We all love to travel, but when we consider the costs, this desire can often be postponed or unattainable. As a traveler, I will share with you, travel cheaply. First of all, it is possible to travel at a reasonable price with a little planning and the right resources. The main topic I want to tell you in this guide is; how you can keep your travel budget to a minimum, and how it is possible to make more economical trips with coupons and deals. We will examine in detail what you can do to reduce costs, whether it is flights or accommodation.
Why Traveling Cheaply is Easier Than You Think
I usually use Skyscanner and Google Flight for my flights, and I will also recommend a nice AI tool in the sections of the article to find cheap flight tickets. Of course, I use booking for accommodations. In fact, the more often you book, the more loyalty points you earn and the more you can earn extra advantages for your next stay. I also use Airbnb for quiet and peaceful homes when I stay with my family. You can find cheap accommodations at your destination by following home listings on Airbnb.
Coupons and deals are another great way to reduce costs. There are many options for places that fit your budget, from discounted tickets to touristic attractions and food deals. Some apps and sites even offer last-minute deals, so I don’t have to plan months in advance to save money. I will tell you about these deals.
Finally, traveling in low season or to less popular places can make a big difference in your costs. For example, traveling to Thailand in months like September and October will be almost half the price. Popular destinations tend to be more expensive, so exploring them during special periods or with coupons can give you a unique travel experience at a fraction of the price. With these tips, you’ll find that budget-friendly travel is not only possible, it’s surprisingly easy.
How to Use Flightlist.io to Travel Cheaply
The secret site I will talk about finding cheap flight tickets is “flightlist.io“. You can find very cheap flight tickets using this site. It brings you the data of many companies with a single click. You can see only the cheapest tickets by searching without selecting the departure city or destination city. I bought a flight ticket from France to Poland for only 10 dollars last year.
As I showed in the picture above, I can easily find a ticket between the two countries for 27 dollars. Even if you want to travel and don’t have a plan, just want to have fun for a few days with a low budget and then come back, by choosing the location you are in without choosing any location, you can see where you can go for the cheapest. It works very well for me in terms of finding cheap travel ideas.
Finding Cheap Flights with the Best Tools
Flying doesn’t always have to be a budget-friendly option. With the right tools, you can easily find budget-friendly flights that fit your travel plans and help you travel cheaply. In this section, I’ll introduce you to some of the essential tools that make finding cheap tickets easy, because I use them a lot in my daily life. These tools allow you to compare prices, track trends, and even discover unexpected deals. Whether you’re planning ahead or looking for a last-minute getaway, each of these options can help you save money on your flight. Let’s take a look at how to get the most out of Skyscanner, Flightlist.io, and Google Flights to keep your travel budget under control. I’ve already written about Flightlist.io in a previous article.
Using Skyscanner to Travel Cheaply
Skyscanner is one of the tools I use the most to find cheap flights. With this platform, you can compare hundreds of airlines and travel agencies with a single search. Especially if you have flexible travel dates, Skyscanner’s “Whole Month” and “Cheapest Month” features come in handy. You can click to see how to use the whole month feature step by step. Using these features, you can see the best prices throughout the month and travel on the dates that best suit your budget. You can also easily discover the cheapest destinations when you can’t decide where to go by setting your destination as “Anywhere”. This way, you can reduce your travel costs by having a spontaneous getaway.
It is also possible to find deals and coupons offered periodically on Skyscanner. From time to time, certain airlines or travel agencies may offer discounted prices through Skyscanner. For this, you can check the “Deals” section on Skyscanner’s homepage. Here, you can easily see discounts and promotions on popular routes. You can also activate Skyscanner’s email notifications or set up a price alert to be informed about price drops on your desired route and catch the best ticket opportunities. With these little tips, you can make your travel much more economical.
Google Flights Tips for Travelers Looking to Travel Cheaply
Google Flights is one of the most reliable and flexible tools for travel planning. You can quickly compare date options to find cheap tickets and easily see the prices for the most suitable dates. After searching, you can examine the price changes on different dates using Google Flights’ “Price Graph” and “Date Grid” features. If you have a flexible travel plan for a certain route, these features will help you find the most suitable tickets for your budget. You can also activate the price tracking feature, which will send you notifications when the ticket price drops below a certain price. In this way, you can be notified immediately when there is an unexpected discount and you can reach your “travel cheaply” goal by keeping your travel budget under control.
As you can see in my selection from New York to Istanbul Airport, I can see the most suitable price in the grid table. I like using Google Flight because I see this feature quickly every day. Also, after making your selection, opening the email notification and being able to catch the deals is my favorite feature.
Budget-Friendly Accommodation Options to Travel Cheaply
Accommodation usually makes up the majority of my travel budget. However, it is often possible to reduce this cost by following the right opportunities. It doesn’t matter if you have a short-term or long-term vacation plan, there are many platforms and methods you can use to find affordable accommodation options. Booking.com is a platform where you can find many coupons and shared accommodation that I use frequently. Airbnb is another website that I use to stay comfortably without straining my budget with a variety of options from hostels to guesthouses. In this section, I will explain how you can spend less for both short-term and long-term accommodations, in other words, how you can travel cheaply. Now, let’s take a look at how I find the most suitable accommodation options for your trip.
How to Travel Cheaply with Booking.com for Accommodation
Booking.com is one of my favorite places to find affordable accommodation. Here, I can find not only hotels but also rooms, hostels and even shared accommodations that fit my budget. There are often discounts and special offers; these opportunities really come in handy, especially during promotional periods. My advice is to check the site regularly before your trip and join the “Genius” membership program. When you join the Genius program, you can benefit from discounts of up to 10% on certain accommodation options and significantly reduce your travel costs.
It is also very easy to rise to the Genius level! All you need to do is make two reservations through Booking.com; in this case, the program will raise you to the Genius 1 level. This level offers permanent discounts and extra benefits such as free breakfast in some hotels. You can also reach the Genius 2 level by making more reservations, which means more discounts and advantages. If you are aiming to travel cheaply, you can keep your budget under control by taking advantage of such opportunities.
If you use it frequently during your travels, you can get 1 discount coupon per month from booking.com.
Saving Money on Extended Stays with Airbnb
Airbnb offers a budget-friendly option for long-term accommodations. Unlike short-term bookings, you can get special discounts on Airbnb when you plan to stay for more than a week or a month. Most hosts offer discounts ranging from 10% to 30% for long stays, reducing the daily rate. Especially if you are working while traveling or planning to stay somewhere for several weeks, you can significantly reduce your accommodation costs with these discounts offered by Airbnb. Unlike Booking, you can also reduce the cost of eating out by renting apartments with kitchens or entire homes on Airbnb. In this way, you can both provide a more economical accommodation and feel as comfortable as if you were at home.
Last year, I wanted to stay in Bali, Indonesia for a month and I came across a one-month discount on Airbnb. Normally, the daily rate was quite high, but when I chose the one-month stay option, I saw that the price dropped by 20%. With this discount, I stayed in an apartment with its own kitchen and a large balcony, and instead of eating out, I was able to keep my budget under control by cooking with ingredients I bought from local markets. Since my work is online, I want to spend different times of the year in different locations, so Airbnb discounts are very useful for me.
Saving on Daily Expenses While Traveling
When traveling, it is important to budget well not only for airfare and accommodation expenses but also for daily expenses. However, it is possible to keep your daily expenses under control and have a budget-friendly travel experience with a few practical tips. Saving on daily needs such as food and drink, transportation and grocery shopping can significantly reduce your total travel costs. In this section, I share my suggestions on how to travel cheaply while spending less. Let’s take a look at how you can save money when eating out, on grocery shopping and transportation.
Tips for Eating Out Cheaply While Traveling
Eating out is one of the most enjoyable moments of travel, perhaps the most unforgettable because experiencing new flavors is among the indispensable things for travelers. However, it can quickly strain your budget. Still, with some small tips, you can both experience local flavors and have enjoyable meals without spending too much. First of all, avoid spending unnecessary money by getting away from touristic areas. Discover restaurants or street food spots preferred by locals. In this way, you can experience real local flavors. These places are usually more affordable and the food can surprise you with its authentic flavors.
Also, I easily find restaurants that offer lunch specials or fixed-price menus in the country you are traveling to with Google Maps. Such places allow you to experience more food at more affordable prices, especially during lunch hours. Another suggestion I have is happy hours; by following these, I can buy more things with the money I spend. Finally, you can make some meals cheaper by buying small snacks and drinks from markets or local markets. In this way, you can have a satisfying and enjoyable dining experience without shaking your budget.
Grocery Shopping Hacks to Travel Cheaply
Going grocery shopping is one of the best ways to spend your budget on more fun things during your trip. Especially if I have a long-term travel plan, instead of eating out, I make it a very economical option by preparing some meals myself. I usually go to local markets or markets where I travel and buy fresh fruits, vegetables and snacks. In these markets, I not only find affordable products, but also have the opportunity to get to know the culture of that region up close. In addition, large supermarket chains usually have daily discounts; especially in the evening, the prices of fresh products can drop. In this way, I can continue my travel cheaply goal by preparing both delicious and affordable meals. Remember, you can make your trip more economical with small grocery shopping.
Affordable Transport Options to Get Around Cheaply
One of the best ways to explore a city is to plan your transportation wisely and keep your expenses to a minimum. When I arrive in a new city, the first thing I do is explore the public transportation system. Many cities have daily or weekly card options; thanks to these cards, I can travel in a practical way and save money. For example, car sharing applications such as Grab in Asia, Uber in the US and BlaBlaCar in Europe provide fast transportation at affordable prices. Walking is also one of my indispensable choices. Especially in historical areas, walking step by step both protects my budget and allows me to feel the spirit of the city more deeply. If I need to go to places further away, I consider alternatives such as renting a bike in addition to public transportation. In this way, I travel without compromising on local experiences and without straining my budget.
Traveling Cheaply Doesn’t Mean Missing Out
These ways to use your budget efficiently will never make you feel restricted during your trip. On the contrary, they will allow you to have a richer and fuller travel experience by spending every penny in the right way. If there are deals and coupons during your trip, why not take advantage of them? Of course, if you travel infrequently and spend on everything, it may be your choice. But if you are a regular traveler like me; if exploring the places you go, meeting new people and tasting different flavors are important to you, you can benefit from the suggestions in this article. Remember, traveling is not only beautiful with the destination, but also with the memories you accumulate during the trip.
