Five ways to save when travelling, now that we can!
It’s been a wild two years but finally - finally - things are beginning to feel ‘normal’.
Well, sort of.
Just a coupla international cuties who had just touched down in London Town (yes, that is a Spice Girls reference)
While masks are still a thing and we’re all still sanitising and checking in, the borders to most states are open and if you’re anything like us, that means you’ve been spending your lunch breaks trawling travel sites and planning your next big adventure.
To help you prep for your vacay without draining your bank account, we’ve collated SOTM’s top five tips for saving when travelling - ya welcome.
1. Budget
Surprise, surprise, budgeting is our number one tip! Are we getting too predictable? Knowing your budget is the only way to ensure you’re not going to overspend on your holiday. We’ve all been guilty of falling into the ‘treat yourself’ mentality when on vacay, so knowing your spending parameters and having a clear idea of what you can afford to spend each day will help you stay on track without jeopardising your savings. Hot tip: when it comes to estimating your daily spends, don’t forget to factor in the less exciting elements of travel like your airfares, car hire and Uber fares.
2. Plan ahead
As a general rule when it comes to travel, the earlier you plan, the more you save - unless you planned a trip in 2019 for 2020 or 2021 but let’s not talk about that, those years are behind us, they are over, they are finished. Now that things are back to ‘normal’, you can make the most of nabbing affordable airfares a few months out and the same goes for accommodation. Given we are living in a funny old time (!), do check you’re eligible for a credit on your fares if things take an unexpected turn.
3. Be smart, use Shopback
Our besties over at ShopBack are the smartest place to start when it comes to shopping, but did you know they can help you save when it comes to holidays too? Live today (19th October, 2022) ShopBack is running 10% Cashback when you book a hotel through booking.com! ShopBack is also running a huge travel campaign this Saturday 22nd October 2022 where you can earn up to 13% Cashback across sites like Wotif, Luxury Escapes & Stayz. They also have Cashback offerings on car hire and airfares as well as experience providers like RedBalloon and Adrenaline, so before you book, make sure you head to ShopBack to see how you can score yourself a bargain.
Our whole team is obsessed with ShopBack and we know so many of you in our community are too, BUT if you’ve never shopped with them, make sure to use the code SOTM to receive a $10 bonus.
4. Buddy up
Going on vacay with a friend or a partner can significantly cut costs and save you big time. While the peace and quiet of solo travel can be joyous, the reality is when you’re travelling alone you’ll be covering the entire costs of your accommodation and travel fees, which could have been halved had you travelled as a duo.
5. Research
A little research now will save you not only cash but also time, which is hugely important when on vacay; no one wants to be trawling Tripadvisor when they should be poolside with a marg in hand. Before you jet off, have a rough itinerary of all you want to do and buy any tickets you can early, as they’ll often be cheaper pre-booked than by buying them on the day. It’ll also mean you won’t stumble into overpriced restaurants and then be too embarrassed to walk out because you didn’t do your homework. Hot tip: try and find local township Insta pages to discover the best things to do in the location you’re visiting.