If you want to splurge on your travels, go for it. I’m not here to tell you not to and, in fact, my motto is live poor travel well. I love a good vacation splurge too! But, if you’re on a budget and looking to get a little more bang for your buck, here are 10 super easy ways to save money while traveling overseas. These are just simple changes that make a big difference to stretch your travel budget a little further – and make splurging more doable.
10 Easy Peasy Ways To Save Money While Traveling Overseas
Disclaimer
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Get a prepaid travel card
There’s no need to be paying excessive amounts of bank fees while you are traveling.
Simply get a prepaid travel card – I have used the MasterCard one like this before. This isn’t a credit card. Instead, you deposit your money onto the card and it is loaded in the currency you choose. While you are traveling, you can use it like a local debit card.
The perk is that you only pay an exchange rate once when you load the money onto the card, instead of every time you use the card, so you can save a lot in fees. The exchange rate is locked in on the day you load it as well, so you don’t have to worry about fluctuating rates.
Another option is to do some research with banks near you for travel friendly accounts.
South Africa
Research the currency before your trip
One way we get caught out in spending too much while traveling is simply not understanding how much we are spending.
To help with this, I make a list in the notes section of my phone with common conversions. Usually, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, and $200.
This way I always have a cheat sheet to reference when I am getting cash out at an ATM. It helps because sometimes the auto-amounts ATM’s offer are unnecessarily high, so I can check my cheat sheet and enter a smaller amount I know is reasonable.
It also helps if I see something that seems like a good deal. Sometimes in the local currency it seems like a bargain but then I do a quick conversion and it’s actually a rip-off.
Only takes a couple of minutes and I usually do it while I’m waiting at the airport but saves a lot of accidental overspending.
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Choose home currency when making transactions
When you get cash out at an ATM or use your card to pay for something, always choose your home currency.
It will ask you ‘do you want to pay in [currency where you are traveling] or [currency of your home bank], this is when you choose your home currency.
This is because what it is really asking is, do you want this foreign bank to handle the exchange rate or your home bank? Most of the time, your home bank will have a lower rate than any tourist cities ATM or foreign bank.
I’ve done some experiments while living in Italy, and a couple of times it was €20 difference! As you can imagine, that will add up really quickly for every transaction.
Innsbruck, Austria
Don’t use your phone
Of course, if you have a travel friendly plan that allows overseas data use for a reasonable price, then go for it.
But if your plan is not travel friendly, just don’t use your phone.
There’s wi-fi just about everywhere now so there’s really no need to. But also, it won’t be the end of the world if you are not contactable for a day.
I download offline Google Maps in my phone to help me get around and stick to free wi-fi in hotels. Sometimes I’ll use wi-fi while out and about at cafes, but for the most part I like to log off and enjoy the experience.
Northern Norway
Save on hotels
If you are looking for hotels, you can find some great deals on Booking.com. I have found some awesome bargains there and it’s my go-to site for finding accommodation every time I start planning a trip.
They also have a loyalty program called Genius which is handy for getting extra discounts as you make bookings. You can filter the search by Genius benefits which is what I do to find the best deals first, and frequently get an extra 10 or 15 per cent off.
What I really like about it is that there’s no hidden fees unlike places like *cough AirBnb*. You can lock in what you pay and that’s it.
Choose the most cost effective location to stay
While you are choosing your accommodation, sometimes it’s tempting to take that cheaper option well outside of the city.
However, then your transport fees start adding up as well as the cost of time to get to all the main sites each day.
It’s going to be different for each destination because some places have amazing public transport while others don’t. But, it’s important to look into whether that cheaper hotel is actually cheaper overall.
Sometimes even though the hotel closer to town is more expensive, it might be cheaper overall when you factor in transportation costs and time.
I think it’s similar when choosing to rent a car or take a day tour. Sometimes people will say ‘it’s so much cheaper to rent a car’ and perhaps solely on the cost of the car’s day rate versus the day tour price, it might be cheaper. But, when you factor in fuel, insurance, the amount they freeze from your card, and international license, it’s not always cheaper overall.
It really just depends on what you want from the trip and your budget, but I recommend looking at costs holistically not just one single element.
Bath, UK
Use public transport or walk
In terms of transportation, walk as much as you can or take public transport. These are usually the cheaper options, while taxis are more expensive.
As long as it’s not raining, if it’s under an hour, I like to walk. Then anything over an hour it’s a matter of if I have enough time.
Walking is something I love to do while traveling because I’ve always found it to be an amazing way to get a feel for the destination and see places I would’ve missed otherwise.
You can also do a little research prior to see if the tourist office or public transport office has any discounts for getting a multi use pass for public transport. It depends on the destination and how much you’ll be using it, but I’ve had a few of these and they’ve saved some money.
Eat away from the city center
Usually, you can walk a couple of streets back from the city center, town square, or main strip and find food for a fraction of the cost.
Not only is it usually cheaper, but you usually just get more bang for your buck with more authenticity and perhaps a bigger portion for the cost.
I’m not against getting the experience of eating in the ambiance of the town square, if you want to then go for it. I like to do it sometimes too. But, if you’re trying to save a little cash, then usually just walking a little further back can help you find a bargain.
I think the same applies with gift stores and souvenir shops. Anything in the town square or at the attraction itself will be more expensive than something from a local store slightly away from the main touristy area.
Tallinn, Estonia
Get a priority pass
One of the easiest ways to save money while traveling overseas is to simply not eat at airports. Ever.
They’re always so overpriced, especially for what you get.
If you travel a couple of times a year, I recommend a Priority Pass. I have one of these and it’s been a huge help! It allows you access to airport lounges all over the world.
With the Priority Pass, you can spend your layover or waiting time in a lounge instead of out being tempted by all the stores. Some lounges are elaborate and have buffet food spreads, drinks, showers, and comfortable chairs. Some are simple with snacks and a comfortable area to sit.
They all help you save money though and make the travel day a lot more comfortable.
Travel overnight if possible
Lastly, if you’ll be taking any longer commutes between cities or countries, try to book them on overnight trips.
This way, you save a travel day instead of wasting it sitting on a bus or train which is a big perk in itself. Time is the most precious resource especially when you only have a limited time in a country.
But, they can also be a way to save money because they are usually cheaper than the business hours fares and can save you a hotel stay as well.
After a few trips, it becomes normal to sleep in cramped up seats or amongst noise – it’s all part of the fun! If you are a light sleeper, some noise canceling headphones might be a good investment though.
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