5 Ways to Save Money While Traveling

Money is one of the biggest factors for people when they’re thinking about booking a trip. Every little bit that you can save will really add up and help keep you within your travel budget. Below are 5 ways to save money while traveling that I utilize for my own travels.

Shop at the Local Grocery Store:

Most people associate traveling with going out to eat every meal, and that can definitely be fun, but it will also eat into your budget quickly. No matter the length of your trip, figure out how you can utilize the local grocery store for your meals.

Whenever I travel, the local grocery store is typically my first stop to get food for breakfasts (if my hotel doesn't have free breakfast) and lunches. Dinner is usually the meal that I allow myself to go out to eat for, unless I am traveling for a longer amount of time and really looking to stretch my pennies. In that case, I might eat from the grocery store for all of my meals and go out for a meal every few days.

An added bonus for this strategy is that I think it's really fun to see how grocery stores are different depending on what country, or what part of the United States you're in.

Select Accommodations that Offset Food Costs:

Since I have been a broke college student traveling the world on a shoestring, my mindset has never changed. If I find an accommodation with free breakfast, I know my cost for one meal each day is already paid for, which cuts my daily food bill by 1/3.

Your accommodation choice can offset your food costs in several ways: this could be free breakfast, or ensuring you have a refrigerator to store food, or even having the ability to cook if you can find an accommodation with a kitchen.

Keep Your Phone in Airplane Mode While Traveling Internationally:

This one isn't always the most popular, but most cell phone plans run with a daily price tag of $10 to use while in another country. I keep my phone in airplane mode for two reasons. The first reason is to save money, and the second is to allow myself to disconnect from my device while I am traveling and go back to truly being submersed in the moment. I have been traveling since before I owned a cell phone, and I appreciate the nostalgia that going without one gives me. Now, this is with the caveat that your phone will work in WiFi and this would be the time to check in with your loved ones, look up your activities for the following day, check your emails, etc. When traveling internationally, there are many opportunities to connect to Wifi at restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. This can keep you connected, but also keep money in your pocket!

Consider Walking or Using Public Transportation Instead of Cabs/Ubers:

Yes, it has become so easy to Uber from here to there. But, the savings will add up quickly if you consider walking to your destination or look into the local bus or subway system. Using public transportation, or walking around the city is also another way to submerse yourself into the culture of your location. You will have such a greater appreciation for where you are if you walked the streets more, and find the little cafe's and shops that weren't mentioned in social media.

Enjoy Free Attractions & Tours:

Anyone that knows me, knows that there isn't much I love more than free entertainment. One of my favorite activities when traveling to a new city is finding their free walking tour and learning about the city I am visiting. You can typically Google "free walking tour insert city name" and you're almost always able to find something. If you are in some of the larger cities in Europe, Sandeman's New Europe is one of my favorite companies for their free walking tours. They even have a free walking tour in New York City that is fantastic. They usually take about 2.5-3 hours and work for tips.

Other free attractions to look into when you're traveling are nearby hikes, farmer's markets, local festivals or finding out where you might find street performers.

Even taking on a few of these methods will really start to cut your budget down while traveling. The more money you save on one trip means the faster you are able to save up the money for your next adventure! Enjoy these 5 Ways to Save Money While Traveling and comment your own money saving tactics below!