Everyone ALWAYS asks me how I can travel so much on a teacher’s salary. The key is flexibility, research, and time. I always know I want to go on vacation, but I try to be open to where I travel to. Another tip, especially for summer trips is to book as far in advance as possible! That is how I have gotten super cheap airfare to Europe during the peak summer season.
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Airfare
Airfare is almost always one of the most expensive parts of any vacation. I try to be very open when looking for airfare. This is how I can score the best deals.
Be flexible on the location:
I like using Skyscanner to search “Everywhere,” so I can see what the cheapest airfare options are. This is how I ended up with $425 airfare to South Korea when I was thinking of visiting Austria.
If I am looking at visiting a particular continent, Momondo has a search-by-continent feature that comes in handy. I have used this tool for my past two Europe trips. I ended up with a flight to London, Portugal, Morocco, and Rome that was cheaper than just a flight to Rome (With two added cities I was not planning on visiting that trip)!
Be flexible on the day and time:
Since I am a teacher, during summertime, I can be flexible with my dates and times. Google Flights is a great tool to use when playing with dates to figure out the best flight deals to your destination. Sometimes it is significantly cheaper to stay an extra day or two.
Accommodations
Although sometimes accommodations can be pricey, there are many ways and options to find the best deals. Usually, in a new city, I like to stay in a hotel so I can ask the concierge if I need help with anything. If it is a place I am returning to or a smaller town, I like to utilize sites like Airbnb.
Hotels
My favorite place for booking hotels is Priceline. I LOVE the Express Deal tool. It is basically booking a mystery hotel. Priceline gives you a price, star level, rating, and area but you do not know the name of the hotel. Through some guesswork, you can usually figure out what the hotel is ahead of time. It will give you a final price with taxes and fees (so there are no surprise resort fees) before you confirm your purchase. Once your purchase is confirmed, the hotel is revealed! This has saved me hundreds of dollars when booking hotels. One of the best deals I got was a 5-star hotel in Melbourne for $79/night (normally $240/night)!
AirBnb
I also like using Airbnb. I have found some great places to stay at, like the Airbnb we stayed at in Tuscany. In Toronto, it was half the price to stay in an Airbnb than a hotel! Airbnb’s
Transportation
Transportation can add up quickly if you take taxis everywhere. I LOVE to utilize public transportation when I can. In many major cities, it is so easy to get to and from the airport by taking a subway or a bus. Most major cities have a subway stop just for the airport. In London, we were able to take a bus from the airport directly to Windsor Castle. In Beijing, we took a bus from a central location in the city to the Great Wall. Many cities also have daily or weekly public transportation passes, which save greatly on cost and makes for one less thing to worry about. Many countries now also have Uber/Lyft which can be an option for getting larger groups around or for places that do not have the best public transportation (like throughout South America and Morocco).
In Europe and Asia, trains are a fabulous way to travel between cities. Many times, it is usually cheaper than flying (but make sure to compare costs just in case). Especially during summer vacation, time is on my side, so I do not mind spending a few hours or an entire day traveling from one place to another. I also find train rides much more relaxing than airplanes. You can get up and stretch, bring your own food and water, and the seats are larger and more comfortable. In Japan, we bought a rail pass that provided unlimited use of the trains. In Europe, I often find buying individual tickets ahead of time can be a little bit cheaper.
Sites and tours
On trips, especially during peak tourist season, book tickets ahead of time to sites you will be bummed if you miss out on it. Sometimes, it is good to book tickets ahead of time so you can skip the line. Other times, you get a discount if you book in advance! I was glad that I booked tickets to the Vatican Museum ahead of time when I saw the 3-hour line to get in. If you book your Cliffs of Moher tickets ahead of time you can save 50%. Some places, like the Scavi Tour in Rome, you MUST make reservations ahead of time in order to even visit the site. I always do my research for each city and then decide on the top things I want to do. If it is no cost or cheaper to book online, I will book it ahead of time.
I choose one or two tours/activities to splurge on each trip. I knew in Australia I could not pass up visiting the Great Barrier Reef and in Morocco, I really wanted to spend the night in the Sahara Desert. Although sometimes you can book them cheaper locally, for peace of mind, I usually book them through Viator ahead of time.
Food
Eating out for all three meals can add up quickly. However, there are a few ways you can save money. Whenever I travel, I always carry a small jar of peanut butter and protein bars. Peanut butter is surprisingly hard to find abroad. Many days for breakfast, I will have a peanut butter sandwich. Other days, I will eat a protein bar. Both of these options are filling and can be eaten on the run!
Eat a big lunch! Many places have some amazing lunch specials that can be half the price of a nice dinner. Other times for lunch, I find a supermarket and buy lunch there. It is cheap to pick up some deli meats and cheese to make a sandwich.
For dinner, do not feel guilty eating at a fast food place. I always eat at McDonald’s at least once each trip because McDonald’s in other countries has different options than in the United States (and it tastes better). Many countries also have their own fast-food chains. In Japan, I discovered Mos Burger as a great fast food option.
Traveling can be so much cheaper and easier than you think it will be! Leave a comment below if you used any of my travel tips on your vacation and if you have any advice to add.
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