Cutting Costs To Your Travel Plans

Take It From Someone Whose Mother Was A Gypsy...

When I think about traveling, all I can think about is money. Especially if I'm the one in charge of organizing said travel. It didn't used to be this way. Back when I was a teenager my mother and I would just jump in the car and leave. Mom and I traveled all over the United States, just her and I. When I got older, I asked: "Mom. How are we affording this?" She would laugh and say: "I've been saving."

But looking back, I now see all the little hacks she used to cut out major expenses. I've taken to implementing some of her techniques to save hundreds of dollars while doing what I love: seeing the world, and dragging my family along with me.

Now I am here to share these same tips with you so that vacation doesn't seem so impossible! So without further procrastination, follow along to learn how to cut possibly hundreds of dollars off of your vacation budget.

Lodging Savings:

One of the most expensive expenses during travel is lodging. If you're going on vacation you're going to need a place to sleep. And if you aren't camping or backpacking, that can get expensive - even using cheaper alternatives. So here are some things you can research to see if it's a suitable cost-cutter for you and your travel plans!

Airbnb Instead of Hotels

If you're going in a group larger than 4, consider renting an Airbnb house instead of lodging down at a hotel. Even cheap hotels can be expensive, especially if you have to have more than one room. These can even be a good alternative for family vacations too, to give mom and dad some alone time too. Being in a cabin or a home-like setting is usually much more comfortable than a hotel too.

Hostels Are A Great Experience - And Low Budget

If it's just one or two (or three even) in the travel group, a hostel would be an awesome experience to have. These types of lodgings offer shared accommodations such as a communal kitchen and bathroom. The lower-cost hostels may have a shared sleeping space with bunkbeds too. Booking a lower-end hostel could be as low as $10 to $20 a night - compared to a hotel or motel at anywhere between $70 to $348 a night in slow season.

Getting To The Place Savings

Now what you will notice in my advice is that unlike other travel bloggers, I will NOT tell you to use budget airlines or things like Travelocity. Or Expedia. I've had horrible experiences doing this and was put in situations where I was not safe. No, not I didn't feel safe, I LITERALLY was not safe. I will say in some things you don't skimp out on. Airfare is one of them, and don't count on other people to do your research for you. If you do use an agency like Wanderu or something, make sure that you do your research on the company, to ensure you don't end up in unsafe situations.

Check For A Local Train Or Bus Station

Granted, from what I understand, a train or a bus ticket has apparently gotten almost as expensive as flying in the United States. Also, it helps if you're in a city that has one of these modes of transportation available. In Europe and UK, taking the train or bus might be more achievable than if you are traveling inter-America. Do your research, and see if it may not answer some of your questions about cheaper transportation.

If You Don't Have To Cross A Body Of Water - It's Always Fun To Drive

The price of fuel is more efficient sometimes than flying. It takes longer, but the memories of a road trip with people you love are well worth taking the extra time. Sometimes, people opt to take a road trip as a vacation, planning multiple stops along their route, before finally eventually making their way home. Most of my favorite memories are spent in the car with Mom, driving across the States, just wandering wherever we wanted.

Pack Lightly - One Bag Per Person

You do not need your entire wardrobe, your weighted blanket, your favorite pillow, and a violin on your vacation. You take only what you need, and try to restrict your baggage to one suitcase per person. They can be big if you have the space, just keep in mind your mode of transportation. If you are flying or taking a train, you have to pay extra for luggage check-in and storage, whereas the general rule of thumb is most transportation companies will allow one carry-on for free.

General Travel - Yet Useful For Daily Life - Savings

Make Use Of Memberships And Redeemable Prizes

Almost every company has an app, membership, or some kind of incentive program. You buy something from McDonald's - you use their app not only do you get points towards free food, but they also hand you a receipt that you can do a survey with to get a free sandwich at your next visit.

If you travel with an airline enough or use the correct credit card to fund your vacations or use certain hotel chain memberships, you get incentives and rewards, including free plane tickets in some cases.

If done correctly you might save some money by getting free food, lodging, or travel by utilizing rewards and memberships. There's nothing more cost-effective than free.

Social Media and Locals Will Know Where Cool Free Stuff Is

Don't be afraid to ask friendly-looking locals about the interesting things that tourists may not know. For example, in Knoxville, Tennessee, there is a national park called Ijams. You can rent boats for the river, see local wildlife that the park is rehabilitating and caring for, go hiking or swimming, and even visit a gift store/informational center. You can come to this amazing place for free - it runs entirely off of volunteers and the gift store.

Knoxville also has an amazing botanical garden that hosts the art of the local University students art and has a long winding trail through beautiful flora. It's in a historical part of town, so there are interesting sights to see in the garden, before arriving at a beautiful volunteer-run community garden. There is also a free museum on the campus of the University of Tennessee that is free to go to, that focuses on local Native American and Victorian Knoxville and East Tennessee's history.

And walking down Market Street in the Art District of downtown Knoxville is a beautiful experience, no matter what season it is. Often this is the place of festivals in Knoxville, depending on what time of year it is. There's a bar called Alice In Appalachia. It's Alice in Wonderland-themed. And it's the cutest.

None of you would know about that unless I, a local, told you about it. And every single one of these things I mentioned to do in Knoxville is 100% free (well, sightseeing in AiA, the drinks and the souvenirs cost money obviously). So don't be afraid to approach locals, lots of them, and ask people about their homes. Let the people who live there and love it tell you about its most beautiful places.

Did I miss any money-saving tips? Leave it in the comments, so I can edit my article, and give you a shout-out!

Time is precious, thank you so much for taking some to read my article. I hope you enjoyed it and it proved useful in some way!

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