Love travel, hate wasting money? The two needn’t go hand-in-hand. Be a smart traveller and check out our tips.

Jetsetting, globetrotting, wandering. Whatever you like to call it, we bet you’re quite the wanderluster at heart. But how can we afford to indulge in our obsession without breaking the bank or dipping into your house deposit ISA? Try these foolproof methods:
 

1. Travel off-peak. Notice most Instagram-worthy travellers venture out to exotic locations off-season. Fancy going to Santorini but can’t handle the June - August costs? Visit in October. Dreaming of a Tulum getaway but December flights looking like they’ll cost the Earth? Venture out in March instead. Off-peak travel is the King (/Queen) of scoring good deals, so look past the “not as hot as we would like” weather and save yourself some big bucks.
    
2. Book early. Just got back from Summer hols? Perhaps it’s time to look into your next one (yes, already). Last minute flight booking is costly, and travel experts claim that the golden rule for getting the best rate on both hotels and flights is to book 5-6 months in advance.
    
3. Airbnb > Hotel. Even budget hotels have a notoriously sneaky way of getting you to spend unnecessary cash. Costs like dry cleaning, minibars, room service and more very quickly add up, and if you’re travelling with the whole big fam you’ll find yourself financially anxious in no time. And who needs anxiety when one is on holiday?! Airbnb’s offer fabulous apartments and houses, most of which are fully equipped. Sure, you’ll have to do your own food shop, but you’ll also be saving some serious moneys in the process.
    
4. Go digital. Compare flight prices and hotel deals online. Spend a good hour or so looking for the best rates - some of them can lurk in unexpected places. Kayak and Skyscanner offer a fantastic variety of flights, while Tripadvisor acts as a very reputable source for finding the best hotel deals.
    
5. Be smart about money exchange. Exchange rates abroad are notoriously dodgy, so why not save yourself the hassle (and some pretty pennies) by trying out the new Revolut app, which is all about getting you the very best rates in a totally hassle-free manner.  
    
6. Plan, plan, plan. Missing flights is costly - and emotionally draining (cough - embarrassing). Don’t let yourself be stranded and cash-strapped by always planning ahead. Tripit is a fantastic resource for managing all your travelling plans in one place; but there’s plenty of other apps on the market to help you stay ahead of your travelling game.
    
7. Health insurance is everything. When you travel abroad, the wisest thing you can do is always make sure you know the rules and regulations of the country you’re visiting when it comes to health and safety. If you’ve a credit card it’s likely that they will offer support in the way of finding the best deals for you. Otherwise, please do make sure you’re sufficiently covered if you travel, lest something goes wrong and you find yourself in thousands of debt in a foreign and unfamiliar country.
    

Photo by Jordan Bauer on Unsplash.