Pants: Dixie (similar here and here); Sweater: Aritzia (similar here and here); Shoes: Gucci
Ever since I can remember, travel has been a huge part of my identity. My parents love to travel and learn about different cultures, so it was something that was ingrained in our minds since my brothers are I were very young. During my adolescent years, I went through a phase where I didn’t understand the value in waking up early to go on a tour. I remember absolutely hating the fact that I had to wake up at 7am the last time I was in Italy. But a few years back, a switch flipped. Suddenly, I had morphed into my parents, and nothing brought me more joy that starting my day early and exploring every inch of a city.
I caught the travel bug long before I began blogging. So, although my job is one that now requires me to travel, and allows me to work with hotels, I’ve learnt a few money-saving tricks along the way. I don’t think you need to be a millionaire to have the trip of your dreams, you just need to be smart about how you spend. So I thought I’d share a few tips that’ll help you travel without breaking the bank:
Research your flight
Check websites like SkyScanner and StudentUniverse to find the cheapest flights. Also, make sure you book your ticket in advance.
Coming into the city
Unless you’re traveling very heavy, don’t waste your money on a cab from the airport into the city. A lot of cities offer public transportation to get from the airport to wherever you’re staying. Before leaving for your trip, see if there’s a train or subway that can get you into the city centre. It’ll save you a lot of money which you can put into a delicious meal instead.
Airbnb
So here’s the trick to being able to afford nice hotels: find cheap accommodation on Airbnb for a few nights. Before I began working with hotels, I would stay in cheaper Airbnbs for a few nights so I could splurge on a hotel I really wanted to stay at. Plus Airbnbs allow you to interact with locals and get the insider lowdown on a city which you’d never get at a hotel.
Walk>Uber
Aside from the fact that there’s no better way to see a city than to walk, it also saves you a lot of money! If walking isn’t possible, opt for the subway, just don’t mindlessly spend on Ubers when you can avoid it.
Plan your meals
Have a super expensive restaurant you want to try for dinner? Great! Compromise by having a cheap lunch and make breakfast at home. When I was in Barcelona a few years back, I wanted to eat at a restaurant which was pretty pricey. So I would have lunch at La Boqueria, which would cost me approximately €5 for a medley of fresh seafood and fruits, and then splurge on dinner. Another great tip is to avoid eating at tourist traps – you know, the overpriced restaurants close to a landmark that have shitty food. Also, if you can, ask locals where they eat. They often recommend great hole in the wall places that are quite affordable.
Free City Tours
Although most free tours work on a tipping basis, they still end up being a whole lot cheaper than paid tours. Not to mention, they are so much better. The tour guides are usually quite young and have a great way of explaining the history of a place. And, since it works on a tipping basis, the tour guides actually work hard to make the tour interesting! They also have the best recommendations on what to see, where to eat, and where to go out at night.
So there you have it, my tips for cutting costs while traveling. Do you guys have any tips?
These are great ideas! Love to wake up early in a new city and explore it by walking too. It’s the best way! Xx
http://www.thefashionfolks.com
Totally agree with it all! I was tempted to UBER from the Airport in London but I think i’ll take the bus instead. And I’ll definitely be walking around the city to explore it!
-Didier
http://www.didieryhc.com
I love to travel too! Great tips! I haven’t tried Airbnb yet but I’ve heard great reviews.
-L.
LenaRevealed.com
So jelly of all your current travels… I hope you having a great time girl!
XoXo,
Tamara – LoveofMode.com
Love your travel tips- I’m the same. Another great way to look for cheap flights is Hopper. It’s an app and I book all my north american flights on the app (anything under 6 hours)
great tips as always!!
http://www.luellapearl.com
Caitlin
love these trousers, such a cool look! And yesss I’m all about Skyscanner, cute Airbnbs and walking, literally the easiest way to see a new city
xx
http://angelebaby.com
These are awesome tips! One thing I always do when I’m traveling is buy a box of protein bars and stick them in my suitcase. That way, I can save on breakfast AND save time in the morning so I can explore more.
COLLEENWELSCH.COM
PS: Those Gucci loafers!!!!!!!!! Amazing
Awesome post Siffat, definitely time to plan another vacay! I love using Airbnb for accommodation options, the best!
xx Rubi
Pose & Repeat
Great post and tips. Love those pants on you!
Xx, Raysa
These are really good tips. I would have never thought to plan meals out! I’ll have to try that out next time I go somewhere.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
I love using AirBnb! Such a great way to see how others live in the city. Cute outfit btw!
XO, Jessi
https://www.mywhitet.com/hair-journey-herbal-essences/
Beautiful shots, I love your outfit!
Liz
http://www.liznroad.com
These are great tips. I toatlly agree with you about everything.
Nina’s Style Blog
This is such a great post, Siffat! I love all of these tips. I’m obsessive about researching and tracking flights, so I definitely appreciate your first suggestion!
These are good tips – and that is an incredible spot to take photos, what a view! 🙂
We just got back from a trip to Sydney – we ate breakfast before we went out to save money there as Sydney can be so expensive! It was a lot of fun though 🙂
Hope you are having a lovely week and your weather is better than ours, haha! Cold and rainy here in Brisbane.
Away From The Blue Blog
I caught the travel bug at a very young age and ever since I have done all sorts of travels, from the back-packing-sleeping-at-10-bed-dorms sort of trip to the more luxurious vacays where you can treat yourself to nice food and museum tickets 😉 but I always try to save as much as possible while making the most of my trip as well. These recommendations are totally on point and nowadays we have even more choices for cutting down costs in transfers and accommodation, so yay! more budget for food!!!
Hope you are enjoying your trip, beautiful Siff
Saida | She talks Glam
Such a good tips! I haven’t had tips for cheap traveling. Just that don’t eat where the tourists usually eat, because it will be more expensive in there.
Heidi ✨ | Heidi’s Planner
I usually check tickets on eDreams, but will make sure to check the other two you have mentioned before. And yesss, airport shuttles are so much cheaper than ubering from the airport. Wishing you a great day. xx
Andreea,
http://couturezilla.com/
These are really handy tips dear. I completely agree with you, especially on walking and planning meals. The best way to discover a new place is by foot. Also, I always try the street food of a new city to fully appreciate the culture of the place. Btw, lovely pants!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com