Thread by @hey_ciara

Y’all REALLY tryna travel in 2019?? I got you.

We’re covering everything today - flights, accommodation, activities, EVERYTHING!

Here’s a thread on how I’ve traveled to over 30 countries for the low:

I’ve flown to Europe for under $450 more times than I can count.

I’ve found flights as low as $8.

I’ve traveled without paying for hotels, flights or activities..aka for free.

I've saved thousands using these tips.

But in 2019, we’re ALL catching flights. Let’s go.

Let’s start with FLIGHTS

I think we all know by now Google.com/flights is the GOAT. If you missed it, I’ll explain why really quickly. But don’t listen to me...try for yourself.

You can see the price for every single day to make sure you’re getting the best price.

With the @Skyscanner app you can use the ‘everywhere’ function to search

Choose your departing city
Enter ‘Everywhere’ as your destination
It’ll choose the cheapest place, month, and even city to fly into.

PURE GOLD

anrdoezrs.net/click-8506495-…

But don’t stop there, COMPARE. Look at @kiwi @kayak @agoda & direct airline sites!

Set price alerts so you know when prices drop with @hopper.

Search separate legs with @Skiplagged

You can basically play flight roulette to search the cheapest months, dates, locations, etc.

Follow twitter accounts like @scottsflights @airfarewatchdog @theflightdeal

They tweet out flight deals & glitches on the regular. Or sign up for email newsletters Be ready for that deal!

How I’ve never paid more than $500 for a RT flight to Europe: dpbolvw.net/click-8506495-…

Major key : search often. If you search often, you’ll know if you’re getting a really good deal OR if you’re actually getting played.

Be flexible with dates, be open to different locations, departure & arrival airports, airlines and compare prices often.

Searching in Incognito mode(via Google Chrome) prevents airline sites from tracking your search history.

Book now & think later. Remember that most US airlines & booking sites have a 24 hour cancellation policy. You've got 24 hours to cancel a deal if you don't wnat it.

Location, location. Where are you going?

I’ve spent less than $1200 a month traveling in South East Asia & parts of Central America.

Places like Australia, the US, & Western Europe will be way more expensive than Central America, , South East Asia, Eastern Europe, etc.

People travel to Thailand & live, eat, sleep & have fun for a month on what people in the US pay for rent. Cost of living is extremely different.

When you add up in-country costs, it could cost you less to visit somewhere like Bali than it would Miami or Los Angeles.

Let’s talk about Accomodation

With @Airbnb you get really unique places, a local feel, and just overall better range in prices for the budget traveler to the luxury traveler.

Plus you can give friends your code & you both save! Here’s $40 off airbnb.com/c/cjohnson3271

Hostels are a big reason many people can travel.

Why pay hundreds for a hotel when you can pay $10-$25 a night, or less? You’re only sleeping there.

You can book a private room, & still meet other travelers. Perfect for solo travelers! Check rooms & reviews on @hostelworld.

HOTELS

Use @hoteltonight to find discounted hotels.

Check to see if the hotel covers
free breakfast
airport shuttle
a central location
overnight parking
includes wi/fi
etc. to save

Become loyal to a site like @bookingcom to get member-only deals.
booking.com/s/34_6/heycia13

Are you a military, AAA, or AARP member? Check for discounts EVERYWHERE, but espeically on hotels and even on car rentals?

I use my military ID and AAA everytime I check hotel prices.

$50 off a hotel booking: refer.hotels.com/x/aXpGvy

USE @HONEY for hotels.

ok. this is amazing. this plug-in finds every coupon code on the internet & applies it to your check out. You can use it on travel websites.

They have a hotel portal and it applies coupon codes to ALL of the cheapest bookings. joinhoney.com/ref/n5bs2ec

Know When To Go

Just like most industries, travel has a low season and high season.  Prices can nearly triple around holidays and big events.

Before booking travel during low season, do some research to determine why it is low season.

You can even volunteer around the world in exchange for a place to stay.

Check @Workaway and @worldpackers for random jobs that will give you a room & possibly meals for working 4-5 hours a day!

I volunteered on a 5 day sailing trip & saved $450

Are you a photographer? Writer? Videographer? Think about what skills you can offer to hotels or companies in exchange for accommodation! Be resourceful!

I’m a paid travel writer & I work remotely, so I can travel anywhere while still earning. I found my gig on @thepennyhoarder

Create a travel savings account. I use digit. Money automatically deposits from my checking account into the app and I never notice.

digit.co/r/W1Zx6-975Q?wn

Are you in college? Study abroad, ask your school about scholarships. Scholarships helped me study abroad in Panama and India.

Sometimes a semester exchange is actually cheaper than your schools tuition.

You never know until you ask.

Join #teamcarryon

You won’t pay luggage fees with a carryon & you might get cheaper flights.

If you travel light, check out budget airlines like Frontier, Ryanair, Etc. you won’t be gettin' free peanuts, but you'll save $$.

$20 @away coupon fbuy.me/kWrR1

If you’re a student, take advantage of sites like @studentuniverse and @statravel to find cheap deals!

If you’re under 26, these website have special deals and offers - oh and coupon codes.

Heres $20 off an international flight departing from the US: refer.studentuniverse.com/s/ciara18

Use sites like @ebates to get cash back on purchases that you make on travel booking websites like @expedia.

ebates.com/r/HEYCIA2?eeid…

Avoid taxis like the plague - take @Uber or local transportation.

Uber and @Lyft are almost always cheaper than Taxis, especially since they have shared ride options.

If you fly to a country or live in a country that’s in Europe, you can really visit different countries for the low.

I once paid around 6 euros(pic for receipts) for a @Ryanair flight!

Or you can take @FlixBus from county to county for less than 20 euros. Y’all got it made!

Think about all the things you can do for free or reallyyyyy cheap abroad

live street music
beautiful beaches
simply wandering around
hiking
bike riding
etc.

These activities are priceless, so activities don’t have to be crazy expensive

Eat local. Go to the local markets OR

just walk a few streets back from the tourists sports for cheaper & usually better food!

If you’re traveling long term, it helps to have a kitchen. That’s where Airbnb or a rental apartment/home would help you save.

Time is money, so let’s talk about time.

A 3 day trip is better than no trip. Use 2 weekend days & 1 vacation day.

Take a quick road trip, visit the next town over. ANY change in scenery could be super beneficial & also low cost.

heyciara.com/blog/waystotra…

Planning a trip yourself will likely be cheaper than booking with a tour.

But maybe you don’t have the time or know how to plan though - check @Groupon or @gadventuers for @Intrepid for affordable group trips!

Data Plans

To save on International data, I have @TMobile . Texting & 3G data is free for me, pretty much everywhere.

Otherwise, put your phone on airplane mode & only use WiFi at accommodations, restaurants, etc.

GET TRAVEL INSURANCE

On my trip through Central America I got robbed $1000 was reimbursed to me. You never know. Travel insurance can save you a lot in the long run.

You never know what could happen.

worldnomads.com/travel-insuran…

Think about what travel means to you. Is it about luxury? That’s cool but It may be a little more pricey!

If it’s simply about meeting people, learning about cultures or languages, stepping outside of your comfort zone, you can definitely make it happen on the low.

Take advantage of referral codes. The easiest way to save $$$ when booking flights, hotels, transportation, etc.

heyciara.com/blog/referralc…

Gett A Travel Credit Card.

I have the @Chase Sapphire reserve & I've gotten 4+ free flights using the card, free global entry(includes TSA precheck), a $300 yearly credit to use on flights or anything travel related, included travel + health insurance, airport lounge acces, etc

if you’re just looking for more photos, tips, stories & info about travel, budget travel, solo travel, etc. Follow on instagram.com/hey_ciara or heyciara.com

All of these resources have helped me travel the world WITHOUT being rich.

With alot of research and strategy, I hope these tips help you meet your travel goals in 2019. Happy travels!

I’d recommend playing around with each & seeing which ones you like best!

Everyone has their favorites. Just experiment to see which ones you enjoy most!