c/budget-travel-hacks

Found a $10 campsite near Moab last month that beat any hotel

I was driving through Utah last month and stumbled on a BLM spot just outside Moab for only $10 a night, no reservations needed. The view of the red rocks at sunrise was unreal, and I saved like $150 compared to the cheapest motel in town. Anyone know other good BLM sites near national parks that don't cost an arm and a leg?

Pro tip: Stay in university dorms during summer break

Heard a guy at the bus stop say he paid $35 a night for a private room at a university dorm in Barcelona last July. Has anyone else tried this during off season?

Got burned paying $45 for a hostel 'breakfast' that was just stale bread and instant coffee

I'd been grabbing those add-on breakfast deals for months until a local at a cafe in Prague told me I could get fresh pastries and real coffee for like $3 a block away. Anyone else find out the hard way that hostel upsells are rarely worth it?

Tried staying in a hostel pod with a shared bathroom and it actually saved me enough for a nice dinner

I was in Lisbon last month and booked one of those capsule style hostel pods instead of a private room. It was like 22 euros a night versus 55 for even the cheapest hotel. I thought the shared bathroom situation would be awful but honestly it was cleaner than some public restrooms I've seen. There were like 4 showers on my floor and I never had to wait more than 5 minutes. The pod itself had a little curtain and a locker underneath so I felt pretty secure with my stuff. I even met a guy from Australia who gave me tips on cheap places to eat. So I guess my advice is don't sleep on hostels if you're trying to stretch a budget. Has anyone else had a good experience with pod style hostels or am I just lucky?

Stop booking flights on Sunday nights - here's why it's costing you

That whole 'skip travel insurance to save money' advice backfired hard on our trip to Thailand.

I spent 14 hours stuck in a Bangkok hospital waiting for a doctor after a motorbike fender bender because I listened to folks saying insurance was a waste, and now I wouldn't skip it again for a 3-day weekend, let alone a month-long trip - has anyone else had a similar hospital nightmare change their mind?

Unpopular opinion: Hostel locking systems are a total scam

I stayed at a place in Barcelona last month that charged me 5 euros for a padlock at check in. Then I found out the locker hinges were so flimsy you could pop them with a credit card. Has anyone else just given up on hostel lockers and started carrying a simple travel cable lock instead?

Back in 2019 I had the best travel week ever on just $180

I spent a whole week in Lisbon sleeping at a friend's couch and eating mostly tinned fish and bread from Lidl. The highlight was walking up to the Castelo de São Jorge at sunrise with zero crowds and no entry fee because the gate was open. Anyone else have a week where everything just lined up perfectly like that?

The $19 hostel in Lisbon that changed how I book accommodations

I used to think hostels were all the same until I stayed at one near Alfama last summer. This place had actual curtains on the bunks and a free walking tour that saved me 40 euros. The difference was the owner spent his own money on real locks and outlets instead of fancy lobby decor. Why do so many budget spots think frills matter more than a decent night's sleep?

The $45 waterproof phone pouch I bought for Thailand turned out to be a floating brick of regret

It leaked on day two at Railay Beach and now I'm out $12 for a replacement screen, has anyone found a dry bag under $20 that actually works?

Can we talk about how I changed my mind on hostel dorms after overhearing a guy in Dublin

I always thought private rooms were the only way to go for safety, but last week in Dublin I heard this traveler talking about how he saved $400 over 10 nights by booking a 6-bed dorm instead. He said the lockers were solid and he met people who shared dinner tips. Now I'm wondering if I've been wasting money on privates for years. Has anyone else switched over to dorms later in their travels?

Hit 50 round-the-world flights this year and my credit score dropped 30 points from all the card applications

I signed up for 12 different travel rewards cards chasing sign-up bonuses for flights and hotels, and now my score tanked right when I was about to refinance my car - has anyone else dealt with this catch-22 of chasing points while wrecking your credit?

Brother in law swore booking flights on a Tuesday saved money...

I tried it for 3 months straight and tracked every fare and it actually saved me about $40 per ticket to Europe... has anyone else tested whether that myth holds up or just got lucky like me?

Picked a hostel over a cheap motel in Austin and it changed how I travel

I was planning a 4 day trip to Austin last month and had to choose between a $50 motel off I-35 or a $30 bunk at a hostel downtown. The motel had its own room and a TV, but the hostel had free breakfast and was walking distance to everything. I went with the hostel because I figured I could spend the extra cash on food and drinks instead. Best decision honestly. The place had lockers for my stuff, I met a guy from Sweden who showed me this taco spot that wasn't even on Google Maps, and I saved like $80 total over the trip. The only downside was sharing a bathroom but it was clean enough. Has anyone else picked a hostel over a private room and ended up loving it more?

Hot take: hostels aren't always the money saver people claim

Stayed at a hostel in Barcelona last month that cost $45 a night and I had to share a room with 6 strangers. You can find actual hotels on the outskirts for $50-60 that give you privacy and your own bathroom. Did the math and after buying earplugs, lockers, and breakfast since the hostel had nothing, I basically broke even. Anyone else notice hostel prices creeping up to hotel territory?

I finally looked up what hostels actually cost in 2005 vs now

Was reading an old travel forum from like 2008 and someone posted a hostel in Prague for $8 a night. Same hostel today is $28. I knew prices went up but that's more than triple lol. Found a breakdown on some budget travel blog that said the average hostel price globally has gone from $12 to $35 since 2010. Made me feel old remembering when I paid $10 for a dorm bed in Barcelona back in 2012. Has anyone else noticed their old budget trips would be way harder to do now?

Stumbled on a free food tour in Lisbon that changed how I eat abroad

I was walking through the Time Out Market in Lisbon last month and a local guy just started handing out samples of grilled sardines. He said follow me if you want more. I tagged along for 45 minutes through 4 different stalls - got cod cakes, pastel de nata, and a glass of vinho verde. Not a single euro spent. Has anyone else found random free walking food tours in other cities?

Had a hostel owner in Medellin tell me something that killed my whole budget strategy

I was chatting with this guy who runs a 12 bed dorm in El Poblado. He said most travelers waste money on transport because they stay in one spot and Uber everywhere instead of just walking. It hit different because I had just dropped $40 on cabs in two days going to places that were 10 blocks apart. Has anyone else caught themselves overspending on moving around instead of the actual trip stuff?

Booked a hostel private room instead of a hotel in Bangkok... kind of regret it

I spent $45 a night on a 'private room' at a hostel in Khao San Road thinking I'd save cash and still get sleep. Turns out the walls are paper thin and I heard someone's entire hookup saga at 2am. Has anyone actually found a quiet hostel private room or is it all a lie?

Shoutout to the hostel map trick I found in Prague

Spent two days walking in circles around Prague last spring. Wasting time on wrong buses and overpriced tourist routes. Then a guy at the hostel showed me how to use offline maps with pinned free walking tour routes. Saved me like 40 euros on transit alone. Anyone else have a random hostel tip that changed their trip?

Unpopular opinion: I thought booking flights on a Tuesday was a myth until I saved $180 on a trip to Denver

I tracked prices for a month and the fare actually dropped by almost 40% on a random Tuesday afternoon. What's the most you've ever saved by changing your booking day?

Tried booking a hotel in Prague two different ways

I needed a place for three nights and checked the hotel's own site first. It was 90 euros a night. Then I looked on a booking site that had a 'pay at the property' option for the same room, and it was 75. The difference was just paying later, which saved me 45 euros total. Has anyone else found that paying later is sometimes cheaper than paying up front?

I used to think travel insurance was a waste of money for cheap trips

I found a study from a travel site that said the average cost to get a tourist home from a foreign hospital is over $10,000. I read this after my friend got food poisoning in Mexico City and her hospital bill was $2,800. She paid $45 for basic travel insurance and they covered all of it. I always skipped it on budget flights, thinking I'd just be careful. Now I see it as a non-negotiable part of my trip cost, even for a weekend away. What's the cheapest but still decent travel insurance you've actually used?

My cheap travel pillow popped on a flight to Chicago, and I'm rethinking the whole 'buy the cheapest gear' idea.

It was a $7 inflatable pillow from a discount store, and it just gave out with a sad hiss somewhere over Ohio. I had to stuff my jacket under my head for the rest of the trip. Is it better to buy the absolute cheapest thing and replace it, or spend a bit more on something that might last a few trips? What's your rule for budget travel gear?

TIL people are still paying for airport lounge passes

Honestly, I just waited out a 4 hour layover in Denver using free terminal charging stations and a $6 sandwich I packed, while my buddy spent $50 on a lounge for the same wifi and coffee. Anyone have better free airport spots?