Travel can be expensive, but it does not have to cost more than necessary. Here are 8 great tips for those looking to cut down on travel expenses.
You may recognise the feeling: the trip is booked, you are really looking forward to it — and then you start doing the maths. It suddenly costs an awful lot. Flights, hotel stays, activities at the destination, shopping and food — enjoying yourself is not always cheap.
Fortunately, there is plenty of good advice that reduces the risk of coming home with an empty wallet. It is simply a matter of planning ahead, making the most of good deals and thinking a little outside the box. Here we have listed 8 ways to cut your travel expenses.
1. Travel off-season when you can
When planning a trip, it always pays to go during a period when few others are on holiday. This can be difficult for parents with young children, for whom the common school holidays are the only viable travel window. For those who are not tied to the same dates as everyone else, however, travelling off-season is a great way to save on travel costs.
If you do have to stick to the main holiday period, try being creative about your destination instead. Is “everyone” going to Italy when summer arrives, or is Paris the hottest city as Christmas approaches? Then look for exciting areas that are not as popular. Search around a little — who knows? You might be pleasantly surprised to discover a hidden gem of a city or a wonderful country you had not previously considered visiting.
2. Be careful how you search for tickets
You have probably noticed that most of what you do online is tracked. It may feel uncomfortable, but more importantly it can affect your wallet. Most websites use so-called cookies. These tracking files mean that airlines register your activity — which many argue causes ticket prices to rise the more times you check a particular destination. The result can be that you rush to buy the tickets because you think demand has increased.
This may well be the case, but more often it is simply because you have not deleted the cookies from your last visit to the site. The company may have spotted an opportunity to earn a little extra by catching you off guard. When searching for tickets, hotels or other things you are considering buying for your holiday, you should do so in “incognito mode” and remember to clear your browsing history and cookies.
3. Use your age to your advantage where possible
Students often point out how tight their budgets are, and it can be difficult for them to afford travel during various holidays. It is incredibly important here to book early when tickets go on sale. Student prices on flights are very often available through various airlines, but these tend to disappear quickly.
If you have young children and are planning a trip, it is also worth keeping an eye out for reduced prices. You might get a very cheap ticket for your little one, or the hotel you are staying at may have good deals for families. Make sure to search for discounts wherever you can. Senior citizens may also be fortunate enough to find better prices in certain areas abroad or cheaper tickets when using public transport on holiday. Make the most of your age, whether you are young or old.
4. Take the car to the airport
It may not seem obvious that taking the car to the airport would be cheaper than choosing public transport. However, this can actually be the case. If you choose the right car park, you will find a very affordable solution for getting to and from Gardermoen. Dalen Parkering offers a price guarantee for parking over 3 days and can therefore always offer the cheapest parking price near Oslo Airport. The longer you stay, the more you save. At Dalen Parkering you also get free transport to and from the departure hall with efficient and comfortable shuttle buses running around the clock. In just 5 minutes you will have travelled from the car park to the terminal.
If several of you are going on holiday together and choose public transport, individual prices quickly add up to a significant sum. Five people, all over 16, travelling from Oslo S for example will pay close to a thousand kroner. At Dalen Parkering, on the other hand, you can park for just 490 kroner for 7 full days. There is real money to be saved here.
5. Save on travel costs by staying somewhere affordable
With enough planning, finding cheaper accommodation is no problem at all. The same applies here as with flights — make sure your browsing history and cookies are cleared when you search. Also search for accommodation in incognito mode if you can.
If you are staying at a hotel, shop around for different prices. Different websites will likely offer varying rates, and in the end it is often the hotel itself that has the best deal. If you contact them directly and mention the cheapest offer you found online, they will most likely match it or go lower.
There are also other ways to stay abroad. Airbnb and other platforms where you can rent private rooms or homes are growing in popularity — and can be significantly cheaper than staying in a hotel. If you are travelling as a large group or family, this will undoubtedly pay off. Airbnb and similar platforms typically charge hosts a fee for each booking. Ask the host directly for their email and send a request to book directly through them at a reduced price, if you feel you can trust them. There is a little more to save here — just bear in mind that you may risk losing certain protections that professional platforms provide.
6. Follow relevant destinations and activity providers on social media
Social media is full of hotels, restaurants and activity providers from countries all over the world. More and more are setting up accounts on Facebook and Instagram, and here you can find surprisingly good deals that do not come up anywhere else.
If you are heading to a specific area, do a little research on what is nearby, go onto various social media platforms and follow what is relevant. You can save a lot on travel costs this way. Suddenly a great deal on food, drinks, shopping or an activity pops up that you would otherwise have missed. Once the trip is over, you do not need to keep following those accounts if you do not want to.
7. Buy local
There are an incredible number of wonderful products that are well worth buying abroad. You can save a great deal of money by buying locally rather than purchasing imported goods in Norway. Wine in Italy, chocolate in Switzerland, leather goods in Indonesia, or beautiful textiles in India? The list is long.
Fancy a shopping trip? Here are 5 fantastic products you should buy abroad!
If you are travelling just before Christmas, you can save money by buying gifts abroad. Is someone at home celebrating a birthday soon? You might find something lovely for them on your holiday. Just make sure you are genuinely looking for local products and avoid large shopping centres or expensive high streets that charge tourist prices. Try to ensure that what you buy is ethically produced and that the sellers and makers receive a fair wage.
8. Make sure your insurance is in order
This is one of the most important points for avoiding unexpected travel costs. There are few things worse than having an accident on holiday. If you need to visit a hospital or receive other medical care, your insurance should be sorted before you travel. But as most people know, getting ill is not something you plan for. Medical care abroad can quickly become expensive, and you should not have to pay for such unforeseen misfortunes out of your own pocket.
If something is stolen from you abroad, your insurance company may also be able to cover this. That way you will not lose large sums if a camera or laptop goes missing on holiday. Make sure you check what your insurance covers before you travel so that you can adjust it yourself if you see a need to.
Travel always costs money, but the value you take away from a trip is usually far greater than what you paid. Have a great trip!
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