10 Money Hacks To Help You Save When Travelling
Most of us are aware that we often spend more than we need to when travelling, but what many of us aren’t completely aware of are the significant amounts we can save and where these savings can come from. Travelling doesn’t always have to bust a hole in your pocket – we at Enjoycompare have put together some useful travel hacks to score you some serious savings on your next trip.
Source For Cheaper Flight Tickets
Many of us make the mistake of refreshing a window when monitoring ticket prices. Most airfare websites make use of cookies, which means that doing so could lead to an increase in flight prices, especially we repeatedly search for the same flights or destinations. To avoid this, it is recommended that you first clear the browser cache and cookies, your recent searches or utilise incognito mode or a private browsing mode on your browser. Using a VPN is another way of bypassing this problem, and also as location can affect the prices listed on sites.
Booking flights in the early morning or late night would also usually be friendlier to your wallet as many people prefer not to travel at these times. Weekend flights are also likelier to be more expensive, and it is often better to purchase a mid-week flight.
Another method is utilising search engines and tools such as Google Flights and Adioso to help you compare flight prices, times, dates and airlines effectively. Such sites provide additional flexibility and ease to your air tickets search, whilst making sure you get the best deal.
Don’t Forget About Your Credit Card Benefits and Rewards
Rewards you have accumulated on your credit cards can come in handy on your travels, saving you a fair bit of money. Such rewards can include a free day on your hotel stay, less expensive accommodation, flights at reduced prices and cheaper or even free travel insurance. If you’re a member of a frequent flyer programme or have a frequent flyer credit card, make sure to cash in those miles and points for award flights, cabin upgrades, hotel stays or even vacation packages.
Credit cards which carry no foreign transaction fee on your purchases are also a great help, as most credit cards impose a 1 to 3 percent fee on the total purchase amount. With these cards, you can also forget about any ATM withdrawal fees. These travel-friendly cards usually also come with a travel rewards programme and other bonuses at a relatively cheap annual fee, saving you a lot of money in the long run. Check out our short list of the best travel credit cards in Singapore.
Whenever Possible, Take Public Transport
Cabs may provide us with the greatest convenience, but are usually more expensive than other forms of public transport. Purchasing bus, subway and train passes or cards will definitely save you a significant amount. Furthermore, being reliant on cabs in a foreign country makes you more susceptible to being overcharged by cab drivers as unknowing tourists are easy targets. Before your trip, read up on your destination’s public transport network and plan your routes. It may be confusing, but is definitely worth the money saved!
Additionally, using transport search engines such as Rome2rio, a transport planner that shows you all available transport options, could be a great aid in determining the cheapest and fastest routes to your destination.
Don’t Patronise Eateries Near a Tourist Hotspot
There may be numerous eateries and restaurants located at or near a popular tourist attraction, but aside from the convenience, we often find that the food they offer is at best average, yet expensive. More than often enough, walking a further distance to get your food will offer you much better, authentic food at a lower price tag. Look out for places popular with the locals – they usually serve better and cheaper food, and are rarely, if ever, located near a major tourist attraction.
Don’t Leave Your Passport Behind
Many countries offer tax refunds for tourists. Often, large shopping malls also have discounts and rewards for foreign shoppers. Look out for the tax refund stickers and notices for tourists. Your passport is the pass to these discounts and tax refunds, and if you’re a big shopper, it should always be with you. Before departing, make sure that you have all the necessary bills and receipts on hand to claim your tax refund.
Carry your Student ID
Many places offer discounts for students, such as amusement parks, museums, eateries and movie theatres. If you’re a student, having your student ID card on hand will save you more than a couple of dollars.
Tour The Museums Free of Charge
Some museums may have certain hours or days when entrance is free or discounted. They might have discounted museum tours, too. But before visiting the museums, take a look at their websites to check if they have these special visiting days or hours. Learning about the arts doesn’t have to be pricey.
Have A Heavier Lunch
Lunch menus are usually less expensive compared to dinner menus. You can even dine on dinner menus at lunch at some places. Some restaurants also charge higher prices on weekends. If you wish to check out certain restaurants, knowing when to get better deals will save you a great deal of money. This is especially so in places where street food and markets are uncommon, and restaurants line the streets.
Purchase A Tourism Card
If there is a tourism card, get one. A tourism card typically offers tourists cheaper prices and better deals for the area’s best tourist attractions, destinations and tours. These cards can provide free transport to these locations as well as free entry. An example is the Paris Museum Pass, which grants free entry without queueing, to over 50 museums and monuments, which could potentially offer travellers great savings.
Share Your Rides
Sometimes, transport can be expensive, and ride-sharing with locals or other travellers might be cheaper. Websites such as BlaBlaCar and Liftshare will help you get a ride with others and save both parties some money.
