We can all relate to the struggle of traveling when you're on a budget, and flying in particular can be hard if you're trying not to break the bank, which is why I thought I'd help you out and give you my tips and tricks on how to save some money and still manage to see the world.
First things first, you've probably been told before that you should always set your browser to incognito mode when searching for flights and such, and although it doesn't hurt, I don't believe there's actually any proof that you'll find cheaper flights for doing so. Having said that, I always keep mine in incognito mode, just in case.
My main tip to save money while traveling is to travel off peak, I know this may sound less fun and exciting but consider this, practically no lines anywhere. Not only are flights cheaper, but also there are no crowds, unless you visit places like London or Paris, there will always be crowds, but trust me, off peak they won't feel as smothering.
When it comes to finding the right flight, there's really only two options to consider, my personal favourite is Skyscanner. Skyscanner offers deals not only on flights, but also hotels and car hiring, you can plan your whole trip from one place and save yourself all the trouble, amazing, right? With Skyscanner simply say where you want to depart from and your dates and let it amaze you with the options available, maybe February is great to travel to Oslo, or June to Barcelona. If you're interested in any of the options, but can't make a decision right away, simply sign up for email alerts and Skyscanner will let you know whenever the prices change. One extra tip though, make sure to buy the ticket early, but not too early, around 4 or 5 months before departure is usually the right time to buy your ticket. The other option is Kiwi.com, which you can use Ebates* with and save even more money. Speaking of, there are a few airlines that allow you to use Ebates when paying for your tickets, one of them being the almighty Emirates, making money while traveling, who knew?
Speaking of airlines, after you've been on a few flights you'll find yourself trying to use your favourite airline the most, at least that's what I always try to do. If you've found your favourite, grab it tight and don't let it go, most airlines reward their loyal clients, for this you should sign-up for their frequent flyer program, even if you don't fly on a very regular basis, this will still make a difference. I'm part of two frequent flyer programs, KLM's and TAP's, the last one being my favourite, not only because it's my country's airline, but also because it's just the one I've used the most and you can get miles from several different places, not only flying.
Lastly, I present to you Secret Flying, I haven't personally used this website yet as it is rare to find a flight departing from Portugal, but I do always keep my eyes peeled, just in case. Secret Flying is a completely different kind of travel buddy, you can't buy tickets through them, but you can learn all about very cheap flights, all they do is find the deal, post it on their website and then it's all up to the reader to book the flight through a third-party online travel agent. You simply let them know where you want to depart from and when, much like you do in any of the other websites, and they'll let you know which deals there are for you.
When it comes to getting around the place you're visiting, keep away from taxis, you'll go bankrupt in no time. Save your money and walk, most places you can walk everywhere important without crumbling to pieces at the end of the day. This way you won't only save money, but you'll also get to see places and things you wouldn't have seen if you were riding a car all day. If you're not into walking, or the place you're visiting is a bit too big to see on your feet, take public transports, most places offer 1 day tickets for a little bit cheaper than buying individual tickets to get around, just make sure you use it wisely, pick the day you're going to be going around the most or the furthest, don't use it on a day you're only going on one bus or two subway rides. Depending on where you're staying, sometimes it's useful and worth renting a car to get around, if you or anyone you're traveling with has a license and feels comfortable driving, it may be worth checking the prices, especially if you're going somewhere quite big.
Lastly on this subject, Google Trips can be a great app to help you get around anywhere (Play Store & Apple Store). With Google Trips you can save all your information, plane tickets, booking information, which you can save yourself or let it gather said information from Gmail, and save the places you want to see, visit, eat at and so much more. If there's a particular place you can't find in Google Trips, simply search for it on your Google Maps app and save it, this will then appear automatically in your saved places for your travel. After downloading the app you can create a trip and let it help you plan it, by gathering your information on where you would like to go and your interests, it automatically maps out a half day or a full day with suggestions for things to see and do. Best part about it? Not only is it free, but you can also use it offline, no more crazy mobile data expenses.
So there you go, these are my top tips for flying and getting around on a budget, please feel free to share some of your personal tips in the comments below, let's help each other to see the world.
Lastly, I present to you Secret Flying, I haven't personally used this website yet as it is rare to find a flight departing from Portugal, but I do always keep my eyes peeled, just in case. Secret Flying is a completely different kind of travel buddy, you can't buy tickets through them, but you can learn all about very cheap flights, all they do is find the deal, post it on their website and then it's all up to the reader to book the flight through a third-party online travel agent. You simply let them know where you want to depart from and when, much like you do in any of the other websites, and they'll let you know which deals there are for you.
When it comes to getting around the place you're visiting, keep away from taxis, you'll go bankrupt in no time. Save your money and walk, most places you can walk everywhere important without crumbling to pieces at the end of the day. This way you won't only save money, but you'll also get to see places and things you wouldn't have seen if you were riding a car all day. If you're not into walking, or the place you're visiting is a bit too big to see on your feet, take public transports, most places offer 1 day tickets for a little bit cheaper than buying individual tickets to get around, just make sure you use it wisely, pick the day you're going to be going around the most or the furthest, don't use it on a day you're only going on one bus or two subway rides. Depending on where you're staying, sometimes it's useful and worth renting a car to get around, if you or anyone you're traveling with has a license and feels comfortable driving, it may be worth checking the prices, especially if you're going somewhere quite big.
Lastly on this subject, Google Trips can be a great app to help you get around anywhere (Play Store & Apple Store). With Google Trips you can save all your information, plane tickets, booking information, which you can save yourself or let it gather said information from Gmail, and save the places you want to see, visit, eat at and so much more. If there's a particular place you can't find in Google Trips, simply search for it on your Google Maps app and save it, this will then appear automatically in your saved places for your travel. After downloading the app you can create a trip and let it help you plan it, by gathering your information on where you would like to go and your interests, it automatically maps out a half day or a full day with suggestions for things to see and do. Best part about it? Not only is it free, but you can also use it offline, no more crazy mobile data expenses.
So there you go, these are my top tips for flying and getting around on a budget, please feel free to share some of your personal tips in the comments below, let's help each other to see the world.
Disclosure: the links followed by an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Also, don't forget to use Ebates whilst shopping to save some money.
