Let’s face it, everyone wants to feel like they are getting a good deal. Whether you are a backpacker, flashpacker, or somewhere in between it’s always nice to know that you got a good price and saved some money. Believe us, the cash you save will always find a way into your trip so best save every penny to make it last longer right?
Before you go and plan your trip look at the different options available to get you to your destination. Quite often there are cheaper ways to get there if you are willing to think outside the box and explore other forms of transport (ferry, bus, train etc.) or different routes. Sure, it might not be the fastest, most convenient or comfortable way of getting somewhere but the extra money you save can make a big difference when you plan on traveling for extended periods.
There are a few main options available when trying to plan and book your travel plans. You can choose to go direct to the provider (either by calling them or on their website), through a travel website like Backpacker Travel, or you can book through a standard Travel Agency.
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As you can see, there is no clear winner when it comes to booking. We suggest a combination of all three booking methods depending on your specific situation and preferences.
Like the question above, knowing when to book is another important factor in getting a good deal.
Booking early is often thought of as a great idea. Not having to worry about your holiday and all the trimmings can be a large weight off your mind. Travel suppliers will incentivize travelers with “earlybird deals” so they have a better idea of occupancy and can charge people a higher price for waiting to book later.
The only problem with booking early occurs if the hotel can’t fill all its rooms, or the airline can’t fill all its seats. If this happens they may reduce the price.
It is not uncommon to hear of friends gloating about their “last-minute low price” deal. Just remember that by waiting, you run the risk of paying a much higher price than if you were to book early, not to mention the fact you might miss out altogether.
There are, however, sites that are dedicated to these last-minute deals. Check out Lastminute.com or Hotwire which sells unused rooms at a significant discount.
If you have an idea of when and where you want to travel but think the prices are too high or are simply not in a position to commit yet, consider setting up alerts. Our favorite options for flight alerts are:
Airfare Watchdog – their team of experts is constantly scanning for the best deals and will alert you when a good flight becomes available.
Hopper – this mobile app lets you set up a range of alerts for different dates and destinations. Their technology even tells you whether the price will go up or whether you should hold out for a better deal.
If you are booking a hotel, Tingo is a website owned by the giant Trip Advisor. When you book on Tingo you have peace of mind, should the price drop, they will refund you the difference. Not bad hey!
Websites like CheapOair and Skyscanner are a great resource for price comparisons or even to get a rough idea of flight prices. Many of these sites allow you to view the prices of your desired flight day-by-day for a designated week. Always be flexible with where you want to fly.
Some of these metasearch/price comparison sites even have an “everywhere” option which finds the cheapest flights to nearby destinations.
The best deals often occur on irregular days of the week. Airlines regularly offer special deals to certain locations on certain days of the week so instead of flying on a weekend, try Tuesday or Wednesday departures for a cheaper option. Midweek offers are common.
A good way to find a flight deal is to research nearby airports. Most big cities have more than one airport and prices can vary wildly. A good example of this is San Francisco. It is worthwhile looking at flights into Oakland or San Jose if you are considering flying to San Francisco.
Cross-check prices between the major sites and the airline's own site. You might just save yourself a few dollars…. or even more. Of course, don’t leave it too long between checking for the best fare and booking, as prices fluctuate based on how many people have booked a ticket too!
Subscribe to airline newsletters and set fare alerts to stay informed about flight sales without having to constantly check the airline website.
The majority of flight comparison sites are great for basic point-to-point itineraries but not so good when it comes to more complicated bookings. If you are planning multiple stop-overs, to open-jaw (arrive at one airport and leave from another) or an RTW trip, it is probably better to speak with an expert. That could be your local travel agent or perhaps one of the flight experts on the website Flightfox.
For around $50 you can submit your proposed itinerary and have multiple experts work to find you the best price. The best part, you get to select the winning bid!
No matter how frequently you travel, there is value in joining a number of select airline loyalty programs. Most programs are free to join and many will reward you for flying with their partner airlines also. By combining your membership with an affiliated credit card you are effectively earning rewards for daily expenses such as food and clothing – making your money go to work for you!
The key to frequent flyer miles is loyalty. The airlines want your business and are willing to reward you for your continued business. That concept works both ways and there may be times it is worthwhile taking a longer (or even more expensive) flight in order to reap the best rewards.
In recent years we have started to see the emergence of budget or so-called discount airlines. These airlines sell flights at a significantly lower price by only offering a basic fare and allowing passengers to pay additional fees for items such as baggage, meals, and entertainment.
Keep an eye out for the low-cost airlines such as: Ryanair, Airasia and Tiger Air which offer low fares to numerous destinations. If you are flexible with your dates you stand a better chance of securing a deal. If you are also flexible on your destination you increase your chances significantly.
We put together a guide to low-cost carriers that is worth reading so you can compare.
BEWARE!! Some of these budget airlines use more regional airports so you will need to factor in the cost of getting to and from the airport into your calculations.
Of course, flying isn’t the only option to get to your destination. It is worth looking into each and every method of transport with these helpful guides:
Different accommodation websites such as Hostelworld and Hostelbookers often offer deals on accommodation when booked well in advance. Hostelworld also offers an option to buy a gold card which provides a discount each time you book a hostel for a whole year. If you are a regular user on Hostelworld you should see a decent saving.
If you are looking for the cheapest way to stay in a city while getting to meet locals, try Couchsurfing. By setting up a public profile you can search for a couch to sleep on in over 100,000 cities around the world and the best part is it’s free! Not only do you save on accommodation but you also get to meet interesting people from different walks of life. This hospitality works two ways, so people are encouraged to use the service as both a guest and a host.
When arranging your stay (or guests) you should always consider safety. First, look for Couchsurfers with good reviews and always chat with the host/guest before the stay.
Couchsurfing also arranges local meet-ups. These could be a pub crawl, a bicycle ride, a photo walk or a book reading. Meet-ups can create a great night out!
CLAIM YOUR $35 FREE AIRBNB CREDIT
For a different type of home-style accommodation, Airbnb allows you to rent out a room or an entire house. Unlike Couchsurfing, you have to pay for your room but it is important to remember you are sleeping in a comfy bed rather than a couch. You also have the ability to make some money by renting your own space out to others and can earn credits of up to $100 USD for every friend you invite to the site (after they book). Each different housing option has a fantastic array of photos for you to look at.
Tripping is the world’s largest search engine for holiday rentals and short-term rentals. Since Tripping has 1+ million rentals around the world, it’s simple to compare vacation homes from dozens of rental sites such as HouseTrip, Interhome, Flipkey, HomeAway, and more.
In addition to being the leading search engine for vacation rentals, Tripping has a colorful community of travelers in 175 countries. As a member, you can connect with other travelers and locals for coffee, conversation and free homestays everywhere you go.
For those seeking budget-friendly stays with a touch of luxury, Hotala offers a wide range of affordable hotel options. Hotala specializes in finding great deals on hotel rooms, making it easier to enjoy a comfortable stay without breaking the bank.
For travelers with a more generous budget Booking.com and Agoda often run “flash sales” to fill rooms that would normally remain empty. Prices are sometimes slashed by upwards of 50% of the original price…. who doesn’t want to stay for half price!
Websites such as Hotels.com and Agoda also offer loyalty rewards programs. Similar to a frequent flyer program you earn points (up to 7% of the value of your booking) that can be redeemed on future bookings.
It is always handy to sign up to websites like these as the more you book, the more you save! Signing up doesn’t usually require much information either; usually just your name, email address, and password.
As a traveler, one of the worst situations to be in late at night is arriving at accommodation that you haven’t booked. Rooms are available but, at a steep price. It is always helpful to talk to the manager of the hotel and politely ask for a better deal. Don’t forget to smile even if you are exhausted! Being that tyrant at the check-in desk will definitely not do you any favors. If they are unwilling to budge on price, perhaps ask for an upgraded room. You never know if you don’t ask!
If you have booked your room ahead of time it is always a good idea to ring ahead and ask if there is any chance of getting a good room or an upgraded room type. It sometimes happens that hotels/hostels overbook their standard rooms and are willing to let you stay in a better room at no extra charge.
While group tours are often shunned by hardcore backpackers they do provide a great way to see a lot in a limited amount of time. Group tours are generally more expensive than if you were to do the same itinerary independently (the tour company needs to make money and pay for their guides), but it is worth factoring in the time it would take for you to plan and book the trip vs the convenience of having it all done for you.
Not quite sure of the tour options available? TourRadar is an excellent search engine for group tours. They have hundreds of different tour companies and thousands of tours for you to peruse.
They also run a promotion that gives you a credit of up to $50 for every friend that you invite to their site.
If you are an active traveler and looking to visit a number of attractions at your destination here are a couple of ways to save on the experience:
If culture is your thing, most museums and art galleries have designated free days throughout the year. Some even offer these free days on a weekly basis so it is worth doing a little research of your destination to plan around this. As an aside, some attractions are closed on certain days too which can be heartbreaking if that’s the only day you are there. Plan.plan.plan.
If you like cramming in as much as you can in a limited amount of time then you should consider purchasing a city discount card. Sites like European City Cards sell passes that discount a number of attractions, tours, and restaurants in your chosen city. Bear in mind that these cards are only good value if you use them A LOT.
If you have the right identification you might be entitled to a special discount. Many attractions have a special price for students, teachers, seniors, veterans, and youth, among others. These are generally stated in their pricing guide make sure you check if you are eligible before purchasing your ticket.
Visiting an attraction in your home city? Some museums and sites have free or discounted entry for residents. Again make sure you are carrying the correct I.D.
Unfortunately, mishaps happen that are out of our control. It could be prior to your trip, it could be during your trip but the more you travel, the chances are, something unforeseen will occur and you should be prepared when it happens.
Getting travel insurance is usually an afterthought for most backpackers. “I can’t afford it”, “It won’t happen to me”, “I’m fit and healthy” or “I don’t have expensive belongings” are common excuses people give for why they choose not to take insurance and it is not until an incident that they realize the importance.
Many credit cards now provide a basic level of cover if you use the card to pay for a majority of your travel (check with your provider to see the requirements). There are big discounts to be had when taking out travel insurance if you know where to look.
For all the best info on why travel insurance is important and how you can save a bucket load, see our guide – Why You Need Travel Insurance.
Finally, talk to other backpackers…… Travelers are always good at finding a cheap place to stay or the best deal for transport. If a traveler feels like they got a good deal they WILL talk about it. Whether they tell friends or post about it on the internet, it’s always very handy to learn from the people who have done it before you.
Happy bargain hunting!
