One of the biggest complaints I always hear people going off about it how expensive travelling is. But the truth is that there are many ways to save money while travelling.  Here are just a couple of tips that I use that could knock off a couple line items from your budget.

• Plan Ahead– If you plan to fly long-haul, the best time to book is 3 months up to 1 month away. Ticket prices go up the close you get to your departure date.  Also, signing up for travel alerts and airlines will allow you to see specials. If flying domestic or all inclusive, last minute may be also an option but it is best to plan ahead and be flexible on dates.
• Grab as Friend – Save on hostels by sharing a simple two star hotel or a rent a vacation home.  If travelling solo, hostels are your best bet as you pay per bed.
• Stay outside the big cities – It’s cheaper to stay longer and travel between big city than to do a quick gateway to one destination. For example, if you plan on going to Andalusia in Spain, it is cheaper to stay in between Granada, Seville and Cordoba then inside those cities, even with an additional expense of a rental car.
• Learn to Drive Manual – Outside North America, renting an automatic car will automatically put you in a more luxury car with and expensive cost. The cost for renting a manual car from a local rental car agency can be as cheap as $10-$20 a day as oppose to $50+ for automatic for the same vehicle. If you do plan to rent an automatic, book it an hour or two prior to you planning to pick it up, you will most likely be upgraded to the next class than what you paid for as your car will be given away.
• Free Nights at Museums– Many museums around the world have one night a week where entrance is free and some offer discounts to students (ISIC card required) or have all the time free entrance. For example, Prada Museum has free nights 2 hours before close every day, British Museum is free, ROM museum in Toronto is free on Friday evenings.
• Eat Like Locals – It is often shocked me that some tourists will pay extra to have their steak and potatoes when they are by the sea with fresh and cheap seafood. It is cheaper to eat where locals eat, and to order what they order.
• Certain Destinations are going to break your budget – There are places no matter how you try to save money it will end up costing you a lot to stay there simply because of the exchange rate. For example, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Japan are probably not your first choice. However, if you must visit think, of creative ways to sightsee the place. In Norway, opt for a cruise where you can save on food, accommodation and transportation costs. In Switzerland stay in neighbouring places and in Japan opt for train pass, stay in local hostels and cook your own food.