Despite what people will try to tell you, travel isn’t cheap. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but travel is a privilege that not everyone can afford. It’s almost never free without some sort of catch. I am incredibly fortunate that I can afford to travel. I have no college debt, and my first job out of college had some wonderful perks. After I got laid off, I found a job that lets me travel for a living. These facts don’t stop me from trying to save money when I travel; even if you can afford the trip, saving money on travel expenses means you have more money for shopping or hotel upgrades. I often scout travel websites and watch for amazing deals.
Compare Websites
There isn’t just one website I use to check for flight deals. I will search many sites for good deals and then compare. I am also signed up for all the airline newsletters. One never knows when a flash sale happens and you get an amazing deal. On occasion, I have found some great deals on a money-saving site such as Good Shop.
Don’t Fear the Budget Airline
Budget airlines are the best way to travel on the cheap. Jet Blue, Southwest, Cheap Air, and many others are great airlines to fly for cheap international flights. They cut out the useless fluff to save you money. I love when I find an impressive Jet Blue flight deal on Good Shop. This excellent site provides a great resource in the quest to save money on flights.
Search for Hotel Deals
Hotels can be the single largest expense after flights on any trip. Everyone wants to stay in an 5-star hotel without paying a 5-star price. It can be hard to find great deals on hotels in locations where you want to stay. Good Shop combines many cost-saving deals of the major travel sites into one location. I have seen some excellent deals on the site that can help cut travel costs significantly.
Pull the Trigger
Excuse the expression, but when you find an amazing deal, take a chance and BUY IT. The deal isn’t going to last forever, and if you keep putting off making a decision, you’re going to miss the deal and a chance at an amazing adventure. Fear is what stops many people from traveling and seeing the world. I still regret not buying airline tickets to Iceland for New Year’s.
Plan the Details Later
Don’t get caught up in the details of trip planning. Book the flight and the hotel, and the rest will fall into place at a later date as you finalize your plans. It gives you the flexibility to explore and not have to worry about a schedule or a huge production or plan. I loved my three-day trip to Mexico City, where I arrived with a flight and hotel booked. I just picked a few activities I wanted to do when I arrived and had a nice, relaxed, and completely spontaneous trip.