An overseas trip is a perfect way to relieve stress and satisfy the need for enjoyment, but they tend to weigh heavily on the bank balance. Therefore, to make sure you’re getting the most out of your trip, you need to decide which areas you want to splurge on and where you’re going to save. Obviously, this will look different for everyone, but we’ve put together this short overview to help you out.
Choosing What to Splurge On
Deciding where to splurge will largely depend on personal priorities. For example, if you’re looking to stay in a luxurious bedroom, then you’ll put more of your money towards accommodation. Whereas, if you’re a true food fanatic, you’ll save everywhere you can and then splash out at mealtimes. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to splurging, so it’s best to spend time listing your properties and going from there.
Once you’ve looked at where you want to splurge, you’ll need to find areas to save. Here are some suggestions.
Flights
Flight prices change all the time, so it pays to use comparison sites, which are designed to search through the latest prices and give them to you. There’s even a built-in comparison feature on the world’s largest search engine – you can learn how to use Google flights to save money by following the link.
There’s a lot of information on social media and clickbait sites will tell you that flight comparison sites track your movement and put the price up each time you visit. However, this has been debunked, so using a VPN, going incognito, or clearing your cookies won’t have any impact on your quoted price – it’ll just waste your time.
Direct Accommodation Booking
The same way you do with your flights, it’s a good idea to shop around – plenty of websites will compare current hotel prices. However, it’s often better to book directly with the hotel, as you’ll be chosen first if there’s a free room upgrade or any other perk. Additionally, when you pay directly with the hotel, they receive 100% of the money you spend, which is good news for small businesses.
Utilize Package Holidays
Many people believe that putting together a DIY holiday is cheaper than using a package, and this is sometimes true. However, travel agents are experts at what they do, and you get the added perk of ATOL protection, which will help you if an airline goes bust. As well as the added protection, a package deal is much less stressful to arrange.
Separate Car-Hire Insurance
Whenever you get a hire car, the provider will try to upsell their insurance, which is typically overpriced. Therefore, look for third-party car hire insurance providers, which will safeguard you in the event of an accident. You may have to pay an extortionate upfront fee to the hire-car provider, but you’ll soon get this back from your insurance policy.
Using All-in-One Cards
When you spend abroad using your normal debit or credit card, the bank takes an enormous cut on the top alongside a “per transaction” fee. For instance, if you spent $500 overseas, your bank may charge you $20 just for letting you do it.
Luckily, there’s a fantastic solution that has emerged over the last few years: the Curve card. This all-in-one card works just like Google Wallet or Apple Pay, as it allows you to integrate existing credit or debit cards. However, you receive a physical card that can be used anywhere in the world. The only difference is, it eliminates banking fees and will find the best conversion rates.
There are always ways to save money when booking an overseas trip, you just need to know how to work the systems. When it comes to splurging on a holiday, that choice is entirely up to you.