# How to save when traveling Research with an open mind about the cheapest way to get anywhere: - Night travel is less busy and usually cheaper. - For long distances, it's more affordable to sleep on a sleeper train than get a hotel. Use a ride-sharing service instead of a cab service. When buying a car, you will likely not be able to pay it all in cash, so calculate the extra fees for setting up a loan into the cost you'll pay: - Differentiate between a need (i.e., being able to travel) and a want (i.e., social status). - When purchasing, nothing stops you from paying off the loan as fast as possible. Depending on the region, you can walk or hitchhike. Keep track of all your receipts to dispute strange fees. Look into whether a country has a weekly or monthly tourist rail pass. Try an unconventional transportation solution, like touring overland on a motorbike. Rent a car if train tickets are expensive. ## Driving Don't buy premium gas unless the vehicle has a high compression ratio or uses forced air induction (e.g., turbo, supercharger). - The quality difference only reduces knock, and the fuel is the same otherwise. - Additives are both cheaper and more effective in the long-term (e.g., removes water). Join gas station rewards programs. - Track your rewards as you accrue them. Avoid unnecessary wear on your car by driving slower and more carefully. Stay on top of [preventative maintenance](autos.md). - Wash your car yourself. - If you use an automatic wash, the Basic is just as good as the Deluxe with a different color of soap. - Even when they have a coin slot, gas stations usually offer air and water (for the tires and radiator) for free. Increase fuel economy on highways with cruise control. Increase fuel efficiency and tire lifespan by keeping the tires inflated. Consolidate errands to save gasoline by traveling less. Try alternate routes to navigate around traffic. - Change your work hours to avoid rush hour. Find driving alternatives: - Find people you can carpool with. - Research if routine trips are cheaper in a bus. - Consider riding a bicycle or smaller motor vehicle. - Telecommute if your work allows it. ## Booking flights Try to time when you get tickets. - The prices usually change about three times a day. - To get the cheapest seats, book the flights 330 days before you intend to go. - About 6-8 weeks before the flight dates, the prices will drop. - Avoid Sunday flights if possible. - Visit the airport directly in advance to purchase a ticket to avoid many of the fees. Pay close attention to the myriad fees. - Don't book your flight with a phone call. - Avoid canceling or changing your reservation. Always search in Private/Incognito Mode in your web browser because flight services increase their prices each visit to create a feeling of urgency. Visit secondary markets that sell underpriced tickets to fill the plane. - Whenever possible, use lower quality or local-only budget airlines. Consider direct flights (one stop flights) versus adding a stopover with the same or a different airline. Sign up for airline newsletters and airline promotions. ## Saving at airports Pack items you'll likely need: - Food (make sure it doesn't have a strong odor out of consideration for everyone else). - Blankets - Empty water bottles you can fill after getting through security - Enough entertainment or reading prepared for the trip Use a coupon service for discounts on airport parking, or have a friend or family member drop you off and pick you up later. Checking in: - If you didn't pay full price for the ticket, don't expect to get a free upgrade with the ticket agent - Travel without a checked bag or mail it via parcel service to your hotel if you must bring one. At the terminal: - Don't buy any of the high-priced items at the airport shops. If you're gracious to the steward during the flight, you can ask for anything free you need: - Children's activity packs - Dental hygiene kits - Earplugs or a sleep mask - First aid supplies - Leftover meals from first-class - Slippers or socks - As many refills of your drinks as you want When flying with kids: - Buy the infant-on-lap ticket. - Get a bassinet seat. - Ask for a car seat courtesy bag. - Carry your luggage in a stroller. - Ask for children's snack packs. - As long as it's not disruptive, you can always ask for a tour of the flight deck and meet the pilot. ## Saving on lodging Price shop hotels with a discount room-filling service (e.g., Priceline). Use the same hotel or chain frequently to occasionally get promotions or discounts. You can save hundreds of dollars by choosing somewhere half a mile away from the city's central tourist region. Request a corner room to get a more spacious room for the same price. Call the hotel directly: - The 1-800 booking site often goes to a corporate office with fixed prices - Hotels can pay a commission of up to 30% to online booking sites - Keep their adjusted price when directly negotiating a price with a hotel - Direct negotiation has risks: - Booking directly with a hotel loses the leverage a good intermediary may give you if something goes wrong - Cheap customers are the first people to lose their room if the hotel overbooks Try to use independently owned hotels because they're the highest-quality in the world and are far more likely to give you a discount. - The front desk clerk at the hotel often charges a reasonable rate to run errands, plunge toilets, tie bow-ties, deliver towels, and make breakfast. Hotel tipping is mostly out of style but if you do leave one, put it under the pillow and leave a note to clarify who it's for. Many "eco-friendly" options like opting out of cleaning your room are tricks to give the housekeeper less work, so ignore them if you want a clean room. Alternative lodging arrangements: - Only get a timeshare if you're budgeting a vacation every year for decades. - Rent out your home while you're away. - Rent a local guest house instead of a hotel. - Try renting from a local host through a room-sharing site. - House-swap with someone in the classified ads for where you want to stay. - Pack a tent and camp in someone's garden. - Couch-surf through an internet posting. - Look at renting a portion of a monthly classified ad property if you're staying there for more than two nights or have a large group. Try a work-for-rent arrangement. - It's usually not as bad as it sounds, especially if you do it for a few months. - Go organic farming through a network like [WWOOF](http://www.wwoof.net/). - Crew a yacht or cruise ship. - Work at a hostel. - House-sit for someone advertising it online. Track your spending in a small notebook to avoid going over budget. Be courageous when haggling everything, especially when you're not in the West. Only collect souvenirs you intend to use as decorations when you get home. In foreign countries, eat at local establishments instead of familiar places: - Ask around for the best places. - Outdoor vendors often have the most affordable food. Visit anywhere that serves alcohol during happy hour (which varies based on the country). Depending on the country, you may be able to rent out a kitchen. ## Vacations Find free ways to take [vacations](fun-vacations.md): - Raise funds for a worthy cause. - Get a travel scholarship. - Take up a challenge and get sponsored for something intense. - Enter a contest. If you ever happen to lose your phone charger: - Most hotels have a gigantic bin full of phone chargers other people have left. - If you have a USB cord but not a charger, many hotel TVs have a USB plug on the back.