17 Sep Travel Hacks You Need to Know About

Posted at 18:43h in Uncategorized by Anna Bertoldini

A frugal mindset is not a bad thing

I don’t know why the term frugal has taken on a bad connotation recently, trying to save an extra buck here and there is not a bad thing (ethically, of course).

But I’m here to blow your mind and tell you it’s not just okay, but crucial to be more thoughtful when traveling. Why pay more when you could be spending your hard-earned cash on something with more value? Why waste time when you could be using it on an adventure?

Here are some tips and insights I gathered while globe-trotting because we could all use some knowledge-sharing. So enjoy!

Ask for another portion

I wrote about this in my other article about not being afraid to ask for what you want, but I can’t stress this enough — we’re so afraid of being judged for asking for things that we avoid it altogether. We fear inconveniencing people or seeming needy or entitled. So here are my two cents: DO IT. Your gut will thank you.

I get insanely and mysteriously hungry on airplanes. Maybe I’m bored, maybe I’m a comfort eater, or I’m simply a glutton for airplane snacks — but if I’m hungry I’ll often ask the hostess for a second portion.

That bag of peanuts? More, please. That mini cheese sandwich that tastes kinda stale but hits the spot? I’ll take it, thank you. That cup of joe that may help me through my next layover? Pour it all over me (ok maybe that’s too much).

Anyway, if you’re genuinely still hungry and don’t want to hit up a pricey airport cafè, take a stroll to the back of the plane. Ask the plane staff if they have an extra portion or snack available. They often do.

And if they don’t, that skinny person sitting next to you who hasn’t touched their food may not want it that badly.

No commission

Tired of paying high commission fees when using your card and taking out money from an ATM in a country with a different currency? I know I am.

Living in the European Union where some countries don’t use the euro, often I’ll be traveling and need to pay extra fees to buy things in the host country. For example, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the UK, Poland, and others do not use the euro.

It gets even worse as you travel internationally, say from Australia to China. You’ll find that fees start to add up as you swipe your card away.

In my case, unless I really need cash, I’ll take out just a little coin from an ATM and for the rest, I’ll use my Revolut card. Honestly, this online bank did not pay me anything to tell you how awesome it is.

Their basic account is free and you pay no commissions when paying with it or using it at ATMs, among other cool features. You also get to manage everything from the app. Basically, when you pay for a good or service, you simply get charged the equivalent in your account’s currency — no sneaky fees.

If Revolut is not available in your country, there are other online banking options with excellent rates and commission-free cards out there.

DIY SPA treatment

That overpriced aisle full of alcohol, cosmetics, perfumes, foodstuffs, cigarettes, and souvenirs galore? Take full advantage of the free samples and slab on your favorite pricey face cream and/or perk up your lashes with a touch of $50 mascara, you deserve it. Or just bathe yourself in Paco Rabanne perfume, like in the old days — who needs a shower?

Before I get to an airport — especially for morning flights! — I’ll use the most basic elements of my skin routine (to survive in case I don’t make it to the duty-free shop) and put on the rest at the airport.

Makeup, eye serums, and perfume all go on as you shuffle through the aisles and put on your best poker face to hide your inner child eager to try on new products.

You’ll arrive at your destination a dewy, glowy, and happy traveler who saved a buck on skin products.

Honestly, many times, I’ll even sin and end up buying the products I genuinely like… on Amazon. Or eBay. Or from my cousin. Ok, I never actually buy them.

Reading material

If you’re following this blog you’re obviously smart and read a ton of books.

But what happens when you have nothing to read on your trip and there’s no internet connection to access my blog? Is the bookstore at the airport insanely expensive and you don’t have the time to scan all the shelves for a good read? Did the other half of your Big Mac stain that old magazine you kept in your bag and already read like 40 times?

Often at some fancier airline gates, there’s a free lounge section (not the exclusive lounges you need credit cards and sky miles for) where you can grab a free newspaper and wait for your flight. Whether it be the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, you can probably find something you like.

There may also be free coffee. Good luck.

Restroom fees

When sightseeing, it may often happen that you really need to pee at some point.

As cold sweat drips down your forehead, you feel a strong urge to use the bathroom. You see a public restroom somewhere in the distance, you get closer, and you’re slapped with an obnoxious sign telling you there’s a 1.50€ fee (such as in Venice). The old cleaning lady stares at you tauntingly, nudging you to cough up some coins to get in.

No way no how that’s an expensive trip to the toilet. Here’s my secret — just go to a bar, order a coffee, and use their bathroom.

In Italy, coffee is 1€ if you drink it at the bar (the price goes up if you drink it sitting at a table). A shot of joe and a pee for 1.50€? That’s a bargain.

In other cities, coffee may be more expensive, or you may not drink coffee, but any drink still beats paying for a bathroom that’s rarely clean. Also, buy your drink at a local place and help out a local business. Mindful tourism is a rarity these days.

OR, if you’re ballsy enough, just ask if you can use the shop’s bathroom. If you have the decency to ask, many staff members let you through with a smile. When I used to waitress, I appreciated when people were decent enough to ask to use the restroom instead of rushing in thinking I wouldn’t notice.

And that’s it for now folks!

There you have it! These are some tips I ponied up as I waited at the gate for my next fight. If I come up with more, there will be a part 2 😉

Do you have any tips? Let me know in the comments section!

Tags:

airport, budget travel, business, expat, food, frugal, inspiration, money, save, tips, travel, traveling, wonderlust

Print page