How to Save Money While Traveling
Published on - July 15th, 2010 (Modified on - July 20th, 2010) (by Sierra Black) This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com.
When I was packing for my trip to Argentina, a friend advised me, “Put everything you’re taking on the bed. Now put back half the clothes, and take twice the money.”
Good advice. I tried to follow it and still ended up bringing more clothes than I could possibly need. I didn’t bring much money, though, because one of my goals for this trip is to keep saving even while I’m traveling.
Saving for travel is relatively simple: You set up a targeted savings account and put a little money aside each week or each month. Setting a schedule and sticking to it is the key to saving for anything. Travel is no exception.
Saving while traveling is a bit more complicated. Even the most carefully-planned vacation is plagued with unexpected expenses. Over at I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Ramit Sethi suggests budgeting 20% more than you think a trip will cost to pay for sundry expenses along the way.
That’s a lot of dough. Where does it all go?
- Taxes and fees. Many countries levy special taxes and fees on tourists. A little research can let you know what these will be, so you can plan ahead. To find local tax, toll and fee information, check the websites for each state or country you plan to visit, or talk to your travel agent. At the airport in Argentina, for example, we had to pay $140 per American citizen to enter the country. A fellow behind us in line hadn’t know about that fee, and was miserably explaining to the ticket agent that he didn’t have that much money on him and didn’t know what to do.
- Unexpected needs. Baby Tylenol. Adapters to plug in our electronic gadgets. Groceries from the corner market. I knew we’d need something day to day on our trip, but I didn’t know what. It wouldn’t have made sense to travel with every possible thing I might need. These things were cheaply and readily available here, and would have taken up valuable space in a suitcase. Bringing cash to cover incidental needs made more sense than imagining every possible occurrence and packing ahead.
- Impulse spending. Part of the joy of travel is seeing new things and having new experiences. Some of those may cost more than you’d expected. In our travels in Argentina, I’ve had the chance to visit Eva Peron’s grave, fall in love with a local winery, and take a river cruise. Better to budget in advance for museum tickets, scenic tours, and souvenir shopping than to find yourself pinching pennies halfway through your trip because you splurged at the beginning.
- Emergencies. On our last visit to Argentina, my infant daughter caught a terrible ear infection and needed hospital care. Our insurance ultimately paid for her care, less our normal co-pay. But at the time, we had to pay out of pocket for everything here, and then chase down reimbursement for it through a maze of paperwork once we got home. Having a comfortable cushion of while traveling lets you handle real emergencies as they crop up.
There’s no doing away with all these expenses, but there are plenty of things you can do to keep your overall costs low. Here are some easy ways to save while traveling:
- Be prepared. I mentioned planning to buy some small needful things, like infant Tylenol, while you travel. A little research on your destination can help you figure out what necessities are going to be cheaper where you’re traveling to, and which ones might cost a lot more. I planned to buy a fancy dress for the party I’m attending, because clothes are generally cheaper here. But I bought my husband a video camera before we left, because electronics cost quite a bit more in Buenos Aires than they do in Boston.
- Travel with frugal companions. Just like your friends influence your spending at home, they can pressure you to spend or save on the road. I have a close friend I’ve traveled with several times during the past year. She’s more frugal than I am, and she’s great at checking my impulse to spend excessively just because I’m on the road.
- Know your weaknesses. I splurge when I’m stressed and when I’m celebrating. Travel tends to push both those buttons. I worry about making it on time through the airport, so I throw caution to the winds and pay for overpriced food rather than packing a picnic ahead of time. I want to treasure the memories of where I am, so I spend money on knick-knacks or clothes that I don’t really need. This is a habit I picked up from childhood. My normally tightwad mother would open her purse with abandon when we were traveling, and I’ve never quite shaken the habit. Knowing this about myself makes me look twice at any purchase I want to make when I’m on the road.
- Make a game of it. See how low you can keep your daily travel budget. Can you get through a whole day in a foreign country without spending a dime? Can you clip coupons in a language you barely speak? Take advantage of local specials at the neighborhood diner instead of eating in your hotel? Score points with your spouse by finding ways to save on your vacation.
- Have a savings goal in mind. What are you going to do with the money you don’t spend on this trip? Having a prize in mind helps keep me focused on saving. I have a pool of money I can afford to part with here in Argentina. Any money I take home will go into my high interest savings account towards my next savings goal: paying off our car loan. My goal is to shave time off that deadline by bringing home enough unspent “travel money” to make a full months’ car payment.
Of course for some people part of the joy of travel is being able to let go the reins of frugality and spend freely. If you’ve saved diligently and have that 20% cushion Ramit Sethi suggests, there’s no reason not to.
But if you enjoy frugality, there’s also no reason to leave your frugal habits at home. Careful spending while traveling only reinforces wise fiscal habits at home, and if you come home with part of your travel fund untouched, you’re that much closer to the being ready to book your next trip.
Oof. I have a lot to say about this one. Maybe I ought to leave my thoughts in the comments, but I’m going to be bold and append them to Sierra’s post.
I’ve become a huge fan of the packing list. As I begin to travel more and more, it’s very useful to have a fixed list that indicates the things I need to take with me. This keeps me from panicking with last-minute worry that I’ve forgotten something, but it also helps me keep costs down because I have a sort of mini-inventory of travel stuff I need. (I used my last Breathe Right nasal strip in Denver last weekend, so I bought more today because I had a coupon.) I have two packing-list apps for my iPhone, have bookmarked several packing-list sites, and even have a packing-list book on hold at my library!
The packing list also helps me to pack light, which is another way it saves me money. When I pack light, I know what I have and where I have it. Plus, I don’t have to check a bag. (My goal — even for our upcoming month-long trip to Europe — is to travel with a single carry-on bag.) In extreme cases, I’ve known people who have packed so much Stuff they’ve actually had to ship some of it home. From Europe. Now that’s expensive!
Finally, on long trips, I keep a daily log of what I’m spending. I know my overall trip budget (and what that works out to per day), so my daily tracking lets me know when I need to pinch pennies and when I can cut loose a little. And in my case, I use a specific credit card that waves overseas transaction charges while also giving me 1% cash back.
Sorry for hijacking Sierra’s post. I’ll go to the gym for deadlifts and burpees now…
[Wait! One last tip! If you're traveling in the U.S., order an Entertainment book for the city you're traveling to. When Kris and I do this, we recover the cost very quickly.]
Photo by Rick.
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Happy Travels, Sierra! Your long summer excursion certainly has not adversely affected your ability to produce quality substantive work.
The thought of exotic travel is just absolutely exhilarating to me-it’s something I want my household to be able to do and take advantage of not just in retirement but now, my frugality is just a stepping stone to new adventures beyond a loathsome cubicle. Extensive travel is quite appealing because you get to immerse yourself in the culture.
That being said the $140 fee per American citizen is insane, I wonder is this just levied on American citizens or all non South America mainland citizens, wow-that’s crazy. It’s much better to have too much than to be strapped for cash. Preliminary research is critical in even setting a budget. Thankfully the Internet makes a less burdensome task.
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I’m a big fan of a travel spending plan.
This is what we do, we have an auto savings travel account that we always contribute to. As a result, when we plan a vacation we normally already have enough to pay for our flight in our travel account.
While we don’t use credit cards in our day to day financial life we do use them to book flights, reserve hotels and rental cars.
We normally plan a trip at least a couple months out so once the flight is booked and the hotel reserved we have a good chunk of our spending plan figured out (travel and lodging). Then we add in events (concerts, shows, museums) that we expect to take in along with adding in a few extra nice dining events. Then we budget a $100 for each of us per day for shopping and regular dining, cocktails, etc. Add it all up and that is our travel spending plan, divide by number of pay checks between now and travel and adjust our auto savings upward.
By the time we leave we have enouch in our travel account to pay for everything. Often time we pay, upon check out for the hotel, or upon return for the rental car, with our debit card even though we reserved on our CC. Depending on where we are traveling we use a combination of cash and debit card for day to day spending.
We have been traveling this way since 2007 and it has always worked out well. It is such a pleasure to enjoy our vacation and travel without worrying about our spending (and yes we spend more when we travel but we enjoy it) and return home with no debt.
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I too like to experience what the locale has to offer when I go on trips. If I can’t afford to do that, then I don’t go.
I thought I heard that if you travel internationally, it is easier to pay with credit card as you don’t have to worry about conversion and such, that you just get the exchange rate as of that day? I hate carrying a lot of cash around, so I usually rely on credit as much as possible wherever I go. (But I ALWAYS pay off my card, always. Every month.)
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J.D.,
Where do you find the Entertainment books for the various cities you travel to?
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Interesting article, but not everyone wants to travel like a tramp or a pauper, with a single bag, therefore having to wear the same, crumpled, dirty, unfashionable clothes every day. You can be frugal AND stylish, taking pride in your appearance. What’s more, sometimes it’s more relaxing NOT to meet the locals or “immerse” yourself in the local culture – instead, take in the sights and sounds while enjoying the company of loved ones or friends, or enjoy your solitude. Superficial, happy-clappy “friendships” with fellow travelers or locals never last beyond the journey home, so spend your time wisely with people who are already close to you. Also, save a little extra before you go and then splash out – a fancy restaurant with a nice bottle of wine and a dress code rather than a grubby roadside stall, a shiny mall full of bargains instead of an overpriced market rife with price gouging. Spend some money in this way and you’re supporting the local economy more than haggling down to the last cent with people far poorer than yourself.
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I went to visit my brother in Holland in May and the gifts that were the biggest hit with my friends? Postcards. People so rarely get snail mail (of the non bill variety) and everyone I sent a postcard to was thrilled. Cost – about 1-2 euros per card and .95 in postage to Canada and the US.
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We just got back from a 3 week honeymoon in Europe, going from London all the way down through Rome. We didn’t really have a problem taking everything in one carry on bag each (though most all airlines give you one free checked bag for international flights, which we took advantage of on the way home for souvenirs and gifts).
The hardest part is keeping the bag small for airline travel, but if you’re going by car/rail once you’re over there, don’t be afraid to get shampoo/soap/etc at a store once you land, then pack your bag a little thicker during your travels, and chuck it all before you fly back. It worked great for us, along with laundry mat visits once a week (it’s fun trying to do laundry by pictures since you can’t understand the words!).
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My wife has a list which she uses to do the packing for our frequent trips to my parents’ place. Quite useful.
As for budgeting on vacation? I think for small stuff I just can’t do it. If I’m going on a snowboard vacation, I’m not going to worry about the food budget.
Of course, if it’s a decision about something more expensive, like going heli-skiing for a day – I have to debate whether I should do it.
Mike
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@Brian (#4)
When we buy Entertainment books for other cities, we get them through the Entertainment website.
@Annalise (#5)
Why do you think that living out of a single bag means that you’re living like a tramp or pauper and that your clothes will then be crumpled and unfashionable. I don’t get your logic at all.
My clothes are no more crumpled than if I pack three bags full of them. I’m able to wash and iron them, just the same as if I had ten shirts instead of three. And the number of items you take with you has nothing to do with whether they’re fashionable or not.
I’m willing to trade doing laundry more often for having less Stuff with me. It’s awesome.
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So a couple of comments:
First, while you *should* try to spend as little as possible *for what you want* never, EVER be afraid to pay for experiences. The last thing you want to do is travel across the country and, after you come back, say “I wish we had…” Budget for the vacation you want, not just what will get you there.
Second, on shopping in a foreign country: never, ever promise to get people anything more than about $5. That narrows it down to things like postcards or a tin of Chinese tea. You will likely be getting alot of people something and anything more bulky will be both not quite useful and a pain to get back onto the plane.
In the same vein, when shopping for yourself always ask “Am I going to actually use/hang/wear this when I get home?” Some many people (myself included) buy stuff that just takes up space in their luggage.
Jake
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This will be long. Im afraid that as aa long term international traveler Im going to agree with JD that the things like the tylenol and the appliance issue should be planned for, even if that means one more small carry on (especially in your case as it sounds like once you arrive you will be in one place. Have a master packing list for the entire family that includes clothing, toiletries, medications, and all needs. Inventory it when you return from your trip and update it when you leave-that takes a few minutes. I suggest a small first aid type kit inclusion. Regular travelers generally own an adaptor or else dual appliances. in my case I used to have a 110 and a 220 hair drier (I often stay in the kinds of hotels that dont automatically include hair dries and so on). Almost every boat tour and so on can be researched online before a trip and that cost can be factored into the price of the trip.Set a budget for sightseeing before you leave and keep it firm. Remember that while Museums and trips are wonderful, but walking around and drinking up a city view is just as valuable. And for every museum there is a free park, cathederal or something else to be viewed. Do carry cash as many countries do not accept credit cards, especially at smaller venues. remember that while you do pay some taxes, some taxes such as VAT will be refundable when you leave a country. Im sure I have more ideas-I’m just the opposite, Im the gals that takes what shes going to sepnd and manages okay. Oh, and as far as grocieries, I would think that contribution to the family food budget would be part of your planning ahead??
Not trying to be negative, just been there and done that for thirty years.
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@ J.D. Roth (#9)
Honey, you know and I know that the kind of person who travels for weeks with one bag is neither fashionable nor well dressed
I love this site and the reason I commented is because I worry that other people such as myself will be put off after reading articles like this. Increasingly people are being hectored into taking ridiculously tiny amounts of baggage on trips and told that the only valid traveling experience is to spend all one’s time with “locals” in “authentic” (read: grimy) hangouts. Believe me it’s perfectly possible to be financially responsible but also be fabulous and travel in style: enjoy a glass of champagne in a nice bar, wear a new outfit every night (I revel in using every last pound of my baggage allowance), luxuriate in Egyptian cotton sheets rather than an uncomfortable dorm bed, order steak instead of street food. I respect the writer’s freedom to choose how to travel, but we can’t all be the same and there are alternatives for those on a budget.
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Great article Sierra!
@Annelise- hubby worked for embassies in several countries. He never carried more than one bag. Nice slacks,tie and shirt fit well with the internationally worn jeans,polos and shoes. He used the front desk for dry cleaning or wash services outside of the hotel. When I traveled with him I learned the same- 2 blouses, 1 skirt, 1 pants, dress shoes, dress bag, jammies, toiletries and undies (of course I was wearing a differnt set of clothing on to begin with- we wear jackets/coats on the planes). If something came up and we needed a different look- we looked local. I carried a very small 220v steam iron.
As far as not getting into the local color? Why travel? I am sure there is a nice Italian place near your home that has a slide show on the wall:>)After 22 countries and 49 states- local color is what it is all about for us- especailly if local(as in Sierra) IS family!
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When I am traveling, one way I save money is by staying at a hotel whose rooms feature kitchenettes. I can then go to the grocery store and purchase food to prepare. This helps trim down the fat in my spending and in my stomach!
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I love shopping on trips. When I travel, I try to kill two birds with a single stone by shopping for unique holiday gifts on my trips. (Or three birds, really… since I get to avoid the mall in December!)
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I had found from past travel experiences with my husband that as usual, we are completely incompatible when it comes to money issue. Ugh! I’m a saver, and he, what else, a spender! And since he thinks i know how to save it makes him feel even freer to spend!
Toward the end of a trip I would become so furious about his spending that a vacation became an unhappy battle gound. So, I wised up and created a vacation/gift fund. After reading this entry, I’m also going to give my husband, my 2 kids, and myself a set amount of spending money. We are to budget for our own junk-buying on the road. If we have any $ left over it’s our’s to keep. This may help with my sanity. Amen!
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I, too, am a huge fan of the one-bag (preferably a backpack) mode of travel. You can be awfully stylish out of a single bag, washing or cleaning items as necessary.
To really save money on a trip, you have to prioritize. Spend money on what you really care about. For ex., when I travel, I spend money on food and experiences, but I skimp on my accommodations. This means I will stay in the cheapest room of a pretty basic place (the rooftop of a hostel in Syria – US$5/night, my cheapest evening so far.) But that leaves me plenty of cash to buy tickets to see famous works of art and go out drinking at famous bars
.
Your choices may vary, but the concept is the same. If you really want to go somewhere and relax, you may pay a premium to stay at a luxurious resort, but do absolutely nothing else but lay by the pool (and thus spend no additional money.)
Also, purchasing food at the local grocery/market to cater your own breakfasts and lunches cuts costs significantly.
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@Annelise — One thing I’ve noted about people who travel a lot (especially for business) is that they get everything they need for a week into one bag. That bag is commonly also approved to be a carry-on bag so you can head right to the gate at the airport, then not have to wait for baggage claim, load it right in the rental car (or taxi or train) and only make one trip from the car to the hotel. Being business travelers, they most definitely need to be presentable in front of clients, as well.
I can’t stand to travel with too much stuff. It’s really the easiest way to lose stuff along the way, or spend your vacation shuttling bags in and out of cars, trains and airplanes when you could be doing something far more interesting.
If anything, I end up dressing better on trips, since the “business casual” look is generally far more versatile than the “slobby guy in a t-shirt and shorts” look. But there’s really no reason to overpack too much stuff, it really just ends up slowing you down.
I also like to live it up a bit on trips, too. Paying for a hotel with a decent bed, bar/restaurant and so on are on my list of things to do on trips. Often the $10-20/night extra to move up from the bottom rung of hotels to the mid-range is well worth it, and after that I’m not firmly convinced that the extra money spent really gets you much more.
Also, most hotels will have either a guest laundry if you want to do your own laundry, or will have the ability to get your wash done for you if you want. Especially the kind of hotels you seem to like staying at. Snce by definition one generally removes all the clothes from the suitcase and then re-packs them, I’ve found the DIY option to be pretty tolerable and easy to work into a travel schedule.
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I find that I spend less if I take cash out while traveling and leave my credit cards in my wallet and ONLY for hotels or emergencies or car rentals. I realize that I pay a fee for cash withdrawals while out of the US, but I plan carefully to make only two withdrawals, it is only a few dollars, and I end up spending less than half. Every time I used cash on my most recent trip to Canada, I keep thinking – do I really NEED this, or is it just an impulse purchase. We ended up spending far less than we would normally do on a trip, and there is the added bonus of no nasty credit card bill shock once you get home.
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No one has addressed travel insurance so I will. Sierra commented on a medical emergency that was a big hassle for them. I had the experience of having a friend break his leg while in a lesser developed country. He was a medically complex person to begin with and there was not a hospital in that country that could fix that complex fracture. In the end we had to do a medical evacuation halfway around the world which took 48 hours 4 different planes through 4 different countries and required the accompaniment of a physician and an RN (myself which lowered the bill because I didn’t charge anything). The total bill was $189,000. That was not including the week in the local hospital.
Now I know the chances are slim, but that $60 was worth every dime. The nightmare of making those arrangements even with the assistance of the insurance company and the US embassy was incredible.
And check your medical insurance policy. Chances are you are not covered internationally. Know before you go.
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Obviously this will not work for international trips but for trips in the US, you could check out Groupon for the cities you are visiting for a few months before you go. You can get food and activities at more than half off.
Don’t know about Groupon? I explain it here.
http://www.bargainshoppermom.com/have-you-tried-groupon/
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Wow, $140 per person to get into Argentina? We went only two years ago and it was free. (Well, maybe $10 airport tax or something.) On the other hand Brazil had a $100 visa fee. We met a couple at Iguazu Falls who had planned to go to the Brazil side. They were OK (both dual citizens) but their children, with only US passports, would have cost them hundreds of extra dollars.
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We use my husband’s reward points from his credit cards to travel. We usually have enough reward points for free airline tickets and hotel rooms. The credit card(s) are paid in full every month so we don’t carry a balance by using them.
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Great tips! I also make specialized packing lists based on my general one. I pack the basics and any specifics based on the trip. Sea-sick patches for a cruise, extra sunscreen for any water plans, etc…
Always bring at least a few hundred in cash…there are just too many things that could pop up that would require some liquidity…
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I think that people usually feel free to spend more when travelling. I am usually careful with my money but I did pay 7 Euro (almost 10 $!) for two small portions of ice cream when travelling in France…
So I may be not qualify to give advice about how to save money when traveling.
Still, I have some advices…
1 ) You can save a lot by doing free activities. There is so many things you can see and visit for free! If you are in a new country, simply walking on the street can be very fun.
2 ) You do not need to buy souvenirs. And if you do, it does not have to be expensive.
3 ) If you are dealing with foreign currency, be careful. Always do the math in your head to make sure the price is reasonable especially with currency that worth more than the dollar (like Euro).
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‘a fancy restaurant with a nice bottle of wine and a dress code rather than a grubby roadside stall, a shiny mall full of bargains instead of an overpriced market rife with price gouging. Spend some money in this way and you’re supporting the local economy more than haggling down to the last cent with people far poorer than yourself.’
Sorry – how exactly does going into a mall no doubt owned by a large company support the local economy more than going to a market?
That’s like saying that by shopping at Walmart you’re benefitting the community more than going to the green grocer down the road run by your neighbours – totally nonsense!
Also, you’ve said that the markets are overpriced, but also that it’s insulting to people poorer than yourself to haggle. Don’t you see the obvious correlation here?
Yes, the prices may be slightly higher than the shiny, air conditioned mall down the street, but haggling is part of cultural identity for traders in many countries. The price might start higher, but you get the same net result if you take part. Personally I think it’s a much more enjoyable way to support the communities you visit.
I also disagree with your comments on food – I don’t go abroad to eat generic fare like steak that I can cook myself on a Friday night – I go partially to experience the culinary traditions of another culture. As well as that, some of the best fare in the world is peasant food and there’s no shame eating cheap food through choice or otherwise…
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I couldn’t agree more with the packing list. I use Remember the Milk on my iPhone and have a list just for packing every time we travel.
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I guess I’ll share my own philosophy, although I doubt anyone else is going to follow it. It works great for me, but someone like Annelise would probably hate it, and I’d probably hate traveling with her. We seem to travel for different reasons.
Like J.D., I pack light. Unlike J.D., I don’t make a list. I need a couple changes of clothes (what clothes depends on the destination climate), a camera, an outlet adapter, a notebook, and that’s pretty much it. I can get through that without three different computer applications.
Unlike Sierra, I don’t try to be particularly frugal. I save before going on vacation specifically so I don’t have to miss out while I’m there. After all, I’ll probably only be in this country once or twice in my life, I’m not going to handicap the experience for a few dollars.
I don’t budget day-to-day. I don’t do this at home, either, so why do it on the road? All the money I’m spending on food and transportation and incidentals on vacation is money I’m not spending during the same time period at home. I don’t worry about the cost of tylenol when I’m not traveling, why would I care when I *am* traveling?
In general, I avoid traditional hotels, preferring to rent apartments or houses or bed and breakfast-y cottages and things. This isn’t particularly more or less expensive, but it makes for a more interesting trip. Hotels are pretty much the same everywhere, but these sorts of places have some character, and you usually get better recommendations about the local area from the people who run them.
I’ll usually opt to take a bus or a train instead of a private taxi to save some money, but not always. On our trip to Costa Rica, we chartered a private plane back to San Jose from the coast so that we would be able to stay one more night and still get on an 11:00AM flight home. The private plane cost an extra $200 or so. It was well worth it and I’ll never forget that part of the experience.
Our next trip we’re planning is to Greece. We’re going to spend a week around Athens, and then charter a sailboat and sail around the islands for a week. No, it’s not cheap, but that’s ok. We’ll show up with one small bag each, a couple changes of clothes, and pick up our $2500/week boat.
The only options aren’t all-out luxury and gap-year backpacker frugality. We like not having to cart a ton of stuff around, and we could care less about looking stylish, so we don’t worry about that. We want to do the fun activities though, even if they’re expensive, so we do. I love the way we vacation and wouldn’t trade it for an extra thousand dollars or two a year.
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@Steve:
The reason Brazil charges that outrageous fee to U.S. travelers is specifically because the U.S. charges the same fee to Brazilians traveling here.
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We’ve become big fans of packing light for trips – better mobility means better flexibilty!
If you’re interested in packing more efficiently, I recommend this website:
http://www.onebag.com/
Because we’ve pared down on other stuff, we now have room in our van to take a tent and sleeping bags for our family of five, and plan to camp several nights on our trip from California to Idaho, as opposed to staying in hotels. This is going to save us hundreds of dollars.
I know camping is a concept from hell for a lot of people, but staying in a hotel room with three active boys who have been in a van all day is no picnic either!
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I always put all the clothes I think I’ll need for the trip out on the bed. Then I’ll get rid of half of them and then i get rid of half of what’s left and I STILL end up bringing too much stuff!
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Hey JD — I’m going to be traveling through the Americas for 6 months – 1 year starting in a couple of weeks, and have been researching for a good CC to use internationally. Which one do you have that you mentioned in your post? “And in my case, I use a specific credit card that waves overseas transaction charges while also giving me 1% cash back.”
Thanks!
-Stephen
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At the bottom of my packing list (which I ALWAYS use as a guide, even when I’m going for just a weekend), I have a list of reminders: turn down water heater, unplug electronics, is mail handled (on hold or picked up), and the like. The list has evolved over time, but is ALWAYS helpful – don’t have to actually remember anything!
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I just returned from a 2 week backpacking trip in Costa Rica and Panama. Packing light is key, especially if you are going to be carrying your packs with you at all times.
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@JD
“And in my case, I use a specific credit card that waves overseas transaction charges while also giving me 1% cash back.”
Which one? Those fees can add up!
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A couple more tips:
1) A couple of months ago the NY Times posted an article about one-bag traveling written by an expert: a travel agent.
2) Instead of trying to hit EVERY site mentioned in your travel guide, spend some time in public places (churches, parks, squares) or walking around the city. Some of my favorite travel memories have been free, non-itinerary experiences. For example, I recently traveled to Istanbul. Instead of paying $10 to see the Basilica Cistern (not a huge priority for me) I spent $3 on a tray of mouth-water baklava and an hour people watching at the Hippodrome.
3) Instead of buying souvenirs that you’ll end up donating to the thrift store in a year, take photos.
4) If you’re in a place for more than a couple of days, make a list of souvenirs to buy rather than buying on impulse. This will help you to prioritize and “think it over” and well as compare so that you can get the best deal.
5) If you’re traveling within the US, purchase restaurant gift certificates at resaturant.com. These often go on sale; I bought a certificate worth $25 for $3 (the total order had to be $40 or more, but this was still a huge discount).
6). Make a habit of using a junk email address to sign up for free toiletry samples. All of those travel-sized $1 shampoos and deodorants can add up.
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I noticed J.D.’s remark about people shipping home packed items from Europe – a few years ago I did that on a month-long trip to Europe as we moved from a cold area (early June) to a much warmer one (July) – plus we mailed home some local wine, so that we didn’t have to carry it around with us! Definitely worth it.
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Capital One & Charles Schwab both waive foreign transaction fees. Both offer cards with cash back.
And I know that Schwab will even refund any ATM fees you encounter if you have their checking account.
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I’m with Annelise. I prefer nicer hotels, even if I’m not getting the “authentic” experience – whatever that is. I’m not a local and I’m not going to experience Europe like a local, no matter how hard I try. For me it feels forced to try too hard for that.
I am lucky that I travel for work in the US and accumulate hotel points so I tend to stay in major American hotel chains for free when I travel abroad. I don’t feel that I am missing out on real experiences by being at the Hilton.
While I find the current slavish devotion to seeing how little one can travel with annoying, I am in the pack light camp. I find it easier to pack a few stylish, versatile pieces and send the laundry out or find a place to wash.
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On the way back from my first-ever business trip I discovered my home airport in Seattle was closed due to bad weather. I was stuck in Chicago overnight. My company reimbursed me for the hotel and got me another flight, but it was still a scary experience.
I don’t travel unless I have an emergency fund that can handle a few extra nights in a hotel+meals. Call me paranoid, but I don’t.
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My travel budgets have changed a lot over time. When I was in college, I would scrape by on the bare minimum- staying at hostels and eating at cheap cafeterias. Now that I’m older, my style is quite different as I am not willing to put up with poor food and uncomfortable sleeping conditions on the few days of vacation I have a year. I find that much of the big ticket costs of travel I pay ahead of time- airfare & hotel stays and any internal air/train tickets. I rarely bother with getting people gifts- perhaps a box of chocolates for my house/pet sitter as a thank you. As for the rest of the budget, the only things I find worthwhile to spend on are entry tickets and food. I don’t put myself on a strict budget, but I estimate about $100/day for me and my husband to be on the safe side.
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@Annelise I respect your right to have a new outfit every day if that’s important to you. My husband and I travel to the carribbean once a year, and we find that the style is so much more laid back and casual. Also, we practically live in bathing suits, so we find that bringing dressy clothes is just a waste of space. One of the things I’ve found that helps save money without cutting back on the vacation experience is to get a timeshare or some other accommodation with a kitchen. This gives us the opportunity to eat some meals in (mostly breakfast and lunch) and still enjoy the local flavor. Also, we take advantage of the local transportation, usually a bus, to travel around the island, avoiding the need for a rental car. Although this yearly trip is a stretch for us financially right now, this won’t always be the case, but I don’t think I would do things any differently no matter where I go. As always, it comes down to priorities and what you want to gain from the experience.
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I love that Groupon idea!
When my bf and I travel, we end up spending too much on food. We like to enjoy ourselves and have one comfortable/indulgent meal a day (like having lunch on the go and dinner at a restaurant). But it seems like we always spend way more than I would have expected. And half the time, the quality of the food doesn’t match the price.
So on our next vacation, I’m planning to do some serious Yelping beforehand and find some cheap, highly rated places to grab food. Has anyone tried that before? I have a feeling we’re going to end up with a list of far-flung “hidden gems” that are a big PITA to get to. But it’s worth a shot.
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@ Elaine #32 – great tip!
DH and I have not yet had the opportunity to take a “real” international trip. But we are now beginning to plan what we hope will be a two-week vacation in Europe. I appreciate all this expert advice on packing light and budgeting, which have both been challenges for us.
I haven’t seen anyone else mention timeshares. That’s how we’ve vacationed for the past 8 years and we LOVE it. We have a high-value property and are able to exchange it in thousands of places. We’ve chosen condo-type resorts with full kitchens and in-unit laundry. They are usually situated on the outskirts of major metropolitan or recreational areas, making them a good “home base” for a week of adventures.
Timeshares are definitely NOT the most economical of all possible ways to travel (we pay $500 annual maintenance and a $199 exchange fee), but for those who have fairly high comfort/security needs – and who like a high level of privacy – they may be worth looking into. Also, while not cheap, when you consider that for our $700/yr we get a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment (comparable hotel value: $350/night) for seven days, it does start to look all right.
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@Stephen (#32)
I use the Capital One No-Hassles Cash Back card, which was recommended to me by GRS readers in 2007 before I left for England. The card doesn’t charge one common fee (I think it’s the international transaction fee, but don’t quote me on that), and it gives 1% cash back. Between these two things, it helped keep my costs down a bit…
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I always take an eyemask and earplugs with me when I travel. You could be staying at the most luxurious hotel in the world and still have to contend with construction noise or summer sun somehow leaking in at 3 am. A good night’s sleep = non-grumpy me.
Like other people here, my traveling habits have changed over the years, but I still find using a moneybelt handy. Most of my cash, identification, emergency traveler’s checks, (which I was once *really* glad I had) and ATM & credit card go here, with some cash in a more easily-accessed location during the day.
I don’t stick to a strict budget, but write down what I’ve spent at the end of each day and evaluate every so often to see if I need to pare down or if I can afford to splurge a bit.
@Annelise, with all due respect, I disagree that lasting friendships with people met while traveling can’t be had. For me, it’s one of the best parts of traveling. Most are not “superficial, happy-clappy ‘friendships’”…instead, I’ve been hosted (years later) in the home countries of people I’ve met while traveling , and have done the same for them. It’s fantastic to reconnect with old friends and to have an “in” on a place. And in the spirit of this site, it makes economic sense to get to know people when you travel…you never know when having struck up a friendship with someone from Norway or New Zealand or India might come in handy.
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JD, *how could you* have held out on us so long with this Entertainment tip?? I just went and bought two books for my area for a combined $12, including shipping. The discounts look unbelievable. My favourite beer bar apparently has one in there for a free entree, which immediately takes care of the cost of the book. I had totally forgotten about Entertainment — this was a book that kids used to hock for fundraisers in high school and I had forgotten all about it.
Are you holding out on any other golden tips??? Spill ‘em!!
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i think putting back half your clothes is great advise. i wish i could do that when i travel, it would make my life a bit easier.
your point about traveling with frugal companions is a great one. going anywhere with people who spend out of your means can really set you up for an expensive vacation.
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@Tyler yep – and that’s the same reason Argentina has been increasing their entry costs. It seems like a lot of countries don’t appreciate the US treating their citizens so poorly!
By the way, having visited Athens myself, I recommend only a week or two there. We spent 2.5 days there and that felt like plenty. Almost more than enough. Of course your mileage may vary.
Personally I travel like I live – keeping fixed costs to a “reasonable” minimum to leave money for experiences. I don’t budget because my (and my wife’s) natural frugality is generally more than enough. In fact I do sometimes play tricks on myself (e.g. with my mental model of the currency exchange rate) to get us to spend slightly more freely.
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Tyler (Poster #29) –
Your trip to Greece sounds delightful, do you have experience sailing? Do you have to hire staff for the boat?
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