5 Tips For Smarter Travel In 2024 nd Beyond
The new year of 2023 has put travelers in an interesting position; globally prices are rising just as people are starting to get back out there for revenge travel, hungry to break their years long stay-at-home streaks due to COVID-19. Traveling through an ever increasingly expensive world asks us to be more mindful with our money, often compelling wanderers to look for the latest and greatest travel hacks. While I’m no expert on “hacks” per say, I am an expert on creating full and fulfilling travel experiences on a budget, and taking advantage of tools that allow me to travel smarter and longer.
Why I Care About Saving You Money
Before we begin, I’d like to give you a small introduction to my travel roots: When I was just 19 years old (and financially broke) I decided to bike across the USA with only $300 to my name, working for food, cash, and accommodation as I went. (Spoiler alert: the $300 I set out with all went to repairing my bike after I crashed it head-first into a tree while uncontrollably flying down a hill on the Blue Ridge Parkway, so I was essentially moneyless on the trip.)
After realizing how much life-changing travel could be done on such a small budget, I felt inspired to create an online space where I could share what I was experiencing, while meeting incredible strangers that I would quickly turn into friends, on an extremely (like, extremely) small budget. Fast forward and I’ve now been to 34 states in the US, 20 national parks, and over 20 countries, often traveling solo. I’ve gone across the US and back a handful of times starting with $300 or less.
But don’t fret, I won’t be asking you to hop on a bike and ride across the country, or dive in dumpsters for a late night snack (although I do recommend it!). Here I’ll be sharing with you some of my favorite travel and travel-related services that will save you money before you hit the road and while you’re on your epic adventures. I believe that travel encourages growth in each of us, and ultimately contributes to a better world. That’s why I can’t wait for you to get out there!
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1. Get Compensated For Delayed And Canceled Flights, Lost Luggage (And Much More)
When I first heard about AirHelp, I thought that there was no way that the service was legit. Submitting a claim for a delayed or canceled flight, lost baggages, or other airport and flying issues and getting cash dumped in your bank account sounded unreal. Thankfully, I went out on a limb and tried it once after I had a flight was delayed a couple of hours. It only took me about two minutes to submit a claim on their website, where I was prompted to enter some personal information and my flight information. A couple of weeks later, AirHelp sent $213 to my bank account.
How? Their website says “We make claiming compensation straightforward for all passengers who are unsure of their rights, lack the time, or lack the expertise to embark on the claims process themselves. We stand up to airlines in court, and we campaign for national governments to introduce fair air travel rights.”
It’s a pretty sweet deal. They also speak 17 languages, and their global staff of over 350 includes the world’s largest team of lawyers specialized in air passenger rights. Combined with local knowledge from a network of law firms across 30 countries, they are uniquely placed to help air passengers all around the world. That means that you can file a claim regardless of what country you’re in which airlines you use.
What To Know: AirHelp handles all legal fees, and will only charge their fee when you get paid. The fee will come directly out of the money that you win, so you don’t have to pay anything upfront to file a claim. You can file claims for up to 3 years back, so browse through your file and win money back!
2. Maximize Your Credit Card Points When It Comes To Booking Flights
For years I was someone who swore they would never get a credit card… until I learned about flight points. If you’re new to the using-credit-card-points-to-book-flights game, don’t worry about it. But it is a thing, and if you’re spending money and can responsibly handle a credit card, I highly suggest getting one so that you can use it for travel benefits.
For those who do use credit card points to book flights, you need to know about Point.Me. It’s an awesome resource that allows you to maximize your credit card points/miles when booking flights, and brings up flight options that use the smallest amount of points that Google Flights and other flight search engines won’t show you. They say: “Our real-time search engine maximizes the value of your points. We hunt far and wide to find the best flights for your points – including seats the airlines don’t advertise. Then we show your options side-by-side, so you know you’re getting the best deal.”
What To Know: When using this service you have a few different options. You can either get a day pass to use the platform for a full 24 hours for $5 (which I highly recommend – you’ll definitely save over $5 using Point.Me) or browse through more expensive standard and premium yearly plans. They’re a great choice for those who use credit card points/miles to book flights regularly.
3. Use HostelWorld To Compare & Find The Best Hostel Prices
If you’re new to backpacking or traveling and have never stayed a hostel before, you should know that it’s a great way to travel on a budget and meet like-minded people (or new travel buddies). There are some really fancy hostels out there as well as some really crappy ones (you can read my hostel horror story here), so it’s nice to have them all centralized on one platform where you can read reviews and ratings for each hostel while comparing prices.
Whenever you’re looking for affordable accommodation, let HostelWorld make it easier for you. And for those of you who already use it regularly, would you please consider saving my affiliate link and using it each time you book? It’s a free, easy, and wonderful way to support my blog!
4. Book Travel Insurance Through SafetyWing
Back when I used to travel with little to no money, I would never purchase travel insurance because I though it was too expensive. I didn’t realize how valuable it was, and how necessary it could be if you find yourself abroad and in a pinch. If you travel long often or long enough, you’re probably going to need to take advantage of travel insurance once or twice in your life when an accident or travel disaster happens.
A couple of years ago, I met the SafetyWing team at a TravelCon and realized how affordable their insurance was. SafetyWing says: “SafetyWing Insurance is designed to meet the medical and travel needs faced by Digital Nomads and other remote workers while they are outside of their home country. For a member aged 10-39 years, Nomad Insurance costs around $40USD for any coverage period up to 4 weeks. Premiums increase with age. You can generate a quote based on your specific needs using our price calculator. You are covered for travel anywhere in the world outside of your home country, with the exception of any country or area that is sanctioned. SafetyWing complies with US, UK, EU and UN sanctions.”
What To Know: They also offer insurance for babies and young children, and have many affordable and flexible options that can be purchased while you’re already abroad and traveling. You can browse through their FAQ here, and purchase your plan here. While medical travel insurance may seem like a pain to buy or an extra frill, it can save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
5. Book Activities Through Platforms That Give You Credit Towards More Experiences
I used to head straight to Google when I was looking for cool activities to do while planning upcoming trips. Now, I head over to HeadOut when in major cities. (If you’re going to book an experience with a small/local company, be sure to book directly with them! This tip is for when you’re booking activities through larger companies.)
Now with HeadOut, instead of booking whatever activities I’ll be doing separately, I get to scroll through awesome experiences in said area and book them all through one platform. The benefit of this is that each booking will earn your account money to put towards more experiences.
For example, this Christmas I went to New York City for a few days. I booked 2 tickets with HeadOut to see the Rockettes and received $26.25 in credits to put towards my next adventures in big cities all over the world! If you travel often and loving trying out new experiences, this is a great tool to take advantage of. Over time you’ll build up enough credit to book experiences for free. Be sure to use the code CALEN8 whenever you use Headset for 8% off any experience! If you can’t find a location/activity that you’re looking for on HeadOut, I highly recommend checking out GetYourGuide.
What To Know: Before booking experiences directly through the parent company, check if they’re on the HeadOut website so that you can earn credits to spend on future activities. HeadOut offers up experiences like walking tours, entries to museums, broadway tickets, and more.
In addition to these specific travel hacks, here are 20 broader ones that are worth checking out before you hit the road. If you’re planning on traveling on an extremely small budget, be sure to check out my budget travel guide (always sold on a sliding scale) that will save you thousands of dollars on travel.
