How You Can Afford to Travel in Luxury
We all see pictures and videos on social media of people we know aren't rich going on holidays fit for kings. Normally they have either struck lucky on a great deal, or they may just be great at saving and prioritise their getaways.
Having to sustain the luxury travel experiences we include in our YouTube videos without working for long periods of time, we learned a lot about getting the most bang for our buck. Here are a few of our best hacks so far.
1. Always use comparison sites for booking flights and hotels to make sure you are getting the best price available. Sites we use and would recommend are; Kayak and Skyscanner.
One tip for using Kayak: When you're searching hotels the price shown for each hotel on the results page aren't necessarily their cheapest. You will notice the view deal button has a downward arrow, click on this to see the full list of sites offering this room and respective prices to find the best. Also, make sure you sign in and they will include a few special deals here and there.
2. Be flexible with the dates of your flights. Sites like Kayak and Skyscanner allow you to search for flights with a plus or minus 3 days option. This will let you see the cheapest day to fly on within a 6-day radius.
3. Research alternative, yet similar destinations. For example; if you're looking for a five-star resort by a breathtaking beach, instead of Barbados you could consider Sri Lanka. The beaches do look different, but in my opinion are equally beautiful (And often quieter).
Not only will the price of your accommodation be far lower, but it's also likely that food and drinks will be a lot cheaper when you get there as well. There are plenty of online forums, blogs and articles discussing hidden gems. I couldn't recommend any in particular but if you Google it there will be no shortage, also if you don't already follow our Facebook, we share a lot of inspiration as well! So why not take a look at what you could be missing out on?
4. Book well in advance! An obvious one but it's often overlooked. Try to keep your holidays booked 7-12 months in advance. If you know you love a holiday every August or January then why leave it to the last minute and pay nearly double?
5. Take advantage of discount holiday websites. Secret Escapes specialise in discounts and flash sales for luxury holidays and have some amazing offers. Also search for the 'Hotel Tonight' app which offers last minute hotel bookings with big reductions and top brands if you don't mind being open minded about your hotel.
6. Consider Airbnb's over a hotel. This works especially well with big groups and families. And don't be afraid to contact the host of the property if it's slightly above your budget. You would be surprised how often they just want someone in there or are new to Airbnb and will be open to negotiating with you, especially for longer stays.
7. Breaking up your journey, sometimes this will save you a lot, sometimes it can make a trip far more expensive. If you have a few days you can spare in your trip to see another destination briefly try this. Search for flights to your destination on kayak or Skyscanner but click on the refine search button that says you want 1 (or 2) stop over(s). If any of the stop-over destinations are of interest search for direct flights there and then another direct flight a few days later to your original destination (you can use the +\- days option here too). This has saved us loads of money and meant we have been able to include a lot of interesting destinations we hadn't even considered but loved.
8. GROUPON is international. Lots of other countries and cities around the world have great deals you can take advantage of while on holiday, just like at home.
9. Flight watchdogs are an amazing feature that Skyscanner offer people who have a destination in mind but no date set. Basically, you input the places you want to go and where from, then receive email updates when the price for flights go down. Amazing!
10. Collect air miles, just Google ‘air miles credit card’ and you will find a great selection of companies offering hefty rewards for choosing their card. Usually, you will receive a joining reward which can often afford you a short trip right off the bat. Obviously though be smart, and aware of the charges these companies use to make their money.
If you have any tips for us and other readers, please leave them in the comments.
We hope this helps you to afford the luxury you deserve. If you're now left thinking about where you want to go check out our inspirational videos through this link:
