22 Awesome Tips for Saving Money on Travel

I know traveling is expensive. And I also know  saving money tips. Both can seem so far out of reach for so many. One of the most popular things I get asked is “how do I save money for traveling?” Of course when you look at three grand at once it’s hard to come off, but if you save a little here and there over a decent amount of time, you’d be surprised as to how easy it is to save for busy travel seasons. I know, it’s winter, but that’s precisely when you want to start thinking about ways to save for fall travel.

I have my own little way which I like to save. I put $30 a week into savings. This is done auto-draft, I never see it thus, I never spend it. Still, there are many ways to save a buck. To find out just how many ways, I reached out to my professional travel blogging friends and asked them what they do to save for big trips.

You’ll want to bookmark this page. I promise you’re going to find some great ideas here. And if you like what you see, share it so others can like it too.

Saving Money Tips from Professional Travel Bloggers

1. Pack Your Lunch

Katherine Belarmino of Travel the World says – Bring lunch to work every day that you’ve made at home instead of buying lunch every day. You can save a bundle that way. Also, drop Starbucks consumption.

2. Savings Account

Melanie Kampman of GiveawayBandit.com says – Start a savings account of travel expenses only. This is a good way to watch your money grow and see your plan in action.

3. Cancel Small Subscriptions

Lee Blackwood of EatTravelCook.com says – Call places where you have a recurring service or subscription, and say that you can no longer afford it and need to cancel. I guarantee you they will come back with a “my manager has authorized me to offer you a special today only” price for 10, 15 or even 20% less, in order to keep you as a subscriber.

4. Stick to an Easy Budget with Software

Catherine Houlahan of CircusLiving.com says – Use some form of budgeting/financial software such as mint.com for saving. It gives you an idea how much you spend in each category you set monthly (ie. groceries,, daycare/school, utilities etc), as well as allows you to set a goal to save for vacations, kids’ educations etc. and helps you keep track of your goals…and no, I am not affiliated with them whatsoever!

5. Rent a Room Out

Ezio Totorizzo of Spezio.it says – Rent a room in your house for guests or if u are good in cooking u can organize social meals events and get paid for that!

6. Stick to Your Grocery list (and Never Shop Hungry)

Thomason Gamble of the TravellingBookJunkie.com says – Always write a list before going to the supermarket and make sure you stick to it. It’s the small extras that soon add up (without you even realizing!!)

7. No More Cable

Sara Wellensiek of MomEndeavors.com  says – Ditch cable!!! Over the last 10 years, we’ve saved $10,000 by not having cable! Think of the SWEET vacation you can take with that $$!

8. Stick to Your Budget Big Time

Shereen Pizzarello of ThetTravellingPostcard.com says –  Keep to your weekly budget – I set myself a budget of £60.00 per week. Each Friday I would transfer £60.00 to my account and then put away all the other cards i had (so I wouldn’t be tempted to use them!) and then when each Friday came, if i still had money left over from the previous week, I would only just top up to £60.00 again (as opposed to adding another whole £60.00 to the account). Meaning that if there was anything left over I would save that little extra a week too.

9. Use Your Credit Cards

Kim Ritter of TwoKidsandaCoupon.com says – Use a cashback credit card to earn on every purchase. Just pay it off monthly to avoid interest and set aside cashback earned for upcoming adventures.

10. Save with Gift Cards

Amanda Ponzio Mouttaki of MarocMama.com says –  If you struggle to save cash set an amount each week (or month) to buy in prepaid cash gift cards. You can then use if for travel later. 

11. Be Picky About What You Buy

Mark Wyld of WyldFamilyTravel.com says –  First thing you need to ask yourself is “do I really need this or do I just want this. If you decide to buy it put it on layby or layaway and pay it off over several weeks so you’re not taking a lump sum out of your savings. Anything worth having is worth waiting for.

12. Experiences vs Things

Tamara Asplund of GlobeGuide.com says – Embrace the idea of buying experiences versus things. It’s easier to avoid frivolous purchases like new clothes or eating out when you know that money could instead be spent on things like a day tour or plane ticket. You just need to have a goal in mind!

13. Clean Out Your Closet

Michelle B Wright of  AnywhereatHome  says –  Sell all your old clothes on ThredUp! Unlike consignment shops, they will take clothes out of season, so you can clear out your closet quicker. 

14 Ditch the Booze (in Bars)

Natasha Alden of TheWorldPursuit.com says –  Stop going to the bars. Start hosting parties at home to get together with your friends. An average drink at the bar cost at least $5 per drink depending on location. Having people come together at the house creates a more intimate experience. Plus you can have everyone bring a snack. Food, cheap drinks, and friends will always make for a good time.

15. Be Realistic and do Your Math

Kerwin McKenzie of CruiseinAltitude.com says –  Tips should be something you will do. You won’t stop going to Starbucks. I’d suggest you first find out what the trip will cost and back into it. In that I mean, divide the cost of the trip by the number of days you are away from the trip, then that’s your daily savings.

Now think about what you spend money on that you don’t necessarily need or things you buy that you can find cheaper options. I mean you still have to be practical.

No point in having a crappy existence so you can take a vacation as then you’ll be miserable.

16. Be a Minimalist

Inma Gregorio of  AWorldtoTravel.comsays –  Start thinking in terms of time as your biggest asset (rather than money), analyse your priorities and what really matters and, ultimately, cut your expenses to the maximum embracing minimalism!

No more useless and dated clothes, upgrading gadgets that still work, cooking healthy at home instead of eating out, selling your car and using public transportation, carpooling, a bike or your legs, organizing parties at home instead of going out and paying overpriced drinks…, you name it!

17. A 52-Week Challenge

Jana Seitzer of MerlotMommy.com says – The 52-week savings challenge is an easy way to set aside nearly $1400 in just one year without strapping yourself too tightly. Start with $52 for week one, and work down to $1 on week 52 for a total of $1378 in savings. That’s a pretty sweet bonus trip or extra add-on to your big vacation.

18 Direct Debit

Anna Faustino of AdventureinYou.com says – Look at your earnings and see how much you can afford to put aside and set up a direct auto debit to a travel fund account. This way, you’re not even tempted to spend the money as you won’t even see it. You’ll be surprised at how much will be in your account afterwards!

19. Trade Your Frivolous Spending to Saving

Matt Kiefer of  HostelGeeks.com says – Whenever I feel like spending some money on going to a restaurant or buying a new shirt, I put it in perspective to travel. If I choose to travel, I put the amount I just “saved” to my travel account/box. Sounds ridiculous somehow, but the box is growing effectively.

20. Make Sacrifices