Top 4 tricks to know before booking a trip

TRICK #1: BOOK YOUR FLIGHT IN ADVANCE.

We all have those family members that try to convince you that booking your flight last minute is a good idea…… FALSE. Don't get me wrong, if you’re booking a vacay down south, in an all-inclusive resort, I get it. Booking last minute could come to your advantage.

But, if you know when you want to travel, it’s actually better to book your flight months  before you leave then waiting until the last 3 months. The longer you wait before you book, the more expensive the tickets can be.

You can easily save a couple of hundreds by booking as soon as you know when you leave. Here’s a little tip: If you’re not sure when you leave but still want to book your ticket in advance, make sure you know the cancellation policy. You wouldn’t want to lose all your money.

TRICK #2: KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET OFF YOUR FLIGHT.

During my travels, I’ve spoken to a lot of backpackers that love to go with the flow. Meaning not booking anything, from activities, to accommodations when they get to a new country. Now, if that's the way to love to travel, that's fine. BUT if you have a limited time, and so much things to see, I suggest you book (or at least know) your first accommodations before you leave home. You can save so much money if you know where you are going. Maybe the place you are staying offers airport transport, or offer discounts on activities.

TRICK #3: LEARN THE TRICKS

Everyone knows that you need the basics of the language you will be around during your trip. But also, you need to research a little bit of the culture before you get to your destination. Little things like tipping or dealing with cab drivers or shopping at markets, can be different according to the country you are in. Knowing that some restaurants include your tip in your bill can really help saving a couple bucks. Also knowing that you can negotiate with cab drivers can come in really handy!!!

TRICK #4: SAVE TIME

So this may not apply to all types of trips, but I might help a couple of you save money and time. One of the main problem I found while travelling is that I never have enough time to do all the things I really want to do. Specifically in a country that is vaste, some places can be really far apart, and can take you 10hours, or more to get to those destinations. Try and weigh the pros and cons of each places and once you have a top 5 (depending of course on the amount of time you have), research how to get there and the options of how to get there. In some countries, the airfare between different towns can be 10$ more that what a busfare can cost you, and can take 1 hour to get to your destination. So you save some travelling time!!!