Tuesday, September 4, 2012

7 thrifty ways to save money on travel ▲


when i graduated from college and suddenly had an income,
i got bit by the ol' travel bug in a big way.

in the last couple years i've been to:
plus several small trips to utah and california.

now, i'm not rolling in the dough by any means.
remember how i worked for nonprofits for a couple years...?

SO HOW DO I AFFORD IT?

1. sign up for airline emails
you really can't argue with a $280 round trip to NYC, yo.



2. check out price comparison websites
one favorite is hipmunk.com, but it doesn't list southwest.
the google flight search function is also really great.


3. don't check a bag
pack light by bringing staples that can go with multiple outfits, such as a neutral cardigan and a couple versatile shoes.


4. stay in hostels
super cheap rooms, free breakfast, cozy furniture with more personality & less of the stale hotel feel, and new friends to make!
win win win.

the college inn, where i stayed in seattle

5. make some of your own meals
finding a local grocery store and dropping a few dollars on instant oatmeal, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, jelly, ziploc bags and granola bars at the beginning of the week can save you a ton of moolah.
moolah to spend on churro vendors at pier 39.


6. travel during the off-season
the northwest in november? don't mind if i do!
flight prices during odd months are sooo worth it to me.
plus, none of the attractions are crowded! bonus!


7. pick your priorities
note: i'm a thrify traveler but i'm not obnoxiously frugal.
skipping experiences to pinch a few pennies is absolutely NOT my style!
so, pick your priorities and be willing to spend on them.
you can save in other areas to make up for it.

my #1 must-not-miss agenda item in NYC:

and there's all my advice.
what about you guys? how do you save moneys on travel?
have any uhmazing trips coming up?

the moneys the moneys,
katilda

9 comments:

Chantel said...

Now... I want to travel! (Actually I think I may go to NYC in October!) Thanks for the tips!

Also, I linked a couple of your blog posts to my page. Hope that's okay:

Jump In It and Loving Without Hating
http://empiricalday.blogspot.com/p/some-good-reads.html

katilda said...

of course that is OK! you are so cute!

Katie said...

Love it! I need to sign up for the airline emails. And it's a good reminder for me to NOT be so frugal...sometimes I try so hard that I do end up missing experiences.

Jacqueline said...

good stuff. i love to travel, and between my husband's job and how long distance our families are we do a lot of it. next week i'm flying to grand rapids for the weekend, and i have a trip to south carolina lined up for end of sepetember and a trip to north carolina slated for october so i may be putting your tips into practice very soon. :) Xx

FWIL Sentimental Blog Content said...

Pit companies against each other. We found booking a cruise, hotel, etc. that you can get a great quote from one, call a competitor, and they will often beat it by 10%! Most want your business and rates are completely negotiable.

Alexis Kaye said...

Oh my gosh I'm so jealous right now. Can we go on a trip together?!? I fly for free which means I should have gone on a lot more trips than I have. I want to try staying in hostels too! Sounds like an adventure.

katilda said...

I love this idea. I've never been on a cruise but I will definitely do some haggling and bargaining when I do! I will call on your skills when the time comes.

Rachel Jones said...

#1 work for Marriott
#2 Put all my business expenses on a card that is most generous in giving back points/cash back for play money :)
#3 go with friends who like the finest for the fairest prices and split the cost ;)

Tyler and Ariana said...

Question: how do you find good hostels?