Costs can really ramp up when you’re on vacation – hotel prices can be extortionate, day trips break the bank, and those two-for-one cocktail offers can really add up over a two-week stay.
With the average price of a vacation rising, travelers everywhere are trying to find ways to budget and save a little cash.
Rising Flight prices, gas prices, hotel prices, and rental car prices together make for an intimidating challenge to keep costs down.
Unfortunately, you can add food prices to that list. Inflation has seen food prices rise this past year, putting more strain on households.
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How Does This Affect Your Vacation?
Well, those food price rises are having a real impact on restaurants, with many restaurants giving up on printing new menus since they keep having to increase prices due to inflation.
Since eating out regularly at restaurants is a fundamental part of many family vacations, this proves another financial hurdle to overcome.
So, What Can You Do?
Many people do not want to sacrifice that once-a-year vacation – they look forward to that relaxing time to travel to somewhere sunny near a beach or to explore a new, fascinating culture. They are willing to change their habits and compromise on their usual experiences to still enjoy the thrill of travel.
Staying in an Airbnb
Airbnb is a platform that allows people to rent other people’s homes for a vacation. It’s an online marketplace for homestays, allowing you to search for the right place for your vacation and facilitating the connection between you and the host.
Since its founding in 2008, booking with Airbnb has exploded in popularity as people enjoy finding unique places to stay at reasonable prices.
Staying in an Airbnb can be much cheaper than a traditional hotel. In general, Airbnb is cheaper than hotels because Airbnb does not have to pay for the overhead costs of a hotel or the general management of such a large operation.
There are a range of options on Airbnb, from sprawling villas to quaint apartments. For the thrifty, you can save money by:
- Negotiating with the hosts
- Booking during off-season
- Booking longer stays
- Booking an Airbnb in a slightly less touristy area
- Referring a friend through Airbnb (you can get discounts)
Airbnb – Your Home During Your Stay
The fact that you are staying in an Airbnb instead of a hotel can shift your mentality. It can help lean you toward money-saving activities, particularly for longer-term stays at an Airbnb.
For instance, if you are traveling and planning to stay somewhere for a while, it is not cost-effective to keep eating out at restaurants.
Instead, order your shopping online to get delivered to your Airbnb so you can make the most of your kitchen and save some money while you’re at it.
With Instacart, you can get whatever you want from local stores, delivered directly to your door. You can stock up on food to take care of some of the meals during your vacation – a much more budget-friendly alternative to eating out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while traveling.
You can save even more money with an Instacart promo code to help bring down the price of your shop.