20 best ways to save money on holidays

1. Visit the local tourist information office and get brochures for tours they have on offer. Then do them
   

   Chapman’s Peak Cape Town

   yourself for free. Walking tours are also usually cheaper than bus tours. Sure,
   they take a bit longer, but you get to explore a city or the countryside up close and personal, and you get some exercise.

2. Use local public transport. Catch a bus or train to the furtherest end of the city and back to get a sense of what the whole city looks like. A day pass allows you to hop on and off to
   explore sections of a city.
3. No need to eat at restaurants or cafes. Pack snacks such as dried fruit and nuts in your backpack or buy a sandwich and a bottle of water at a supermarket.
4. Save on Wi-Fi costs by having a coffee at a Starbucks or at a cafe with free Internet access. They often have free newspapers so you can read the local goings-on too.
5. You don’t need to buy a travel guide. Visit your local library and take out a travel book for your
   

   Minstrels marching through Bo Kaap in Cape Town

   destination. You can also try Lonely Planet or Wiki Travel for free on-line travel
   guidance.

6. If local tap water is safe to drink, then refill your water bottle at the end of every day.
7. B + B’s are often cheaper than hotels and include basics such as Wi-Fi that many hotels consider extras. More often than not, you can stay at a B + B for less, or not much more,
   than a Backpacker place. And B + B’s are safer than a Backpacker spot, as you are not sharing amenities and rooms with unknown people.
8. You can go online to find out just about everything from where to go, restaurant reviews or weather reports with regard to your holiday location. There is no need to buy local
   restaurant and wine guides.
9. Eat in your room. Get yourself a healthy take-out meal plus a great bottle of wine from a supermarket and skip overpriced restaurants, plus taxis and tips, by eating in.
10. There are always plenty of free museums. Avoid the ones that make you pay.
    

    Sand dunes in Hout Bay Cape Town

11. Book in advance. There are often huge savings to be made by booking in the right window period. Think long haul bus trips, train trips, car hire and flights. They all have early bird
    specials.
12. Many credit cards and insurance companies have free health travel insurance. Find out what you are eligible for.
13. It should be obvious but hiring a smaller car is cheaper and lighter on petrol than a big gas-guzzler.
14. Avoid travel agents. Booking yourself and booking on-line is always cheaper.
15. Don’t look for a taxi when you arrive at your destination. Most major cities have an airport shuttle bus or train service. Use keywords to do an online search for the best one at an
    airport. Taxis are much more expensive than public transport. Most taxi drivers are surly and unhelpful too.
16. Consider self-catering if you have 3 or more days in one place. You may well find your accommodation also comes with a washing machine. You save on laundry costs too.
17. Travel credit cards and traveler’s cheques don’t always work out cheaper. You are paying twice to
    

    Vineyards at Delheim outside Cape Town

    change your money. We pre-arrange with the bank to clear our debit and credit
    cards so we can use them when we travel. We’ve been able to draw cash out of a “hole in the wall” in locations such as Thailand and India. The only thing to remember is your daily limit.
    Do the maths and work out what it will be in local currency. Credit cards are also safer. You can always query a transaction with your bank if things go wrong.

18. Look for holiday specials. A Google search will yield some surprising specials. Use keywords like bargain, specials or budget and see what comes up. Many spas have off-peak
    rates and shipping companies sometimes do specials when the ships travel unusual routes.
19. Join all the loyalty programs that you possibly can. It costs nothing to fill in the forms. You may score a free flight or hotel discounts that way.
20. If you are up to it, camping is by far the cheapest way to see a country. It should be obvious; but make sure you pick warm months and avoid the rainy seasons when doing a
    camping trip.