7 simple and effective hacks to save money while traveling in the USA
Cheapest Way To Travel In US:
- Use the incognito mode while researching on the browser.
- Take advantage of the $1 Megabus tickets
- Save on hotel by using tools provided by booking websites (details in this post).
- Get a city pass, it saves money as well as time.
- Leverage discounts provided by Metro rails
- Carry an electric skillet in case you are very particular about your food
- Use Coupon codes to get additional discounts
Easier said than done?? Not exactly, keep on reading for detailed steps on how to take advantage of the points mentioned above.
Table of Contents
Looking for the cheapest way to travel in the USA? Do you want to visit a lot of places but also do not want to spend tons of money?
No Problem!! You are in the right place!! In this post, I will be sharing few hacks and my personal experience of traveling. Keep on reading to know how to travel cheaply in the USA.
So let’s get started with the cheap travel options across the US!!
1. Browse for cheap travel options:
Always do the browsing/research/reiki for your ticket buying in incognito mode (Open chrome, press ctrl+shift+n).
This way browser cookies will not pass your search pattern to the provider and every time you get the benefit of a new visitor.
Some companies bump up the cost once they get confident that you have finalized on a particular deal based on our browsing pattern. I know, it’s weird but true.
2. Get cheap travel deals on a long-distance bus
i. If you can travel for just $1 by bus, why bother driving!!
Megabus have this cheap dollar option across the USA, Canada, and the UK.. go ahead and use it.
Places where Megabus are not available, get Flix Bus or Greyhound.
I traveled in Flixbus from Phoenix to Las Vegas for $20 Only on New year eve!!
Are you skeptical that you will not get this one-dollar deal? Read sure shot way to get $1 Megabus ticket
ii. Greyhound bus service is all across the US. Use it where MegaBus does not operate.
iii. Check for other cheap bus services in the area you are traveling. Flix bus is another cheap option if you are in Arizona.
Not a bus traveler? Read how to get the cheapest flight tickets
iv. Use your miles from Credit cards to get discounts on flights.
v. Take advantage of student’s discount, if eligible.
vi. Check out combo deals on Flights and Hotels.
vii. Use budget airline and carry minimum luggage
3. Save money on your stay
Easier said than done, right? Wrong!!
i. Couchsurf: This is not only cheap, but you can also meet many like-minded travelers. Check Couchsurf
ii. Stay in Hostel: Check the option of hostels in the area your plan to visit.
iii. Sleep while traveling: Another advantage of using the bus is you do not have to bother about driving.
Plan your trip in such a way that you do long-distance travel at night and get a nap (not a very comfortable idea though)
iv. Use online hotel booking tools: I always found good hotels at cheap prices on Priceline, try out the Priceline Pricebreaker tool to get at least 50% off on hotels!!
Book tickets not months in advance, but just 7-8 days in advance (this trick will not work if it’s a long weekend)
v. Use Craiglist, Airbnb to find cheap hotel rooms.
vi. Travel in a group so the cost gets distributed among all.
vii. Use loyalty programs to get free rooms on long stays.
4. Save with city pass:
Get a city pass for the city you are visiting for sightseeing, you can save a lot of money and time with these passes!!
Look for purchasing it online, you may get some good offers.
Tip: Do not book it for the first time itself, you will see the company give you a discount if you start your booking process but don’t complete it.
The company will reach out on your registered email with a discount after 2-3 days of your first visit to their website 😇.
5. Use public transportation:
Use Metro pass for commuting to your place of interest, most of the big cities allow the same pass in metro and bus, and the swipe is valid till 2-3 hours so you do not pay for the connecting bus or train!!
Use Hopstop or Google Maps to find transportation directions.
Drop your luggage at Radical Storage and enjoy the city without baggage!!
In the USA, long distance trains (Amtrack) are not cheap. The ticke prices increase as the day of travel nears. So in case you wish to travel Amtrack, better book well in advance.
6. Bonus tips on how to travel cheap in the US:
i. If you are very choosy in what you eat, carry an electric skillet & buy your raw/frozen food from the supermarket, heat/cook it at the hotel, and enjoy!!
ii. Another way is to get Extended Stay America hotels, they provide the attached kitchen and all utensils!!
iii. Avoid weekends: This single step could save you a lot of money, both in travel and accommodation. Plus you get less crowded where ever you go!! It’s a win-win situation.
7. Get a Bundle deal
Many companies like Priceline provides bundle deal that can save you additional money. Bundle deals can have:
- Flight and Car Rental Bundle
- Hotel and Car Rental Deals
- Car and Hotel bundle
- Check out Priceline Offers
8. Avoid un-necessary expenses
There are various expenses that may not be mandatory or can be avoided but are done just out of habit. Identify these expenses and get rid of them.
Check out the list of expenses you can avoid on airports
9. Visit free attractions
In all the cities, there are paid and free tourist attractions. List out the places like garden, museume etc that are free. It will save you tons of dollors.
Cheapest Way To Travel In The USA FAQ:
What is the cheapest way to book flight tickets?
The cheapest flight tickets can be found by tracking them on Skyscanner, GoogleFlights, and CheapOair.
Depending on which day of the week you are searching, you may get the cheapest airfare on either of these.
When to book Megabus tickets to get 1 dollar tickets?
You can get One dollar Megabus tickets by using fare finder (if time is not the constraint) else try it 3months in advance.
Conclusion:
Offseason=Lower cost!! This is like Newton’s unwrittne law 😉
Most of the steps mentioned in this post could save you money all across the world, irrespective of if you are traveling in the USA or Europe, or any other place.
Keep reading more posts on NoFrillTravel