18 Travel Hacks That Have Saved Me Thousands Of Dollars And Taken Me All Over The World

From couch surfing in Puerto Rico to flight hacking my way to Bali, I've figured out how to see the world without draining my bank account.

The coronavirus pandemic is still impacting travel and destinations around the world have different COVID-19 restrictions in place. It’s important to check and adhere to local government policies as you're planning any future trips.

Travel is a privilege, pure and simple. But it doesn't have to break the bank.

Evie Carrick

I've pretty much dedicated the last decade of my life to travel. It's been my largest cost and my greatest joy. But I'm not staying in five-star (or even two-star) hotels, eating fancy meals, or booking guided excursions. I've been able to travel as much as I have because a) I have a job that lets me work from anywhere, and b) I love saving money and traveling on the cheap.

After living in 5 countries and visiting over 50, here are my biggest money-saving hacks:

TLC / Via Giphy / giphy.com

Don't miss #12.

1. I like to find ways to stay for free, like visiting friends, to keep my costs low.

@couchsurfing / Via instagram.com

I'd argue that lodging is the biggest (and most annoying) travel expense. There are always a million added fees (cleaning fees on Airbnb, service fees at hotels and hostels) and it's hard to justify $50 a night when all you're doing is crashing there between adventures. 

Free is always better. To that end, I'll often visit places where I have friends or family who will welcome me in (for at least part of the trip). I've stayed with friends of friends in Switzerland, crashed with cousins in Paraguay, and slept in a dorm room in South Africa. 

If you don't have a contact at your destination, you can check out CouchSurfing.com, a cool way to meet locals and stay for free (although I recommend this only if you have a travel buddy).

2. If I'm booking via Airbnb, I try to stay in one place for a full month.

Airbnb / Via airbnb.com

When you book for less than 30 days on Airbnb, you pay per night, but when you book a stay for 30 days or more, you'll get a major discount (sometimes as much as almost 50%). The discount can be so dramatic that it might make more sense to pay for a month-long stay and leave after three weeks than to book a three-week stay up front. 

3. I always use the flexible date feature when booking a plane ticket.

Kayak / Via Kayak.com

With many companies relaxing their work-from-home policy, now is the time to forget about the "fly out on Friday, return on Sunday" norm. Kayak allows you to search for flights three days before or after your ideal departure and return dates and even has a flexible month mode so you can find the cheapest days to fly in a particular month.

By shifting your trip just a day or two, you might be able to save hundreds of dollars.

4. I swear by only eating out one meal a day. (PB&J will be your friend.)

@eviecarrick

I know, I know, half the fun of traveling is eating, but depending on where you are it can be a huge cost. My general rule is to eat out just one meal a day (usually dinner). I'll eat cereal for breakfast and throw a PB&J in my backpack for lunch. Not only can it be fun to grocery shop in a different country, but it'll save you big.

5. I plug in several airports near me and at my destination to see if there are any cheap or direct flights.

FlightConnections / Via flightconnections.com

LaGuardia might be in your backyard, but it might be worth it to make the trek to Newark for your flight. I always look up nearby airports on FlightConnections to see what direct flights are available. If you can save $300 on that flight to Reykjavík, that hour-long train ride to Newark will feel like nothing.

The same goes for your arrival airport. You might have your heart set on Rome, but a flight to Naples may be cheaper (and a train between the two is just over an hour and can be as cheap as $15).

6. Once I'm in the area where I want to be (Southeast Asia, for example), I'll fly local, budget airlines to hop around.

NokAir / Via nokair.com

If there's a direct flight from LA to Bangkok for cheap, buy it — even if you really want to get to Vietnam. Most of the world has small, budget airlines (think Spirit, JetBlue, and Frontier in the US) that fly regularly — and cheaply — through the region. You might not have heard of Thai Smile or NokAir, but they'll be your best friend when you want to book a cheap flight from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City.

A fairly comprehensive list of low-cost airlines that operate around the world can be found here.

7. I adapt my travel style to the cost of living at my destination.

Evie Carrick

The cost for a trip to Paris is going to be vastly different than a trip to India. You'll have to work to make Paris affordable (cheap Airbnbs, public transportation, free activities), while in India you can live it up (fancier accommodations, taxis, and tours). My favorite hotel in New Delhi (shoutout to the Hotel Hari Piorko) averages around $12 a night, while I always consider myself lucky to find an Airbnb for less than $50 a night in Paris.

The golden rule: If you want to travel for cheap, you can never treat one trip like your last. Each destination has a distinct cost of living, and you'll need to adjust your travel style to stay within your budget.

8. I only take free city tours, but I always tip the guides well.

@sandemansprague / Via instagram.com

I'm not a big fan of tours. You can pay someone $75 to take you and a bunch of strangers to an outdoor market (where you'll gape around in a group of 10+), or you can buy a bus ticket for $4 and go solo (and fly under the radar).

That being said, there are cool (and FREE) city tours that do a great job of getting you oriented and educated about a new city. Sandemans offers free tours in 20 major cities (mainly Europe), while FreeTour.com can be found in 123 countries. 

Oh, and while these tours may be free, guides rely on tips. Don't be that guy.

9. I rely on Wi-Fi rather than paying for an international phone plan or SIM card.

CBC / Via giphy.com

If you're traveling solo, paying for an international phone plan may be worth it, but I personally never spring for one. Wi-Fi is everywhere, and it's actually kind of nice to not be scrolling through Instagram while you're waiting in line to enter the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico City. I promise, your texts, emails, and Insta will be there when you get inside the museum and connect to their free Wi-Fi.

If you're worried about navigation, download the Google map of the area you're traveling to in advance, and if you know there will be a language barrier, you can download the language dictionary in Google Translate. Both will still work in airplane mode.

 

10. I usually opt out of rental car insurance and rely on credit card benefits.

@vicent.torres.tur / Via instagram.com

OK, hear me out on this. Your own a car insurance policy and/or your credit card may already offer rental car protection. You'll need to do a deep dive before your trip, but 15 minutes of research could save you hundreds of dollars on a duplicate service. Oh, and if the coverage is on your credit card, make sure you use that card to pay for the reservation.

True story: When I scratched a rental car in Puerto Rico, the insurance on my United MileagePlus Explorer card kicked in, and the damage was covered.

11. The same goes for travel insurance. I don't buy it because I know my credit card perks cover most of it.

@eviecarrick / Via instagram.com

I've never purchased travel insurance in my life. And while I get why some people need it (if you're traveling with valuables, change your plans a lot, etc.), it has always been one of those things I just didn't worry about. Plus, I know my credit card covers most of it.

This is definitely a personal call (and one that could bite you in the ass), so go with your gut.

12. I book overnight flights and buses to save on lodging.

Evie Carrick

I LOVE overnight flights and buses because not only are you making moves while you sleep, but you're also sleeping for free. Think about it: If you book an overnight flight to Morocco or an overnight bus between Prague and Paris, that's a night of free lodging.

All it takes it a solid eye mask, great earplugs (I love Mack's Dreamgirl plugs, which are extra small and block out all sorts of noise), and a cozy sweatshirt to snooze the journey away. If you’re desperate, pack some Aleve PM.

13. Until recently (I'm 35), I used my student ID to get student discounts.

Gaumont / Via giphy.com

If you still have it, your student ID may be able to save you big. There are student discounts on everything from train tickets to museum fees all over the world. At the Met in New York, for example, a student ticket is less than half what you pay as an adult. 

If you don't want to be a sketch ball (like me), you might be able to get similar discounts with an AAA membership or travel card.

14. I swear by my carry-on suitcase and backpack combo. Truly. It's all you need.

Evie Carrick

Do you really need four pairs of shoes in Spain? I promise, you don't. I once traveled for a year with just a carry-on suitcase and a backpack (and I'm quite vain).

Put your electronics and toiletries in your backpack for ease of airline security and your clothes and shoes in your carry-on. You'll only need one or two pairs of versatile shoes and a few basics — black T-shirts, jeans, a solid jacket, and a nice top. Don't worry, the rest of the world knows how to do laundry.

15. I refuse to pay extra to choose an airplane seat.

Fox / Via giphy.com

It depends on the airline, but many companies now charge you to select your seat. Of course, it depends on your situation (and how long the flight is), but if it'll save me $20 to $40, I opt to sit alone. And in truth, I rarely have to. 

Ask the gate agent if they can reseat you, and if that fails, ask your seat mate if they'd be willing to swap seats so you can sit next to your travel partner. Be prepared to sit alone, but chances are you won't have to.

16. On more complicated trips, I'll go rogue and book a ton of separate flights.

Scott's Cheap Flights / Via scottscheapflights.com

This doesn't always work, but sometimes travel hacking can save you big. I always try the "multi-city" feature on Kayak, but if I don't like what it gives me, I'll try hacking myself. For example, if I find an amazing flight from Paris to Beirut (the Scott's Cheap Flights eblast always has great deals), I'll book it and then find a separate round-trip ticket to Paris later. Or, if you can get yourself to the continent or region you want to visit, you can then book a connecting flight on a low-cost carrier (see #6).

17. I switched banks so that I never have to pay an ATM fee again.

Charles Schwab / Via schwab.com

ATM fees really add up when you're traveling (plus, they're often twice as much). A few years ago, I changed banks just so I would never have to pay an ATM fee again. My new bank, Charles Schwab, actually reimburses you automatically for any ATM fees you rack up (both in the US and worldwide). Some months it saves me almost $50.

18. I only use credit cards with no foreign transaction fees and great travel rewards benefits.

CreditCards.com / Via creditcards.chase.com

If you're not a big traveler, chances are you've never heard of "foreign transaction fees," but they exist. And they suck. Basically, any time you make a purchase overseas, you're charged an additional fee (usually 1% to 3% of the value of transaction). 

To avoid this, look for credit cards with no foreign transaction fees (Capital One Venture, United Explorer Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve are three cards I've had luck with). As a bonus, most of these travel-friendly cards are also travel rewards cards, so you can rack up points to redeem for more travel as you travel. Genius.

Any money-saving tips I missed? Please share! I'm always looking for new money-saving travel hacks.

And for more money-saving tips and tricks, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.