How to Save Money on Travel this year amidst economy hardship and tight budget
Aside from the expensive nature of travel, nothing could be easily achieved in life without proper scheme and arrangement on how to achieve them. Migrating from one country to another has become hiccup to many due to pandemic mayhem and labor shortages have made it worse.
In fact, car rental and hotel prices are up anywhere from 40 to 50 percent against how it used to be before the emergence of Covid-19 depending on your location. So, if you feel like your travel dollars aren’t going as far as they used to, you’re not imagining it at all.
But, you don’t have to let sky-high prices stand in the way of your travel plans. By taking steps like starting a travel fund, getting a travel credit card or utilizing the services of a professional travel advisor, you can save big on your next trip.
If you’re ready to save money on travel this year, read on to learn how to pay less for hotels, rental cars, cruises and more.
Open a dedicated savings account
First off, make sure you open dedicated savings account that only funds your travel budget and pick an account that offers a generous rate of return. By keeping your travel savings separate, you can make sure your vacation money doesn’t get spent on groceries and other bills.
Pay your travel fund every payday
Also, know that your travel fund won’t grow itself. To make sure you’re growing your travel savings at a steady pace, try setting up direct deposits from your regular account each payday. By paying your travel fund like a regular bill, you can slowly but surely build up your account.
Find a good Travel Agent
Ready to get some help booking awesome vacations you can actually afford. Booking with a travel agent makes things easier, yet you can get the best pricing along with added benefits like room upgrades and resort credits. Best of all, travel advisors offer their services for free.
Lock Travel in Early
Locking in your travel now can be advantageous when it comes to pricing, and flexible booking options make it so you can cancel if you have to. If you hope to Pay less for hotel, vacation rentals, rental car bookings or flights, your best bet is shopping sooner rather than later.
Get a Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees
If you travel abroad often, you should make sure you have a credit card that lets you avoid pesky added fees. Fortunately, plenty of travel credit cards let you skip foreign transaction fees with no annual fee. The vast majority also let you earn travel rewards points on everything you buy.
Consider Alternate Destinations
Another way to boost your travel savings involves never getting your heart set on a specific destination. By considering multiple vacation spots for your next big trip, you get the benefit of being able to shop around and compare pricing ahead of time. This makes it considerably easier to pay less for flights and lodging.
Pick Up a Side Hustle
Want to boost you saving without sacrificing your other financial goals? Consider picking up a side gig that lets you earn money in your spare time. Get a traditional part-time job. Whatever you decide, make sure your extra cash makes it into separate savings account for travel.
Plan Group Trips
Saving on travel is easier if you share some expenses with family or friends. With that in mind, you can score a cheaper vacation if you book a vacation rental with a group or a few other families and if you all contribute to the cost of lodging, food and drinks.
Pick Up a House Sitting Gig
House sitting offers another way to see new places and stay for free. You just have to agree to watch someone’s home (and usually their pets) for a specific length of time, and you get your lodging covered.
Avoid Unnecessary Billings And Cut off Your Expenses
It’s imperative to cut off Unnecessary Billings and also leverage your expenses in fact you can vacate your expensive rented apartment and go for a smaller one in order to maximise your travel savings to your advantage. If you live in an area other people love to visit,
Avoid Resort Fees
Finally, make sure you check for hidden fees anytime you book a traditional hotel or resort. For example, “resort fees” and “destination fees” often add another dollars to each night of your booking, and you may not know about them unless you specifically check