The vast majority of people have a desire to travel, but a very common reason they don’t is because “they can’t afford it”.  Does that sound like you? Some people quit jobs to travel the world, rent out their private home, live out of a backpack, couch surf, etc.. and these are amazing things, but they are also not realistic options for a lot of people.  BUT, there is hope! Traveling doesn’t always have to be expensive, if you use the right resources!  Here are a few of my personal favorites!!

1. SKYSCANNER.COM

For flights, I use this site more than any other resource…  for many reasons.  You can input your desired city of origin and search flights to “everywhere”.  The site will then show you where you can fly (anywhere in the world) from the cheapest flight upward to most expensive.  This is extremely helpful if you just want to get away or need help deciding where your next trip should be.

OR, if you know where you want to go but your dates are flexible, you can type in your exact desired destination.. but search flexible dates.  You can search an entire month and see which date of that month is cheapest to fly.  Believe it or not, changing the date of your trip by one day can alter the price of your flight significantly (by hundreds of dollars sometimes).  Do your research!  You’ll save money 😉

2. HOTELS.COM

For hotels, this is one of the best sites you can use.  If you sign up for a *free* account, you will get the best rates available for hotels.. sometimes cheaper than the rate on the hotel’s site itself.  You can search the city you are looking for a hotel in, and it will come up with all of the ones available on your dates.  I like to use the “map” option to choose mine based on location (in addition to choosing my price range).  BUT, the best part is, hotels.com has a digital punch card.  For every 10 hotel nights you book on the site, YOU GET ONE FREE.  Seriously.  I just booked a hotel for an upcoming trip and got a hotel night totally free.  This is awesome for those who travel frequently.  Even if you don’t travel frequently, if you always book through this site you will eventually acquire that free night!

3. GOOGLE MAPS

This may seem like an “obvious” choice, but it is also a good one for hotel safety.  If you are heading to an unfamiliar place and are unsure what area to book a hotel in, use google maps.  If you google something like “cheap hotels in Quito Ecuador”, for example, a bunch of hotels will pop up.  Most of the time there will be a “cluster” of  red pins showing hotels in one area, meaning this will most likely be a safe area to choose to stay around.  If there is a red pin by it’s lonesome somewhere, it is obviously in a more isolated area.  (This can be amazing sometimes! But depends on your preference).  It is also a quick and easy way to scroll through your different options with prices listed right there on the map.  Look for one with a good price in your desired area.  That’s all there is to it! 🙂

4. CHEAPCARIBBEAN.COM & EUROPEANDESTINATIONS.COM

If you like a “package deal” and don’t like to book your flights and hotels separately, these are 2 websites that could be helpful to you!  They are essentially the same concept, offering packages to specific destinations of your choice, without a ridiculously high price!  Most of the time I like to create my own itinerary by booking everything separately… However, I personally used CheapCaribbean.com to book a trip to Jamaica once and it saved me a bunch of money for that specific trip.  Check em out!

5. KAYAK.COM

I know you’ve heard of this one, but that’s a good thing.  I personally use this one for rental car search, but you can also search flights and hotels and all things travel on this site.  It’s an all-in-one site whether you want to book everything separately or all as a package.  For rental car search, I like that I can compare prices of locations.  For example, with a recent booking of mine, it was $850 to drop my car at the airport, but only $200 to drop it at a different location 3 miles away from the airport!!  Comparing locations saved me $650!  Make sure you always look at ALL your options before booking the obvious ones!!

Other awesome resources to consider:

AirBNB.com for budget-friendly stays in people’s private homes (CHEAP!!)

HotelTonight.com or the mobile HotelTonight app for last minute bookings!  If you need last minute accommodation, some hotels that aren’t filled to capacity will often lower their prices 1-3 nights before desired booking to fill those rooms.

GoLastMinute.com, JustFly.com, & Rentalcars.com

There are many more awesome travel resources out there, so feel free to share with me your favorite ones!!! But don’t let money hinder your life goals!  You can always make more money, but you can’t make more days in your life.  Find the sites that you like best, do your research, and get out and see the world! You can do anything you put your mind to!

Happy Travels!

-Kelly

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