Google Free Walking Tours when in big cities. Just pay guide a (generous) tip and enjoy. Guides have always been very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Just as good as private tour companie$.
I subscribe to many travel emails. Some with a fee for better deals. I use the credit card game to sometimes book on their sites using points and earning points for that purchase. ALWAYS book airfare FIRST based upon the best/cheapest days to travel Look at the calendar on Google Flights. Then when you find a great deal, THEN look for accommodations, which are much easier. Most people do things backward… find where they want to go, book certain days, then find the flights… WRONG!!
I’m a full-time traveller so I’ve tried every hack and app out there. My best? 1)contact owners of temp rentals directly if you can and do a cash deal or on a platform without exorbitant ones (e.g. NOT AirBnB). AND always ask if there is a weekly or monthly discount. 2)play the credit card points game (I haven’t paid for airfare in years and have booked dozens of hotel rooms and rental cars using points) 3)gamble just enough to get comped cruises 4)try petsitting via trustedhousesitters.com. Look for cats! 5)use Hotwire for 1-3 night hotel stays 6)book cruises either early or last-minute
Lots of ways to save: First, investigate destinations so you can compare cost and value for the places you really want to go. Second, be flexible with dates. Air fares can drop 25% or more for different days in the same week. Shoulder seasons offer lower costs across the board for travel, hotels and food, without really compromising experience. Third, look at hotel reviews and choose the smaller and less expensive hotels with the best reviews. Fourth, walk a lot at your destination. That’s the best way to experience a destination anyway. Fifth, read travel books from your library ahead of time, and plan, so you can maximize the use of each day and see what is really worth seeing.
Google Free Walking Tours when in big cities. Just pay guide a (generous) tip and enjoy. Guides have always been very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Just as good as private tour companie$.
I subscribe to many travel emails. Some with a fee for better deals. I use the credit card game to sometimes book on their sites using points and earning points for that purchase. ALWAYS book airfare FIRST based upon the best/cheapest days to travel Look at the calendar on Google Flights. Then when you find a great deal, THEN look for accommodations, which are much easier. Most people do things backward… find where they want to go, book certain days, then find the flights… WRONG!!
I’m a full-time traveller so I’ve tried every hack and app out there. My best?
1)contact owners of temp rentals directly if you can and do a cash deal or on a platform without exorbitant ones (e.g. NOT AirBnB). AND always ask if there is a weekly or monthly discount.
2)play the credit card points game (I haven’t paid for airfare in years and have booked dozens of hotel rooms and rental cars using points)
3)gamble just enough to get comped cruises
4)try petsitting via trustedhousesitters.com. Look for cats!
5)use Hotwire for 1-3 night hotel stays
6)book cruises either early or last-minute
For airfare:
1) date flexibility
2) airline credit cards (miles, preferred status, free tickets)
3) no checked bags!
For lodging:
1) Avoid booking consolidators, book directly
2) low-season travel
For food:
1) this is where we spend the money we save on the first two!
Lots of ways to save:
First, investigate destinations so you can compare cost and value for the places you really want to go.
Second, be flexible with dates. Air fares can drop 25% or more for different days in the same week. Shoulder seasons offer lower costs across the board for travel, hotels and food, without really compromising experience.
Third, look at hotel reviews and choose the smaller and less expensive hotels with the best reviews.
Fourth, walk a lot at your destination. That’s the best way to experience a destination anyway.
Fifth, read travel books from your library ahead of time, and plan, so you can maximize the use of each day and see what is really worth seeing.