I’ve covered how to “travel hack” using points and miles and how to travel frugally using cash for big ticket items like flights and lodging. Once you get the big stuff out of the way, though, there’s still a lot you can do to reduce the on the ground costs. Here are some of my favorite tips on traveling frugally once you’re at your destination. None of these are particularly groundbreaking suggestions, but they can still help save a decent amount of money.

DSC07735

Agra, India

Use public transportation. Major cities in the United States, most cities in Europe and some cities in Asia have pretty good public transportation systems. Often, public transit is not only cheaper, but also faster than taxis because of the high congestion in cities. Public transit systems, particularly in Europe or major Asian cities, are extensive and efficient. The cost differential between public transit (generally: trains and buses) and a taxi can be more than $50. Don’t just use public transit for travel within the city itself, but also when you want to go for a day trip. When we went to Bangkok, for example, we took a train to Ayutthaya in coach class for a few dollars, but a private car or taxi would have been well over $100.

ADVERTISEMENT

Walk. While I like to get a good deal on hotel stays, there is a huge benefit in staying in a central, downtown location. Unless you’re in a city with good public transit and you’re close to a bus or rail line, it can often be cheaper to pay a bit more for lodging and stay near the historic center or downtown area. This way, you don’t waste time in transit and don’t have to pay to get to where you want. I feel ever more strongly about this point since having kids as convenience makes travel so much more enjoyable.

Bring your own food or buy from a grocery store. Some hotels, and many airbnb’s, have kitchens which allow you to reduce the cost of food. While I strongly advocate for enjoying the local cuisine, that doesn’t mean that every meal needs to be purchased at a restaurant. Some meals may be easier and cheaper for you to do if you bring a jar of almond butter and some crackers or purchase some yogurt and fruit from a local grocery store. My favorite foods to pack and bring with us are single-serve almond butter packets, dried fruit (apricots or craisins), almonds, freeze dried fruit and vegetables (edamame, apples, strawberries) and a few healthy fruit or fruit+nut bars because they are healthy, easy to pack and can be resealed for easy on-the-go travel. Oh, and if you drink, alcohol is much cheaper at grocery stores than at a restaurant (and, sometimes, even cheaper than duty-free shops).

Take advantage of the free breakfasts. Most hotels I’ve stayed in while traveling in other countries, even though I tend to stay at less expensive places with fewer amenities, have free breakfast. If free breakfast is offered, even if it’s just continental breakfast with croissants and other pastries, I take advantage of it! Hey, it’s free food! And, more often than not, you’ll get a taste of what locals eat for breakfast like pho, miso soup or different fruits.

Try the street food. I know not everyone trusts street food, but I don’t think travel is the same without it. I love sampling street food which is often the most authentic, delicious and cheapest food available. Chicken livers and hearts in Thailand? Kebab in Turkey? Hot dogs in Iceland? Fried fish in Morocco? Orange juice in Israel? Corn in Mexico? YES TO ALL OF IT, PLEASE! It’s some of the best food I’ve had while traveling and often allows you to experience some of the culture. Depending on where you are, a complete meal from a street food vendor could cost as little as a dollar. I’ve not had any problems with street food myself when traveling, but beware of fresh fruits/vegetables that have been washed with the local water (if they aren’t peeled) or juices that might have ice or otherwise be watered down.

Try fancy restaurants for lunch rather than dinner. Often, you get a similar amount of food for a much cheaper price when you eat over lunch rather than dinner. Additionally, due to the leisurely pace of meals in other countries, it’s often better to do lunch out with the kids than dinner when the kids are getting increasingly cranky because of the time difference or missing bedtime.

Look for deals in advance. Use sites like Travel Zoo or Groupon and register for the city you’re traveling to. Often, you can get discounts for museum entry, activities like scuba diving, or restaurants which can add up. Of course, make sure you take note of any date restrictions, expiration dates and other fine print. You don’t want to be stuck with a Groupon for a city that you can’t use during your brief stay.
Use your credit/debit card. The exchange rate for cash usually isn’t very good and you can lose a lot of money on the rate plus fee. It’s generally much cheaper to withdraw cash from an ATM and I try to withdraw the maximum amount to reduce the cost per dollar of the fee. Additionally, I have several credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees and use those as much as possible, not only to avoid the fee but also to rack up some more points and miles (don’t forget, many credit cards award 2x or 3x bonus points for items that code as travel or entertainment).