Top Money Saving Travel Tips

I love to travel and in my opinion I'd rather spent my money on cheap flights than on a night out. We are so lucky in the way that travel and flying to different countries is so much more accessible to us than ever before. 

This year so far I have been to Lisbon, Portugal and Amsterdam, The Netherlands for the second time. I am heading to Barcelona in less than 2 weeks and all of our trips have only cost around the 300 euro mark for return flights and three nights accommodation. 

I had a lot of people say to me that it seems like I am always away and they are obviously thinking 'How does she afford it?'  I decided to write this post to break down some tips I have found can make you have huge savings in the long run. 

1. Mix and match flights 

We often book our departing flight with one airline i.e. RyanAir and our return flight with Aer Lingus. This ensures we can get the best price for both of our tickets - you don't only have to fly with the one airline. 

2. Be flexible with when you travel 

Flying out on a Tuesday or Wednesday are supposed to be the cheapest days to fly and by avoiding the weekend you will have cheaper room costs wherever you are staying. Also taking note of off peak seasons i.e considering September for a summer trip can result in cheaper costs.

3. Get cheaper room rates

Suss out if any of your friends or family or indeed yourself or your travel partner work for a brand or chain of hotels which offer reduced rates on rooms when travelling. You can make massive savings this way and still get to stay in pretty nice places. 

I also scan booking.com and keep an eye because they do spontaneous % off room sales so you can watch a particular hotel to ensure you get the right price.

4. Set up alerts

I find setting up alerts with Skyscanner brilliant. This helps you to price flights and also you will get an alert to your phone everyday telling you if the cost of the flight has gone up or down. If there is a sudden drop, swoop in and book those flights!

5. Make sure you pick the best public transport card to suit your needs

I cannot reiterate this enough... If you are going on a city break you are most likely going to do a lot of walking but you will also want to avail of the fantastic public transport system that most of Europe has to offer. You can rack up the costs by only buying single tickets so search ahead of time for 2/3/5 day travel ticket options that cover unlimited travel and all forms of transport. You will save yourself a fortune and avoid any fines from having the wrong ticket!

6. Save time, check in online.

If you forget to check in online with Ryanair, it costs €45 to do so at the airport so ensure you check in as soon as it opens. 

7. Allocated seats

A lot of budget airlines will charge you to choose a seat. If you choose a seat to be randomly allocated to you, you won't have to pay this charge.So if you don't mind where you sit, avail of this. Also in advance of the flight they usually do seat sales which you may get a notification of - the seats can be as little as €2 or €4. 

8. Pack light!

Especially if you are going on a city break, you do not need to bring an extra suitcase at an added charge! Choose items of clothing that you can mix and match and wear your heaviest and bulkiest items of clothing to the airport.

9. Keep an eye on deal websites

Places such as GroupOn and HolidayGuru often have fantastic last minute (and otherwise) deals available on trips both at home and away.  

You can make massive savings on this and get to stay in some very nice places so bookmark those sites on your desktop/phone. 

10. Book into the Airport Lounge 

The Dublin Airport Lounge is a new discovery for me.I haven't yet booked in but I have heard fantastic things and is ideal if you have a few hours to kill and want to be away from the hustle and bustle. 

You can make massive savings from booking into the lounge on food and drink. They offer snacks and light meals and also beer and wine for the price you pay to book which is around €20-€25. 

Considering a mediocre airport fry costs about €14 before you even have a drink - it's well worth the money. Bear in mind that the lounge doesn't open til 5.30am so if you have a very early morning flight don't book it by accident thinking you will be able to use it!

Hopefully these tips will be useful to you when travelling in the future! If you have any other tips you find helpful for saving money while travelling please share in the comments below!