Taking a family vacation seems to be getting more and more expensive! I wanted to put together a list of some simple money saving travel tips that I use every year to save on our trips and vacations.
They are not complicated and save us $1,000’s of dollars.
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No matter if you are wanting a quick family getaway or a dream vacation for two, we all want to save money and learn how to travel for cheap.
The less money you spend, the longer or more often you can get away, right?!
The money saving travel tips that I use take a little bit of effort, not much, and it is totally worth it! On our last vacation, I was able to save us over $2,000!
We were able to stay where we wanted and do all of the activities that we wanted to do.
Use these simple money saving travel tips to help cut the costs on lodging, sightseeing, airfare, dining, and more!
The Best Money Saving Travel Tips
Save on Airfare:
My favorite site for finding the best deals on airfare is Expedia. They have great prices and good alternative flight options.
They will send you notifications when specific fares go down if you turn on the feature during your search.
If you are going to be browsing different travel sites, make sure you clear your cookies on your browser. Some sites may track the flights you have been searching for, and hike up the price.
Save on Hotels and Lodging:
One of the best ways to save on food and lodging is to find the perfect vacation rental instead of staying at a hotel. You can make your own meals and save on dining out.
This is great if you are having a family or large group vacation because you can split the cost of the rental.
AirBNB, TripAdvisor Rentals, and Home Exchange are some good sites to start your search
I have a full post on even more ways to save big on your next hotel stay for even more tips and tricks you may want to use to get the lowest possible price.
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Save on Activities and Dining:
When I have to travel on a budget, one of the things I really look to save on are food and activities.
There are so many ways to save on attractions and sightseeing that you should never pay full price!
My favorite, and easiest, ways are to always check Groupon for my destination’s local deals. I have found some great prices for dining out and attractions.
I will also purchase an Entertainment Coupon Book for that city. It helps me save on dining, shopping, car rentals, and attractions.
Lastly, if there is a Go City Card for that particular destination I will get one of those, too! They are available for larger cities like: New York, Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami, etc. They are a great way to save on attractions!
My last little trick for saving on food is once you get to your destination, the first stop should be the grocery store. Stock up on drinks and snacks so you won’t have to spend money on the hotel’s mini bars and vending machines.
Use the Right Credit Card:
A great money saving travel tip is to sign up for a credit card that gives you rewards!
Look for cards that will earn you cash back or points on the things you buy most and don’t lock you into a specific airline or hotel chain.
As of this posting the top three credit cards to look into for travelers are:
- Bank of America Travel Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Capital One Venture Card
The Bank of America card doesn’t have an annual fee. The other two have a $95 annual fee but it is waived the first year. See how much you could get back on your purchases to see if that yearly fee will be worth it for you.
All three of them have great sign up bonuses but you have to spend a certain amount in the first 90 days of having the card to get them so keep that in mind when signing up as well.
Make sure you use those cards when on your vacation because some offer double points on travel! That includes taxis, trains, and more.
They could easily save you $1,000’s on your vacation!
If you have to travel on a budget, use these money saving travel tips to help your money go a lot further. Don’t skimp on that much needed family vacation, you deserve it!
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