How to Travel for Less

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Travel Fiber had a list of interesting ways to travel "without breaking the bank." While I can appreciate many of author Kate Row's ideas, many are for younger people, read that as those who are willing to "rough" it. At this point in my life, I do not "rough" it anymore. I did on my first several trips to Europe. Now, I like a comfortable bed, AC, hot water, elevators, and nice places to eat and drink. But I like some of her suggestions. Packing Well My days of carrying a heavy backpack are over. I almost always check my wheeled luggage now. If you can get by with a carryon for a three-week trip overseas, you will win my undying support. But I generally take some items that I can donate, or discard. And I always carry gifts, both directions. I get by with just two pairs of shoes (and slippers for the room or pool), one jacket, and a week's worth of socks and underwear. I have become quite good at doing my laundry in the shower. But I also use the hotel laundry service in a strategic fashion, for nicer shirts, or when I get lazy. Travel at Night Why? To save on a hotel room, of course. I did this often in Europe, where I would take the train at night to the next country. Back then, before creation of the EU, crossing borders always interrupted my sleep. Of course, there is an added bonus if you find a cute little French or Austrian girl to sleep next to for the night. But I do prefer overnight flights on the long-haul trips, to Asia, South America or Europe. Minimize Eating Out I rarely cook meals myself, though I might meet people who live there and will host a group dinner. I think a big part of my travel is enjoying the different cuisines and people. After all, mealtime is when I meet most of the interesting people I have encountered. I will buy something from a bakery and have coffee in my room in the morning (sometimes). But if you are at all adventurous like me, you understand why I want to experience as much as possible in the way of food and people. One exception has been Hawaii, where we often join relatives and friends for an evening barbecue or luau. Alcohol intake Again, I rarely drink in my room. I would much rather hang out in a bar or restaurant than drink in my hotel room. But I usually limit myself to two drinks when I travel by myself. There have been exceptions, like last May in Crete. I started a wine, food and cycling tour at 10am and finished at midnight. I lost count of the drinks, my helmet, and the time of day. As far as quality goes, I generally order the house wine, or Prosecco (instead of champagne). Of course, the rules are out the window if I am traveling with Mr. Mike. We tend to go first class when he is around (not complaining!). Free activities By free, this runs the range of "free" walking tours (tip required), free museum days, people watching, hitch hiking (I no longer do this). Some of the larger cities have very good walking tours, places like Berlin, Mexico City, London, Sydney, Hong Kong, and Washington, DC. Peak attractions like the changing of the guard (London), peak bloom day (cherry blossoms), Red Square, Berlin Wall (haha, you missed it and will never get the chance), Tour de France, Bourbon Street, Times Square are FREE. Make a budget This is a good idea, no matter where you stand in life. Having graduated from hostels to hotels, and coach to business class on flights, I still have a rough budget (rounded to four figures now, instead of three!). And I always start with $1000 in dollars, and $1000 equivalent in local currency (Euros, yen, pounds, rand). Skyscanner or google flights for the cheapest flight I am guilty of not always taking the cheapest flight. I tend toward finding the fastest or most convenient for my trip. I have done my share of both cheap and budget flights. And I still use Ryanair, Southworst or EasyJet once in a while. But since I use my frequent flyer miles to upgrade, I am generally limited to Star Alliance flights for the long hauls. Day of flight upgrades A few airlines offer day of flight or 72 hour upgrades, including Aegean, Aer Lingus, Turkish, and Emirates. When I say offer, it most often requires a bid within a suggested range. Once in a while, the offer will be a fixed amount, like Alaska Air. When it is less than $100, and at least two hours, I will often take it. Avoid tourist traps This can be difficult if you trek all the way to Machu Picchu and don't explore the place. Or walk up the hill to the Acropolis and skip it because of a line or the weather is too hot. We spent a week in Queenstown, NZ, and had to try all of the adventures. But I would pick and choose carefully. One rule of thumb that Mr. Mike and I use: If we will never return, we ought to just bite the bullet and do it! Reasonably priced destinations Again, I have never really chosen a destination because it was cheap or inexpensive. I consider it an added bonus, in places like Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, Poland, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, or Greece. What do I consider cheap? A hotel for about $100 a night, and a daily food allowance of $50. Yes, it is possible! Off season travel I prefer this to the summer crowds and noisy families during school breaks. My two favorite months to travel are May and October, both for the weather and fewer crowds. But too far off peak is not good either, unless you like extremes in weather. Winters are difficult in the north due to the colder weather and snow. Off peak in Asia means too much rain and humidity. That said, I still like Scottsdale in March, and Seattle in June. Public transportation I love public transportation and try to avoid cabs and Uber. But safety, not cost is the primary decision. The metro in some cities is safe (Japan, UK, Germany) and unsafe (Paris, Athens, India). On my last trip to Europe, the pickpockets were really bad in Paris and Athens. But the trains are safer than the metros or subways, so I often use Eurail instead of flying. Your own water bottle Great idea, though I have not perfected this. I end up losing a nice reusable bottle quite often. But reducing plastic is always a good idea and a money saver. One of these days.... Reward points and miles I always use points and miles. I use miles mostly to upgrade long flights, and hotel points for "free" or low-cost stays. The cards also have other perks, like free upgrades, extra points, meals, priority check in, airline lounge access, and club level floors in hotels (free drinks and food). Book early (and often) I always book as early as possible unless I intentionally want to change plans on the fly or leave an open itinerary. Often times, I have my flights from the US to foreign country, first and last hotel, and nothing else! This is, at least in my world, the most interesting way to travel. Mike and I did this in Chile and Argentina. Travel in a group Why? Sometimes, sharing a room or meals is cheaper. Car rentals can be shared. I am usually not a group travel guy, but that could change as I get older. I would rather travel solo than join a group. Shorten your trip While I never do this, it can be a money saver, as in fewer nights in a hotel, and fewer meals. But ask yourself, are you ever coming back? I have said this often during my travels, I will do it next time. It rarely works out! Have I been back to Australia, Africa, or South America? Stay with friends and family This comes at a cost, as long as you realize nothing is free. I also am not comfortable with "owing" favors to people, I would rather they owe me. Couchsurfing is another recent phenomenon, but it can be risky, in several ways. Just be careful. While some of these ideas are good, safety and convenience are most important. Sometimes it is not about the money, or the "savings", perceived or otherwise. Remember the old saying, "you get what you pay for?" It is true when you travel to places you have never before visited.

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