How can I save money planning my next trip?
ALTHOUGH there are destinations of varying distances and prices for virtually every budget and taste, the need to save money is an almost universal rule in the planning stage to discover new places.
Starting to plan trips as far in advance as possible, opting for budget accommodation, and choosing off-season dates are great first steps. But there are other money “bottlenecks” that can be closed in ways we often don’t imagine, such as the following.
Strategy to pay cheaper on online bookings
Currently, there are a lot of search and virtual booking services specializing in travel. For plane or bus tickets, there are sites like Decolar.com, ClickBus, Kiwi, and SkyScanner. For reservations, Booking.com, Trivago, and more.
They can be quite convenient and represent a huge step up over manual searching! However, if you install an iOS or Android VPN and use it while browsing, you may be in for a big surprise: sometimes, prices fluctuate for no apparent reason.
In fact, e-commerce sites often change prices depending on the location or device on which they are accessed. This is possible because websites typically locate each customer through browser cookies, IP addresses, and GPS.
A VPN, or a virtual private network, is a cybersecurity service that connects a computer or smartphone to secure servers and provides privacy for browsing. It’s a legal way to circumvent artificial prices set based on the location of the clientele, potentially saving money by booking more than one leg of the trip.
Don’t travel alone
The first possibility in this regard is to contact people you know and with whom you have a relationship and suggest going on vacation together.
On the other hand, if it is not possible to reconcile your plans with those of a relative, friend, or acquaintance, there is also a chance of finding people with a similar plan to yours online!
Right, but the internet is vast and has risks. So, where to look for travel partners?
The app Tripwolf specializes in connecting travelers looking for partners for their destinations and can be a good initial source of research. In addition, Facebook groups dedicated to meeting travelers can also be an option, as long as your search is very thorough.
As for hosting, in addition to options like AirBnB, it is also possible to take an even simpler approach. International services such as BeWelcome or CouchSurfing offer options in this regard.
Don’t forget the details!
When we travel, especially on family vacations, we tend to want to accommodate as many activities as possible in the least amount of time. This is understandable since time is our most scarce commodity, and dedicating it in an interesting way to the ones we love seems to be the best of all worlds.
However, from an economic point of view, this attitude can lead to losses in some “sensitive activities.” Do you know that flight connection whose delay could well compromise three rides the next day if you’re late? It is one such sensitive activity.
Basically, putting some discipline into your pre-planning allows you to calculate longer windows of time for these sensitive activities. In addition to connecting flights, consider that bus travel and transfers may take longer.
If your destination is a large city, be prepared for extra travel time in case of congestion or queue to buy tickets to attractions and wait for restaurants. Don’t forget to calculate the ferry time if it’s on the coast.
On recreational outings in general, it is worth calculating 20% more than the expected time for one of these activities. After all, you want to rest and enjoy your vacation as carefree as possible, not meet daily schedule goals.
Choose the correct card for the trip
If your trip is abroad, avoid using your credit card for purchases and expenses as much as possible. Except for duty-free style customs shops, everything spent on credit is charged the transaction tax, the IOF. From expense to expense, you’ll end up with a much more expensive bill than exchanging money at conventional currency exchanges, for example.
Article written by Ulrike Neumann
