Planning a successful trip takes time and a clear sense of what you want from your travels. These days, it pays to get familiar with smart travel and the challenges that come with it. Read the article and find answers to your most pressing questions about planning an affordable trip and the costs involved.
Plan ahead
Try not to leave everything to the last minute. First, figure out your goals and needs. Booking accommodation or transport well in advance lets you find interesting deals and avoid overpaying. Compare prices, make a packing list, and look for interesting sights that might catch your interest at your destination. Remember that buying tickets in advance can significantly cut your costs.
Travel with a group
Everyone knows that traveling in numbers is always cheaper. It's often more cost-effective to buy group tickets or share accommodation, splitting the costs among several people. Planning together and sharing responsibility also makes organizing the trip easier and saves time and energy. Plan your trip with friends or family and take advantage of attractive group deals.
Save for your trip and keep your spending under control
Feel financially stable before you travel. Avoid a situation where your money starts running low before the trip even begins. Draw up a budget and decide how much to transfer to a savings account for your trip. The funds you save will help you fulfill your travel dreams. Keeping an eye on your spending is key when heading off on a trip. Set your budget before making any purchases and buy only what you need. If you absolutely have to make a purchase, look for deals on store websites or at ESTO Market (esto.ee/market).
If you don't have enough savings or budget, use ESTO's Pay Later solutions. Don't deny yourself the joy of travel. Check out our offer and see how you can use several attractive payment options, such as ESTO's 3-part payment solution, where you pay for your purchase in three equal instalments over three months with no extra costs.
How to save money for a family trip?
Want to travel with your kids but worried about extra, unexpected costs? Don't worry. Keep an eye out for good deals. Most attractions and accommodations offer discounts for children, students, or seniors. Look into these options before your trip.
When planning your meals, consider cooking for yourself. Renting an apartment with a kitchen lets you cook where you're staying, which is naturally much cheaper than eating out at restaurants. You can also try local markets or grocery stores to stock up on fresh food and cook more affordably.
When looking for accommodation, pay attention to proximity to major attractions and the city center. Traveling with a large group helps cut transport costs. Where possible, it's better to walk or use public transport than spend money on taxis or a rental car.
How to find cheap flights?
Finding cheap flights is a challenge for anyone who wants to travel.
Timing matters a lot when hunting for good deals. Plan your trips ahead and compare prices across different airlines. Besides last-minute tickets, it's worth checking prices up to six months in advance! Also keep an eye on local public holidays or events that draw large numbers of locals and tourists — that's when tickets get expensive.
During the summer season, it's generally very hard to find good deals. It's worth looking for deals for travel from autumn to late spring, when most people are back in school or at work. Don't fix on a specific date, since sometimes a difference of just a few days can mean a significantly lower ticket price.
Look for good deals on sites like Skyscanner, Momondo, Expedia, or Kiwi.
Try following this advice when planning your next trip and see if you can travel for less!