Travel Better, Spend Less: 7 Essential Travel Hacks!

As the saying goes, “travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”. That’s easy to say when you haven’t just forked out £500 for another city break away! But why not; travel is a great way to enrich your life, mix up your scenery and opens you up to all kinds of possibilities.

If you have a lust for life and partial to a weekend break or two, then don’t let the small issue of money stand in the way. Here’s seven unmissable travel hacks to consider for your next weekend away - just don’t forget to send us a postcard, eh!

1. Money Back

If you don’t already belong to a cashback site such as Quidco or TopCashBack, now’s the time to sign-up. Clicking through to your favourite online retailer via these sites affords you the option to gain money back on online purchases. For instance, using Expedia you can earn 11% back on hotel bookings of two nights and more. That’s potentially a saving of up to £33 on a £300 hotel booking, that’s at least two lunches out.

2. Get Loyal

Loyalty pays in oh so many ways. That’s what expert traveler The Points Guy has been preaching for some time now. If you’re a frequent flyer then sign-up to you airline’s loyalty programme pronto (same applies to preferred hotel chains too). As if you need any encouragement, the more you travel, the more you’ll save on city breaks away. With British Airways’ Avios points you can redeem 13,000 points against a flight to Rome or Barcelona. Or you can pay part-cash part-points to keep your costs down, what’s not to love.

3. Lose The Baggage

If you’re taking a short break then ditch the suitcase in favour of a carry-on bag. Yes, my friend, it’s time to learn to travel light! Invest in travel-size items, easy to fold clothes and forgo all the unnecessary bits. In doing so you can save yourself hundreds in saved baggage costs – as much as £37.49 with Easyjet for instance.

4. Location, Location, Location

In the past, if you wanted the best location you had to pay a premium for it. However, thanks to a growing demand for online marketplaces like Airbnb, travel just got affordable. Forgoing some of the luxuries that come with a hotel, means plenty of savings to enjoy instead. Take New York for instance – if you want to stay in the heart of the action in Times Square, the Hyatt Hotel will set you back around £248 a night*. Meanwhile opting for a similar standard room using Airbnb costs £167. That’s a sizeable saving of over £243 for a long weekend away.

5. Choo-Choose Wisely…

If you’re whisking away to a European destination for a short break, why not chose the train over plane? Not only is it better for your carbon footprint, but you might find it’s cheaper too. Better still, it often takes you into the heart of the city, meaning that there’s no need for expensive transfers either. London to Paris by Eurostar takes just over two hours and can save you £214 in incidentals, check out this nifty calculator to learn more. You’re welcome!

6. Get WWOOFING

It’s not as barking as it sounds, WWOOFING is an organisation that offers free accommodation for travel in return for working in organic farms. This is a great chance to see the world and have your digs paid for; that’s as long as you don’t mind a bit of hard graft at the same time. Travel to France, Sweden, Norway or further afield and enjoy a short-break at the fraction of the usual cost.

7. Ask for Travel Gifts

You may be surprised to find that your Auntie, Uncle or grandparent would prefer to give you a meaningful present than something that will go on eBay five seconds later! There’s no harm in being upfront about your love of travel, so why not ask for a travel voucher or gift for your next birthday?

Travel blogger ‘The Globe Getter’ unashamedly uses this tactic with her relatives, who have helped her enjoy many city breaks around the world.

All details correct at time of publishing 2019-07-30, however please check before booking as they are subject to change.

* Using Booking.com and airbnb for travel 17-18 August, 2019-07-22