Travelling solo anywhere in the world can be expensive, but particularly in westernized countries such as New Zealand where getting more for your cash can sometimes be difficult. Hotels, day trips, food, and even hostels cost more. There are some simple ways that you can cut the cost of your trip without living on a shoestring.
A lot of companies offer discounts for groups of two or more
If you can find other solo travellers who are looking to save money too, teaming up is a great way to get an extra saving with a tour booking company, especially if you haven’t booked it before you go. This is a particularly good way to save on the more expensive items, and the more people you can find to team up with the better. HINT: Get 8-10 people together for an organised trip and you can often get yours free!
When shopping for your accommodation, clothing and bags or equipment make sure you are getting the best price possible. There is always something you’ll be able to get for cheaper if you use this method, and you can use the cash you save for a nice meal, or put it towards a tour or experience that you’ve been thinking about. HINT: Use comparison sites, cashback sites and coupon code sites such as Flipit.
Eating out can be really expensive, especially if you do it every night. If you’re in accommodation that has a kitchen, use it so you can save some extra money. For this, hostels are the best (there are several that have double rooms if you want a bit of privacy) HINT: Use couchsurfing to meet locals and join in with some of their events too.
Using deal sites is a great way to save, and as long as you have a credit card, ordering online shouldn’t be a problem. You just need to be a little more organised and book things well in advance of your arrival to avoid missing out and dealing with the hassle of getting it refunded. The bonus is that there are plenty of things that you can book as a solo traveller at a discounted rate. Groupon is perfect for this.
Ask for a discount: This doesn’t always work, but it is always worth it to try, because the worst that can happen is that someone will say no. HINT: If you are a blogger suggest you might write an article about them.
What do you think? Have I missed anything?
What are your tips for saving extra money as a solo female traveller?
Thanks to Ashley Howe, herself an experienced Solo Backpacker for this article
