Everybody says that travelling opens you up to a whole new world of adventures and experiences. But what everybody should also be saying is travelling also opens up a whole new hole in your wallet.
So, what’s a guy to do? Don’t worry, this is what you came here for – six little known secrets to save BIG on your trips, so you can stay woke without going broke. Let’s start with the first one…
1. You Don’t Have to Change All Your Money
We’ve all been there. Your date of travel is near, so you’re scrambling to get things done at the last minute, including going to the money changer in MidValley where you would spend hours searching for parking.
Even if you manage to exchange currencies early on, you would be left with one problem by the end of the vacation – what do you do with all the leftover bills?
Here’s the trick. After you’ve done calculating how much you would need for your trip, keep in mind that you don’t need to change all your cash. Instead, consider using BigPay when you shop or pay for your dinner bills.
Why use BigPay as opposed to other debit or credit cards? Well, BigPay has one of the best currency exchange rates, almost as close as the results on Google. Also, by using your BigPay card, you only have to spend or withdraw the amount that you need, nothing more, so you wouldn’t be left with extra foreign notes that you might never use again.
2. Get a Roaming Plan Before You Travel
Those who forget to turn off roaming will feel the pinch when they receive their phone bill at the end of the month (yes, we learned it the hard way).
Then there are those that do away with data coverage altogether, and hunt for free Wi-Fi spots.
However, there are undeniable benefits of getting a data plan while travelling. You can use live maps to navigate, you can WhatsApp to contact that one travel buddy who tends to wander off, and most importantly, you can post IG stories to let your followers know you’re having a good time.
Depending on countries, buying a local SIM card upon arrival can be pricier. Instead, get them in advance before your flight. And here’s an extra: With Flexiroam, you don’t even need to change your SIM card! Click on the link to apply online and it will be delivered to you.
3. Look out for Big Points When You Fly (You May Get Another Flight for Free!)
This third tip might sound obvious for seasoned travellers, and there’s a reason why. Most airlines have a loyalty programme that rewards their guests for flying with them. If you play your game right, you can book a flight and get an ‘extra vacation’ for free!
With AirAsia, it’s even easier. Sign up as a BIG Member so every Ringgit that you spend on selected AirAsia products will be converted into points. Then keep a lookout on promos where you can redeem free flights from as low as 500 BIG Points!
But wait… there’s more! From now till 7 July, BIG Members can earn 2X BIG Points when they purchase activity packages at deals.airasia.com. So use this opportunity to earn DOUBLE of what you will ordinarily receive! Which brings us to the next tip…
4. Packages and Tours Can Be a Good Thing
General advice might tell you to avoid tours because they can be expensive and they aren’t cool for a young hip millennial, who wants to travel off the beaten path. Well, it turns out that tours and packages can be cheap and cool…if you know where to look.
And what better place to look than deals.airasia.com? Not only you can find packages that are customised to your travel style (e.g., for friends, family, halal destinations), but they also have deals for particular travel needs, such as airport transfers!
For example, this airport transfers from Singapore Changi Airport to your hotel only costs MYR36! Imagine how much more you might have to pay if you flag a taxi manually.
Also, gone are the days where a tour only consisted of walking around the city and seeing one building after another. On deals.airasia.com, you can find a lot of activities that involve nature, adventure, food and many more.
Take this Bali water sports deal, for example. It has neatly arranged many activities in one package, saving you money and the headache of booking each one of them separately.
5. Avoid ‘Blackout Dates’ When You Can
‘Blackout dates’ is neither a duration of time when the electricity gets cut off, nor it is a dinner date who passes out after drinking too much.
In fact, ‘blackout dates’ means a busy period where cheaper fares aren’t available, usually on major holidays such as Hari Raya and Chinese New Year. This practice is an industry standard followed by airlines and hotels all over the world.
So when you’re planning your travel, you might want to avoid these periods. Not only do you get to save money, you also get to travel more peacefully with fewer crowds.
6. Have at Least One Friend Who Drives
Renting a car can be beneficial for many reasons.
If you’re sharing the cost within a group, renting a car can be cheaper than public transportation.
You can also have more freedom over your itinerary, hopping from one place to another at your own pace, seeing amazing sceneries along the way.
Lastly, car rentals allow you to stay further from tourist hot spots where hotel rates go as high as double or triple compared to, say 10 kilometres away.
And oh, it goes without saying that you do need at least one friend who can drive. Even better if they can drive a manual car, which is a rare breed nowadays.
Head On to deals.airasia.com and Plan Your Travels!
It goes without saying that you should do your research on the cost involved – including hotels, activities and cab fares. With such knowledge, you’ll have a good idea on what’s worth your money, and avoid paying more than you should.
Of course, you can always go to deals.airasia.com to look for amazing travel deals, not to mention that you can enjoy 2X BIG Points from now until 7 July 2019!
Are there any other tips and tricks you use to save money while travelling? Let us know in the Facebook comments!