I’m planning an international trip and want to keep my costs as low as possible. I’m looking for tried-and-true tips for saving money on flights, accommodations, and daily expenses like food and activities. Whether it’s about finding great deals, using specific travel apps, or other budget travel hacks, I’d appreciate any advice that can help me stretch my budget without sacrificing the experience. What strategies do you use to save money when traveling abroad?
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Book stays at Marriott as Platinum+ and Hilton as Diamond+, and you get free breakfast and free dinner at their executive lounge. You then don’t have to spend any money on meals during the trip. Usually the breakfast buffet is so much food that you don’t have to eat lunch and can even skip dinner.
Book through Hilton Impresario and Marriott STARS for the $100 property credit and other benefits in addition to your status benefits. They have a $500 minimum / booking to avoid agent fees.
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Where are you now and where are you planning on traveling to? You sound more like a farmer than a traveler to me.
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How much are their rooms?
Also if you’re eating hotel buffets you are losing out on experience. Part of the experience is eating local foods. If I go to Norway I want to be eating Norwegian food, not whatever a hotel offers. Also Marriott isn’t particularly cheap.
You could try backpacking hostels where the cost is low. If the weather at where you’re going isn’t hot, nor dangerously cold, could even sleep rough. Like book an overnight train trip and sleep on the train. I heard of people sleeping on the Berlin u bahn in the circle routes. They run 24 hours unlike Taipei mrt.
Great tips! I love the idea of using hotel status perks to save on meals. Do you have any quick advice on how to reach Platinum+ with Marriott or Diamond+ with Hilton without too many stays?
Shop for airline tickets everywhere but buy the tickets directly online from the airline
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It depends on location, but in Taipei the Marriott is $200-300 a night
You can still go experience the local foods. For hotel food you can pick and choose the healthy options like veggies, fruits.
The easiest way is to get these two credit cards:
Amex aspire - free Hilton diamond status
Amex brilliant - free Marriott platinum status
I’m pretty sure the op isn’t looking to spend 200 dollars a night on hotels, or else he wouldn’t be asking how to save.
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Well maybe he/she should specify a budget
If I eat out in Singapore for breakfast/lunch/dinner at different restaurants and go to coffee shops to work instead of hotel lounge I’d be looking at spending an additional $100-200 per day. So for me this strategy saves me a lot of money.
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I’m currently planning my next trip and exploring different options. Just trying to be smart with my budget so I can travel more!
That does not strike me as budget travel…
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Well, western countries will be more expensive than sat Thailand. But any budget advise will be specific to the location you’ll be going to, so it’s unhelpful if you don’t have destinations in mind. Japan is supposed to be cheap due to weak yen.
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Destination and currency is also kind of important.
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Are you in Taiwan now? What is your connection to Taiwan?
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Good point! I’ll keep the location in mind. Japan sounds tempting with the weak yen. Thanks for the tip!
No, I’m not in Taiwan. Just interested in learning about different places and travel tips
What destinations are you considering for your upcoming international trip?
You know you should be reading wiki travel. It’s got lots of good info on what you can expect with various travel destinations including visa info, expected cost of hotels and such.
South and central America will be expensive to get to from almost anywhere in the world except for the US or mexico. This is because there are no direct flights to south America.
If you are not an American citizen you’ll have to take a more expensive route there, to avoid transiting through the US.
I am so used to AI tools now that I will always throw it in there and go from there:
Below, your question answered by Chat GPT; all very generic, but then, your question was very generic to begin with. Maybe you should rather ask “What do you guys do to save money while traveling?” to get some interesting and personal answers from people on an online forum.
from Chat GPT:
Here are some tried-and-true budget travel tips for saving money on flights, accommodations, food, and activities:
1. Flights:
- Use Flight Comparison Tools: Websites like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondo help you compare fares across multiple airlines.
- Set Price Alerts: Use apps like Hopper or Kayak to track prices and get notifications when they drop.
- Be Flexible with Dates: If possible, fly midweek (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and avoid peak times, as flights tend to be cheaper.
- Consider Alternative Airports: Flying into smaller or nearby airports can save money.
- Book in Incognito Mode: Sometimes, flight prices increase based on your browsing history. Use private browsing to avoid this.
2. Accommodations:
- Stay in Hostels or Budget Hotels: Hostels are great for meeting fellow travelers and cutting down costs. Check out Hostelworld or Booking.com for deals.
- Use Airbnb or Short-Term Rentals: In some cases, these can be cheaper than hotels, especially for longer stays.
- House Sitting: Platforms like TrustedHousesitters allow you to stay for free in exchange for looking after someone’s home (and sometimes pets).
- Stay Outside the City Center: While central locations are convenient, staying a bit further out can often save a lot.
3. Food:
- Eat Like a Local: Street food or small local eateries are usually much cheaper than touristy restaurants.
- Buy Groceries: If your accommodation has kitchen facilities, cooking some meals yourself can save a lot. Even buying snacks at supermarkets helps cut costs.
- Use Food Apps: Apps like Too Good To Go offer discounted food from restaurants or cafes at the end of the day.
- Take Advantage of Free Breakfasts: If your accommodation offers free breakfast, make the most of it!
4. Activities:
- Free Walking Tours: Many cities offer free (tip-based) walking tours, which are a great way to explore without spending much.
- Museum Passes or City Cards: These often bundle several attractions at a discount and sometimes include free transportation.
- Look for Free Events: Check local listings for free concerts, festivals, or events happening during your visit.
- Use Public Transportation: Instead of taxis or rideshares, use local buses, trains, or metros. Some cities even offer free transportation in certain areas.
5. General Tips:
- Travel During Shoulder Season: Traveling just outside peak season can offer great weather at a fraction of the price.
- Pack Light: Avoid checked luggage fees by packing only a carry-on when possible.
- Use Cashback or Reward Cards: Many credit cards offer points or cashback for travel expenses, helping you save on future bookings.
- Look for Sim Cards or Portable Wi-Fi: Roaming fees can add up quickly, so look into local SIM cards or Wi-Fi hotspots if you’ll need connectivity.
With these strategies, you can maximize your travel experience while keeping costs under control!
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Somewhat useful but not so relevant to Asia in terms of details.
Be good to do by country if OP specified.
Obviously booking in advance can work, fly low cost airlines, be willing to wait longer on transits. Go to non famous tourist destinations, avoid peak summer and winter travel like the plague.
NOTICED chatgpt is already inserting ads for booking dot com and Hostel world …hmmmmmmmmm, start of a very slippery slope right there.
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