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Here are some tips that will help you to save to travel more

Quit smoking

If you are a heavy smoker, this could be the largest obstacle in being able to travel. At $A30 per packet, if you smoke a packet a day this results in a drain on your finances of about $A10,000 per year. In some parts of the world, this will last you 6 to 12 months including accommodation, meals and local transport.

Make your own dinner

Cooking your own dinner rather than eating out can mean a real saving. Say you normally spend $20 per meal every day. That is $20 x 365 days or $7300 per year. Also, improving your cooking skills will help make friends. After all who doesn’t like a nice home cooked meal?

Make your own lunch

By making your lunch instead of buying it you can save considerable amount of money. Most businesses offer microwaves. If they do not, then it may be a good idea to discuss the idea with the boss. Staff spend less time out of the office when they bring lunch and eat in. If you make lunch and save $10 per day, 5 days a week for 40 weeks, that is $2000 per year.

Make your own coffee

Instead or buying coffee, make it instead. Based on paying $A4.00, 5 days a week for 40 weeks a year, you will save $800 per year.

Trade the gym for other exercise

Forget the gym. A gym membership can cost $A800 per year. Swimming walking and cycling provide some of the best aerobic exercise and apart from the cost of a second hand bicycle are free. $A800 will sometimes get you a week in Fiji, Vanuatu or New Caledonia including airfares, accommodation and meals.

Forego having to have the latest.

Many people buy the latest computer, TV, phone, fashions etc to keep up with the Joneses or because they ‘have to have them’. Most of the time, there is little extra in functionality and they are obsolete in a year. By foregoing them, it could save you $1000s per year.

Take the bus instead or the taxi

Say you take a $A20 taxi fare once a week when you could have taken a $A3.00 bus this would save you $A17 x 40 weeks = $A680.

Shop around

Many expenses such as insurance, electricity, gas, telephone and internet are priced differently by different operators at different times. By comparing and shopping around you can save $100s and possibly even $1000s per year.

Buying something – Haggle

Shop around (look on the internet to know pricing), think if you can use a second hand item, haggle. On a second hand car, this can save $1000s. On a computer or appliance this can save hundreds of dollars.

Alcohol

Instead of going to the pub buy, why not buy bulk wine and invite friends over. You may be able to buy bottles of quality clearskin wines for the price of a beer in the pub or buy casks of wine or cases of beer. A schooner at a pub may cost $7. A case of 24 beers may cost $40.

Accommodation costs

If you are renting, negotiate a better rental agreement. At the moment, due to the corona virus this is not that difficult. Scott Morrison has made it difficult for renters to be evicted and property prices are expected to fall considerably.

If you own the property and are paying a mortgage, renegotiate your mortgage. There are good deals out there and interest rates are at record lows.

If you own the property, consider renting the property and taking a long holiday. You can always put your stuff into storage or rent out without the garage.

Sell your goods

Why not sell off goods that you no longer use. With Ebay, Cash converters and Gumtree this is easier that ever.

Other

The tips above will help you to save to travel more. See also our article 10 Best tips to travel more for less.

Here are 10 Best Tips to help you Travel More for Less

1.      Take out travel insurance

The best of the 10 best tips to travel more for less is get travel insurance. Travel Insurance is essential to get the best value from a trip. If you can’t afford it, you cannot afford to go. In some countries, an accident or medical expense could otherwise bankrupt you. Shop around for the best value and make sure it covers what you need. If you intend to do adventure activities or snow activities you may need additional insurance. These days many of the best travel insurance policies are online. Some credit cards also have some limited coverage, although these are generally not advised. There are many examples of people who have ended up with bills of $10,000s and even $100,000s for medical that has changed their dream trip into a nightmare.

2.      Credit Card Frequent Flyer Program

This is the easiest way to earn free travel money and sometimes extra perks. Sign up for an airline that flies to your city and has the most options through that airline and to a smaller extent through its partner airlines. Every time you spend money on what you would normally spend you will earn points that can then be redeemed for flights and/or upgrades. Use the credit card for paying for everything. Under certain circumstances you may even gain an advantage when flying.

3.      Take Advantage of Loyalty Schemes

Many hotel chains, ferry services, etc have loyalty schemes. These mean that you will get free nights of accommodation. However, others allow you to book at a cheaper price that you can get elsewhere and may include meals or free access to an area that you are otherwise not allowed (eg. a club lounge).

4.      Find the best way to get where you want

Depending on where you want to go, a number of options may suit. You may want a round the world airfare, you may want a number of one way airfares, you may want to fly into a close hub and then use rail, bus or ferry to get there. You may be able to get an open-jaw ticket (where you fly into one destination and back from a second point). There may be options that allow a free stopover in another destination.  Recently, I arranged a 22 hour stopover in Doha on the way back from Europe to Australia.

5.      Have flexibility on when you fly

Sometimes a day or two difference can save significant money. We flew on Christmas Day once and saved hundreds of dollars. A slightly out of season ticket will save you money on not only airfares but also accommodation.

6.      Use Discount Passes

Airpasses, Railpasses, City Cards, Student Cards, Senior Cards, YHA cards can all save money. Airpasses and Railpasses will normally need to be purchased ahead of time. However, they can provide significant savings. Airpasses in Australia, Railpasses in Japan and Europe offer exellent value. Sometimes just asking of there is a discount for a particular card is sufficient to obtain a discount, especially in Europe.

7.      Free days at museums

In Europe, museums often have free or discounted days. They are also often closed one day a week. It can be worthwhile organising to visit on these days.

8.      Buy Tickets in advance (+ Skip the Queue)

Buy tickets to big attractions online and in advance. We once bought a Skip the Queue ticket to the Eiffel Tower and saved hours of queuing. When buying tickets for Blue Lagoon in Iceland by buying far enough in advance, you will receive the best price.

9.      Organised tour or explore on your own

Sometimes it is most economical to take an organised tour and other times it may be cheaper to take a taxi, bus, train, ferry, etc to visit what you want to see. Compare the options.

10. Eat locally

By eating locally, you will save money but also enjoy new tastes. The best and cheapest food is usually what the locals eat. When eating locally make sure that you follow rules of hygiene.

We hope that these 10 best tips to travel more for less have helped you in your travel planning and travels.

For more information, buy the Travel More for Less Book.