Readying up for a trip but don’t want to break the bank? You’re not alone. Travel reportedly got 10 per cent more expensive in 2022 compared to 2021, and with the rising cost of living and fears of a looming recession, people are really looking to save money on travel in 2023.
So, if you’re hoping to shave a couple of bucks off of a trip you’re planning next year, here are three of the top tips to do so, according to Forbes.
Related: The world’s best culinary travel experiences for your next vacation.
Prioritize an experience over a specific destination
Destination choice is “the single most important price driver” when it comes to travel spending, which means that if you prioritize the experience that you’re looking for instead of a specific destination, you can save some big cash.
If, instead of deciding you want to go to a specific place – say Turks & Caicos –you decide you’re looking for a certain experience – for example, a beach vacation – then you can find a destination that has both the cheapest flights and the lowest cost once you get there.
See also: The best small cities in Europe to visit in 2023.
Cook your own meals
Eating out is always fun, but the fact of the matter is that if you get a hotel room or vacation rental with a kitchen, you can save big by cooking your own meals. Cooking your own food is a huge way to save money – especially in popular tourist destinations that boast big price hikes.
Watch for price drops on your reservations
As a result of the pandemic, many airlines have dropped their flight change and cancellation fees, which means that if a price drops, you can rebook your flight and collect credit for your next trip. As long as you don’t book basic economy flights that often have fees associated with flight changes or cancellations, you can use a price alert on Google Flights to watch for dips in cost.
Many hotel reservations can also be canceled and rebooked if you aren’t too close to your vacation date. This, of course, depends on your vacation rental – but if you book a new reservation and then cancel your old one so that you don’t lose your spot, it’s likely a pretty safe bet.
You may also like: Carry-on baggage 101: What you can (and can’t) bring on board right now.
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