Planning a trip abroad can be exciting but also somewhat stressful, especially when trying to plan your adventure on a budget. As we all know, traveling can be outrageously expensive, but what if I told you it didn’t have to be? When traveling abroad, there are always ways you can save a buck or two, even if you didn’t know it! Here are some tips and tricks I learned during my time studying abroad that will save you some money:
1. So, when I want to find a cheap plane ticket, the first place I go to is Skyscanner.com. Skyscanner is an excellent website that allows you to compare European airline prices. You might be asking, what is the catch? Good news, there is no catch! Skyscanner allows you to find the cheapest plane tickets and travel deals out there from hundreds of different airlines!
2. I know a lot of people have done this, but sometimes we see a flight at first glance that looks relatively cheap, and immediately get super excited because we think it’s a steal. But make sure you keep in mind of all the extra costs that might play in, which means you are guaranteed to end up spending way more than originally planned. Well, my next trick and suggestion would be to spend a little extra time planning your travel. Take your time when planning your next trip, and always try to locate the best deals and offers on the Internet. By doing this, you can avoid the extra charges airlines love to throw at their customers.
3. Another great tip when traveling abroad is to avoid renting a car altogether. There are so many modes of transportation that are much cheaper options. Instead of renting a car to get to one place to the next, take a train! Train tickets are usually relatively cheap, and most of the times you can travel to a different country via train as well!
4. A lot of tourists and travelers abroad make the mistake of booking hotels for the duration of their stay, but in reality, this is not a very economical living accommodation, especially if you are trying to save money! Instead, try looking at hostels to stay in. Hostels provide inexpensive food and lodging for travelers, and if you do your research you can find one that is very nice and fits all of your budget requirements!
5.Another alternative to sleeping inexpensively abroad is to rent a bed in someone’s home. Yes, I know that sounds a little strange, but more and more people are using a site called Airbnb.com that allows you rent someone’s home or bed while traveling. You can rent an entire house or apartment if you want or even just rent a single bed in a living room. There are so many options when it comes to picking your Airbnb, which means you will undoubtedly find something that fits your budget!
6.Another great tip I learned studying abroad, is to avoid all bus tours that are offered to you. I am someone that loves to learn about the cities and countries I travel to, but a way to do this, instead of a paying for an over-priced bus tour, is to take a walking tour. These walking tours are completely free, and the guides solely rely on tips from the customers. So it’s is kind of win-win situation! You get a little cardio in while also saving some money, ha!
7.My last and final tip when traveling abroad is to avoid purchasing an overpriced international phone plan. A lot of these international plans will charge you $5-$10 for every extra text you send that is not included in your plan, and they will also charge you’re for any extra minutes you talk on the phone. Of course, you want to be able to communicate with your loved one’s back home, but a way you can do this and save on these costs is by buying a cheap cell phone abroad. And if you don’t want to purchase a phone, you could instead only make calls when you have access to Wi-Fi, this way you can facetime/skype your friends and family back home!
Traveling abroad can be such an amazing and life-changing experience, especially when you get to have fun and save money at the same time! I hope these tips and tricks help you in the future whenever you plan your next trip abroad! We would love to hear the ways you saved money abroad!