There’s no question about it; travelling is expensive. Canadians especially can feel the cost of international travel when the cost of a flight seems to consume your entire budget.
However, there are a number of ways I make travel more affordable. From finding deals to long-term savings plans, here are some of the top ways I have made travel more accessible on a budget.
Note: I am not a financial advisor. These are tips and tricks to help you save money faster and more effectively, but should not be taken in place of professional financial advice. If you need assistance managing your finances more broadly, please speak to a financial advisor with your bank or brokerage firm.
1. Dedicated Travel Savings Account
One of the top ways that I’ve reduced the strain that travel can have on my wallet is through a dedicated travel savings account. About 4 years ago my partner and I decided to open a joint account that we both contribute to each month. This account funds our annual vacations, camping trips, and backpacking adventures.
By putting aside regular savings, we negate the strain of a large bill during our trips. This also makes it easier to prioritize money for travelling, as we have it literally separated from other funds. If you’re planning to travel more in 2026 but struggling to budget around your dream trip, consider creating a savings account for travel. You can contribute as much as you want per month, whether it’s $20 or $100.
2. Shopping Travel Deals
Before I book a flight, I spend weeks or even months tracking deals (but you don’t need to dedicate this much time!). I use Google Flights as a research tool to track flights to my destination and determine the best dates to travel. An added benefit of tracking dates on Google is the opportunity to compare prices compared to usual, or to watch the typical prices and get alerts when the cost goes down.
I find Google Flights to be one of the easiest tools to use to check for flight deals on various dates, as the Date Grid and Price Graph features make it easy to check for better prices if you adjust your departure and return dates. However, I always go to my chosen flight’s official website to book the trip.
I also research hotels and other accommodations via travel blogs, Google hotels, and other travel websites to find the best deals at nice places. I don’t stay at expensive 5-star hotels, but I do check reviews for high satisfaction and common complaints like noise, bed bugs, other dealbreakers. Hostels can be a great choice for an affordable place to stay, especially if you’re solo travelling. They can also be a good place to meet other travellers.
3. Collecting Travel Points
If you haven’t already, I would recommend signing up for a travel credit card. Your credit card should be giving you some type of perks, whether it’s cash back or points, but I’ve found a travel card to be beneficial, especially for prioritizing travel. Not only can you leverage your everyday purchases towards discounted flights, but many cards also offer a sizable joining bonus.
Our first travel card gave us a 60,000 point joining bonus, which covered the majority of our flights and hotels in Los Cabos last year. Collecting points outside the initial bonus can be slow if you don’t travel frequently, so make sure this is only a part of your money saving strategy.
Additionally, check for deals that your credit card may provide. Sometimes you can get discounts with certain hotels, even without using your points. Always check your card travel portal before booking through other means.
4. Mindful Consumption While Travelling
Travel gets the most expensive when you’re not paying attention to your budget while you’re on vacation. It’s easy to want to separate yourself from the day-to-day money stress and just “treat yourself” while you’re away. However, this can make that post-trip credit card bill feel so much worse.
I recommend doing some pre-trip planning to reduce your stress while on vacation. Beyond having flights and accommodations booked in advance, I like to research some activities and restaurants and pin them in Google Maps before I go. This makes it easy to decide where to go when I’m hungry, prevents getting stuck at expensive and touristy restaurants (that often disappoint), and helps you get an idea of how much things will cost at your destination.
While I’m resistant to planning a full itinerary when I travel, I find bookmarking specific spots a good medium between feeling over-planned and underprepared. As well, check with your hotel/accommodations before you arrive or during check in. They may have recommendations and may offer rentals that could help you save money. For example, our hotel in Cabo San Lucas offered beach umbrellas and towels for guests to borrow for free!
I also use public transit a lot while travelling. It can save a crazy amount of money to walk or take transit, compared to taxis, Ubers, and other private transportation options. For example, in Los Cabo the bus from the airport to Cabo San Lucas was $100 MXN per person. A taxi, on the other hand, cost around $1,400 MXN. In Europe, I never even look at Uber or taxi options, because public transit is typically faster as well as more affordable.
5. Making Travel a Priority
If you want to travel more on a budget, then you need to include travel into your monthly budget. That may mean looking for other spending areas you can reduce in order to save up for your trips. If travel is your priority, then saving for travel should be more important than other purchases and experiences. This means choosing not to update your wardrobe or opting for second-hand clothes or items instead.
For example, when my partner and I opened our travel saving account we also decided not to buy each other gifts anymore. Instead, we contribute the money we would have put towards a gift into our savings account. This grows our savings faster and eliminates buying things we don’t need. This may look different for everyone, but it may look like tucking birthday or holiday money away for travel rather than treating yourself right away.
6. Try Out Microadventures
Microadventures is a term that refers to small day or weekend trips that you can take near home on a small budget. Microadventures can be a great way to fulfill your travel urge when money is tight.
Even camping or backpacking could be considered a microadventure, as could a day trip to a nearby town or natural park. I spent lots of time in 2020 and 2021 doing day trips around Southern Alberta to scratch that travel itch during the pandemic. Nowadays, I mix local and international travel each year to keep exploring while working full time.