Saving on Vacation: 10 Tips to Reduce Your Expenses

In this article, we will analyze 10 tips for saving money during the holidays

Table of Contents

10 tips to save money during the holidays

1) Avoid expensive accommodations 🏢

We noticed that, during our travels, the main expense is accommodation 😐

Therefore, whenever possible, we prioritize inexpensive accommodation options. For example:

Sleep in the van in a nice place (free)
Spend a night with the family (free)
Sleeping in the van at a campsite (5 to 30 euros per night)

For example, here's a spot in the mountains to enjoy the sun and peace and quiet. For free.

In case these 3 options are not available, there are other options to analyze in order to spend a night.

Camping with a tent
Youth hostel

If we need to rent a hotel, a room, or a short-term apartment, we compare prices on Kayak, Expendia, and Airbnb. I will write an article about it, available on my page.”savings/frugalism – holidays”.

Note that regarding nights rented for a week. We regularly manage to save several hundred CHF in a week. By sleeping just as well and being well placed😊

Example

For example, for our week of vacation in Sardinia. We used only one night in the hotel. The rest of the nights we slept for free and comfortably in our minivan. And every night we had splendid views in lost corners 😍

Deserted road in western Sardinia

In our situation, here is a table to compare the financial aspect of spending nights only at the hotel or mixing hotel and van:

	Van 6 nights + 1 night hotel	Hotel 7 nights
Accommodation prices	80 EUR	560 EUR

2) Buy plane tickets as early as possible 📆

👉 If the place we want to travel requires a plane ticket. We take it as early as possible !

Sometimes we get plane tickets with 8 months before the flight.

In this way, It is possible to save tens or hundreds of euros with plane tickets or train tickets.

3) Avoid tourist places 🏛

👉 We noticed that Major tourist cities take advantage of the tourist flow to increase prices.

Therefore, we avoid these cities. Mainly tourist cities.

Plus, darling Coco and I prefer greener, quieter places.

Here, west of the Azores, 2000 kilometers from the European continent. We saw a cliff with natural hot water. Heated by the Azorean floor. Lost among the rocks. Beautiful and free 😊

4) Avoid going to a restaurant every day 🍽

I read an interesting post on a tweet.

”Going to a restaurant is a rich thing.”

In fact, going to a restaurant means that dozens of workers work for us. Therefore, it is a rich person's thing.

In my case, before frugality, vacations were necessarily synonymous with restaurants all the time. Generally, with starter, main course, dessert.

Today when we are on vacation. We see restaurants as an opportunity and more as a generality 😉. And we no longer exaggerate with the quantities requested.

This technique allows us to save hundreds of CHF per week. And thus, to automatically have more money for the next vacation.

However, be careful ⚠. When we are abroad, we love to occasionally go to restaurants to try local specialties.

The francesinha. A specialty from the north of Portugal. In a restaurant near my village where I lived 😊

To enjoy your vacation with food, you need to balance spending and leisure without going to extremes!

In our relationship, We like to mix up our meals between restaurants, cook with local ingredients or eat simple dishes on site.

🔺For example, eating tapas in Spain or octopus sandwiches in Sardinia. These are simple meals for locals, but often very interesting from a culinary point of view and inexpensive!

Coco darling with a pulp sandwich on a beach in Sardinia.

In my opinion, I am just as happy with a 10 euro pizza on an Italian beach as with a 300 euro meal in a restaurant.

5) Avoid school holidays 📅

🔺We have noticed that tourism prices are much higher during school holidays. Therefore, we avoid this period.

Indeed, we always look at the school holidays in our country of residence and in the country of destination. And we always try to avoid this period.

In addition to an attractive price, we have noticed that the number of tourists is lower outside of school holidays, which allows for more space in transport and attractions.

Here in Connemara National Park in Ireland. In late October in the low season. There were very few people in the park which is usually packed with people.

I know that not everyone can afford to take a vacation outside of school. But if you can, you will see that the prices will be more accessible😊

6) Ask the locals for their opinion 🤠

This tip may seem simple. But it is actually very effective.

🔺The locals always have interesting tips to advise!

For example:

a tourist attraction that is not worth visiting
a hidden traditional bar
cheaper transport
a free and incredible view

Many thanks to the Azores resident for recommending this view. I had rarely seen such a beautiful cliff. While for him, it's a banal view from his house😅

🔺CEach piece of advice is a help to avoid unnecessary spending.

In addition, it allows contact with the locals, which is always interesting.

7) Organize the trip as little as possible before departure 📝

I love going on adventures. I like my trip to have a bit of improvisation. On the other hand, I realized that organizing my trip a little helps to avoid certain expenses.

For example:

Cheaper transport
Cheaper housing prices
Anticipate attractions that do not interest us

In reality, this organization allows you to avoid spending unnecessarily on site. And buy a ticket in advance.

Here, a view that darling coco loved. At the Summit in New York. Without booking the ticket in advance, we would never have had the patience to wait in a never-ending queue.

8) Take plane tickets in the middle of the week ✈

👉 We have noticed that the price of plane tickets is generally cheaper compared to mid-week. The destination doesn't matter.

Therefore, it is possible to save tens or hundreds of Euros per trip by moving the date by a few days.

9) Stop buying souvenir gifts 🎍

Previously, during my holidays, I liked to buy souvenir gifts, for myself or for my loved ones.

👉 But I understood that I, like my loved ones, did not use the souvenirs after our trip.

A souvenir only has meaning during the holidays. Back home, after the routine, these objects no longer matter.

👉 Therefore, except for an item that we think will be very useful to someone, we do not buy souvenir gifts.

10) Have a free bank card 💳

👉 If we work hard to pay for our vacations. It is not for a credit card to charge astronomical fees with bank payment!

In reality, most bank cards have bank fees when you use your payment card abroad.

Some bank cards are very decent and have fees lower than 0.1% per purchase.

Some banks charge up to 4% per purchase! That's too much 😐

At first glance, you might think that 3 or 4% in bank charges is not much. But for example, if you spend 1,000 Euros for a week's vacation. That's 40 Euros in commissions.

If you go on holiday for 5 weeks a year and spend 1,000 Euros per week, you lose approximately 200 Euros per year in bank fees.

200 Euros wasted on your… next vacation!

🔺Therefore, taking a card with minimal fees for payments abroad means having more money to spend during and after the holidays 😁

In Switzerland, Neon and Wir bank cards have very low fees for payments abroad. In Europe, Revolut and N26 also offer attractive fees for banking services.

Bonus: Other savings tips

Don't think I've written down all the tips for limiting expenses. Other money-saving advice is welcome! For example:

Bring a reusable water bottle and drink tap water (if it's safe to drink!) instead of buying bottled water at the store.
App with cheap public transport
Compare accommodations using an accommodation comparison website

Bonus: Savings simulation for a week's vacation

To better understand the impact of these tips, let's compare two couples who go on a week's vacation.

👉 The first couple booked without really comparing prices and applied the most common habits.

👉 The second couple applies the 10 tips presented in this article.

Expenses for 1 week	Couple A : without optimization	Couple B Apply the 10 tips	Why does couple B pay less?
Accommodation	850 CHF	350 CHF	Camping, campervan, hostel or price comparison before booking
Plane tickets	500 CHF	300 CHF	Booking several months in advance and departure midweek
Restaurants	500 CHF	300 CHF	Alternating between restaurants, picnics, local cuisine and simple meals
Local transportation	250 CHF	180 CHF	Local tips, public transport, and better trip preparation
Tourist activities	250 CHF	200 CHF	Choice of free or less touristy activities
Souvenir Shopping	150 CHF	30 CHF	Limit unnecessary souvenir purchases
Bank charges	40 CHF	5 CHF	Use a bank card with low or no fees abroad
Total trip	2,540 CHF	1,365 CHF	Total savings: CHF 1,175 (-45%)

Result

Comparison	Amount
Cost of the couple's trip A	2,540 CHF
Cost of the B couple's trip	1,365 CHF
Savings achieved by couple B	1,175 CHF
Percentage saved	45%

👉 In just one week, a couple who applies a few simple principles saves more than 1,150 CHF.

And yet, the couple doesn't necessarily deprive themselves:

He always travels
He takes advantage of local activities
He discovers the country's gastronomy
He sleeps comfortably
It creates so many memories

The difference is that he spends his money more intelligently.

Now imagine that a couple saves 1,000 to 1,500 CHF per year thanks to these habits.

Over 10 years, that easily represents 10,000 to 15,000 CHF more in his assets… or even more if that money is invested in the stock market.

👉 Ultimately, traveling cheaper doesn't mean traveling less well. It simply means keeping more money for your next adventures… or for your financial freedom. 😎✈️🌍

What do you think of this article. 10 tips for saving money on vacation

Conclusion

➡️ The 10 tips for saving money during the holidays are:

Avoid hotels (especially expensive ones)
Buy plane tickets as early as possible
Avoid tourist places
Avoid going to restaurants every day
Taking holidays outside of school holidays
Seek local input on economic plans
Plan your trip to some extent before you leave
Buy plane tickets in the middle of the week
Stop buying souvenir gifts
Pay with a bank card without fees abroad

Honey Coco and I noticed, that since we apply these simple tips. We save easily 25% to 45% of our trip, compared to before when we did not apply these methods.

👉 Therefore, on average, we can travel about one more week out of every three. enjoying our vacation as before😉

FAQ: Saving money on vacation – 10 tips to reduce your expenses

How to save money during the holidays?

To save money during the holidays, it is advisable to compare accommodations, book transport in advance, limit restaurant meals, avoid tourist periods and use a bank card with low fees abroad.

What is the biggest expense during a holiday?

Accommodation typically represents the largest expense of a trip, ahead of food and transportation. Reducing accommodation costs often leads to the most significant savings.

How to pay less for your holiday accommodation?

To reduce accommodation costs, it is possible to favour campsites, youth hostels, homestays, campervans or to compare prices on several booking platforms.

When is the best time to buy your plane tickets to save money?

Airfares are often cheaper when booked several months in advance. Traveling midweek also allows you to take advantage of better prices.

Why does avoiding school holidays save money?

During school holidays, demand increases significantly. Hotel prices, airfares, and tourist activities are often higher. Traveling off-season generally allows you to pay less.

How to reduce your restaurant budget during the holidays?

To save money, you can alternate between restaurants, picnics, homemade meals, and inexpensive local specialties. This allows you to enjoy the local cuisine without breaking the bank.

Are souvenirs a significant expense when traveling?

Souvenirs can cost tens or even hundreds of francs per trip. Limiting purchases to truly useful or meaningful items makes it easy to reduce this expense.

How to avoid bank fees abroad?

Some banks charge high fees for payments and withdrawals abroad. Using a bank card with low or no fees allows you to keep more money for your trip.

Do the tips from locals actually help save money?

Yes. Locals often know cheaper restaurants, free activities, economical means of transport, and less touristy places that offer a better experience at a lower cost.

How much can you save by adopting a few good travel habits?

Depending on the destination and travel style, applying several savings tips can reduce the holiday budget from 25 to 45 euros without diminishing the enjoyment of the stay.

Is it possible to travel cheaper without depriving yourself?

Absolutely. The goal isn't to eliminate leisure activities, but to cut unnecessary expenses. By optimizing accommodation, transportation, and other costs, it's possible to fully enjoy your vacation while spending less.

How much can you save over 10 years using these tips?

A couple who save between CHF 1,000 and CHF 1,500 per year on their holidays can keep between CHF 10,000 and CHF 15,000 over 10 years, or even more if this money is invested.

Does travelling in a van really save money?

Yes. A campervan often allows you to significantly reduce accommodation costs while offering greater freedom. Depending on the destination, savings can reach several hundred francs per week.

How to plan a trip on a budget?

The best approach is to set a budget, compare prices in advance, book early, look for free activities, use fee-free bank cards, and avoid impulse purchases.

Why does saving money while on vacation help achieve financial freedom?

Every franc saved can be used to finance a future trip, build up savings, or be invested. Over several years, these savings contribute directly to building wealth and financial independence.

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