Traveling around the world is my passion, hobby, pastime or whatever I want to name it. I love to travel and take my family wherever I go. So they love it. At least that’s what they say. Over a period of time, I developed the habit of saving a lot of money while traveling. This helps us save some money for our next trip. Let’s get down to business finance and help you with some personal finance tips that can actually save you money while you travel.
food
If you are going on a short vacation of 2-3 days, don’t forget to pack some snacks. When I drive out for days, I carry string cheese, apples and carrots.
A note on apples: They are not as effective as apples if you want to avoid falling asleep while driving.
If you can pack a multi-day lunch and lots of snacks, you can save a lot of money on expensive restaurants.
A day before your trip, visit a nearby restaurant or grocery store and stock up on snacks. The same groceries are much more expensive in tourist areas, crowded places, and even convenience stores near gas stations.
If you don’t like eating or carrying packaged food, get a coupon. These discount coupons are a super cheap way to eat while traveling.
Carry plenty of water. What is freely available at home is costly outside. Finally, be proactive and don’t react.
Gasoline
Carry a cash-back credit card with you if your trip involves a lot of driving. I also found that better quality petrol gave me better gas mileage. Perhaps this is the only way to save money in this category. You cannot replace gas with something else like water or beer.
Sometimes your employer reimburses you for gas expenses. So I get my full money back and 3% cashback.
hotel
Hotel life while on vacation is very expensive. For me, hotels have been a major factor influencing my travel budget. Not anymore. Book your room online in advance. Several portals, such as MyPoints or Ebates, offer cash back schemes.
If you’re a regular traveler, it’s wise to become a member of a holiday club or loyalty club that offers discounted accommodations.
When we travel, most of us stop at any hotel along the way. However, since last year I have developed a new strategy that will help you save a lot. Before going on the trip, I wrote down the names and numbers of the places we decided to stop at and all the hotels around it. I also note the details of a hotel about an hour from the expected stop. This way we landed the best deal ever.
Also, when choosing a hotel, check the weather for complimentary breakfast. You can save a lot of money when traveling with a family (5 people).
additional suggestions
This isn’t a very frugal proposition, but be prepared to shell out an extra $20 to $30 for cleaning. You wouldn’t choose a hotel with creepy cockroaches and long hair on the bed just because it’s cheap.
If your family has one or two children, note the malls along the way before you start your trip. The mall’s play area is the best refreshment you can offer your kids while traveling.
