While it’s hard to find the downside in taking off work and going away on holiday, there are some tricks that will save your budget, time, and soul so that you can kick back and make the most of your vacation.
Check one-way fares and combine instead of roundtrip. While round-trip tickets are the easiest to book, they’re not necessarily the cheapest or most convenient. Mix and match is the way to go.
Keep an emergency $100 bill in your shoe for whatever life throws your way. If you need to purchase a last minute bus ticket that won’t take credit cards, or something not too savory happens, this will be a savior.
Save on data and roaming charges with a simple google maps hack. Download directions or maps you’ll need before the departure, just by displaying the area you want to download, adjusting it, and pressing “download”. Voila!
Book an AirBnB instead of a hotel. Not only can you choose the interior design and neighborhood that works for you, but hotels eat up a big portion of vacation budgets more than air bobs do. Plus, you’ll have a kitchen!
Skip the tourist attractions. There are stunning secret gems in every city, and those are more enchanting to explore than the big stuff, because it won’t be crammed with tourists and winding lines. This method will bring you to the weird and wonderful IG moments instead of a boring Eiffel tower selfie.
Let your bank know you’re traveling in advance. There’s nothing worse than saving up and taking time off to go on a vacation where your card is going to get declined. Banks often freeze accounts when they aren’t informed of traveling, so a simple notification is all it takes – the alternative is a bummer.
When you pack your luggage, leave room to take souvenirs home. If it’s stuffed with your 500 swimsuit and shoe options but nothing to take back and remember your once-in-a-lifetime trip, you’ll probed regret it.
If traveling alone, use travel apps to make friends. Apps like Backpackr can be an amazing experience for lonely travelers, and a safer alternative to hostels or meeting folks in a bar.
Travel with peppermint essential oil. It can help with motion sickness or travel induced nausea, freshens breath, and helps out with gross plane/bus/train odors hat are inevitable. It can even clear stuffy sinuses!
Pick out unique luggage. While a hot pink suitcase might not necessarily reflect your personal style and flare, something as small as a bright luggage tag will help you from the panic of all those generic black suitcases on the revolving belt, and possibly opening up a bag that’s not yours.
