5 Tips To Save Money on Your Travels

Travelling is by far my favourite way to spend my money. I’ve visited 34 countries so far, with no signs of slowing down any time soon. I’ve learned a lot about how to not go bankrupt while exploring the world, and here are my top tips to do exactly that.

1) Be flexible with your travel dates

Rather than booking off your time from work and then choosing your travel dates, do it in reverse 🔄! Use tools like Google Flights (my personal go-to) or Skyscanner to find the cheapest travel dates for your trip. The more flexible you are, the higher the likelihood that you’ll score a great deal. Note: Summer is often the peak travel season for many popular destinations, and you’ll likely save significantly more if you wait until September or October for your trip (on flight costs, accommodations, and even excursions)!

2) Choose a budget-friendly destination

We all know someone who has visited cities like Paris, Rome, or London for their #EuroSummer trip. While those cities may be popular, they also tend to come with more expensive costs on everything. Rather than visiting the tourist hotspots, do some research to see what popular cities the country you’re visiting has that can be attractive alternatives. For example, instead of Barcelona or Madrid, come visit me in Malaga! Or instead of Bangkok or Phuket, visit Chiang Mai! I also love using Nomadlist to give me a good idea of what it’ll cost to stay in each city.

3) Pack light

Airlines (and even trains now!) are getting very strict when it comes to luggage allowances. Make sure your bags (including your carry-on and personal item) meet the size and weight requirements so you’re not forced to pay extra at the airport/train station. Capsule wardrobes are your friends (watch YouTube videos for inspiration). My go-to luggage stack right now for packing light is this backpack from Amazon or this one, and the carry-on suitcase from Monos. I use this little luggage scale to make sure my bags aren’t too heavy.

4) Do not use data roaming from your home cell phone provider

Using your existing cell phone plan in a new country can come with some wild roaming fees. I’m talking $14+ PER DAY! I understand that it’s convenient, but there are options for waaaay cheaper out there. Let me introduce you to… ✨the eSIM✨. The company I use is called Airalo. You download the eSIM directly to your phone (not a physical SIM you insert into your phone) and you get data to use on your travels. For example, my friend who just visited me in Spain got 10GB of data for only $18 USD. Get yours here and use my referral code DANICA4990 for $3 off.

5) Eat like a local

We do not need to be eating at restaurants for every single meal on our trips. Hit up the local grocery store (one of my fave activities to do in new countries) and pick up some affordable things you can eat for breakfast and lunch like fruit, sandwiches, etc.. Save the sit-down meals for dinners! Also, don’t be afraid of trying the street food (if available, where you visit). Sometimes, street food is even more flavourful than the food in the highest-rated restaurants.

✨ Bonus: Arrive early at the airport to check-in for a potential discounted or free upgrade offer to Business Class (or premium economy).

I recently learned this was ~a thing~ when I visited Thailand last month and was offered to upgrade to business class on Finnair for about a quarter of the cost compared to if I chose business class when I initially purchased the ticket. I made a video with my full review here as it was my first-ever business class flight. When you arrive at the airport, simply ask what the flight capacity is and if any upgrades are available. It helps to be extra friendly to the staff, too! It doesn’t always work, but definitely worth a shot for long-haul flights.

What are your favourite travel tips to keep costs low? Let me know in the comments below!


Disclaimer: This article may include affiliate links where I earn a small commission (and you pay nothing!), which helps me to continue to grow and produce content like this newsletter. Thanks for your support!