7 Easy Ways to Make Your Dream Trip More Affordable

Bora Bora. The Maldives. Fiji. Bali. These destinations are what most people would consider ‘dream trips.’ But why do we call it a dream trip? Because most people think traveling to these places is something that can only be achieved in their dreams. People simply believe they could never afford to make these trips happen. Trust us, we know all too well how life can get in the way: we all have bills to pay, children to feed, and roofs to keep over our heads. That’s exactly why we believe you deserve to make that dream trip a reality. We aren’t saying that it will necessarily be cheap, but here are 7 easy ways to make your dream trip more affordable:

1. Cut Back On Unnecessary Spending

assorted variety of foods on plates on dining table

A penny saved is a penny earned, so they say. How many times do you buy a coffee before work or go out to eat in a week? According to The Simple Dollar, the average American spends about $232 a month dining outside of their home. If you take that money and deposit it into a travel account, you would have an extra $2700 saved up by the end of the year!!! How fast would you book your dream trip if you had an extra $2700 lying around?! We would be on a flight like…yesterday. So whether it’s eating out, going out for drinks every weekend, or excessively online shopping (like La), cutting back on these unnecessary expenses is an easy way to make your dream trip more affordable.

2. Consistently Check Flight Prices

We aren’t saying to sit on your computer all day refreshing the explore page of Google Flights, but consistently checking flight prices is an easy way to make your dream trip more affordable. With an app like Momondo or Hopper, you can turn on notifications for a specific flight. When you do this, they analyze the flight trends, and predict the best time for you to book. This way, you can take advantage of the least expensive flight, and be one step closer to being on the vacation of your dreams.

3. Use Rewards Programs

We have literally stayed in rooms for free, thanks to rewards programs. Enrolling in hotel loyalty programs like Hilton Honors, Wyndham Rewards, or Marriot Bonvoy, every time you have a qualifying stay, flight, or use your credit card, you can earn points to redeem for a free stay.

The same applies for airlines with their frequent flyer miles. For example, we fly often with Spirit Airlines because of their notably cheap flights. Each time we fly with them, we earn sky miles that can be used as currency for our future flights.

The easiest way to benefit from these programs is to earn rewards with a travel credit card. Even when you’re not traveling, you KNOW you will be spending money on bills, food, and allll of life’s other expenses. With a travel card, you can make your dream trip more affordable by using it to pay for things you’re going to spend money on anyway. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

4. Stay in Airbnb’s

As you travel, you’ll notice that hotels tend to be extremely expensive for the very little you get. Another easy way to make your dream trip more affordable is by staying in an Airbnb instead of a hotel. Not only do you get more space and amenties with Airbnb’s, but they also tend to be way cheaper than your average hotel. We have stayed in an entire apartment for only $41 a night in the heart of Tulum, Mexico, where most hotels were a minimum of $220 a night. Airbnb’s are especially recommended if you plan on bringing lots of people on your dream trip, which leads us to our next point…

5. Travel With a Group

The more the merrier (and less expensive)! Obviously, when you travel with a group, the price is split between everyone which makes it more affordable individually. On top of this, most companies offer huge savings for groups on rooms and activities. Not only can traveling with a group make your dream trip more affordable, but it can also make it more enjoyable…if you choose the right group to travel with!

6. Travel at Less Popular times

It’s no secret that traveling in the off season is way cheaper than traveling in the middle of peak season. Prices vary tremendously depending on the time of year and day of the week. A study from FareCompare shows that the cheapest day to buy a flight is Tuesday around 3 pm, because airlines release weekly sales around that time.

For hotels, the rates tend to be less expensive if you stay Sunday through Thursday as opposed to the weekend. According to AFAR, it even helps to search for your accommodation on certain days. For example, it’s cheaper to book on Friday than it is on Monday through Wednesday when everyone is typically searching. This one might take some work (and a calendar), but it can definitely help you make your dream trip more affordable!

7. Attend a Timeshare Presentation

We left attending a timeshare presentation last because it’s probably the most unorthodox way to make your dream trip more affordable…but it is a way! Yes, you may be subject to spending the longest “90 minutes” of your life, but attending a timeshare presentation could be totally worth it. As a premium for your time, some timeshare companies will offer you a free vacation. Nothing says affordable like free! On top of your incentive, you may even find that the lifestyle of travel timeshares can offer is just what you’re looking for. In this case, it’s a win win!

With these 7 tips, you’d be surprised to see how affordable some of your most dreamed of destinations can be. You’d be even more surprised at how easy it is to apply these tips to your life. The choice is yours: Will your dream trip remain a dream, or will you wake up and make it happen?