[Derrek]

Any tips to save money while traveling? I’ve decided it’s time to start traveling internationally. I have thr Chase Sapphire Preferred.

I’ve recently decided to start traveling internationally and I’m trying to be smart about budgeting. I already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, which I hear is good for travel rewards and avoiding foreign transaction fees.

I’d really appreciate any tips or strategies from experienced travelers on how to save money while abroad. This could be anything from booking flights and accommodation to managing daily expenses, using points and rewards, or finding affordable (but still great) places to eat and explore.

If you’ve used the Chase Sapphire Preferred specifically while traveling, I’d also love to hear how you made the most of its benefits.

Thanks in advance!

[Jillian]

Error fares are my go-to! I’ve travel to every continent except Antarctica for $400 or less.

[Cris]

* I rent direct from local property management companies and real estate agents. I stay longer than a week in each location before moving on.

* I take public transportation or walk everywhere.

* I use my Charles Schwab debit card to get local currency from ATMs as they reimburse fees on the last day of the month.

* If I need a hotel stay before an early morning flight, I use points/rewards programs to book.

* I buy groceries and make most meals at my accommodations.

* Most major cities have free walking tours hosted by locals.

[Shelina]

Other than the obvious “up your travel points game” advice — my tips for controlling costs while traveling (as a frequent digital nomad) is pretty close to domestic life —

I love visiting grocery stores and markets while abroad and cooking most meals at home (I usually take a well rated local cooking class as a cultural experience!).

I don’t drink which is always a huge money saver, and I take advantage of weekday trips and excursions as well as off season travel.

This alone makes my travel budget go wayyy wayy farther than most.

[Ron]

Go where no one else is going and at times when crowds are lower.

Of course, you say it’s your first time, so you may be tempted to fill your days with hitting only the most popular sites, but I’d take some time just to chill and exist within the local culture.

[Rick]

Thought of one more – continue to track your spending. I love the TravelSpend app.

Free version can be enough. I chose to pay for the app but found a 50% off code with a simple google search.

So easy to track a trip. And if you are moderately (at the most) tech savvy, you can follow the TravelSpend instructions to do an iPhone shortcut+automation to auto import Apple Pay transactions.

And paying by phone when abroad is not only extremely common but smart safety wise to keep your wallet in your zipper pocket.

And it lets you enter in your currency (usd for me) or local currency.

This can a little difference as the app seems to use best daily rate via google but it you took out say $200usd cash when you landed and spent it over two weeks, clearly the exchange rate daily moves a little but your cash was obtained at one single rate that day.

But for automation imported Apple Pay transactions, it is usually very accurate.

I will share a few screenshots below. Cali Colombia almost two weeks for two people.

It was a downtime trip so no big excursions. But lots of walking, local markets, soooooo much local food, drinks half of the nights, Airbnb with a shaded rooftop area, etc.

would have been fairly cheaper per day if we did 28-30 days. Fun trip.

It was my very first use of the app hence the name of “Cali test” as I was testing the free version in that city trip.

Great app. Fee or paid.

[McGinley]

Know when groceries+cooking beats eating out. And when it doesn’t. Farmers markets or dry/wet markets are almost always the place to go for produce, not the big box groceries.

When eating out, if you see more than 3-5 tables of westerners you are not at a locals priced place.

When eating out learn how tipping works. Learning the words help when it bill time. Much of Latin America uses propina. Sometimes they have a tax or a vat.

Sometimes they include tip but often not. Tip like a westerner as being generous in low cost countries is wise and kind.

Just learn to know when you are tipping on top of built in tip as you don’t want to be the ignorant westerner.

When eating out it is best to try to speak their language. Try. Laugh. Smile. But don’t backup the line.

When your limited language skills fail you, simply point and uses numbers with your fingers.

Point at the menu item and show two fingers for you want two of those. Finger numbers are a nearly universal language.

Eat two meals a day. Better on your wallet and waist.
Trains systems intracity in many countries are so efficient and cheap (much of Asia).

Buses between cities can also be efficient and cheap (much of central and South America).

Walk everywhere you can. And don’t be efficient like westerners who grocery shop once for like three weeks.

Walk and get food for 2-3 days. Repeat. More walking. Be less efficient.

If you are paying baggage fees for transportation, you are taking too much stuff. Yes, you can buy things in your destination. Anything you need. Take less stuff.

Free and low cost museums and cultural sites are abundant. Use them early and often. But also use the money saved to fund big bold adventures too.

14-28 day discounts on Airbnb are super nice. When not getting those discounts, make sure to look also at booking .com and similar as hotels, hostels, and guest houses are often cheaper per night.

Also, with those get comfortable booking 2-3 nights and then asking for more night in person off the app as you will often get lower prices.

Use a debit/atm card tied to a fidelity or Schwab account for worldwide atm fee reimbursement.

Give up the “I only fly delta” (best done with a gone with the wind southern drawl) and fly discount airlines.

Frontier has been good to us, I know not to everyone. But local airlines you have never heard of before can also be a fun adventure.

We flew Clique from Medellin to Cartegena over the Andes mountains and it was a low cost yet nearly perfect flight and I would not hesitate to fly them again.

[Stephanie]

Depending how you’re looking to travel (if it’s slow travel and enjoying pets), TrustedHouseSitters can be a good way to enjoy “living” in another city, but taking care of pets takes some work and staying on their schedule so it can be limiting if you’re trying to fast travel.

[Melanie]

Definitely try to cook some of your meals or don’t feel like you’ve got to go all out on every meal. I eat very similarly on vacay as I do at home.

Join the tips for travelers fb groups for whatever countries you are visiting and you will get a good idea of what’s just not worth the money.

Sometimes I find that I love seeing certain buildings on the outside but don’t necessarily need to spend the time or money on a 3 hour tour of the inside.

I don’t buy a lot of souvenirs. I pack carryon only so I don’t have space to be bringing back a bunch of food etc.

I usually just try to take lots of pics and I’ll maybe get a cool vinyl sticker for my car or something like that.

[Author]

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