A great vacation doesn’t have to come with a luxury price tag. After years of traveling, we’ve learned that knowing where to spend and where to save is the secret to making your vacation dollars go much further. Our learned-from-experience tips can help you travel well without blowing the budget.
Highlights
- Save before you leave home. Compare vacation packages with à la carte pricing, use membership discounts and loyalty programs, set airfare price alerts and pack strategically to avoid unnecessary fees.
- Spend less without sacrificing. Eat lunch rather than dinner at that must-try restaurant, take advantage of free museum days and book a hotel upgrade if it comes with free food and drinks.
- Look for savings throughout the trip. Flights and hotels aren’t the only places to cut costs. Attractions, rental cars, cruises, international phone service and even souvenirs offer opportunities to keep more money in your pocket.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a post written by Margalit Sturm Francus.
I admit it: I like bougie travel. But I also admit I don’t have a bougie budget. So I’ve found many ways over my 20+ years of nearly monthly trips to save. Here are my top tips for having the vacation you want on the budget you have.
Before You Book
- Be flexible about when you travel if you can. Check prices for a few days before and after your planned dates. I’ve found that moving a trip by even a day or two can make a surprising difference in airfare and hotel rates. Shoulder season (generally late spring and early fall) offers lower prices and smaller crowds.
- Price the whole trip before choosing the best, cheapest option. As I learned the hard way, that bargain flight into an airport an hour outside Orlando was not such a bargain when I have to take a $100+ Uber ride to my hotel near Disney.
- Don’t skimp now if it might cost big later. When I’m flying to board a cruise, I always arrive a day early and spring for a hotel near the port. It’s waaaaaay cheaper than booking a last-minute flight to the first cruise port if a day-of flight delays means the ship sails without me.
- Book refundable rates when the price is right, then set price alerts. If the price drops, cancel and rebook at the lower rate. I have done this many times for rental cars. It also works for hotels.
- Join associations, credit unions and groups like AAA and Costco to take advantage of their travel discount programs. Chances are you’ll recoup the membership cost in one trip.
- Plan how you’ll pay for things overseas before you leave home. My wallet is packed with travel-friendly credit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees. And I get some local currency from a bank at home so I arrive with some cash and don’t have pay the exorbitant airport exchange rates.
- Apply for a travel-friendly credit card that covers your travel needs, from upgraded seats and free checked bags on a plane to airport lounge access. But be sure to check the annual fee! Card fees these days are sky-high. Don’t pay a big fee for a card you’ll only use for one vacation.
- Look for package deals on sites like Expedia.com that bundle airfare, cruises and hotels. But always price the trips ala carte too, to make sure you’re getting a deal.
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Packing Tips
- Bring an empty reusable water bottle and fill it after you get through secruity. It saves you money and saves the planet from all of those plastic water bottles.
- Buy refillable carry-on size bottles for your shampoo, conditioner and lotions. It’s much cheaper to fill them from your big shampoo bottles at home than to buy the already-filled mini travel bottles.
- Learn to travel with carry-on bags only to avoid those expensive checked baggage fees. Here’s our secret to carry-on-only travel. If you’re flying a budget carrier that charges for carry-ons, do the math before your book. It might be cheaper to check one big bag than two carryons.
How to Save on Air Travel
- If you have a credit card or airline status that gives you lounge access, use that rather than paying inflated prices for airport food. The lounge will give you access to free drinks and some seriously yummy snacks.
- Apply for a travel reward credit card to accrue airline miles. I find that reward points are less rewarding each year, but I usually get the most out of mine by booking an economy ticket and using miles to upgrade to a comfy first class seat.
- Set a price watch for the airfare you need. You’ll be notified if the fare drops.
- Before booking a budget carrier, calculate the total cost of the ticket, including bags, fees and seat selection to be sure it’s the cheapest option. And make sure you know which airport you’ll fly to. For example, Allegiant says it flies to Orlando, but it flies into Sanford, not MCO.
- If your carrier charges for carry-ons, check whether it’s cheaper to pay for one big checked bag than two carry-ons.
How to Save on Hotel Stays
- Join the hotel company’s loyalty program before you book. Membership gives you access to the best rates and may provide perks during your stay like free wifi and bottled water. Plus, you’ll accrue points for free future stays.
- Apply for a credit card that lets you accrue hotel points to be used for booking rooms. Make sure to compare card benefits and fees, as well as reward redemption benefits before choosing one.
- Call the hotel directly (not the company’s toll-free reservation number) to ask for discounts and upgrades. That can include larger rooms and even executive lounge access. If you aren’t successful before you arrive, ask again when you check in. Being nice to the front desk clerk can go a long way toward getting you what you want. You might end up with a suite for the price of a standard room.
- Consider buying executive lounge access. The free snacks can mean big savings on food, especially if you are traveling with ravenous teens.
- Book a room in hotel chains that offer a fifth night free when you redeem on points to maximize the value of your reward points.
- If you don’t have enough points, look for chains that let you book with a combination of cash and points, such as IHG.
- If you’re going to Disney World, book your hotel through David’s Vacation Rentals. It allows you to “rent” the points of Disney Vaction Club owners and book luxury Disney resort properties at significant savings.
How to Save on Food
- Ask a local for restaurant recommendations. I love talking to locals who love talking about their town! They always know where to get the best meals at the best price.
- Find venues that offer a happy hour menu as an alternative to an early dinner.
- Visit the must-try restaurants for lunch rather than dinner. You’ll get the same great food at lunch portions and lunch prices.
- Book a condo with a kitchen so you can eat some of your meals in the room.
- Seek out restaurants that offer prix fixe or “menu of the day” deals.
- Check for places that offer “kids eat free” deals.
- Purchase ‘take out’ food at the local supermarket. SBT Founder Kim Orlando raves about Foodland Farms in Waikiki where the food prices are sky-high.
Save on Things to Do on Your Vacation
- Buy package tickets like a CityPASS if it includes the attractions you already plan to visit. They can save you big bucks on entry fees and will save you time because having the pass in hand means you can skip the long lines of people waiting to pay for their admission.
- Consider purchasing multi-day theme park passes; They are cheaper on a per-day basis. SheBuysTravel recommends Get Away Today for discounted Disney tickets and vacation packages.
- Bring student cards, military IDs and membership cards that might give you discounted admission rates.
- Download free self-guided tours instead of taking paid tours.
- Buy a museum membership to your local museum, aquarium or zoo that participates in a national reciprocal entry program. Check out the lists here:Association of Zoos and AquariumsArt & Cultural MuseumsSciece and Technology Museums
- Take free walking tours like those offered through Chicago Greeters.
Save on Car Rentals
- Join the major car rental company loyalty programs and sign up for promotions.
- Book a cancellable rate, then set price alerts rebook if it drops.
- Check to see whether your personal car insurance or a credit card will cover a rental car. If so, decline the rental company’s exhorbitant daily insurance add-on.
- Consider picking up a rental someplace other than the airport, where you’re likely to incur surcharges. Sometimes it’s cheaper to take public transit into the city and pick up the car there.
- Save a day’s rental by moving to a hotel with a free shuttle on the last night of the trip. I always do this when I arrive on a late evening flight or will be heading home on a early flight the next day.
- Bring your own toll pass and car seat. Rental companies charge big for using theirs. Just remember to temporarily add the rental car to your toll pass account!
- Fill the gas tank yourself before returning the vehicle. Check the Gas Buddy app for the lowest priced gas near the airport.
Save on Cruises
- Do the math before buying a beverage package. Calculate what you’d realistically drink each day and compare that with package pricing and included beverages.
- Don’t be tempted to buy souvenirs onboard. You can find most items cheaper in the ports of call.
- Don’t buy the photographs and video sold by the cruise line. Bring your camera and take your own.
- Consider booking your own port excursions rather than booking through the cruiseline. You’ll like save money. Just remember to allow plenty of time to get back to the ship. The ship will only wait for passengers who are not on their official excurisions.
- If you love cruising, book with the same cruisline to get frequent cruise discounts.
Save on Cell Phone Charges
- Check with your wireless provider find the best way to get service at your travel destination.
- Use online services like WhatsApp, international carrier plans, eSIMs and Wi-Fi calling instead of phone service.
Save on Souvenirs
- Never buy souvenirs in ‘touristy’ areas or airports. Shop local instead. The prices will be lower and you’ll be supporting the local economy.
- Establish a set budget and stick to it, especially when traveling with kids.
FAQs
How can I save money on vacation without making the trip feel cheap?
Prioritize the experiences that matter most to you, then look for savings elsewhere. Eat at a special restaurant at lunch instead of dinner, use points for hotel stays or upgrades, seek out free attractions and compare package prices with booking each part separately.
What are some of the easiest ways to save money on hotels?
oin hotel loyalty programs before booking, compare points and cash rates, ask the hotel directly about discounts or upgrades and consider properties with perks that reduce other expenses, such as lounge access or rooms with kitchens.
How can I spend less on food while traveling?
Try sought-after restaurants at lunchtime, take advantage of happy hours and prix fixe menus, pick up prepared foods at local markets and consider accommodations with a kitchen so you don’t have to eat every meal at a restaurant.
Are attraction passes actually worth the money?
Yes, but only if the pass actually covers the attractions you want to visit. Before you buy, compare the pass price with individual admission costs to make sure it’s a deal. The other advantage of pre-purchased passes: You’ll get to skip long admission lines, so you’ll save time and money.
SheBuysTravel writers have been where you’re going. We share our ground-truth experience to save you time, money and energy, making your trips easier. Been There. Bought That. Since 2006.
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