Flights

1. Use a comparison website

Our favourite website for doing flight research is Kayak. Their website allows you to select flexible dates for your search in order to get the cheapest combination of flights. They also provide an advice box at the side of the search, suggesting whether now is a good time to book or if those flights will become cheaper in the future. 

Once you’ve found the flights you want, it’s always a good idea to check whether you can get them cheaper elsewhere. You can do this by searching on another comparison site such as Skyscanner or going direct to the airline’s website.

2. Travel to a hub city

It’s usually cheapest to fly from London when departing from the UK, so it’s worth considering travelling there for your departure airport. Smaller airport are less likely to have a direct flight to your destination and who wants to be doing unnecessary transfers (especially if you’re only going to Europe!).  

Obviously travelling to London isn’t viable for everyone, but other major cities closer to your starting point may have cheap options, so it’s worth checking the fares from there too. When booking flights from airports further away don’t forget to add the cost of getting to them, whether that’s public transport or petrol and parking.

3. Take a coach instead

If you’re not in a rush, travelling by coach can be a brilliant low-cost alternative to flying. While journeys by road are usually longer, they’re often significantly cheaper – especially if you book in advance.

Websites like Trainline and FlixBus make it easy to compare prices, routes, and journey times for coaches across the UK and Europe. FlixBus in particular has a wide network and often offers tickets for just a few pounds, making it ideal for budget-conscious travellers.

Taking the coach doesn’t just save you money – it’s also one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel. If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint, swapping planes for coaches is a simple way to cut down on emissions, while still getting where you need to go.

It might not be the fastest option, but for flexible schedules and big savings, it’s well worth considering.

4. Train Travel

If you don’t want to take a plane and I know many people who prefer not to, then perhaps the train might be more suitable for you. It’s much faster than taking a coach and offers routes within the UK and across mainland Europe. While it's often more expensive than flying, booking in advance or travelling off-peak can get you the best deals.

We recommend that you use Trainline to search and compare train prices across different operators. The site makes it easy to spot cheaper ticket options and shows split fare suggestions that can lower the cost even further. If you’re planning to travel across Europe, it’s also worth checking out Eurail or Interrail passes – these can offer great value if you're visiting multiple countries.

It’s also worth considering trains when possible, as they are also a greener choice compared to planes or cars and you’ll often arrive right in the city centre without the extra time and cost of airport transfers. With comfortable seats, scenic views, and no need to worry about liquid limits, the train can be a smart and stress-free way to travel.

Airport Transfers

UK

An easy thing to forget to budget for and book is transport to your departing airport in the UK. Finding the best option in terms of cost and time is relatively easy. You can use the Uber app to find how much a taxi would cost from your starting point. The other option is to use public transport. Again, it is fairly easy to find the cost and travel time. Trainline.com covers all trains and alternative coach options. Buses may also be an option depending on which airport you are flying from. If you want to look into the bus option, google maps can be very useful at finding routes and from there you can find fares on the bus providers website. We don’t recommend trying to use the iconic London red buses, as they don’t run services direct to the London airports.

At Your Destination

Airport transfers in your country of arrival can be stressful and it’s worth planning your route before flying to avoid paying more than you need to. For our journey from the airport to our accommodation we normally google the route and choose the public transport option on google maps. Once we’ve chosen a route we simply click the ‘Details’ button and at the bottom there are links to the local transport websites for prices and timetables. 

You can also look on the Uber (or Grab and GoJek if travelling in Asia) app to compare prices with public transport option. You may also want to consider the convenience aspect of a taxi, especially if you’re travelling with large luggage bags!

Accommodation

If you're looking to cut down on accommodation costs, one of the best tricks is to widen your search area. We usually look at options within a 20–30 minute commute of the city centre. These areas often have much cheaper prices than the central tourist hotspots.

Before booking, weigh up the total cost — if public transport is expensive or unreliable, the savings might not be worth it. It's also worth considering how much your time is worth. If you're only visiting for a few days, you might prefer to spend less time commuting and a little more on your stay.

1. Airbnb

Airbnbs can offer great flexibility- with options to to rent a spare room in someone’s home or have an entire apartment to yourself. The cheapest listings are usually those where you stay with the host, which can be a lovely experience if you enjoy meeting locals and socialising in your downtime, but it’s not for everyone. If privacy is important to you, then we recommend making sure you filter for ‘entire properties’ when searching.

The ‘entire property’ rental options are pricier, but give you more space than a hotel room and having access to a kitchen means you can save money by cooking your own meals. This is especially useful in more expensive cities where eating out adds up quickly.

2. Hostels

Hostels are often the cheapest accommodation option, especially in big cities. They're ideal for solo travellers or anyone looking to meet other travellers. Many hostels offer social spaces, communal kitchens, and chill-out areas where it’s easy to bump into other people. However, you should bear in mind that shared dorms mean limited privacy, and they can be noisy with people coming and going. If you’re a light sleeper, make sure to make an eye mask and earplugs!

For groups, though, hostels can be a smart choice — booking an entire dorm for your travel party means you can take advantage of the cheap prices whilst already being familiar with your roommates.

3. Hotel comparison websites

Hotels offer more comfort and privacy than a hostel, often including an en-suite bathroom and daily housekeeping. They’re usually more expensive than hostels though, and similar in price to mid-range Airbnbs.

It’s worth remembering, however, that hotel rooms don’t come with kitchens, so you won't be able to cook meals and save on food costs. Some do include breakfast, which can be a good deal (and a time-saver) and you may decide to choose this option if you’re not a fan of cooking whilst on holiday! Hotels can be less cost-effective for solo travellers, though, as most rooms are double or twin rooms and priced for two people.

To get the best deals, we recommend that you use comparison sites like Booking.com or Hotels.com. These both offer rewards schemes that can help you save costs on future trips.

Food

Our favourite way to save money on food is by bringing some of it with us. We’ve been known to pack porridge, pasta, noodles or rice in our carry-on and sometimes even a tin of tuna or pot of pesto in our liquids bag! This tactic is completely dependent on our accommodation having cooking facilities though, or at least a socket where we can plug our travel kettle into (we’ve become quite expert at cooking meals with only a kettle and boiling water!). 

The other option is to find a grocery store or supermarket when you arrive. Even if you don’t want to cook all your meals and carry them about as packed lunches, you can still buy snacks to take with you each day. This will at least cut down on your food budget as snacking costs can soon add up! 

Seeing as eating out and enjoying the local cuisine is all part of the joy of travelling, we don’t think you should cut this out completely. There are smart ways to eat out. If you are staying in a B&B or hostel then you should be able to ask your hosts to recommend a good budget-friendly place to eat out. The other option is to try the street food. Many cities have a street food culture that can provide food cheaper than a sit-down restaurant. Street food is also a great way for everyone in your group to find something they love, as you don’t all have to buy food from the same vendor.

If you are trying to create your food budget for your next trip then we recommend using Priceoftravel.com. They cover most cities and we’ve found that their prices are usually representative of local costs.