I am a lifelong traveler. In fact, my first passport photo shows me sitting on my mother’s lap. My first long haul flight was around the age of 2 when we flew to Okinawa, Japan to live for two years.
I have traveled to the following places and have employed a number of frugal hacks over the years to make travel happen.
Some Places I’ve Traveled To
London, San Diego, Paris*, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Japan*, Miami, San Francisco
Belgium, Barcelona, Italy, Buenos Aires, New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Oslo
*I lived in Paris and Japan
The point is, travel is a priority to me. I don’t have to go somewhere new every year…but, I would like to.
As I embrace the idea of spending as little as possible on anything I do try to do it without compromising quality.
Seven ways to travel like a Frugal#BOSS!
- Pay for the majority of your trip prior to departure. I think that a lot of people just pay for accommodation prior to departure. If you’re able to, look at all of the other expenses that you might incur and figure out ways to pay for or prepare for them prior to departure. For example: if you’re traveling in the U.S. find out what grocery stores are near by and join their savings program upon or prior to arrival. Buy gift cards or set a certain amount of cash out for variable expenses like coffee, fun stuff (check out Groupon/LivingSocial) There is always a great deal to be found in the U.S.
- Stay in places that have kitchens: I cook around 90% of my meals when I travel. Yes I’m on a vacation but I’m not on vacation from my money practices. I still need to pay my expenses and bills when I return. I don’t want to return broke. Eating food out in general is a huge money waste. Have one or two special meals, and grab one fun meal if you’re gone for a week. I am a foodie so I know what I’m asking. But, it does save a lot of money!
- Incorporate No Spend Days during your vacation: Yep, I’m serious. Find ways to entertain yourself without spending money (**exception would be transit..but, usually that’s a car or you would have a transit pass) If you’re in a normal sized city you could: explore the city on foot-make sure to bring a snack and a drink, go to a park, ride a bike, go on a hike, or do a photo tour of the city.
- Go to Meetups For Free Activities: Why not? Especially if you’re traveling solo. I will be attending an exercise group in an iconic location next Monday. I will also be going to a free Samba Bossa Nova concert on Saturday. Yes, even overseas. Just go to the Meetup website, type in the location and what you enjoy doing on a regular basis and then go. Let people know that you’re new to the city. ***Don’t be an idiot. Do exercise stranger danger caution. Do NOT go off alone with someone that you don’t know. Use Your Common Sense*** Figure out a way to notify your loved ones or the place that you’re staying at about where you’re going.
- Don’t Go Shopping: I just don’t get this and I actually enjoy shopping from time to time. Unless you live in Norway or a really expensive place shopping should not be your go to activity in a new city. Every single mid-large sized American city has the following stores: Express, Gap, The Limited, Macy’s, etc. If you’re in a small town that doesn’t have a mall allocate one day for shopping (I do understand!)…then, enjoy the place that you’re visiting. I have also visited around 40 of the United States. This is a BEAUTIFUL country with amazing history and awesome things to do. What is the point of traveling if you’re doing the same thing that you would do at home?
- Shop At Thrift Stores: If you must shop, check out the local thrift stores.I ended up going to a Buffalo Exchange in New Orleans and it had a fantastic selection of dresses. It’s so hot there that the dress is a staple wardrobe item.
- Stay At A (Good) Friend’s House: I am so lucky that I know people all over the world. Literally, everywhere. So, I have been very lucky to stay at my friends’ homes whenever I travel. My friends also stay at my place whenever they visit Denver. In fact, they visit all the time usually for 2-3 weeks. I love it!! When I host my friends I do spend some money on: bus tickets and a few special treats. It always works out though because my friends do the same for me 🙂 Accommodation is a huge expense and having long-term friends host you is a wonderful way to see a city as well. ***Don’t ask new friends. The friends I stay with I’ve known for over 10 years. They are like family***
I hope you’ve enjoyed some of these tips. Did you see an idea you hadn’t considered before? Do you employ some of these techniques?
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I am an obsessive foodie, but not self-righteous with it, love travel, meeting new people, helping you look good, and am freaked out by people who don't enjoying reading...something! Grab a Perrier, read my blog, feel free to drop me a line! Hope to hear from you soon.
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Good tips Michelle. Even when I was in Hawaii and didn’t have a kitchen, they did have a small fridge so pretty much we at our breakfast in the room, then packed lunches for the day. Then saved our food budget for a nice meal. I always check sites like Groupon and Living Social for deals in the cities I’m visiting too.
I just think that when I’m in a new locale even though I AM a foodie and DO want to eat out all the time-it’s not a good practice! I love using coupon deals even though you have to really vet them to make sure they are legit. I may have bought a dud. That’s another post.
Yes indeed! Kitchens are a must now. Especially with the kids. Plus I’m a little scary about having them eat just anywhere these days. They’re bellies are so finicky. I even bring dried goods and basic spices with me. Heading to Turks and Caicos in a bit. Condo with kitchen in place!
If I had kiddos it would be non-negotiable. I don’t see how people travel with kids and stay in hotels (only from the food perspective). I hadn’t even thought about the sensitive stomach thing but you’re right, kids sometimes are eating milder foods/foods with fewer spices, etc. It’s just easier to cook most of their meals. Have fun at the wedding!!
i love prepaying for stuff! Makes things so easy.
In Asia I see no point in trying to get a kitchen (no idea how easy/hard that is) but generally I think it’s a good rule. Even in places where we were mainly there to eat (eg basically all of Italy, a lot of the US…) it’s still nice to make your own food once in awhile and not to pay for breakfast.
You bring up an interesting point about food destination travel. I had to marinate on that before answering (do you like the pun?!) I actually also really, really love to cook so for me I would enjoy going to the markets to pick up fresh ingredients and rock it out. I just checked out AirBnB and they have places in Vietnam (my next go to place in 2 years) The cool thing about that is depending on the type of place you stay at the host sometimes will help you out and tell you about cool street vendors/markets/etc.
These are some great tips. I do enjoy saving some money by staying in a place with a kitchen and my personal favorite is staying with friends or family. I’ve never thought to pay for other things in advance or to check Meetup for free activities though.
Free Meetup activities are the way to go! I am really excited to meet some people who are in the location that I’m in (and listen to free music). Staying with friends or family is a lot of fun and they usually are super flexible about taking you where you want to go. Paying for advance just keeps things smooth!
I definitely avoid the malls when I travel! I prefer to visit the city/countryside and take it what is has to offer. I also second your point of finding a place with a kitchen and not eating out for every meal. Like you, I’ve traveled to far flung places and it’s something that I’ve loved to do since the age of 6 when I flew for the first time (leaving Trinidad to live in Montreal). I’m fortunate to have married a man who enjoys traveling like I do.
Do you remember getting coloring books and wings when you flew by yourself? Those were the days! I love what this world has to offer and can’t wait to discover more!
OMG YES! I felt like such a boss flying by myself on an airplane. It only happened twice that I travelled solo as a kid. I was treated like a little princess and pampered by the airline attendants 🙂
You’ve made it to forty of the states? That’s amazing. Also, I love the suggestion of looking up what you like to do, in a travel destination. I can’t wait to hear about samba!
I haven’t been to: Mississippi (I actually think I was there as a baby…) Alaska, Vermont, Alabama, Washington State, Oregon, and a couple others 🙂 Having a loose framework of what is happening in a new city before arrival takes some of the pressure off! I think the Samba event will be fun.
That hardest for me is not spending money on food. Trying new food and drinks while traveling is easily my favorite part of the adventure. It’s such an important part of the experience that I’d rather sacrifice spending elsewhere on the trip.
I’ve actually never used Meetup, but what a brilliant idea! I’ll definitely try it out now. Thanks for the tips!
I love me some food, but I just really pace myself. Right now I’m in an awesome country with amazing food but I have been cooking most of my meals. Luckily, I’m a good cook! I do buy ingredients native to the place that I am in. When I do go out it’s like a revelation! It is an expensive country though so when I do go out it’s not cheap.
We are off to the west coast for a few weeks this year and I was dreading the costs with food and activities. What a timely article with good reminders!We will have a kitchen, so good news on that front.
Depending on where you’re going there should be free stuff to do. If you’re going to California, there is always something to do. Just google “What to do for fun in…” and some pages with ideas should pop up. Have fun!
I’ve never understood the whole, go on vacation to shop thing. I see people from all over the world shopping in NYC and think to myself, “really, you don’t have a sporting goods store where you live?” People spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on vacation at the Nike store, weird and not at all frugal.
Unless you live in a really expensive place or a place with no stores then I just don’t see the point to it.
Incorporating No Spend Days during travel is a great idea! It doesn’t have to be everyday, just once in a while. Great post!
I am traveling so that I can see things, but we are so consumption minded that it’s hard to avoid the impulse. “I just want to pick one thing up…” I just force myself to do things that don’t include money-amazingly, there are a lot of things that don’t cost money!
Staying with friends has saved me so much money over the years. I need some of my friends to move overseas so I can have some place to stay for free.
I am very happy to say that a large number of my friends live overseas so I get to stay for free in a lot of cool places. I just talked to a friend of mine who is living in Tel Aviv about swing by in a couple of years. He said yes-so, it’s on! He was living in England before and I visited him there too!