How to Travel Cheap: 17 Tips to Save Money (2026)
Reading Time: 9 minutes Traveling doesn’t have to break the bank. In this blog, we’ll discuss some great tips for how to travel cheap.
With some clever strategies, you can save a lot of money during your travels. From finding affordable accommodations and transportation to earning an income on the road, this guide reveals 13 genius tips for how you can cut costs while traveling.
How to save on flight expenses
1. Be flexible with your flight dates.
Plan your trip around the cheapest flight prices. This can be difficult when you have set vacation days with your employer, but not impossible. Before even setting up those days for the year, take a look at the flight prices for where you’d like to go. I always research the flight prices during different time periods BEFORE I set up my vacation weeks with my employer.
I look at 3 of the cheapest Fridays or Saturdays that I could fly out, and give those dates to my employer to choose from. Flights tend to be cheaper on weekdays, but this typically isn’t feasible for anyone with a normal job. Hence why they are much cheaper on weekdays. If you have a flexible schedule and can make flying out during a week day work, you’ll definitely save on flight prices.
2. Use The Parking Spot
Look for cheaper alternatives to airport parking via The Parking Spot’s website.. Some cities have parking available for half the cost of airport parking. Joining their ‘All Members’ club is free.
3. Try to fit everything in your carry on.
See if you can get creative to fit everything you need in your carry-on luggage and a backpack. This will save you checked bag fees. I’m always surprised by how much I can actually stuff into my carry on and I utilize packing cubes when needed. You’ll need to plan your outfits in advance and cut down on what you bring, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re bopping around from hotel to hotel, you’ll be glad you have less luggage to worry about transporting.
How to save on lodging
Before you even decide where you want to go, price out accommodations for several different locations from your bucket list.
Consider staying a short drive away from the location you want to visit. Locations just outside of the city can be cheaper than in the heart of the city.
Stay in a room of a host’s home. Consider utilizing platforms like Airbnb and Couchsurfing. These allow you to stay in locals’ homes for much cheaper than the cost of a hotel room. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also get to meet people and learn about the area from a local (your host).
Some hosts are even super sweet and include breakfast or other amenities. Be sure to thoroughly check the reviews from others and the listing for detailed information on what the host offers and what to expect about your room and the home.
Hostels are typically super cheap. The social atmosphere of hostels allows you to meet fellow travelers and swap stories and advice. Plus, there is usually a communal kitchen where you can cook meals, saving you even more money. If you prefer more privacy, some hostels have private rooms that cost more than a shared room but are still much cheaper than hotel rooms.
Camping is of course probably the cheapest option of all of these and can be a super fun experience.
Utilizing travel Credit cards
I wish I had realized sooner how powerful it is to have the right credit cards in your wallet—especially if you’re a frequent traveler. Signing up for the right travel cards and using them according to your spending habits can save you so much money on flights and hotels.
Just recently, I took a trip to Paris with my brother, and thanks to strategically using my credit card points, I was able to cover two round-trip business class flights completely for free. (Yes, all with points!)
The Best Travel Cards For Beginners
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Overall Winner For Beginners
I always reccomened this card first to family, friends, or priceless peeps looking for their first travel rewards credit card. It really checks all the bboxes when it comes to points earning potential, travel partners, and reasonasbly priced annual fee.
The Top Reasons I love the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you’re looking to compare cards and find the best fit for your needs, I recommend using this tool
American Express® Gold Card: Perfect for Foodies and Frequent Travelers
Ideal for those who love dining out and want to maximize rewards on travel at the same time. This card offers exceptional points on both restaurants and flights. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
With a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees) the Amex Gold Card offers robust benefits that easily offset its cost for those who love to dine, travel, and shop smart.
Click here to learn more about the American Express Gold Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One has truly hit the mark with this travel card! It offers an impressive sign-up bonus and makes it easy to continue earning throughout the year. You’ll earn 2x miles for every dollar spent, with no complicated bonus categories to track, making it incredibly beginner friendly!
Click here to learn more about the Capital One Venture Card
*Each Benefit requires enrollment via their website, terms apply to American Express Benefits and offers. visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Check out my Podcast Episode on How to Maximize Your Credit Card Points
How to save on transportation
1. Use public transportation whenever you can.
Most major cities have extensive bus, train, and subway systems that can get you just about anywhere for a few dollars or less per ride. Not only is public transit affordable, but it’s also an opportunity to experience your destination like a local. If you’re staying in a city, scootering around the city using Hopp or another scooter service can be a fun and cheap way to get around.
2. Rail passes.
If you’ll be traveling between cities, look into purchasing rail passes that allow unlimited rides over a set period of time. These can pay for themselves quickly compared to buying individual tickets. For longer journeys, consider overnight trains or buses – while not the most comfortable, they allow you to cover ground while you sleep and save on a night’s accommodation.
How to save on food
1. Bring a soft shell cooler with you from home. It can be easy to fit this in your luggage if you fill it up with clothes and other things to save space. When you get to your location, hit up the local grocery store. Buy sandwich supplies, yogurts, fruits, veggies + dip and things of that nature to bring with you on your adventure. Try out the snacks and candies that the locals typically eat. For me on my recent trip to Iceland, fish jerky, dates and yogurt were among the popular foods snacked on by locals. We were able to find already frozen ice packs in the freezer section. On the nights we didn’t have a freezer to refreeze the icepacks, we bought ice for the cooler.
The costs of purchasing lunches and snacks out will quickly add up, so planning ahead and bringing them with you will cut costs significantly.
2. Make your own dinners. Staying in a place you can cook can help you cut costs on dinners. Eating out every evening will get costly, so buying groceries to make your own dinner is the best way to cut down on those costs. If your place doesn’t have a kitchen, even buying pre made foods from the grocery store (i.e. rotisserie chicken or sushi) can be cheaper than dinners out.
3. Bring your refillable water bottle with you (just make sure it’s empty to get through security for your flight). Many airports have water bottle refill stations and in some destinations, drinking the tap water is totally fine. Just be sure to research if the water is okay to drink prior to your trip! In some locations, you will need to purchase bottled water.
4. When you do opt to eat out, look for casual eateries frequented by locals rather than touristy restaurants. Street food is often an affordable way to sample regional specialties. You can also save by avoiding alcohol, which can be marked up considerably at restaurants and bars.
Consider working or teaching English abroad
I have met many people during many of my travels who are working in exchange for a room at the location I’m staying. This allows them to experience the area for an extended amount of time, meet new people and explore during their off days.
Some of them also have their own side hustles or businesses online as well that they are able to continue to work while traveling.
There are certain credentials you need to obtain in order to be able to teach English abroad. You can view them here.
Wrapping up How to travel cheap
By getting creative and using these tips, you can learn how to travel cheap and not break your budget. Exploring doesn’t necessarily have to be pricey. It just requires some planning and an open mind.