Money Saving Tips when travelling!

Summer is right around the corner and for a lot of people, that means vacation time!

Vacations can be fun and relaxing but they can also be stressful if not planned properly.  We usually plan for the big items, such as airfare, hotel and car rental fees.

However, we often forget to budget for other costs which start almost as soon as we arrive. You will need to buy gas to and from the airport, pay for tolls, airport parking, overpriced bottles of water in the airport and food.

Avoid spending money that you don’t have to by doing a little groundwork before you travel!

Here are some money saving tips:

Let your bank know you will be traveling.

Most banks recommend that you let them know about these trips as fraud detectors can be tripped if you’re suddenly using your card in a new country, making more or different purchases than you usually do or charging unexpectedly large amounts.

Note that this sometimes applies to debit cards as well as credit cards, and you sometimes need to talk to more than one department even inside the same bank to get them all approved for travel.

That first taxi ride from the airport may be your most financially vulnerable moment of any trip — the time when you have no idea how far it is, what a fair price is for the ride, whether you have lower-cost alternatives such as a train or bus, or even whether your hotel has a free shuttle.

It is best to figure all of this out before your trip; when you arrive you are tired, often without much cash and carrying a ton of luggage. You don’t want to be fumbling around trying to figure all this out on the airport curb.

Bank Fees

There are often fees that you incur each time you swipe your card overseas. It is a good idea to check with the bank and find out the cost of using your card before you travel.

The ABM machines also have a charge so it is important you know how much you will spend each time that you swipe the card. Be especially careful about using ABM machines in a foreign country as you need to exercise all the precautions you would normally take at home.

By keeping your money on your mind while travelling then you will be able to keep some of it for when you return home.

How do you save money while you are traveling?

Drop me a line!

Teri Ann Paisley

Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: Travel