5 Ways to Make your Money Travel Farther

Written by: Jennifer Gattinger, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

With warmer temps moving in and COVID restrictions loosening up, you may be dreaming about your upcoming summer vacation.

Dreaming until you start thinking about how expensive it will be anyways.

But, I’m here to tell you some good news! Contrary to popular belief, travel can be much cheaper than people think, especially if you think a bit outside the box.

Read on to learn about 5 ways to make your money travel farther this summer:

1. Airbnb

I’m assuming that by now you already know about Airbnb, but did you know that you can dig deeper for discounts? Many hosts give discounts for people choosing to rent by the week or month. If the host has these types of discounts set up, they will automatically appear when you search for your desired dates. Another option is to write the host directly and ask if they’re willing to negotiate on price. I’ve heard of people being successful with this, and hey, it never hurts to ask. Yet another Airbnb hack is to stay in a well-communicated neighborhood a bit further out from the city center. Opting to do this can help you save significantly on accommodation expenses.

2. Book local

Headed to Eastern Europe, Asia, or South America? Rather than reserving ahead of time online, booking your Bed and Breakfast on the spot with the locals can put more money in your pocket to enjoy your favorite activities. The same goes for booking guided tours. While this may not be a good strategy for those who like to have everything planned, I’ve personally done this while traveling across the continents listed above and have saved many hundreds over the years.

3. Use Google Flights

When it comes to travel, Google Flights is the crème of all crèmes! Whether you are searching for flexible dates, flexible airports, or simply seeing where the cheapest flight from your location to any destination in the world is, Google Flights allows you to do so in a matter of minutes. Another advantage of using Google Flights is that the flight prices shown are usually those that you see when you go to purchase the tickets (in other words, they don’t usually jump up or have extra fees included right before you hit “buy” like many of the other search engines do). These days, it’s also possible to find cheaper one-way flights, so make sure to check those out as well.

4. Pack light

With airlines charging anywhere from $40-$100 to check in a bag, save yourself money by grabbing a carry-on bag and packing it to the brim. To maximize your packing, think about bringing neutral colors and items that mix and match. Also, rolling your clothes as opposed to stacking them helps maximize your space. And remember that you really don’t need everything. Unless you are going to a particularly desolate location, you will be able to find most things during your trip should you need something. The best part is that you will save not only money but also the time you can literally hit the ground running upon arrival. Less truly is more.

5. Alternative Accommodations

How does free accommodation sound? Sites like Trusted Housesitting allow you to offer your sitting services in exchange for a free place to stay. Then there’s Home Exchange which allows you to exchange your place for a stay in someone else’s. Other options for those willing to share some of their skills and lend an extra hand are available on sites like Helpx or Workaway, where travelers exchange a few hours of help a day for a free place to stay.

The bottom line is that travel is not always as expensive as people think it is, especially if you’re willing to be flexible and get creative.

For those interested in making their money travel even farther, I invite you to check out my upcoming group financial coaching course, where we will set financial goals and cover budgeting, saving strategies, hustles and retirement numbers, and investment options, among other topics.

Happy travels!

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Jennifer Gattinger, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jenny is a personal financial coach with a passion for helping millennials reach their financial goals. Having completed a degree in Economics, along with Dave Ramsey’s Financial Coach Master Training, she teaches them how to organize their money and put it to work so that one day, sooner rather than later, they won’t have to. A millennial herself, Jenny’s financial savviness has allowed her to follow her dreams of travel and visit 50+ countries as well as compete internationally in two different sports, all while maintaining a sense of financial wellbeing.