International travel is something most people never get to do. A flight overseas requires you to have discretionary money most people don’t have, not to mention the available time to take off from work.
Then there’s the expenses of the trip itself. If you’re going somewhere with a weaker currency than yours, then you get to feel rich, spending what seem like minuscule amounts with your mighty dollars; eating out becomes extremely cheap, and day trips cost next to nothing.
But if you’re traveling somewhere with a strong currency — like the UK or anywhere in the EU — then you’re going to have a very expensive trip.
Thankfully, there are ways to save money even when traveling overseas, so that you don’t come back from your holiday completely broke. Here are just a few ideas:
Don’t rely on restaurants
Many people don’t consider the option of eating in while they’re traveling. Your hotel room probably doesn’t have a kitchen, and even if it did, are you seriously going to cook? However, eating out every night can add up. Some countries don’t really understand fast food in that it’s not cheap!
Eating in is, however, an option. You just have to change your outlook. Go to a local grocery store. Make sure it’s not in a touristy area, or the prices will be especially high. Get something easy, like bread and cold cuts of meat, along with some hummus, and fruit for dessert. Then throw in a cheap side salad. Chances are, you haven’t spent nearly as much as you’d spend at a restaurant — and it should last you a couple of days!
Use meal times as an opportunity to recharge in your hotel room, and once you’re done, go spend some of the money you’ve saved on a real cultural experience.
Use your credit card!
There are a number of reasons to use your credit card, but the major one is that they can help you avoid currency transaction fees — those stupid fees make drawing money from a bank or swapping dollars at an exchange desk incredibly expensive, which is why it’s simply cheaper to swipe your credit card.
At the same time, you can gain a double benefit by getting cash back from your rewards program. If you’re not using a cash back credit card, you can check the Internet for more details on the best options.
Avoid room service
Finally, you’ll have to give up on one of those small joys of traveling. Room service is great, but it comes at a high price. It’s no secret that you’ll end up paying exponentially more for what you’re getting — and what you’re getting is convenience. Oftentimes, the food isn’t that great either.
Stay away from the minibar
It shouldn’t have to be said, but leave the minibar alone — and they’re on their way out, anyway. If you want to drink, go to the liquor store — or a bar. Those tiny bottles in the minibar are ridiculously priced, and an easy way to rack up unexpected costs.
Photo Credit: vox efx
Reading this while on a frugal family vacation to Italy and this article made me smile. You really can do wonderful things while traveling on a budget, but I say skip the hotel- we switched to Air bnb for when we travel and never looked back. Allows us to save loads of money, Its way better when traveling as a family with kids, allows for much easier frugal meals and often opens up new, delightful neighborhoods you wouldnt always see while in the midst of typical tourist activities. We also usually opt for connecting flights to our destination to save a huge amount of money too!
Don’t forget your airline credit card for almost free miles. With United Airlines it’s only 60,000 miles plus about $185. in fees for a “free” ticket to Europe. Getting 60,00 miles is free and you don’t have to fly to do it. You apply for a United (my favorite airlines) Airlines credit card in your name only. DO NOT CHECK THE BOX WHERE THEY ASK YOU TO IN ORDER TO GET SPECIAL DEAL EMAILS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, DO NOT CHECK THE BOX!!! After you get your card they will offer you 200-500 free miles to sign up for emails, THEN you sign up for the emails. Put ALL your recurring bills on the card: internet, phone, electric, gas or oil for heating, groceries, pay your health, home and car insurance by the card. If you spend more than $25,000 per year they give you a bonus of 10,000 miles. Buying anything on the net? Use your United card to buy a United gift certificate in that amount and use it for payment. You get 1. miles for spending on your card and 2. a bonus of 1-5 miles for each dollar of gift certificate you buy. If you have a significant other United will give you a bonus of a thousand or so miles when that person is put on a signer on the card, so only get the original card in YOUR NAME ALONE and wait for United to offer you a bonus for adding a signer. After eleven months you then change your card to the card where you get one mile for every TWO dollars you spend so there is no $95. per year fee. You will still get two free United Lounge passes which cost over $50. if you need to buy them (The lounge is fun!) every anniversary of your card’s opening. You get one free suitcase on United flights if you have the credit card which saves you money. Then after eleven months your significant other gets the United card in his / her name and the process is repeated. I kept my card as I get more in value from the “one mile per dollar spent, two miles for every dollar spent booking tickets” credit card because I get a lot more than $95. of value per year from it. With this technique in one year or 18 months you will have an almost free round trip flight to Europe. Have a business? You can get a card in your name with the business. United generously COMBINES the two accounts to reach the $25,000. threshold where you are given the bonus 10,000 miles. THIS IS ONLY VIABLE IF YOU PAY OFF YOUR CARD IN FULL EVERY SINGLE MONTH, NEVER CARRYING A BALANCE.
Really great post from Karen! I got the Chase United miles card a little over a year ago and have already accumulated and booked round trip travel to Italy for next Nov 2018. Now, you do have to book many months in advance to get the Freq. Flier seats (think 9 months) but, unlike no change-no refund-paid for- tickets, you can cancel the trip and redeposit the miles back in your account.
And they booked us on Lufthansa (their partner airline) via Frankfort, a great European airline with good service and food – a far cry from the typical domestic US-United flights with no food, no entertainment, no pillows or blankets and the $5 bag of M&Ms for sale! Color me deliriously happy!
The Chase card also upgrades you (still in Economy) from Boarding Group 5 to Boarding Group 2 for all United flights bought with the card…. so you actually get on board while there is space available in the overhead bins . To me, this alone is worth the $95 per year.
I complained to United about something in the lounge (that I had gone to with my Free Passes) (I did compliment them on some other things when I filled out the satisfaction survey) and they actually credited me with thousands of extra miles to keep me happy – who could have guessed? It pays to complete those surveys and give detailed information and suggestions.
More great tips. Thanks, AniVee!
Wow. Somebody really knows how to get the most out of their United Airlines credit card! Well done, Karen!
When you get the United Credit card they give you 30,000 to 50,000 miles for signing up for the card, I forgot to mention that in the first comment.