Traveling solo is becoming much more common. In the past, vacationing alone meant huge expenses and having to save up for years beforehand. Nowadays, single travelers are becoming more financially savvy and learning how to cut costs. Here are tips on how to save money when you are on a vacation for one.
Accommodations Beyond Hotels
Don’t look only at hotels when considering potential accommodations. There are many options for travelers, and your solo trip ensures that you don’t require a travel partner’s permission to be as thrifty as possible. Hostels and “Bed and Breakfasts” are options that often have rooms available for single travelers.
Inquire If Accommodations Include Freebies
Whether you choose a hotel or another place to stay, find out what is included. If you pay slightly more for your room but get free breakfast and wi-fi, it might be worth it. By filling yourself up at a hotel’s free breakfast, you can skip lunch and eat a big meal at supper, thus saving cash. By staying somewhere that includes these extras, you can save money in the long run.
Avoid Single Supplements
Single supplements are one of the factors that have made solo travel a nuisance in the past. Many travel packages, hotels and cruises assume there will be more than one traveler, and charge you a fee for traveling alone. There are certain cruises and travel companies that are beginning to work around this, so inquire and make sure you are not throwing money away unnecessarily.
Try to Negotiate
Hotels may claim they have a particular rate for a certain night or room type, but in reality it fluctuates depending on who are you talking to. Try to negotiate a good deal, and be sure to bring up any travel club memberships you may have, with deals you might not be aware of.
If the person making your reservation is unwilling to lower the rate, ask to speak to a manager. A manager’s goal is generally to keep all potential guests happy, and they have more leeway on giving discounts.
Negotiating is something to remember with other purchases as well. Depending on where your travels take you, you may be able to find better deals than advertised, so just ask.
Eat Out at Lunch Instead of Supper
Many restaurants offer the same food at lunch as at supper, only in slightly smaller portions and at a lower cost. By eating out at lunch, you can try the food you wish and pay less. Save suppertime for making yourself a sandwich or another low-cost meal.
Be Flexible about Your Plans
The nice thing about traveling alone is you get to make all the decisions. If you had plans but you find a way to save money, you can cancel and do it your way. Look for things such as “one seat only” deals that are hard for airlines and other companies to get rid of. These types of deals usually need to be snapped up immediately, and work perfectly for the traveler who doesn’t need to run his or her plans by a travel partner.
On vacation, keep your eyes open for deals on eating and other services that you can save money on.
Traveling solo has a reputation of being more expensive. But with a little creativity and a keen eye for a good deal, you can save money while enjoying a fabulous trip. The sky is the limit when it comes to saving money when you travel alone.
