Rookie Traveler Budget Mistakes - Best Budget Travel Advice Ever

[@jezanne]

Good advice Mark! But I will add one on plane travel: Don’t hesitate to pay a little bit more for direct flight. The super deal with a long layover may seem great but there is two caveats: 1. You lose time for visiting 2. You will likely spend money during that layover, even a sandwich is expensive in a airport and more likely you will go to a sit down restaurant and have a drink to help spend that time. You could easily spend 100$ just there.

[@woltersworld]

Yep

[@me-lg1yw]

You may also miss your connecting flight if your first flight is delayed.

[@adventuretravels7340]

I disagree a long layover like 24 hrz is an amazing opportunity to get an idea of the city your in I've had amazing layovers in Tokyo Paris and Singapore just call it a free mini trip.

[@ohwell225]

@@adventuretravels7340 I feel like a 24hr layover is one thing, but an 8hr layover is quite another. That's not really enough time to explore much when you also have to reenter airport security--even with expedited airport security passes like global entry or precheck. You might not know what's in the immediate area around the airport, either, so finding something in that 8hr timeframe to do for the mini trip could be really difficult. So, it's a super long layover without much payback. The airports I've been to in the US tend to be pretty isolated.

[@paulkoza8652]

I agree. And you avoid the potential that the layover is too short and you miss your connecting flight.

[@paulallen9137]

I think the best budget thing I've been doing this year is rebooking hotel rooms. Book the hotel room you want with free cancellation. Then when you see a better deal, or promo code, book it again and cancel the original booking. You get the same hotel, but for less money.

[@holdencawffle626]

Good tip. But free cancelation typically costs an extra charge

[@priscilabee583]

my best tip is to book a hotel that allows you to do most sightseeing by foot instead of being stuck in the metro without seeing anything. Even if the hotel is more expensive then a hotel far from the center, what you save in transport and in stress of figuring out bus/metro routes in a place you go for the first time makes it worth it.

[@ykjo5613]

I stand by this rule! Great tip!

[@frankfuentes5659]

That's the first I look for. We like to walk around so that's priority #1. #2 would be a room with at least a queen size bed.

[@DAshby139]

The grocery stores are one of my most favorite parts of travel! Seeing the different brands, food types, and not knowing what half of what im getting is. Its the best! Not to mention a HUGE money savor! and you're really are eating like a true local! Most locals aren't eating at $30 a plate every day. They have the $3 box meal from the supermarket. Do the same. It adds so much to the experience!

[@russmeans]

Part of a fun learning experience is going to a foreign supermarket. It was money saving, but such a unique way to see the every day life of another country.

[@Snowshowslow]

Yesss it's one of my favourite things to see what seemingly random thing they have a whole aisle for, what things are common enough to make it to the ready meals section and to try some common bakery items 💯

[@jodpigbass5904]

YES .... i totally agree ...i always go to the supermarket wherever i am .. you find the best snacks and i remember 30 years ago a tube of mayonnaise in my backpack saved me on many occasion..

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

True Russ. This is true even in the US. The Supermarket deli can be good. You do miss the restaurant experience, however.

[@catalinacurio]

There’s a supermarket in Lisbon called Pingu, or something like that, I love Pingu the penguin so I just remember that part. It’s cheap and good, their own brand is as good if not better than expensive.

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

@@catalinacurio Thanks !

[@maril1379]

Tip be aware of dress. Don't wear souvenir t shirts check how locals dress. You don't want to stand out as a tourist. Learn some basic phrases in the native language. Even just saying thank you in the native language is apprecuated. Do not assume English is spoken by everyone everywhere. Be familiar with local customs and holidays. Thumbs up PS Portugal is rated one of the safest countries on many sites. Thanks from NYC

[@marianneatdanishliving]

Pro tip: Buy Marseille Soap Bar. They are made of olive oil from France, they can come in bar form, so they don’t need to go into your liquids bag for air travel and don’t spill. They smell nice, first of pure soap smell, then a little Olivey, not fake (personal preference there) and you can use it for clothes washing, body wash, hair, and hands. Everything!! Even sensitive skin

[@sahilanant123]

Hey Mark! So the incognito trick might not really be worth it because the point of sale (PoS in revenue mgmt terms) remains the same; it doesn't think you're in a different location. So afaik, prices don't inflate because you keep seeing them. They are always controlled by us in revenue management where we handle inventory. A VPN could perhaps help to buy from a different PoS. I work in a BA short-haul where there are just two points of sale (UK and the Rest of Europe) so there's not much difference between the two in terms of fares as the willingness to pay is roughly the same, but it can differ in the rest of world scenario. The faster the lower fares sell (always look out for the selling class when you book a ticket; this is just a single letter such as K, L, etc., and is different from your cabin, which is economy, business, etc). Each of these classes is stacked in the form of a ladder (increasing classes at the top of the ladder, the topmost being fully flexible), and we just open and close classes to reduce/increase fares. In the inventory, the system jumps to the higher classes by closing the lower ones depending on how much demand we've forecasted in each fare class (the lowest open class at the time is the fare you see on the website). This is what eventually inflates the fares. We could always intervene and open a lower class if the demand for a flight slows down (these last-minute deals are due to this), closer to departure, and reduce the fare. A full flight, or a 90-100% load factor for the routes we manage is almost as important as maximizing revenue for us. Demand and supply. :) Low-cost carriers are only low-cost when it's low season haha. Trust me, we have easyjet and Wizz Air as our competitors lol. Also, 1 pound fares dont include carrier-imposed fees and taxes, which make up the major component of what you pay anyways. Hope you are well!

[@triciarie3972]

I can recommend a budget friendly destination - Budapest, Hungary. Budapest reminds me a lot of Paris - the same look of the 5 story apartment buildings - the Danube going through the center rather than the Seine - beautiful Cathedrals - great food - excellent public transportation. In addition Budapest has thermal pools. But it's a fraction of the cost.

[@pansyrosereality]

Great idea. I’ll check that out myself.

[@ayo_k32]

Adding that to my list for the next travel year. You sold me with the thermal pools.

[@toddnelson7393]

@@ayo_k32 The thermal pools in Budapest are great. It's not just one pool but a bunch of pools all different temperatures. So you feel like Goldilocks walking around finding the right one. Trying to find something similar the Budapest pool in the USA, but no luck.

[@rebeccagutierrez1960]

Thanks for the tip.

[@ykjo5613]

BUD is AWESOME! Was there in 2010 and 2019. It has changed but still pretty amazing.

[@ttqueenie]

For meals.. we research supermarkets and purchase items for breakfast and make sandwiches in our hotel room. We also look for cooked meals in the supermarkets. At the hotel we boil water and let it cool by morning and bottle for the day. We also make our coffee and tea in the room and walk with.

[@walkietalkietraveller2932]

that's a bunch of good, money saving advice, Charissa. :)

[@danieldumas7361]

For International travel, I book through an Agency. When the airline decides to change your flight without your consent (or even knowledge), the Agency will have more clout to fix the situation.

[@LarryB-inFL]

Additional tip: There are banks that have no brick & mortar facilities and will reimburse you for ANY ATM transaction fees, worldwide. I opened a Schwab checking account for just that reason, and I fund it from my "regular" bank account. Further tip: I switched to T-Mobile. They offer FREE data in basically every country, and always free phone service to/from the USA. Yes, the free data is slow, but you won't accidentally get a big bill no matter where you get diverted to. And, yes, of course they offer an international data plan.

[@rydiggydawg3166]

FamilyMart and 7-11 convenience stores were a lifesaver when I traveled to Japan. Not only affordable but you can find some really tasty and healthy snacks.

[@diamend5]

For the phone plan issue, I would recommend getting a local SIM card. In Italy I was able to purchase an Italian SIM Card for $30 for 15gb of data and that meant we had a local number to be able to contact local businesses. It was very convenient and then I was able to turn on my hotspot so my husband could just piggy back off my cellular data. It was cheaper than adding the international plan.

[@Charlotte-bc7vj]

Yessss! Only works when you’ve paid off and unlocked your phone, a lot of people are stuck on contracts with their phone provider but you can find out how much your pay off is and pay to unblock it 😊

[@Kl84765]

There are also several e-sim options available

[@Anoalekontrieger]

@@Charlotte-bc7vj are sim locked phones still a thing? Here in Europe every phone is sim lock free is my understanding

[@Chan12282]

Thanks for this! Where would you buy a local SIM card?

[@diamend5]

@@Chan12282 The airport or some train stations have cell phone shops. Similar to the US, you just look for a cellular store. The one I purchased was in a row of shops around the corner from my hotel in Venice and you could see the advertisement for SIM cards along with cell phone cases and accessories. If you don't want a SIM card they also offered phones - similar to Track phones.

[@goingawayguide]

Great video! I'll add one more - when booking hotels/airbnbs, don't look at just the price of the room, but also the location. If you book a cheaper hotel that's outside the main area you want to explore, you'll have to pay to get there and back each day, and that might wind up costing more than if you'd booked a more expensive hotel/airbnb in the main area you want to explore; plus you'll spend time traveling there and back!

[@mypradasatthecleanerss]

Just to add to data plan tip-be careful about having your data on when you haven’t done yet arrived in your destination. I was on a ferry from England to The Netherlands (at the time both in the EU) and so I left my data roaming on as it was included in my plan for the EU. Went to sleep and woke up to quite a big bill because somehow I’d picked up signal in international waters.

[@ericleszkowicz898]

Love these tips: One thing I did during lunch was to watch where the construction workers were heading to eat in Germany and found a great little sausage stand.

[@PLBizon]

Traveling off peak time is a great tip. I traveled to Spain in October and indeed the weather was great and no lines to museums and other attractions. Thank you Mark for another great video.

[@woltersworld]

Best time!

[@brandonhunnewell706]

​@@woltersworld Hey Wolter! An affordable destination that i noticed you haven't put a video on yet is the Philippines! Do you have any tips for travellers going there?

[@mrb152]

Just don’t go any later into November. I did in mid November and it was super cold!

[@barbarawissinger]

I always travel to Malta in February (am there now🙂). The weather is lovely (especially compared to home in Germany), it’s cheap & less busy. We’ll try Spain/Portugal next year.

[@TMD3453]

Even the very end of August can be good in Europe. Thanks, Mark, happy travels!!

[@stevo728822]

When touring a city get a multi day tour pass. For example in Copenhagen I got a 5 day pass to multiple attractions. Saved me 150 Euros to pay separately.

[@aniveed8005]

SO happy to see you back in my favorite city! Spot-on tips as always! I always go (on the first morning) to a store of some international celphone company and buy a SIM CARD for that country, (in Lisbon it was only 20 Euros and good for a month) and then have them insert it in my phone (their eyesight is better than mine! ), keeping my chip taped to the inside of my case for back home, and then I have phone service for anything, anywhere, not just where there is Free WiFi. Being able to call an Uber anywhere, anytime is a big plus, especially in Lisbon where Uber is super cheap, and good for chatting with the driver and getting local tips and recommendations for food and activities. We travel a lot (at least 3 international trips per year) especially as we get older and know we won't always be able to walk as much as before, and we bought a ONE YEAR travel insurance policy. It covers all our travel to wherever for any trip up to 30 days. About $400 per person.

[@nicolagilmour1914]

Lisbon last year at the end of October was very hot and extremely busy. We are only guessing pent up demand for travel was the reason. As regard to buying multi ticket passes ,be careful. We didn’t do it and we’re so glad as the lines to enter the monastery were so long around the building in sweltering heat. If you had bought the passes you would have no choice but to join this ridiculous line.

[@thedavidguy01]

Lots of good advice! If you’re over 60 also look for senior discounts. They’re not as common in Europe as in the USA but they exist and can save you a lot. For example, trains in both France and Italy offer senior fares. In France it’s a minimum of 10% off as long as you book at least 1 day in advance. I’ve gotten as much as 50% off for senior tickets.

[@woltersworld]

Yes! Great point!

[@Snowshowslow]

Same thing for youths / students :)

[@pansyrosereality]

Good one

[@karenmarr7266]

Madrid has TONS of senior discounts!

[@martyscheall9626]

Go to know!

[@cdakskid]

If you don't require high end hotels, hostels are a great option. They are less expensive and there are many seasoned, budget conscious travelers at them who are usually more than happy to share "hacks" and advice. I've gotten so much valuable information and advice from fellow travelers at hostels, which isn't as easy to get at hotels. Also, many hostels organize group activities, which are fun. For those who don't care for staying in dorms or are travelling with a spouse or family, many hostels offer private rooms, similar to what you get in a hotel.

[@A_Canadian_In_Poland]

One-star hotels are usually only a couple euros more than a hostel bed, and you get a private room. Low-rated, low-budget hotels. Usually, only the decor is dated and there is really nothing wrong with them.

[@BKLNHobo]

@@A_Canadian_In_Poland One star hotels in the US are usually dangerous.

[@lannguyen-pu1db]

@@BKLNHobo supermarkets, shopping centers, movie theaters, restaurants, places of worship, the streets, and ESPECIALLY SCHOOLS ARE DANGEROUS in the you esse of aye...

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

I like the social aspect of hostels, but I really need my own private room and bathroom.

[@SalyLuz-hc6he]

Some hostels actually have individual rooms you can reserve. It pays to at least ask.

[@JimandVal]

Traveling off season is our thing!!!! Went to Amsterdam in January 2020 and it was sooooo affordable and we got lucky the weather was amazing the whole time!!! We rarely travel June-Aug.

[@davesaunders7080]

I always get a local sim card for my cell phone from the first stop in Europe I go. For like 10-20 Euros you can have a local number and enough data for a 3 week trip using Google maps every day and I use wifi in accommodations at night. It also usually works fine without roaming fees in most every country you may go through.

[@jameshilyard1885]

With the addition of esims you can load the overseas esim before you leave, turn off your home telecomm provider as soon as you sit down in the airplane. AT&T has one of the most expensive overseas plans of the US carriers.

[@marytapia8024]

I love how you keep it real. You’re speaking to the people ! Thank you

[@picobello99]

For the public transportation it's always a good idea to see if there's a (multi)day pass. Most cities have those. It's cheaper than buying separate tickets for every ride and saves you time. Booking asap isn't always cheaper. Sometimes it's better to wait. Flight prices often fluctuate depending on popular demand. Booking on a saturday afternoon is probably going to be a bit pricier than on a monday morning.

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

One caveat with that is in places like Los Angeles they have a policy of "fare capping" so you pay no more than $5/day or $18/week to travel and in LA's case, they will eliminate day/week/month passes due to that price "cap" according to the website.

[@BKLNHobo]

In this day and age everyone can and should research local transit before they even arrive. KZbin is chock full of videos.

[@glorgau]

Yep, it's all dynamic pricing this days.

[@texasflood1295]

The best advice here is USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. I have used a bus from the airport to my hotel for $2.50 when a taxi would have been $50.00 in Honolulu and $5.00 on the subway in London when a cab would have been $90.00. Sure, I had to walk an extra few hundred feet from the bus stop to the hotel but I got a "free" dinner out of the deal. It's also a good way to experience the city the way the locals do.

[@jonnythunder92]

Great advice...when we travel as a family, we always go for self contained accommodation. Then we do some grocery shopping to make sure we always have breakfast in. then alternate between - lunch out and dinner in, or flip that, make a packed lunch and dinner out.

[@vannshuttleworth4738]

No wonder why I don't travel anywhere. I'm exhausted from all the good information. But Happy Travels to those who do.

[@victoriadell614]

Glad I'm not the only one who got burned on the "no trains on Sunday morning London" thing. Seriously? Still can't believe that's a thing. All good advice per usual - thanks Mark!

[@woltersworld]

Yeah it was, "I learned it the hard way" kind of thing. Ended up flying BA from then on so I had normal flight times that worked with public transportation

[@sewgeekdesigns9113]

We have that in some parts of America like no buses on Sunday…. Like people still work on Sunday 😅

[@eaglenoimoto]

I lived in London for over a decade and never heard of this... you mean the first train might be a bit later than on other weekdays? Anyhow, buses in London are 24/7, there are specific night buses for times there are no trains.

[@koenven7012]

@@eaglenoimoto in London, yes, but do they run out to Stansted or Luton or wherever those budget airlines fly from.

[@roberthalverson3987]

Excellent travel tips mostly for beginner travelers, but also as a reminder to expert travelers. Thanks Mark for making this video. It summarizes many tips all in one place. Now we can share it with friends and family, to help them save money and avoid disappointment.

[@1958zed]

For my first trip to Europe (mostly Germany) in late September 2007, a friend told my to drive from village to village and find a guest house / B&B / pensionne. I did that and it worked out well. I paid 35-55 euros per night for a basic room with my own bathroom and shower, and breakfast was typically included. I was usually the only non-native tourist there, so it was a great opportunity to meet the locals. The language barrier was a bit of a problem, but we always worked through it.

[@stephenhill6003]

I did the same when visiting England from the US. It was a great way to meet people and the language barrier was fun ("Two countries separated by a common language." 🙂)

[@litalpeled2055]

Great tips, as always. LOVED the tip on "not oversleeping" and then showing your kid "passed out" outside. so cute LOVE your videos! i'm a fan for more than 6 years already

[@SalyLuz-hc6he]

Yes- you can use a VPN. Good idea!

[@MadHatterND]

I recommend double checking your plane seats periodically before the trip. Sometimes the carrier changes the type of aircraft and those wonderful seats you purchased are now in a different location.

[@mariohendriks1]

My advise on the transportation stuff: If you travel by car in the Netherlands always use the P+R sites at the outskirts of cities. For example in Utrecht a day ticket for parking at one costs about €6 which includes a free local public transport day pass for 5 people. One hour of street parking in the city center will cost you €6.46 (Or € 46,55 for a day).

[@nathanjw940]

I couchsurf and yes it can save a ton of money. That said be a good guest. Me and a friend stayed in Denver 5 days. Our host was up to see if we got back we were so quiet he didn't realize we were home. We also treated him to a baseball game. If it wasn't for him just coming back from being out of town we would have gone whitewater rafting. Tip if you stay with family or friends do something unique with them. Staycation is always fun from a couchsurfer and one of the main reasons why.

[@woltersworld]

That's cool

[@atheistweirdo]

I'm a solo traveler I will stay in hostel in Europe and highly recommend it for people who travel alone and want to meet fellow travelers to explore the local area but also allow you to explore alone. Review the reviews of the hostels before booking, and some have cheaper solo rooms compared to hotels. I'm going to Japan in March and plan to use railroads and bicycles as transportation.

[@karenmarr7266]

Also, hostels offer lots of different services such as free city tours, group dinners, self serve kitchens. If you are traveling by yourself, it's a good way to meet other people.

[@catalinacurio]

I intended to live in a hostel for a few weeks and wound up staying there for almost a year (I was working locally), best time of my life and so many friends made. 😊

[@Charlotte-bc7vj]

I LOVE hostels and have met great friends there. As I hit my 30s on solo trips I opted for female only dorms or in a cheap location, private rooms. You can still meet people in the common area etc. Now I have a kid my hostel days are behind me but I can’t wait to encourage him to do hostel travel once he’s old enough! So fun. Walking tours are great for meeting people when you’re solo too!

[@atheistweirdo]

@Charlotte 87 I try to tell everyone this. The movie hostel scared so many American about hostels that every time I mention it they always bring that up. I will plug hostelworld as an app all young solo travels need.

[@mattihp]

One good thing is checking up supermarkets that the locals use as there are so many traps with supermarkets that have awful prices.

[@clairewalsh6638]

Happy to learn I'm an expert budget traveller, I use pretty much all these tips. Another I'd add is that if you are planning to shop at supermarkets most nowadays have websites so you can do research before.

[@jafrazer]

Check out school and public holiday dates in your location before travelling. School holidays means that locals will be taking their home country vacations, so it may be more expensive. And mid-March might be a cheap time to come to Europe, but not Ireland! All hotels will be much more expensive than usual with everyone coming for the inevitably disappointing St. Patrick's Day.

[@mij6918]

Check if you can get travel insurance included with a bank account. I'm in the UK and have a Monzo premium account, it costs £15/month but I have it just for the travel and phone insurance that comes included with premium. For me it's cheaper, but also MUCH more convenient than having to book it seperately for every trip.

[@Czechbound]

*Accommodation* : Don't discount staying hostels. I stayed in many, many YHA hostels around the globe. Many now have private rooms. They were all very clean, and a great way to get ideas for things to do. If you're a solo traveller, it's a great way to meet people to do activities with. Even if you are choosing to stay in a hotel/ apartment, visiting a hostel is a great way of getting information of things to do. They are always very plugged in to what is going on. Also a great place to organise tours as they do this all the time.

[@wncjan]

As goes for restaurants; if you want to eat cheap and good, go to places where local students eat. Students don't have that much money but they love good food as much as anyone.

[@oooh19]

How do you know who’s a student? You can’t tell by look

[@wncjan]

@@oooh19 If you are in a university town and see a restaurant where the audience is mostly young people, I say most likely at least some of them are students.

[@oooh19]

@@wncjan true but everyone any age appreciates reasonable prices for their food

[@ricktulisalo4362]

As always, I loved the video! I am usually a solo traveler and I almost always look for a B&B or an apartment abroad, rather than a hotel. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I always like to have a refrigerator in the room to keep water, sodas, beer or wine cold. The cost savings of having these things in the room vs paying for them externally (unless you're visiting a club or restaurant, of course) is significant! Also, having a washing machine available drastically reduces the amount of clothes you need to bring, which can save money on checked baggage on an airline, or just being able to move about on the streets easily from the airport or station to the residence with less luggage. In Europe, especially Italy and Spain, the quality of the place is usually superior anyway, unless you need a restaurant or bar in the place you're staying. Keep up the good work!

[@lee6198]

This is my thoughts exactly. I need that fridge and even a microwave or stove top to make some food like breakfast or heat up leftovers for a snack. Even dinner. Like Taking a break during day to rest before some tourists night tours or concert.

[@pansyrosereality]

Curious , have you ever stayed in a hostel abroad. It’s something I’ve been thinking about specifically in Europe somewhere.

[@ricktulisalo4362]

@@pansyrosereality I have not. Some look interesting, but I just haven't done it. I have found apartments work best for me.

[@AsstVillageIdiot]

Scandinavia in late Nov - early Dec you can see the Christmas markets. Yes it's cold, but not brutal (at least not if you are from NH), and the darkness is a quick adjust, really. And there's glugg. Old once-very-elegant hotels near the city centers can be quite reasonable. I would emphasise your general lessson that nothing is going to be more expensive than bad decisions, so worry less about the few bucks and worry more about what your temptations are likely to be.

[@susanstadtlander9140]

Good tips! May I add, when letting your phone provider know of your travel plans also let your bank/cc's be aware of your itinerary or you may not be able to access your funds for your budget. If they suspect fraud they may put a hold on your cards and create a needless hassle for you. Safe travels!!

[@vm1776]

you mentioned transportation methods at your destination. It's good to research ahead, but ask your lodging what they recommend. We went to a festival in New Orleans and our hotel staff told us to use public transit to get there but said that it would be dangerous to wait at bus stops for pickups upon our return and they gave us the numbers for a cab company for the return. We hadn't realized how deserted those bus stops would be at night on streets that are busy in the day.

[@anthonydavis3424]

Blacks

[@karenuhrich9683]

Great video, Mark! Thank you! I am learning the ropes through you and making notes for all my future travels. I just discovered that if I book separate one way flights instead of doing return flights when booking with airlines, it is often cheaper. I just saved over $200 doing this for my flight from Canada to London.

[@renat1786]

Also 2 separate flights might be better as they are not dependent from each other, for return flights if one is late on the first flight, return flight is lost too because of "no show" rule from airlines

[@woltersworld]

Sometimes it does work. Search various options.

[@ianprince1698]

UK railways offer their cheap tickets first so they charge the top price on the day of travel

[@Sketchbook9999]

Hi there thankyou. But Have u been to Equador?

[@jennysjourney02]

Another thing that saves money, and maybe this is obvious, is not buying souvenirs. If I do it's something I can use, it's small for space, and is under a dollar amount depending on my budget. Especially in touristy areas it can be ridiculously expensive. Thanks for these budget tips. I'm hoping to start traveling international in the next year or so.

[@woltersworld]

Yes! I did a presentation this week on budget tips and I had that in my list of tips. Get 1 nice one instead of tons of crappy ones or if want to get something for friends. Send them postcards instead.

[@picobello99]

​@@woltersworld But first do your research before sending postcards. It can be expensive and a waste of time. I had to wait for an hour in an over crowded post office one time and then it would cost €40 to send 5 cards. That was a bit too much for me.

[@Charlotte-bc7vj]

@@picobello99 wow!! Where was there? 😱

[@pianocrisante90]

If you want to save money on your phone bill, buy a local SIM card. Because when you go to another country your mobile phone goes into world roaming which can add on very high fees. As an Australian who travels to Italy every year, I have 2 SIM cards: one for Australia and one for Italy, and I can save money that way. 0:15:40

[@SteveInNEPA1]

As a retired travel planner and hotelier, I find your content well researched and expertly presented. I had to smile the other day when you said Switzerland was the least friendly country, and on this video when you mention Switzerland as potentially breaking your budget. Why? After skiing in Davos back in the 80s when I was in my 20s, we booked a trip to the Alps for this June. It is expensive, but as you said in one video, knowing that going in will keep it fun. Thanks always for the great advice.

[@Brunette_Rapunzel]

I have found that taking the bus (in most cases, but not all!) is cheaper than the train or underground. What I do to save on food costs is, when I go to a new city, I try out one local restaurant so I can try the local specialty, then grocery shop for the rest of my stay in that city. Also, sometimes hostels are the way to go 9if you are young or traveling solo), but I've actually found that sometimes airbnbs are cheaper than hostels! It all comes down to doing your research! I highly agree on knowing your budget. It's very tempting to blow it quickly! :)

[@AndyPanayiotou27]

Great video of tips. I would add, some hotels have free cancellation up until even just 24 hours before you arrive. If the one you're eyeing does, go for a reservation. Even if you're not completely sure yet. Just don't forget to cancel if you end up not going. Also, check for municipality discounts for attractions. Turin, for example, offers 1, 2 and 3 day passes to museums and other attractions at a fixed/reduced price that can save you maybe even 50% compared to buying individual tickets. An extra general tip: consider you're trip to the airport and then trip to the hotel (or wherever you're staying) when trying to manage your phone battery life. Budget airplanes and sometimes buses, trains and metros don't have a way to charge your phone. A power bank is worth it. Giving my experience going to Turin again, a 3.5-4 hour flight was an 11 hour trip when considering going to the airport and getting from Milan's airport to my hotel in Turin.

[@TheGlitterGlobe]

Great tips! I watched twice to make sure I didn’t miss anything! Travel takes homework and patience! A flight tip I’ve discovered is to always check round trip and one-way tickets. I just booked NY to Athens and back with two one way tickets and it was a huge savings! Another thing I found was to check multiple airports. I leave from a small commuter airport anyway so it’s always a hassle (connections/flight changes/cancelled flights), so sometimes it’s worth it to check multiple airports and ways to get somewhere. One year I flew NY to Chicago to Athens. Absurd? Half the cost!

[@jackedwards3164]

I hate layovers so I book my travels so each layover city becomes another destination to visit enroute to my ultimate destination. Adding an extra day or two in the layover city helps eliminate travel fatigue and the time wasted sitting in an airport.

[@atomicpuma492]

$700 bill just for turning my phone on long enough to change my fantasy football lineup while we were on a cruise. Didn't make a call, didn't open a text, but they dinged me for every text that came to my phone and every missed call that buzzed. ATT was cool and removed the charges AFTER we got home and charged me the international fee. very cool, thanks ATT

[@kristie3592]

So along with the going grocery shopping: even if you don't have a fridge in your room bringing or buying some shelf stable breakfasts and lunches is a huge money saver especially if you are staying a while. A lot of things can be made with hot water from the coffee pot in your room (USA) like cup o soup, Ramen and oatmeal packets. Likewise if you are so inclined buying alcohol at the store is much more cost effective than buying it in a bar. Some sma things like yogurt or cheese can be kept chilled in an ice bucket with a towel over it. When we drive places we also bring a full sized cooler with us. We refill the ice at the hotel every morning before we get on the road. If we are traveling with kids we almost always rent a condo. They are like an apartment and have a kitchen and laundry facilities. That can make the difference between having to check a bag or not. If you can travel with just a carry-on you can usually check it free when boarding and you don't need to wait for luggage as checked carry-ons are returned as you leave the plane. In the USA if you don't have a car grocery delivery from Amazon or a local grocery store is a great alternative. I would also add that paying a bit more for your hotel is actually a good deal if you can walk to the attractions you want to go to. At Universal studios fast passes are included with their top tier hotel rooms. Even though we had a condo we booked a night at hard Rock just for the fast passes. The hotel room was $500, fast passes for four of us for 2 days was $1200. You can save $$$ buy carrying a water bottle with you instead of buying water. We really like the double walled metal ones. They stay cold all day. The big thing for us is that we travel differently when we take the kids as opposed to traveling as a couple. With the kids we are way more likely to drive because 4 plane tickets are more expensive than driving 1000 miles. If we are driving any distance we will often travel at night. This cuts down on hotels and restaurants en route. I'm naturally a night driver and my husband is an early riser. We switch off around daybreak. Hope this helps someone 🙂

[@betasequence4885]

Thanks heaps for this :) I'm a veteran traveller but (due to being spoiled rotten) my mum has done most of the planning. Super happy to get tips from the legend himself and his awesome family.

[@zaram131]

I know $20 is a lot for breakfast at a hotel, but I will say the hotel breakfasts in Switzerland were a highlight of the trip! They were incredible! I truly think it’s worth the money. We usually only ate 2 meals a day so felt like we could spend a bit more.

[@Kaiju_Traveler]

I use Airalo for cheap data phone coverage when I need it fast. Unusual get like 10gb and some minutes for $25

[@rebeccagutierrez1960]

Thanks, Mark, for all your great tips. I love shopping at local grocery stores for little food items and snacks near my hotel. I was in Portugal in August, 2022 and will return in April, 2023.

[@paulkoza8652]

Mark, this was excellent advice for the novice. My main effort is to do the research on the destination before I go. This has helped me see hidden sights and also to avoid traps.

[@coreymickanuik8199]

Really good tips to follow. I got burned just traveling to the US for a weekend from Canada with my cell provider, so lesson learned and now when I travel the first thing I do is make sure I am on a travel plan with my mobile provider. Great tip about not exchanging money at airports, they are a trap!

[@Lightningfootjones]

Great list! Here is another point in regards to redeeming your credit card points for flights or hotels or whatever: make sure you pay attention to how many points per dollar you are getting, it can vary drastically. I use AMEX travel, and if I redeem my points for a flight it is exactly 100 points per dollar. If I take those exact same points and use it for a hotel on the same service, it is like 140 points per dollar. So if I use my points for the flight then pay money for the hotel, I save way more than if I paid for the fight and you points for the hotel. Meanwhile I have incentive points from my job which are exactly the opposite, if I use them for a hotel I got a good value but if I use them for a flight I get hosed. These services are more than happy to let you waste your points because you weren’t paying attention!

[@magalig9026]

Thank you very much, Mark. I think the museum passes are worth it because they, in many cases, jump you to the front of the line, or no line.

[@woltersworld]

That's true. The tike saving nature can be worth more than money

[@AyaV18]

If you go to Japan, their ATMS at the airport have literally identical rates thats posted, vs going to an actual exchange counter who will give you a lot less.

[@Luv2tickt]

Traveling during different parts of the year. I'll give a great example. We're going to Cactus League Spring Training in a few weeks. About a week after we get back, there was a conference I was supposed to go to in Köln. It was around $150 cheaper to fly round trip to Germany than it was to fly from Milwaukee to Phoenix! Yes, it's spring training, so that's going to boost the prices...not to mention all the other issues going on. But it's also not exactly travel season in early spring for Germany. So...cheap tickets!

[@karenmarr7266]

Excellent video. For #9, public transportation. You've traveled to a new place and being on public transportation lets you rub shoulder with the locals, and see how they do it. Being in an Uber (for example) keeps you in a bubble of isolation.

[@austinmarch6357]

Great video! Going on my first trip abroad soon, so this will be very helpful.

[@jettenielsen4951]

About travel seasons, I would add also check for local holidays.

[@tjaspire]

I ordered my foreign currency ahead of time through B of A. They charged me no fees!

[@MsTimelady71]

I'm going to have to dispute the "not paying for breakfast" part. In Spain, I was cheap and didn't pay for breakfast at my hotel. But I am an early riser and absolute nothing was open at 8:00am. I spent so much time walking instead of just paying for breakfast. Plus if you have children who are hungry it makes a lot more sense to pay for all-you-can-eat hotel breakfast.

[@oooh19]

Not all hotels offer breakfast 🥞 but many do

[@oooh19]

I’m shocked that cafes weren’t open

[@dianehenry-ee6hr]

Once again, great tips Mark! I always do the research on our travel destinations to find the best value while traveling. We always use public transport. Also also, if the destination offers a city pass, we grab it for the savings.

[@andreamaronn4510]

I like to travel in the slower seasons and have found that, if I book my accommodations early, I usually get a discount (dropped cleaning or service fees, etc.) without even asking. 👍

[@labtechsuperstar]

Awesome video! I am also a big Lisbon fan...I have been twice so far and am going back in the summer. I have to say that taxis in Lisbon are inexpensive and can save you time. In fact, we had one driver and he was just fabulous! We needed to go to a Staples to get bubble wrap to pack up fragile stuff for the trip home. Not only did he take us there, but he went with us into the store, helped us get what we needed and drove us back! I can't recall what that cost, but it was very reasonable. I do want to ride on a tram though when I go back. I'm all about the points programs...I have had several flights on points or upgraded because of 'status'. Thanks for these tips!

[@woltersworld]

Awesome!

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

I'm not a morning person but... if a hotel has free breakfast, I ALWAYS wake my butt up, get the breakfast, and then go back to sleep. 😄 That always tides me over until late lunch time and saves me time and money having to go to a restaurant when I'm out sightseeing.

[@jenniferalbert910]

These are GREAT tips!

[@woltersworld]

Thank you jennifer!

[@durhamskywriter]

re: public transportation: When planning for a conference, bus and metro routes affect my choice of hotels. I watch instructional KZbin videos, download the transit apps, and purchase the transit cards/passes online. I saved a bundle by getting a senior transit card when I visited Los Angeles last year.

[@babsr8479]

I did the multi destination airplane ✈ ticket. I flew into London, took the Eurostar to Paris and flew back from Paris. London is quite expensive so I did less time there and more in Paris, but I did manage a play in Piccadilly Circus. I got last minute tickets and saved that way.

[@eimundhaugan235]

As a Norwegian traveling to Sweden this summer its amazing how I dont have to worry about exchange rate! (Norwegian Krone and Swedish Krona is almost 1:1)

[@alexmcleod9997]

One thing I did when I was in Thailand I had a new Sim card put in my phone during my time there so I could use it like normal and so that I would not have to rack up a huge bill. When I got back to United States I put my regular Sim card back in, and there was no crazy bill

[@StarryRoses]

I haven't watched anything from you in a while but here I am today and boy your subs number has blown up! I can't believe you're running towards a million 😁 so happy for y'all! I think you were one of my first channels and way back in the scratchy video days. Thank you for doing what you love and sharing it with us. You've been one of my biggest inspirations for developing my own channel. 🙏💖

[@bixwilliams6719]

5:40 very happy to hear Leeds of all places get a mention. We do have buses running from that time however😏

[@catalinacurio]

Best budget tip, have a Portuguese sister in law who’s large family and friends cook in large quantities when I visit. And go to the markets, there is a fantastic farmers market in Estremoz, the food is so good I’m salivating. 😊.

[@ronaldulibarri9498]

All of this is SOLID advice that we've proven to be true over the years. Thanks Mark!

[@woltersworld]

Thank you Ronald. I appreciate that. Hope you are doing well.

[@cijmo]

For my fellow Canadians - you may not know this but Scene gives travel points. I never use my Scene points so last year, the guy at the theatre told me that I have 830,000 points (my debit card is Scene as well) and I bought a round trip to London.

[@woltersworld]

That's cool

[@swicheroo1]

I don't go crazy on crap souvenirs. I just identify something amazing that I want (this time it's some knives in Japan). And unless the trip is a gastronomic trip, I will try to self-cater a few meals using local ingredients to keep costs low (which is why Airbnb's can be economical).

[@abelquiron2653]

I am a seasoned traveller and I think you have nailed it. Congratulations.

[@cicco5833]

We always book via Airbnb even if it’s for a single night. We travel with a cooler bag to pack a few groceries and will cook at home to save a few dollars. It’s fun to go grocery shopping in other countries and try some new foods.

[@yaowsers77]

thanks to mark, i drank very little soda in milan! haha they were in the midst of a heat wave anyway so water was a better bet. tap water. plus all the free fountains. and thank god i watched about how to use the atms. you are a life saver! followed all of his tips in this video and made life so much easier.

[@woltersworld]

Glad to help :) have a great weekend

[@cindy-ml7vo]

I have a friend that never came with me to Greece(I'm greek) because of the after 3 days, fish stink theory. If your foreign friend tells you, we can go for 2 weeks, it will be fine, GO! They know who you'll be staying with, the family with the extra room.

[@Fan652w]

If you are visiting a major European city and are going to use a lot of public transportation, always buy a period ticket (eg one day, three days, seven days) valid on all forms of public transportation. This makes things both cheaper and easier. However, one word of warning about public transport in Britain OUTSIDE LONDON. AS A GENERAL (BUT NOT INVARIABLE) RULE, public transport period tickets are only valid on the vehicles of the operator who issued the ticket. Eg, in Nottingham where I live, a one-day ticket on Nottingham City Buses is not valid on Trentbarton buses, nor on the (excellent) Nottingham trams.

[@odisseaskipriotis]

Very good and valid tips Wolter! Personally when I travel, I search for bakery-small market and farmacy (apteka-apotheke) close to my hotel, so I can easily find cheaper breakfast and coffe, but also buy some food or medicine, without last minute search.

[@estellelegault5312]

Hello. My husband has been following your vlog for some time. I sometime viewed some as he would share the ones that would interest me. I am the world travel planner in our family so all experiences, and hints are quite useful. Loved this video and have now Subscribed. 🙂 For phones I usually get a local SIM card « monthly » package. This seems like excessive when only there for 14 to 21 days but I find this very comforting. It usually cost me less then $40 CAD.

[@woltersworld]

Yes. If you are staying in one country for awhile it can make big time economic sense

[@OTseven]

Always a joy. Surprisingly learned several tips I'd never thought of before. Thank you

[@kimmontenegro2258]

When traveling in the US and have a rental car, I look for a Dollar Tree and stock up on snacks, gallon of water, and drinks there. This way I always have something at the ready if I'm hungry or thirsty. If I have to park the car in a city, look for early bird specials since those can save a lot of money. Another consideration is to head to the event via public transportation and then get a car once needed away from the airport. Did that in Philadelphia this year. Saved me a couple of hundred dollars.

[@nealweeks6632]

Yes, Charles Schawb.

[@nathanjw940]

Another tip can you travel in your area? Has there been a museum that you keep passing up? Is there somewhere within driving distance you haven't done? Maybe you do Europe in May and something closer in the summer

[@woltersworld]

Yes! Travel local can save a lot and you get to know your area better