10 Travel Hacks I Use To Save Money

Summary

This script offers a treasure trove of travel hacks aimed at maximizing vacation enjoyment while minimizing costs. It emphasizes early airfare booking, leveraging cheap travel days, and utilizing travel apps for the best deals. The speaker shares tips on avoiding baggage fees, navigating airport security efficiently, and securing better hotel rates. Additionally, they suggest using a debit card for foreign currency, investing in TSA pre-check for faster airport experiences, and considering city travel cards for discounts on local attractions. The script concludes with the importance of budgeting for travel and setting up a sinking fund to reach financial goals.

Takeaways

• 🎉 The speaker's most shared post was about birthday freebies, showing the audience values personal connections and saving money.
• 🛫 The audience is interested in travel and saving money, as indicated by the popularity of the Southwest flight hack post.
• ✈️ To save on airfare, book 3 to 3.5 months in advance for domestic flights, and even earlier for international ones.
• 📅 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, while Friday and Sunday are the most expensive.
• 💼 Travel during shoulder season (April-May and September-October) for lower rates.
• 📱 Use travel apps like Google Flights, Next Vacay, Hopper, and Skyscanner to find the best deals without being price-tracked by airlines.
• 🧳 Save on baggage fees by bringing a carry-on and personal item instead of checking bags, or choose airlines like Southwest that offer free checked bags.
• 🛂 For faster airport security, consider getting TSA Pre-Check for a fee that lasts five years.
• 🏨 Use websites and apps to find hotel deals, and call the hotel directly to negotiate better rates.
• 🚗 Renting a car can be cheaper through Costco Travel or peer-to-peer sharing apps like Turo.
• 🚌 Upon arrival, consider city travel cards or transport passes for discounts on attractions and transportation.
• 💰 The key to affordable travel is intentional budgeting and using a sinking fund to save for trips.

Q & A

What was the most shared post on the speaker's social media?

The most shared post was about the speaker's birthday freebies from the previous year.

What do the speaker's viral posts suggest about their audience's interests?

The audience is interested in travel and saving money, as indicated by the popularity of the birthday freebies and travel hack posts.

What are the cheapest days to fly according to the script?

The cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Why are Friday and Sunday typically the most expensive days to fly?

Friday and Sunday are the most expensive because they are the most popular travel days, leading to higher demand and prices.

What is the benefit of traveling during shoulder season?

Traveling during shoulder season can result in lower rates, as it is less busy than peak travel times.

What travel apps and websites does the speaker recommend for finding deals?

The speaker recommends Google Flights, Going, Next Vacay, Hopper, and Skyscanner.

Why is it beneficial to bring a carry-on bag instead of checking a bag?

Bringing a carry-on bag can save money on baggage fees, which can range from $25 to $50 per bag.

Which airline is mentioned as an example of one that includes free checked bags?

Southwest is mentioned as an example of an airline that includes two free checked bags.

What is the advantage of using packing cubes when traveling with a checked bag?

Packing cubes make packing easier and can help save on checked baggage fees by allowing travelers to consolidate items into a single bag.

Why is it recommended to avoid exchanging money at the airport when traveling internationally?

Exchanging money at the airport is one of the most expensive options and can result in poor exchange rates and high fees.

What is TSA Pre-Check and how much does it cost?

TSA Pre-Check is a program that allows travelers to skip long security lines for a fee of about $78, valid for five years.

What is a City Pass and how can it save travelers money?

A City Pass is a card that provides access to multiple attractions for a fraction of the cost of individual tickets, saving travelers up to $100 per pass.

What is the speaker's advice for finding hotel deals online?

The speaker suggests starting with hotels.com to see what's available and read reviews, then comparing rates on the hotel's website and calling the hotel directly to negotiate rates.

What is the name of the Chrome browser extension that can help identify mystery hotels on booking sites?

The Chrome browser extension is called 'Travel Arrow'.

What is the speaker's suggestion for a budgeting app that helps with setting up and tracking a sinking fund?

The speaker recommends using 'Every Dollar' for budgeting and tracking a sinking fund.

What is the Financial Peace University class mentioned in the script about?

The Financial Peace University class is about taking control of one's money, focusing on getting out of debt, budgeting, and building wealth for the future.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Top Travel Hacks for Saving Money

The speaker shares personal travel hacks to save money on vacations without incurring debt. They reveal that their most shared social media post was about birthday freebies, indicating a community interest in saving money. The second most viral post was about Southwest flight savings, suggesting a shared love for travel and money-saving. The speaker then introduces various tips, such as booking flights early, choosing cheaper travel days, and considering shoulder season for better rates. They also recommend using travel apps to find the best deals and avoiding checked baggage fees by using a carry-on and personal item. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for likes, subscriptions, and shares, emphasizing the community aspect of solo travel.

05:01

🛫 Airport Tips and International Currency Advice

This paragraph focuses on airport strategies and currency exchange advice for international travel. The speaker suggests that travelers should aim for the left security lines, as they are often faster due to a common tendency for people to turn right. They also advise against exchanging money at the airport due to high fees, recommending pre-ordering currency from banks or using debit cards without foreign transaction fees. The speaker endorses TSA pre-check for a fee to avoid long security lines and mentions the importance of researching hotel deals, comparing rates, and using browser extensions or Google Images to identify hotels offering discounts. They also touch on rental car savings through Costco Travel and peer-to-peer sharing with Turo.

10:02

🏨 Accommodation and Transportation Savings

The speaker provides tips on finding hotel deals online, emphasizing the importance of reading reviews and comparing rates on hotel websites. They suggest calling hotels to negotiate better rates and using services like Priceline's Express Deals or Hotwire for discounted, yet undisclosed, hotel stays. A browser extension called 'Travel Arrow' is recommended to reveal the identity of mystery hotels. For transportation, the speaker discusses the benefits of city travel cards or passes for discounted access to attractions and public transport. They also mention the value of packing essentials for comfort during flights, such as moisturizer, sanitizer, and a tablet holder, concluding with the importance of budgeting for travel through sinking funds and budgeting apps.

💸 Financial Tips for Travelers

In the final paragraph, the speaker transitions from travel tips to financial advice, encouraging viewers to budget and save for travel through sinking funds and budgeting apps like 'Every Dollar.' They invite viewers to share their own travel tips in the comments and to like, subscribe, and share the video for potential future content. The speaker also promotes a virtual class on financial peace, offering to teach viewers how to take control of their finances, and provides a link for sign-up. The paragraph concludes with thanks and a promise to see viewers in the next video, highlighting the speaker's engagement with their audience.

Keywords

💡Social Media

Social media refers to digital platforms that enable users to create and share content or participate in social networking. In the video's context, it is mentioned as a platform where the speaker's birthday post received significant attention, indicating the role of social media in personal interactions and community building.

💡Viral Post

A viral post is a piece of content that gains rapid popularity and is shared extensively across social media platforms. The speaker mentions their travel hack post as a close runner-up to their most shared post, highlighting the impact of viral content on spreading information and ideas.

💡Travel Hacks

Travel hacks are tips or tricks that travelers use to save money, time, or effort while traveling. The video's theme revolves around these hacks, with the speaker sharing personal strategies for cost-effective travel, such as booking flights on certain days of the week to save money.

💡Shoulder Season

Shoulder season refers to the transitional periods between the high and low tourist seasons, typically offering lower rates for travel accommodations. The script mentions traveling during shoulder season as a way to save money, indicating the importance of timing in budget travel.

💡Airfare Study

An airfare study is a research analysis that examines the cost of air travel and identifies trends or patterns in pricing. The speaker cites an airfare study to support the savings potential of flying on specific days of the week, emphasizing the value of data in making informed travel decisions.

💡Travel Apps

Travel apps are mobile applications designed to assist with various aspects of travel planning and management. The video mentions several travel apps like Google Flights and Skyscanner, which help users find the best deals and avoid data tracking by airlines, underscoring the role of technology in facilitating budget travel.

💡Baggage Fees

Baggage fees are charges imposed by airlines for checking in luggage. The script discusses strategies to avoid these fees, such as bringing a carry-on bag instead of checking luggage, illustrating the financial considerations involved in air travel.

💡TSA Pre-Check

TSA Pre-Check is a program that allows travelers to enjoy expedited security screening at airports. The speaker recommends this service as a way to save time and avoid discomfort, such as going barefoot on airport floors, showing how small investments can enhance travel experiences.

💡Hotel Deals

Hotel deals refer to special offers or discounts on accommodations. The video discusses various strategies for finding hotel deals, including using hotel comparison websites and negotiating rates directly with hotels, highlighting the importance of research and negotiation in securing affordable lodging.

💡Rental Cars

Rental cars are vehicles provided for temporary use by travelers. The speaker mentions finding deals on rental cars through Costco Travel and using peer-to-peer car sharing platforms like Turo, demonstrating alternative ways to save money on transportation during travel.

💡City Pass

A city pass is a type of travel pass that offers access to multiple attractions within a city at a reduced cost. The script uses the example of a City Pass in New York City, which includes access to several popular attractions, to illustrate how passes can save travelers money and enhance their sightseeing experience.

💡Budgeting

Budgeting is the process of planning and controlling one's income and expenses. The video concludes with a mention of budgeting for travel through sinking funds and budgeting apps like EveryDollar, emphasizing the importance of financial planning in achieving travel goals.

Highlights

The most shared post was about birthday freebies, indicating the audience's appreciation for personal connections and saving money.

A close runner-up post was about saving money on Southwest flights, revealing a shared interest in travel and financial savings.

Travel offers many opportunities to waste money, but there are ways to save without compromising on quality.

The importance of shopping for airfare early and the recommended booking window for the best prices.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, with significant savings compared to Friday and Sunday.

Traveling during shoulder season can yield lower rates, with specific months mentioned for planning.

Using travel apps and websites to find the best deals without being tracked by airlines.

The benefits of bringing a carry-on bag instead of checking bags to save on baggage fees.

Choosing airlines that include free checked bags, like Southwest, to maximize savings.

Packing cubes as a tool for efficient packing and sharing luggage to save on fees.

Airport security lines and the strategy of choosing lines to the left for potentially faster processing.

Avoiding airport currency exchange due to high fees and the suggestion to use debit cards without foreign transaction fees.

The value of TSA pre-check for a fee that allows for expedited security screening over five years.

Finding hotel deals by using various online platforms and negotiating directly with hotels for better rates.

Using price comparison tools and browser extensions to uncover secret hotel deals and save money.

Renting cars through Costco Travel and avoiding extras to save on transportation costs.

Using peer-to-peer car sharing apps like Turo as an alternative to traditional car rentals.

Utilizing city travel cards or transport passes for discounts on attractions and transportation.

The importance of packing essentials for comfort during flights, such as moisturizer and a tablet holder.

The strategy of budgeting for travel in advance using sinking funds and budgeting apps.

Invitation to share personal travel tips and hacks in the comments for potential inclusion in future content.

Promotion of a Financial Peace University class focused on financial management and wealth building.

Transcripts

foreign

not that I care the slightest about

keeping up with how much attention I get

on social media but I did notice that my

most shared post ever was my birthday

freebies post from last year which

really you guys means the world that you

remembered because nobody else did but a

close runner-up to that Viral post was

my travel hack about saving money on

your Southwest flights which tells me

two things you and I have in common we

love to travel and we hate wasting money

or I guess we love saving money I know

they're kind of the same thing but they

feel different you know what I mean and

travel abounds with opportunities to

waste money let's be honest more often

than not an affordable vacation seems as

impossible as relaxing on the beach with

a toddler why why must they eat sand and

sunscreen you have a Gogurt and

Cheez-Its at your disposal

why why

but there are ways to beat the system

and today I'm going to share with you

the top hacks that I personally use to

go on Great Vacations without breaking

the bank and without resorting to debt

but first why don't you take a trip over

to that like And subscribe button and

give it a little clicky click come on

it's free I I won't even charge you

baggage fees and while you're at it hit

the share button and send it to a friend

you want to go on a trip with and if you

don't have friends send it to yourself

we love a solo trip yo what's happening

alone and he's traveling alone Amber so

that's Splendid all right let's talk

about An Inconvenient Truth About the

hospitality industry Airlines hotels

entertainment pretty much anything else

you can enjoy on a vacation they're all

trying to make as much money off of you

as they can which means you've got to be

really intentional about the cost on the

front end before your trip even starts

so my first tip is this shop airfare

early industry experts recommend booking

your ticket anywhere from three weeks

out to three and a half months out

unless you're going to a super popular

or an international destination in which

case go with the longer lead time now a

little known fact the cheapest air

travel days are Tuesday Wednesday and

Saturday now I've known about that hack

for years thanks to the 2014 hit rap

song Tuesday

now Friday and Sunday are typically the

most expensive and can cost hundreds of

dollars more than the days I mentioned

and a recent airfare study found that

you'll save about a hundred bucks by

flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday instead

of Sunday now saving 100 bucks on a

one-way flight might not seem like a

deal breaker but if you're buying for a

family of four that's an extra 800 round

trip back in your pocket just for

picking a different day of the week also

you may want to consider traveling

during shoulder season to get lower

rates which is typically April through

May up to early June and then September

through October in most areas of the

world now why do they call it shoulder

season oh

but seriously I tried to Google it and

there is no good answer this is a case

for Wishbone snack time Wishbone oh

perfect timing another tip is to utilize

technology in this process and now I'm

not talking about an inflatable neck

pillow although those are game changers

on Long flights and I will not be

ashamed I will not be harangued in front

of my fellow Travelers because I choose

to ride in Comfort I'm talking about

using travel apps and websites that are

designed to help save you money some of

the best ones out there that I use

personally are Google flights going

previously known as Scott's cheap

flights next vacay Hopper and Skyscanner

Skyscanner is pretty cool they scan 1200

travel sites to find you the best deal

and they won't track your data which if

you haven't noticed the airlines can use

against you they'll jack up the price of

a flight just because they know you've

been looking rude I don't like that at

all alright on to the next tip now that

you've got a great deal on travel you

can save big during the flight by

bringing a carry-on instead of a check

back now most airlines charge baggage

fees for checked bags but will let you

bring one free carry-on bag along with a

personal item like a large purse or

backpack or immerse for you dudes out

there here hey they're back in style

it's where I keep all my things I get a

lot of compliments on this you can save

anywhere from 25 bucks to 50 bucks per

bag by doing this and if you must check

a bag because you're traveling home from

Boston with a metric ton of Mama camel's

hummus be smart about it choose airlines

that include free checked bags like

Southwest for example which includes two

free checked bags that weigh up to 50

pounds each and if you're traveling with

your spouse or your kids think about

sharing one big check back you might

risk a huge marital fight but hey 50

bucks is 50 bucks and that's a lot of

money I personally use packing cubes to

do this right they're a genius tool that

makes packing easier and you can get a

set on Amazon for about 25 bucks so you

spend that money once but You're Gonna

Save 25 to 50 bucks on check baggage for

future flights so the ROI here is a

no-brainer now our next tip is for your

departure process when you're going

through airport security head toward the

lines on the left I actually got this

advice from Queen B

or was it Cupid

oh

a lot of people giving advice to the

left he also says to the which one is it

Cupid for some psychological reason

people typically turn to the right when

it's their turn to enter the security

gates which I've nicknamed LTS left turn

syndrome so make a beeline for the left

that's usually where the faster lines

are you're welcome next tip if you're

traveling internationally do not

exchange money at the airport it is one

of the most expensive ways to trade your

US dollars for Yen Juan Kip pesos Frank

rupee and any other kind of foreign

currency instead here's what you do

order currency at your bank or credit

union before your trip or you could just

use a debit card like a normal 21st

century human and there's a few out

there that have no foreign transaction

fees or ATM fees sweet deal but you do

need to call your debit card company to

authorize use for foreign travel so that

it doesn't get Frozen when you try to

buy everyone around a Guinness on your

little trip to Ireland brilliant

now for our next tip here's a hack that

I think is totally worth the investment

TSA pre-check if waiting in long lines

behind people who've taken their shoes

off is not your favorite pastime sign up

for TSA pre-check for about 78 bucks you

can skip these long security lines for

five years straight and you'll be

zipping through faster easier security

screening to get on your Merry way

highly recommend and honestly it's worth

it just to never be barefoot on that

filthy airport floor ever again why do

we pretend that it's okay to be barefoot

on those that disgusting I don't want to

see those gargoyle toes put them away

if

next tip take the time to find hotel

deals online we've covered some travel

we gotta hit logic I like to start with

hotels.com just to see what's out there

and check out some reviews they've got a

great app as well that's super intuitive

another place to go is TripAdvisor you

can read reviews complete with travel or

submitted photos that show you what the

hotel is really like in case you're

curious about what's growing under that

coffee maker

for being honest I got I got trust

issues with Hotel coffee makers now once

I've done my Hotel Research I go to the

hotel's website so I can compare rates

to make sure I've got a good deal

another trick is to call the hotel

directly and see if they'll compete with

and negotiate against the rates that you

found online they're usually happy to

match prices you found online to get you

to book directly with them which keeps

more money in their pockets now if you

want to get an even better deal you can

check out pricelines express deals or

hot wires hot rates to get a cheaper

price on a hotel within your preferred

star rating range now the only catch is

you don't know exactly what hotel you're

staying at until you book it it's

basically the Love is Blind of the

tourism industry

but here's a bonus hack for you check

out a Chrome browser extension called

travel arrow that will decipher exactly

what hotel you're secretly looking at

you didn't hear from me and here's

another sneaky loophole you can use if

you have no clue what a browser

extension is you can use Google Images

to upload and search the sample photo on

these sites to figure out what hotel

you'd be booking now the key here is

flexibility the more flexible you are

the better deal you'll be able to find

even on luxury hotels where you can get

broom service ice cream to Scoops here

two make it three I'm not driving all

right we've covered travel we've covered

lodging so our next tip is all about

Transportation find deals on rental cars

if you need to rent a car there's some

great ways to save money and one of my

favorite ways is through Costco Travel

shout out to Costco for always being

there for me you had me at the 150 hot

dog combo now a side note here some

rental car companies can make it

slightly more difficult to rent with a

debit card but do not fear just do your

due diligence and research on the debit

card policy for that specific company

that you're booking through some of them

may require some extra documentation

your flight information or an extra

deposit or a home but it is worth it to

not go into debt and not swipe that

stupid credit card just to travel but

don't fall for all the extras and

upsells they throw at you most of the

time your normal car insurance covers

your rental car insurance so you don't

have to pay extra now another great

option to rent a car with a debit card

is using an app called turo turo is a

peer-to-peer car sharing company that

allows car owners to make extra cash by

renting out their personal vehicles to

Travelers like you kind of like Airbnb

for cars it's pretty cool all right

let's keep this train moving next tip

once you get to where you're going you

might be able to save some money by

getting a city travel card or a

transport pass for a discount on

attractions and transportation lots of

cities offer a culture pass that gives

you access to a whole bunch of museums

and attractions for a fraction of the

cost of individual tickets take the Big

Apple for example a city PASS gives you

access to five attractions like the

Empire State Building American Museum of

Natural History a ferry ride to the

Statue of Liberty in Ellis Island 911

museum Memorial and the Guggenheim now

all in all a City Pass saves you close

to 100 bucks per pass compared to what

the box office price of those

attractions would add up to now let's be

clear these are only worth it if you

plan to maximize your tourism so make

sure to do the math before you drop that

coin now this last tip has less to do

with saving money and more to do with

making flights more comfortable okay

self-care is everything so be sure to

pack some moisturizer hand sanitizer

antibacterial wipes for those nasty seed

trays a sleep mask maybe some earplugs

airpods Pro if you're an Apple fan USB

phone charger and the ultimate Flex the

flight flap phone and tablet holder I'm

telling you that will change the way you

travel now the real trick to avoiding

travel and doing this right is budgeting

for it in full before you travel so

before you hit the road fly the friendly

Skies Camp the back country or glamp on

your California king-size self-inflating

air mattress start saving money in a

sinking fund where you put aside a

little bit every month until you hate

your goal my favorite way to do this is

with a budgeting app called every dollar

that makes sinking fun super easy to set

up and track I'll drop a link below if

you want to check that out so that's all

the travel tips I'll share with you

today it's not all of them but some of

my favorites and I know you guys have

some great ones too so please drop some

of your favorite travel tips and hacks

in the comments below and maybe I'll

react to them on a future video who

knows hope you guys enjoyed this video

if you did please be sure to like it hit

the Subscribe button and share this with

your favorite travel buddy it might be

the start of your next great adventure

who knows and if you want to dig deeper

on all the stuff I'm talking about like

getting out of debt budgeting Building

Wealth for the future check out the

Financial Peace University class I'm

leading this summer where you're going

to learn how to take control of your

money for good it's a virtual class that

meets over Zoom so you can join from the

comfort of wherever you're watching this

right now don't miss that I'll drop the

link below if you want to sign up

alright guys that's it for today thanks

for watching I'll see you next time