c/budget-travel-hacks

Booked a $9 flight to Miami but spent $60 on snacks at the airport because I skipped breakfast

Tried to save money by not eating before my 6am flight and ended up blowing my whole food budget for the trip on one sad overpriced sandwich and a bag of chips before we even took off, anyone else fall for that false economy trap?

2 comments

janaw11•2d ago

Bought a $15 inflatable pillow for overnight buses and it deflated on hour 2 in Peru

The thing hissed out air somewhere between Cusco and Puno, and I spent the next 6 hours using my backpack as a headrest. Anyone else have a trusty travel pillow that doesn't quit on you?

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the_susan•5d ago

Old school paper maps beat my phone in rural Greece last month

I spent 20 minutes trying to get Google Maps to load near Meteora and it just spun. Pulled out a paper map I grabbed at a gas station for 3 euros and found the trail in 30 seconds. Anyone else keep a backup map hidden in their bag?

2 comments

taylor.susan•5d ago

Appreciation post for the hostel worker in Prague who saved me $40

I was about to book a pricey river tour last month when the front desk guy at my hostel pulled me aside and showed me a free walking route along the Vltava that hits all the same spots. Has anyone else gotten a local tip that beat any paid option?

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caseyl18•6d ago

Hostel vs Couchsurfing in Portugal - which saved more?

Headed to Lisbon last spring and couldn't decide between a 12-bed hostel dorm for $28 a night or Couchsurfing for free. Went with Couchsurfing for 5 nights and it worked out ok, but my host lived 40 mins from the city center and that bus fare added up. Next trip I'm thinking hostel is actually cheaper when you count time and transit. Anyone else find Couchsurfing ends up costing more in hidden costs?

2 comments

avery_carr57•6d ago

Switched from booking hotels to hostels in Europe and my wallet is finally happy

I used to spend $120+ a night on private rooms in places like Rome and Paris, but last summer I tried a hostel in Barcelona for $35 a night. Got a private pod with a curtain so I still had my own space. Anyone else make the swap and find a good hostel chain that doesn't feel like a party zoo?

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adam_butler38•6d ago

That hostel in Barcelona changed how I pack for trips

Back in 2018, I stayed at a cheap hostel near Las Ramblas for 12 euros a night. My big rolling suitcase was a nightmare on those narrow stairs, and half the stuff I brought never even left the bag. After that trip, I switched to a 35 liter backpack and never looked back. Anyone else switch up their luggage style after a bad experience?

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kai463•6d ago

That $40 hostal stay taught me a lesson about location

I booked a place in Barcelona for 40 bucks a night thinking I scored a deal. Turned out it was 45 minutes by metro from the main sites. I spent more on transit passes and time than I saved. Should have just paid a bit more to be closer. Anyone else get burned by a cheap stay that was way too far out?

2 comments

sethr11•7d ago

Why I stopped flying budget airlines and started taking the bus instead

I took a Greyhound from Phoenix to Denver last month for $45, and it was way less stressful than any Spirit or Frontier flight I've been on. No baggage fees, no nickel-and-diming for seat selection, and I actually got work done with WiFi. Has anyone else ditched flights for long-distance buses on certain routes?

2 comments

garcia.casey•7d ago

Used to fly out of the big airport every time, now I drive 45 minutes to a smaller one

For years I'd just book whatever was cheapest out of LAX, thinking it was the only real option. Then a buddy told me about Burbank Airport and I checked it out - parking is $12 a day vs. $30 at LAX and the lines are maybe 10 minutes long. Saved about $80 on my last round trip to Portland just on parking and getting there later. Anyone else found a smaller airport that actually saves you real cash?

2 comments

kelly.keith•7d ago

Pro tip: I used to book flights on Tuesdays... total myth

For years I always waited to book flights on Tuesday at midnight, thinking that was the cheap window. Last month I priced a round trip from Chicago to Denver on a Wednesday afternoon, and it was $40 cheaper than the Tuesday price I saw. My buddy who works for Southwest told me the whole Tuesday thing is outdated and airlines change prices constantly now. I just use price alerts and book when I see a drop now - has anyone else found better luck just tracking fares randomly?

2 comments

angelafisher•8d ago

I used to book hotels through Expedia all the time but now I just call the front desk directly

I used to book hotels through Expedia all the time but now I just call the front desk directly. Back when I traveled to Austin last year for a conference I spent like three hours comparing prices on Expedia and Booking.com before picking a hotel that seemed like a good deal. Then I showed up and they gave me a room right next to the elevator that was noisy and smelled like old carpet. The front desk guy mentioned if I had called them directly I could have gotten a quieter room and maybe even a discount since they don't have to pay commission to those third party sites. Now I always find the hotel on Google Maps first, call them up, and ask if they can beat the online rate. It worked in Nashville two months ago where I saved $30 a night just by asking nicely. Has anyone else had luck getting a better price or a free upgrade by skipping the booking sites?

2 comments

ruby290•8d ago

Just found out my 'budget' airline charges extra for the overhead bin space

I was booking a flight to Nashville for next month and noticed the base fare was only $49. That seemed too good to be true so I clicked through to see the total. Turns out they charge $35 each way just to put your carry-on in the overhead bin. I got hit with that fee last year flying out of Denver and didn't realize it until I checked my receipt later. So that cheap flight ended up costing me $119 total which is more than a regular airline would have been. Found that info on the payment screen buried in tiny font. Has anyone else found a way around these surprise fees without checking a bag?

2 comments

wesleybutler•9d ago

My buddy roasted me for booking flights on random days and now I check Tuesday mornings

I used to just pick whatever day was cheapest on Google Flights without thinking. My friend Dave who travels way more than me laughed and said I was leaving money on the table by not checking Tuesday mornings specifically. He told me airlines often drop deals early in the week to match competitors. I tried it for a trip to Austin last month and saved $60 on a round trip just by waiting until Tuesday to book. Now I set a reminder on my phone for Tuesday and Wednesday mornings since those days seem to have the best rates. Anyone else notice a pattern with certain days or am I just getting lucky?

2 comments

lisa_bennett•10d ago

That $5 hostel stay in Bangkok made me rethink everything about expensive hotels

I booked a random dorm bed near Khao San Road for 5 bucks a night thinking it'd be a disaster. The place had free pad thai every evening, a rooftop hangout, and I met people who knew secret street vendors where meals cost 40 baht. Now I don't bother with anything over $15 a night unless I'm somewhere really remote. Has anyone else found a crazy cheap spot that totally changed your travel style?

2 comments

the_stella•11d ago

Why does nobody talk about booking flights on a Tuesday at 6 AM?

Last month I booked a round trip from Chicago to Portland for $180 total by setting my alarm for 5:45 AM on a Tuesday. Everyone swears by incognito mode and clearing cookies, but I think the time of day matters way more. I checked the same route at noon on that same day and it was $320. Has anyone else tested specific booking times against the usual hacks?

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zarap14•11d ago

Stopped booking hostels after 32 and switched to house sitting instead

I used to love hostels in my 20s but after a loud dorm in Prague last year I had enough. Started house sitting through a site and saved $400 in two weeks just on accommodation. Anyone else make the switch as they got older?

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kelly61•12d ago

Old timer told me to book flights on Tuesday at 2am... finally tested it

This guy at the hardware store swore he saves hundreds every year by booking flights at 2am on Tuesdays. I always thought it was an old wives tale so I never bothered. Finally tested it last month for a trip to Nashville and the same flight was $60 cheaper at 1:47am than when I checked at 10am that same day. Has anyone else actually seen a difference with the Tuesday thing or was that just luck?

2 comments

robert_craig•12d ago

Vent: Overheard a guy at the airport bragging about his 'budget' trip to Paris

So I'm sitting at gate B12 in Chicago waiting for my flight to Denver, and this guy is loud-talking to his buddy about how he 'only spent $600' on a week in Paris. I'm trying not to eavesdrop but he's basically shouting across three seats. Turns out he flew basic economy on a Tuesday in February, stayed in a hostel 40 minutes outside the city, and ate nothing but baguettes and cheese from grocery stores. He didn't even go to any museums because 'they're overpriced' and skipped the Eiffel Tower since tickets were €30. I mean, I get saving money, but that sounds more like a punishment than a vacation. You could get the same experience by watching a French movie at home for $5. Anyone else run into people who treat budget travel like a competition to see who can suffer the most?

2 comments

the_jason•13d ago

Found a $3 app that saved me $80 on my Portland trip last month

I was in Portland for 3 days and kept blowing money on parking garages. I downloaded a parking spot finder app for $3 and it showed me free street parking within 2 blocks of every spot I wanted to go. Has anyone else found a cheap app that pays for itself on one trip?

2 comments

wright.michael•13d ago

Misjudging the timing for booking a budget flight to Mexico last fall

I spent nearly 6 hours jumping between Google Flights, Skyscanner, and airline sites trying to book a round trip from Denver to Cancun for under $250. The problem was that every time I found a good price, it expired after 15 minutes. By the time I entered my info, the fare was gone. Has anyone else had luck with a specific strategy for locking in cheap international fares before they vanish?

2 comments

jenny_jackson•15d ago

Spent 4 hours hunting for a cheap hostel in Barcelona only to realize I had the wrong dates

So I was planning a trip to Barcelona for like 3 months and kept putting off booking a hostel. Finally sat down last Tuesday night to find a place under $30 a night. Spent 4 solid hours scrolling Hostelworld and Booking.com, cross checking reviews, looking at maps. Everything decent was either booked up or way over my budget. I was about to give up when I noticed my calendar was set for the wrong weekend - I had the dates mixed up by a week. Switched it and found a spot near La Rambla for $28 a night in like 10 minutes. Has anyone else done something this dumb with dates and wasted hours?

2 comments

robertb30•16d ago

Found a free walking tour in Lisbon that saved me 50 euros

Last trip I was in Lisbon and stumbled onto a free walking tour run by a local guide named Pedro. He took us through Alfama for about 2 hours and showed us spots you'd never find in a guidebook. I tipped him 10 euros at the end, which is way less than those bus tours that run 30-40 euros. The trick is to find these tours through hostel boards or local Facebook groups, not the main tourist sites. He even gave us a list of restaurants where locals eat for under 8 euros a meal. Has anyone else tried these free tours in other cities and found them worth the time?

2 comments

stellas56•16d ago

Had to pick between a hostel dorm and a cheap hotel in Barcelona last summer

I was on a tight budget for a 10 day trip and the hostel was 25 euros a night versus the hotel at 50. I went with the hostel since I figured I'd just be out exploring all day. Big mistake. First night, some guy came in at 3am drunk and woke everyone up. Second night, someone's alarm went off for an hour at 6am and they didn't turn it off. By day three I was running on fumes and ended up spending extra money on coffee and naps in parks just to function. Should've just paid the extra 25 a night for some peace and quiet. Has anyone else regretted trying to save a few bucks on where you sleep?

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christopher952•16d ago

Why I regret buying a $30 portable espresso maker for hostels

I picked one up on Amazon before a 2-week trip through Portugal, thinking I'd save on cafe runs. Turns out it barely makes a decent shot (like, watery and weak) and cleaning it in a hostel sink is a nightmare with the tiny parts. I ended up spending more on coffee at local spots anyway, probably around $60 total. Has anyone else tried one of those handheld gadgets and had better luck?

2 comments