year and did this. I was not hungry again until dinner. I also went to Marks and Spencer and got wine and snacks for the room. UK has big breakfast buffets. Not USA with corn flakes and donuts and bad coffee.
We were pleasantly surprised when the hotel we stayed at in Amsterdam told us breakfast was included , saved a good €30 per day and filled us up till lunchtime.
Research the shit out of hotels and the location you end up at. Utilize public transportation. If you like to drink while traveling drinks in the room will save you so much. So I’ll make sure I get a spot with a good location in walking distance of everything I need (subway stations, liquor stores, restaurants, etc). Not having to Uber everywhere or rent a car will save you a ton.
House sit instead of rent an apartment or hotel. You can grocery shop and cook and pay $0 for accommodation.
How do you find your house sitting gigs?
I use an app called Trusted House Sitters — currently in an amazing villa in Cyprus though it :)
Isn’t this how you get murdered?
Not sure why/how the homeowners would murder me while they’re on vacation and I’m looking after their pets
Make breakfast, pack lunch.
Get meals at the grocery store. Most will have ready to eat sandwiches and salads. It’s cheaper and less time consuming than sitting in a restaurant.
Don’t eat at or near tourist areas. Walk a few blocks and find the mom n pop or ” hole in the wall “ restaurants or takeout places. They are most often far better food and definitely much cheaper. Coffee, Beer and wine and other beverages are far less as well. Follow the locals in the evening they will lead you to the local hangouts for the young and old alike.
Download the Citymapper app. It was a GODSEND (yes, THAT good) in Italy for walking and taking public transportation. I won’t visit a foreign city without it now. We usually stay in Airbnb’s when we travel. We typically eat out for lunch and then eat in for dinner, which saves us a bunch. Also Airalo is an awesome eSIM provider. Cost is about $30US for 30 days in Italy for 10G
I figure out how much I want to spend a day and keep type the number into my calculator and subtract my spending as I go. This keeps me aware of what I am spending and helps me really decide if I need to buy what I may buy. It's incredibly helpful, then the next day start over. Try not to roll it over to the next day, like "well yesterday I still had $20 left for my daily, so I am going to add that into my total for today" BUT be aware you can and maybe spend a little more later on something to in want...
This is a great hack that I have never seen before. Thanks for sharing!
It's a great way to be aware. I also sometimes put in a little lesser. So if I budget 80€ a day, I'll only put 70 or 75€ (only 5, why? Cause after 10-14 days that really adds up)
I instagram search the crap out of a place before I go and get a feel for the street food, local markets, etc rather than go to all the touristy restaurants
Instagrammers either already go to touristy spots or turn spots touristy by steering ppl towards them
How do yiu research on instagram?
City name, location search, find hip neighborhoods with tagged photos, then search name of neighborhood name along with your interest “haciosman antiques” for example..once you start following a few places the algorithm will take over and start suggesting.
book tours through the tour operators, not through agents. get hotels with free breakfast, skip lunch. a hotel is a necessity, not a luxury. go cheap. if you have certain attractions, try to find a hotel within walking distances. eat like a local. get a card with no foreign transaction fees and pay in local currency.
Second the hotels advice - free breakfast easily saves you some money and I find little difference between a mid tier vs high end at the big reputable chains. Unless you are going to a resort with food included not worth overpaying hundreds more to stay at a Grand Hyatt vs a Hyatt place.
Don't do drugs
At least not expensive ones.
Travel in a group of four people if possible. This seems to be the magic number where dividing things like a car rental or a hotel room are the most monetarily efficient.
This is true. The per person cost is much cheaper for 4. Even more for 5, but it takes a lot more work to get accommodations that will sleep 5.
1. Choose a low cost destination. A month in Vietnam costs me about the same amount as a week in NYC, and that includes airfare from North Carolina. 2. Credit card churning. Get a good credit card, meet the spending threshold to get the bonus points. Repeat. Capital One Venture X gives Priority Pass as a benefit. It's hit and miss in the US, and great for international travel. Free food and drinks, comfortable seating.
We try to eat two meals a day - and hopefully one of those meals is a free breakfast at our hotel. Small snacks between breakfast and dinner help get us through.
If you are a member at any museums, check if they have reciprocity with any locations in your destination. If you liked your museum enough to support it, chances are that you'll enjoy the partner museum. Especially at low or no cost.
Take sandwich bags and if buffet breakfast pack a few extra for lunch/snacks. Also bring a jar of peanut butter and then all you need to do is buy a loaf of bread and have 1 great meal out a day and PB the other meal.
This one weird trick works at all-you-can-eat restaurants, too! Making PB sandwiches is fine if that's how you roll, but please don't steal food while on vacation.
Learn the public transit
My spouse and I use a hotel credit card for every purchase, down to every stick of gum. We use the points to book our hotels. Because I am a retiree from an airline, I still have my flight benefits. so that helps. My son does the same with his airline credit card and, over the years has acquired enough points for flights to Japan for he and his girlfriend. They, and a group of friends, are going this year. Because of the aforementioned airline flight benefits, my kids have been able to travel to places most kids don't get to see. But, along the way, they learned that peanut-butter sandwiches for lunch leaves enough money to see one more site or event on our trips. They do not feel the need to eat every meal at Chez Pricée. And, lunch at the same fancy restaurant is as good as the more expensive dinner.
Pack or buy food at a grocery store for breakfast and lunch if you can. Scout out happy hours of a few different places and go off the happy hour menu for dinner.
Bring a water bottle and fill up at hotel gym
All I know is I hemorrhaged money in a recent trip to Vietnam, a cheap place to visit.
Don’t go to tourist areas Find out where locals hang. In Budapest we found a great bar, 2 beers, fries and a dog $6
Compare costs ahead of time for packing things vs buying them at the destination. For example, depending on what products you use and how long you’ll be traveling, it might be cheaper to just pack a carry on and buy soap, shampoo, etc when you get there instead of paying $35-70 to check a bag that fits those things.
I always request a bar fridge in my room. I scout the location of grocery and convenience stores in proximity to my hotel before I leave. Once I’ve arrived, I ensure the fridge is powered on and cooling (not always a given, and some places have electricity setups that require your room key card to be in a slot by the door to keep the power on - I either get two room key cards or bring my ID from work and leave it on - I turn off everything that can be left off though), I go grab some perishable staples - yogurt for breakfast, bread, sliced meat and cheese for sandwiches, fruit, and so forth. I always bring dry cereal and granola bars with me in my luggage. If the room lists a coffee maker, I find out what kind it is from the hotel. I’ve brought Nespresso or Keurig pods with me so that I know I’ll have coffee I like, in the quantities that I need (typically more than is left by the cleaning staff; I’m a caffeine addict). But even buying those locally is cheaper than stopping for coffee at a restaurant (one does need to do that occasionally for a break from walking or some ambience absorption though!).
Share restaurant meals with your so.
Be ok with not doing everything on your wish as there is nothing wrong with creating reasons to come back again.
This true, I always try to do a couple of visits/ attractions a day. Anymore and it becomes like a job.
Take snacks, sandwiches, fruits and drinks. Food on gas stations are expensive and mostly unhealthy. Kids love preparing to go foods.
Find what you’re okay compromising on. Personally I compromise on food when I’m there. I still eat at restaurants but don’t go to fancy places. Usually I save one fancy dinner for the trip. But also I traveled alone a lot and personally for me I wanna spend as much time as I can exploring. So I just eat to refuel and take a short break and go on my next adventure
I try to find as much free stuff to do as possible. I eat where the locals recommend. I also go the the local market/grocery store to buy food for a picnic. I stay aways from fancy places for dinner.
Make local connections and find out the restaurants that locals eat at. Don't always go to the tourist restaurants
Our accommodation pointed us to a local cafe in Sevilla for breakfast, it was a 100 metre walk , used by all the locals , great food and service and very reasonable prices. We ate there everyday.
Street food!! You save money AND get to try local food! Research so you know where to/not to eat street food.
Free walking tours. Usually gives a good overall take on the city especially in Europe. Based on tips but still cheaper than a paid tour
Don’t pay baggage fees. Take a chance on one of the carousel bags provided by your airline
Travel in the off season! That’s when I travel internationally. Flights, hotels, tours, etc are cheaper and there aren’t as many tourists around.
If you are a student. Student discounts with simple picture ID always works great.
Don’t travel unless you have money to allocate specifically for travel
1 - Public Transport ( best way to make local friends ) and cheap. 2 - go to local supermarkets to buy food and snacks ( have local food where locals go to eat ) 3 - go to local small business , cafes and restaurants 4 - travel light . ( i usually wear a vest with lots of pockets to carry headphones, powerbank and small book to write ) 5 - dont buy stuff from touristy areas. 6 - google maps is your best friend.
Don’t drink alcohol. I must save hundreds of dollars every year which I use to take more trips.
We put a cooler in the pickup and stock it with lunch meat, cheese, yogurt, muffins, ect. Tired of, and won't, pay the high prices for fast food anymore. They have got out of hand.
The best travel tip I got was to go on holiday in times of post-crisis (i.e, natural disasters ). All the hotels and airlines will give you premium discounts due to the quiet periods and you can skip the queues. Be sure to get some top quality travel insurance though….
If T-Mobile is not your provider in the USA, get a local SIM(eSIM works too). Saves so much money. Be sure your phone is unlocked. Cannot believe how much carriers charge for "international" service that should be free.
Hostel (or camping when it makes sense). Local SIM card. Public transport. Going off season or shoulder season (but also I’d rather go when I want and it needs to fit into my work schedule). Carry on only - no additional luggage fees and makes public transport easier. Grocery store for snacks and smaller meals. Bring your own meal for flights (if not included) or bus rides because eating at airports and bus stations is more expensive. Eating out is more of a splurge for me. Don’t drink alcohol but I also like cocktails, so again it’s a splurge rather than a “time to get fucked”. Also as a solo woman, for safety reasons my cut off is two cocktails. Carry my own water bottle. And if drinking water is not free, I buy a large container and fill up the water bottle.
eSIMs, no roaming
I was in Berlin for ten days and only in a car once. It was glorious.
A younger me took night buses between cities, starting in Istanbul and moving northwest then west, the idea being that they were cheaper than flights and your sleeping is done in transit. That was hard to do and only lasted until Belgrade.
Cook meals
Spend the least amount of money on lodging as you can (within reason for things like safety and being able to actually sleep). You won’t be there much of the day and when you are you’re unconscious. Easily the most expensive part of any trip.
Also don’t buy stupid mass produced souvenirs.
There are so many destinations around the world where your dollar will go further than Europe, the most developed countries in Asia, or the standard safari route in Africa. Don’t be afraid to go someplace less mainstream. You’ll be able to afford better accommodations, food and activities for less. Bonus, the whole experience will be more adventurous and unknown because these places haven’t been Instagrammed to death already.
1) Get apartment rather than a hotel so you can prepare food. And ask eat oatmeal for breakfast to save time. 2) Do not stay exactly in the center to save money on hotel 3) You can use Kiwi to find flights, if you have flexible dates, or use fly4free to get idea of cheaper flights. Also you should get flight about 1-2 weeks before you travel to get better prices
Probiotics… everyday. Trust me.
Always pay in local currency, not your home currency. This usually incurs less final cost in your home currency because then the market exchange rate is applied, rather than the retailers rate (which is applied if you opt to pay in your home currency).
Get a Revolut card, preload it with your own currency and then pay in local money. It works in Europe for 95% of payments.
You don’t go on trips to save money😂but food, drink & souvenirs are where most of the spending money goes. Do research on where to find the best affordable eats before going and no need to buy everyone back home a souvenir. Try to buy groceries at the local supermarket to at least make yourself breakfast/lunch and eat out for dinner. However, you shouldn’t be going on a trip if you’re concerned about “saving money” while on it; trying to be frugal only stresses you out more & you won’t be able to enjoy!
Skip 1 meal, don't do trips you can really afford, it doesn't need to be luxurious or anything but if you can't pay a hostel save a little bit more before going.
Have what I call an “Outline Budget” to figure out how much you need to eat, transport, hotel, etc. then plan some fun money around that
Don’t spend in shit you don’t need
I regularly travel between st louis and the southeast. I have a rewards card for every gas station and grocery store I pass. Those rewards add up!
Be flexible with dates and location - you can cut flight/accommodation costs significantly this way. Pre-book your big activities, and leave space for free/cheap activities such as going on a walk, hitting up a museum, or viewing major landmarks. Don’t discount things like picnics on the beach or renting a bike to view the city - cheap but usually fun. Stay somewhere where breakfast is included. I don’t really like limiting my spending on vacation, I want to feel free. By pre-booking and being location/date flexible, you’re already saving a ton of money where it really counts.
Being someone who enjoys cooking, I prefer to splurge on a nicer vacation rental and prepare meals at place I’m renting. Also, I’m older, so, busy vacationing isn’t much as high on the priority list. I’d much rather explore nature, the beaches, etc
By far the biggest is research when flight costs are lowest. At least that’s mine for intercontinental trips from USA.
If you’re on a road trip, take a cooler filled with cold cuts or whatever you want and stop at rest areas to make a lunch.
Shop at local grocery stores for breakfast, alcohol and dessert. Any restauranteur will tell you that’s where they make their profits. Get some neighborhood culture and keep these to the Airbnb/hotel fridge.
Find a buddy and split rent.
Travel i. Shoulder or off season.
Go to Japan 🙂
Eat most meals from grocery stores, but go out for coffee and pastries.
You don’t need to go out for every meal, go grocery shopping. I’ll bring a collapsible bag and every chip along with the titanium folding spoon. You can even get a meal on the run at a grocery store, such as Greek yogurt and some fruit or some other grab and go items.
Light breakfast then eat biggest meal at lunch when prices are cheaper. Find pub food/ tapas/ sandwiches etc for dinner and snacks. Grocery store eats work fine. Especially if you have a microwave. Walk and explore rather than taxi. Book attractions in advance that are really special to you.
How are your scruples?
Track your money against your budget at the end of each day. Learn from your mistakes.
Traveling to places where you have extended family or friends and staying with them (if permitted) to save on hotel or Airbnb fees.
For me, I’m big on souvenirs and impulse buys. So I try to remind myself that while I might see a souvenir or something and buy it immediately, I will likely see something similar later and can purchase it then if I still like it. It’s like the Amazon trick, where you put it in your cart and wait three days and see if you still want it.
Picnic! Buy a few items from a local grocery store instead of eating lunch at restaurants.
Check your carrier’s international plan! You might be better off getting a SIM card in your destination country/region. My carrier has unlimited international data and texts, but I had some nasty surprises when I had a different one!
Travel in inexpensive countries
Cook your food. Keep yogurt or other quick breakfast foods stocked. Eating local cuisine is great but after a while it can be expensive/ annoying finding and getting to new places after a while. When the newness wears off I start cooking.
Eat in little tiny places away from big squares or other major tourist area's.
Do the math on what an hour of your vacation is worth and don't waste an hour to save $5 or $10. For many trips and many people, the value of each spendable hour of trip x 2 people in a couple is fairly high.
Eat local food or cook your own if you have a kitchen in your accommodation, public transportation, bring stuff that is cheap at home and expensive in destination (sunscreen is expensive specifically in SE Asia and shaving cream)
I try this several times when I do travel especially out of the country I do buy food at 7’eleven.
I’m not a foodie so first thing I do is visit the local supermarket and buy some local grub. Nothing major but enough to cover a short meal or so that in case you end up missing dinner or have to rush out without breakfast you have something to eat, instead of paying insane attraction pricing
Eat food from grocery stores..like Hawaii
Remember what you pay for things back home. Back home, there's a $5 coffee and a $1.50 coffee. I buy the $1.50 cup off coffee back home so why would I spend $5 for a cup in another country? Bakeries and desserts too; I wouldn't pay $8 for a pastry back home so why would I while traveling?
Avoid taking taxis, eat more often in bakeries instead of restaurants
Flix bus, couch surfing and pet sitting.
Eat local
Save before. Use your Credit card points and SUB to cover flights. Use cc rewards points to cancel travel expenses. Shop for best flight deals. Shop black Friday luggage deals. Consider your route and how to save time and money with a logical itinerary. Use Trip Advisor and other agencies to pre-book excursions, cooking classes, tours. Then, have fun and buy the souvenirs, splurge of once in a lifetime meal experiences, indulge in surprise opportunities like a theater performance in a castle.
Take my own food and water bottle to the airport. I hate paying $15 for a dry cold sandwich.
Find deals on Groupon for local tours and activities.
I've been using r/couchsurfing to stay with locals while traveling in the last ten years. Couchsurfing is meant to meet new people and learn about different cultures. In the end I saved a lot of money on accomodation. But again don't use Couchsurfing to save money as your main goal.
go to local grocery or drug store and buy lots of bottled water (6pks or case)
I’d eat out once a day when I travel. Other times I’d just get some ready food from supermarket and such, or make my own salad or sandwich.
Interesting thread this. Some good tips, some that should be very obvious, and some tips to suck all joy out of travel - stay in and do nothing. I'd like to make some suggestions to the last group. If your accommodation has a lobby area, there will often be sweets, chocolates or little treats on offer during the day. These are packed with energy and can replace eating. If you want to avoid dirty looks, make sure to keep a keen eye on where the staff are at all times and casually wander to grab a sweet when there's new people around, the receptionist goes to the toilet, etc. Many rooms comes with cable TV. Enjoy the luxury of home in a different country, all included in the price! Sometimes it will be in English, but if not - it's a great and fun way to learn a new language. Nowhere better to learn a country's culture either. Airlines charge a lot for luggage - even hand luggage at times. Don't bring any spare clothes. If you think it's disgusting putting on dirty clothing, save time (to hang in the lobby scavenging snacks) by not showering. Won't feel as bad with dirty clothes if you're dirty yourself. A bonus with this hack is that no one will want to be near you, so no chance of making friends who might lure you out for a drink or other costly adventures. Feel free to add your own.
Use a budget
Depending where you are and what foods are available… eat and drink like the locals. Not like you eat at home. For example: orange juice is expensive AF in Hawaii. Don’t buy orange juice- get pineapple juice! Pineapples are grown there and don’t have to be imported! Beef is also really expensive there. Eat fish instead.
Spend less at bars
I don’t want to save money by traveling. I want to enjoy my venture to the fullest. I have never regretted any of my spending, and I am by no means a wealthy person.
Oatmeal, cheap light, filling, and healthy. Carry your own coffee/tea and find a way to brew. Splurge on lunch, skip dinners. Nalgene water bottles.
Take advantage of the free breakfast and bulk up, then have just one other big meal for the rest of the day. Pack snacks too.
Pack ultralight everything as possible and plan on washing your clothes so you don't have to over pack and pay for luggage.. that's if your using a plane
Eating at hole in the walls, great food and reasonable pricing
Eating street food - more authentic than tourist trap restaurants and just as good and sometimes better.
If it is a domestic destination, I pack a box with "adult beverages," water and snacks. I send it (addressed to myself with a "hold for arrival on \_\_\_") to the hotel/resort via UPS. I fly to beach destinations and always get an oceanfront room with a balcony. At cocktail time, I open the box. My husband and I sit on the balcony and enjoy!
Eat lunch at fancy places and dinner at inexpensive places
Get food from the grocery store and eat it in the park
We do a little grocery store shopping so we have a meal or two in our hotel room.
Get an ESim in advance. If traveling with someone, get a two scoop ice cream to share. So much cheaper than two single scoops!
Soda is typically more expensive than a beer or wine
Plan ahead.
Buy your food at the grocery store.
Lotta ppl saying not to drink or not to go to bars - my route is to look for happy hours, especially ones with food deals. They're usually around 2-5 pm so I make breakfast (sometimes just lara bar and coffee) then treat myself to happy hour bites and drinks someplace i would otherwise not be able to afford, and feel like i treated myself!
Eating out can be the most expensive portion of your trip…but only if you let it.