By Hannah Whitesides, Travel Expert and Retreat Leader

Do you want to travel and explore the world but don’t have the money? Without sounding too much like a commercial ad, what if I told you that it’s entirely possible? I’ll be the first person to say that the money myth surrounding travel seems to be the #1 reason why people stay home. If that sounds like you, it’s time for you to embark on your journey without spending your life savings using my travel hacking tips.

Negotiate your Accommodations (Airbnb)

If you’re staying at an Airbnb, this is entirely possible and you’ll likely get the discount you’re looking for. Airbnbs are run by the owners of that apartment/house so the price that is posted isn’t usually a set price. They want you to stay with them, therefore many times they’ll be willing to budge. However, don’t message then immediately asking for a discount. Explain that you absolutely love the place but it’s just not in your budget. Don’t offer up another number first, see what they offer you because it may be lower than the number you were originally going to suggest.

Book Excursions at your Hostel 

If you’re staying at a hostel they will be advertising many different excursions. Booking with hostels is great because: 1. It will save you money because they are almost always significantly cheaper than if you book them online ahead of time. 2. You will receive reliable and honest suggestions from the employees who typically have lived in the area for many years, if not their whole life. 3. Typically every excursion that you book at the hostel leaves from the hostel so you don’t have to worry about figuring out where you’re supposed to catch your bus in the morning. 

Order Currency Before Departure 

Call your bank and order the currency you will need on your trip before you leave. This way, you’ll avoid outrageous transaction fees and exchange rates at the airport and you will have peace of mind knowing that you won’t be wandering around a foreign country, penniless, if 

something goes wrong. 

Flight Hacking 

Frequent Flyer Miles 

How to Start:

• Research which credit cards are available to open up and see which one best fits your lifestyle. Be realistic on if you can get the most out of that card. 

• Check the minimum spend, sign up bonus, and first year annual fee. 

**Make sure you can hit the minimum spend to get the points!**

• If you need help hitting the minimum spend, buy/pay off things you would be spending money on anyway (i.e. recurring bills, gift cards for future use - gas or groceries)

Once you Have Points: 

• You can pay for flights with cash or CPM (cents per mile) so you need to be smart about which one you decide to use in order to get the most out of your points 

• Typically, airlines don’t actually give you 1 point per mile. Instead, they determine a point value for each region of the world so anywhere in that region is going to be worth the same amount of points. When deciding whether to use cash or points toward a flight, check the cost of the flight and the point value. Determine the CPM of the flight. Anything that’s 1.5+ CPM, use your miles. Under 1.0 CPM, use cash and save your points. Anything in between can be determined by assessing future flight and travel plans. 

Deals, Deals, Deals 

Google Flights

• Google flights compares all airline prices and also shows you how the prices fluctuate on different days. Once you select the departing and returning flight that you want, click the top right corner under the price to turn on flight tracking for this specific flight. You will get updates when it’s at its lowest price and that’s when you should book. 

Scott’s Cheap Flights 

• Sign up for emails with Scott’s Cheap Flights. It’s a service that lets you know when international flights are available for as low as $300. The only downside of this is that you have to book within 24 hours before the price changes and the offers are only for specific months. If your life allows you to have that kind of freedom, sign up because it’s worth it! 

Best Time to Book

• If you’re planning on taking a flight that is typically popular (i.e. New York to London), don’t buy a ticket super far in advance. Wait until 6 weeks before you depart because that’s when airlines will open up most of their availability for a lower cost.

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Project Passport is a mental empowerment retreat and event company created to help women connect with one another and gain the tools to improve their lives in the best way possible. Each retreat experience has a unique theme with carefully designed activities to help participants grow and experience transformation. We are making mental wellness the norm, one retreat at a time. Learn more at project-passport.com.