6 Smart Ways To Travel Cheaply

Memorable vacations can come with a price tag you'd rather forget. But with proper planning, smart research and a flexible attitude, you can travel cheaply and still have an experience worth remembering. Here's how.

1. Cut transportation costs

Before planning your trip, have a rough budget in mind. A vacation calculator can help. If you know how much you're willing to spend on airfare, this map can give you ideas for destinations that are within your budget.

Traveling cheaply isn't just about cutting costs — it's also about getting the most out of what you spend. You may discover, for example, that the $400 you thought could pay only for a flight within the U.S. can actually take you to Paris and back.

If your travel dates are flexible, you may find an even bigger selection of places you can afford to visit. If you've already picked a destination, changing the departure dates could lower your airfare.

Setting up alerts for when prices drop should also be a part of your strategy. Try apps such as Yapta or Hopper, which will send you price notifications on flights you're tracking. (Booking fees may apply.) You can also follow Twitter handles like @theflightdeal or @FareDealAlert for limited-time deals. If you find a price you like, scrutinize the airline's baggage policy before booking. Some offer cheaper ticket prices, but have strict carry-on requirements or tack on sizable fees for overweight and oversized luggage.

If your destination is within driving distance, consider hopping in a car instead of on a plane. Use a trip calculator, like this one, to make sure it's worth the tradeoff. Add in the cost of renting a car, if necessary.

2. Compare lodging options

Finding a cheap hotel room can be tricky and takes a bit of effort. Start by shopping around on sites like Expedia, Priceline.com and Kayak to find hotels in the area, and then search for hotel promotion codes online. Contact hotels directly to negotiate a lower price. Also consider staying in a hotel outside the center of the city and looking for last-minute deals.

If you're open to alternatives, skip the hotel and book a room through a site like Airbnb, Homeaway and OneFineStay. Not only could those be more affordable, but often you'll stay with a local resident who can point you to cheap restaurants and activities that aren't in travel guides. Hostels can also be a money-saver if you're OK with bare-bones accommodations and potentially sharing a room. Keep in mind that they may have age restrictions.

3. Eat wisely (and not just healthy)

Many travelers underestimate the costs of meals, snacks and tips, says guidebook author James Kaiser. He advises bringing your own food or buying it at a store when you arrive at your destination to save money.

That doesn't mean you have to skip restaurants altogether and haul groceries around. Dining out is one of the most enjoyable parts of travel. The trick is knowing when to indulge and when to save.

Start by looking at your itinerary. Break down your meals each day and identify the times you want to splurge. Then look for ways to save money on the other meals. For example, you can avoid inflated prices at the airport by bringing food and an empty water bottle that you can fill once you're past security (passengers are prohibited from bringing more than 3.4 ounces of liquids, per container, in carry-on bags at U.S. airports). For breakfast, pack energy bars so you can save time and money in the mornings.

Your spending will likely fluctuate from day to day, so remember to adjust your budget to avoid overspending.

4. Research your currency options

If you're traveling abroad, find out if the country you're visiting is plastic-friendly. If so, a debit or credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees could be your best bet. Otherwise, research your currency exchange options to avoid the poor rates and numerous fees common at airport kiosks. Those will shrink your vacation fund before you've even had the chance to unpack.

Visiting your bank or credit union to exchange money before you leave may be the best option. Assuming it has that currency, you'll likely get better exchange rates and lower fees. And, just in case you end up needing more cash once you're abroad, ask if your financial institution has international branches or a partnership with a bank overseas. If so, you may be able to withdraw cash from those ATMs with low or no fees.

5. Get a prepaid phone or SIM card

A cell phone can be useful for navigating new cities, as well as staying connected to travel companions and life back home. But for international travelers, it may also come with data roaming fees. You'd save the most money by ditching the phone during your trip, but that may not be realistic. Your best option will likely be buying a prepaid phone once you arrive or having your carrier unlock your phone, if possible, so you can use a foreign SIM card when you land.

6. Keep souvenir spending in check

Like everything else, set a budget for souvenirs. Also consider doing some research on the best souvenirs and shops, so you'll have a sense of what you might buy and the prices to expect.

If you find yourself on the verge of an impulse purchase, try an abbreviated version of the 72-hour shopping rule, in which you put off buying something for three days to see if you still want it. That amount of time is probably impractical when you're on vacation, but if your schedule allows you to return to the store the next day or even later that same day, you may find that you can easily live without that $150 wool sweater from Iceland. You were only going to wear it once, anyway.

Devon Delfino is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: ddelfino@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @devondelfino.

The article 6 Smart Ways to Travel Cheaply originally appeared on NerdWallet.

 This article is being republished with NerdWallet’s permission for informational purposes only.  The views expressed in the article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Federal Credit Union.