How to Book an Amazing Trip with a Small Budget.

We’ve all been there, desperate to go on a quick getaway but our bank account has other ideas. The thing is, so many of us think we need heaps in the bank to book a trip, but there are plenty of ways to reduce the costs and keep within a smaller budget, and I’m going to share them all with you!

How to find cheap flights? The first thing I do when looking for a trip that’ll stay within my budget, is figure out where I am going. So many different destinations, and so many different prices. If you’re looking to get out of country, then the first thing you need to do is head over to Skyscanner to find the cheapest flight. If you’re flexible about your destination, then put ‘everywhere’ into the destination box, and Skyscanner will list all of the flights for your chosen dates, starting with the cheapest.

It is always cheaper to visit places outside of their peak season, not only will this reduce the flight costs, but also the accommodation too. Once you know where you’d like to go, do a quick search on the peak tourist seasons and aim to visit just before/after to save some extra money. For example, peak season for Mykonos tends to be late May – September, so I’d advise booking a trip in April or October. You could go completely out of season (December/January) to save even more money, but you may find that the weather isn’t great and/or many hotels and restaurants are closed. Of course this doesn’t apply to all destinations, so do a little research on yours before you book.

How to find cheaper accommodation? When booking accommodation, you need to look at places to stay that are not going to break the bank. Try staying in hostels, home-shares or even doing a home swap! If you’re not keen on hostels, or sharing idea of sharing with strangers, then I’d recommend using hotel comparison websites such as Trivago, or using sites such as Expedia, who often offer 10% off for their members at certain hotels. You can also build up points on Expedia and spend them on future travels – something I have taken advantage of many times! Also don’t forget to check Airbnb, there is often a huge range of places to stay on there, and usually tends to be cheaper than a hotel (although not always)!

Try to find cheaper places to eat whilst you’re away – you won’t believe how much money you rack up on dinners out while travelling – it’s scary really! I’ve found on some trips; I’ve spent more money on food than anything else, and that’s due to wanting to eat in restaurants everyday. In very touristy areas, restaurants and cafes right by an attraction tend to have their prices sky high, so it’s good to wander away from those areas, chances are you’ll see more authentic parts of the city/destination, and the food will be better anyway. You could also get food from the supermarkets to keep costs low, and if your accommodation has kitchen facilities then cooking there will save you heaps too.

Before you go, have a look at the attractions in the area. Depending on what you want to do, there are plenty of ways to save some money. Many places offer free entry to museums, so have a look and what is available in the area. If you’re wanting to visit somewhere, have a look to see if you can save some money online by pre-booking the attraction, or taking things like a student discount card if the attraction accepts those.

Have the most amazing trip, and hopefully with these tips and tricks, you can book more trips than ever before! Know something I don’t? Feel free to share your tips and tricks in the comments! Subscribe to the blog for weekly posts, and follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration!

As always, love Elise x