Money tips · 7 min read
How to save money while travelling: 15 practical tips
Saving money on a trip isn't about denying yourself the good bits — it's about not bleeding cash on the boring bits so there's more left for the memorable ones. Here are 15 tips that actually move the needle, grouped by where your money goes.
Before you go
- Be flexible with dates. Flying midweek or a day either side of a holiday can cut fares dramatically. Use flexible-date search and set price alerts.
- Travel in the shoulder season. The few weeks before and after peak season offer similar weather at a fraction of the price, with fewer crowds.
- Book accommodation with a kitchen. Even one or two self-catered meals a day meaningfully lowers your food spend on a longer trip.
- Sort a fee-free card. A travel card or account with no foreign-transaction fees quietly saves 2–3% on everything you buy abroad.
- Set a budget up front. A trip with a plan spends less than one without — see our budgeting guide.
On flights & transport
- Fly with hand luggage only when you can — checked-bag fees often cost more than the seat.
- Use public transport from the airport. Trains and buses are typically a fraction of a taxi, and often faster in traffic.
- Buy transit day-passes in cities where you'll take more than two or three rides a day.
Tip
Savings only count if you can see them
Log expenses in PocketTrip as you go and watch your daily cap in real time — the fastest way to notice when spending is creeping up, while there's still time to adjust.
On food & daily spending
- Eat where the locals eat. One street back from the main square, the same meal is often half the price and twice as good.
- Make lunch your big meal. Many restaurants offer a set lunch menu at a fraction of dinner prices.
- Carry a refillable water bottle where tap water is safe — small daily savings add up over a week.
- Look for free days and city passes. Many museums have free entry on set days; a city pass pays off if you'll visit several attractions.
On currency & fees
- Always pay in the local currency. Decline the terminal's offer to convert to your home currency — that's dynamic currency conversion, and it's rarely in your favour.
- Withdraw cash in larger, less frequent amounts to minimise flat ATM fees — but only what you'll realistically use.
- Track every expense. The simple act of logging spending makes you spend less — and shows you exactly where the money actually went.
The tip that ties them together
Most of these savings are small on their own; together they're the difference between coming home even and coming home over. The habit that unlocks them is awareness — knowing, at any moment, how you're tracking against your budget. PocketTrip makes that effortless: budgets and daily caps, multi-currency logging, receipt scanning and a live view of what's left. Travelling with friends? Our guide to splitting expenses fairly keeps group costs under control too.
Ready?
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Keep reading: How to track travel expenses: 5 methods compared →