When planning a vacation, it is more profitable not to buy ready-made tours, but to book flights, accommodation and excursions separately. Olga Matveeva, financial consultant of the X5 Package service, told socialbites.ca.
“It is very convenient to buy a fully organized tour because you will be absolutely sure of the most important thing – travel and accommodation. However, tour operators usually make full markups for the work of organizing holidays. You can completely delegate all matters to the tour operator and overpay, or you can plan everything yourself in advance and choose the best deals,” explained Matveeva.
The expert added that tickets should be searched not by an exact date, but by a time period of several days.
“Sometimes the difference in the cost of tickets to neighboring dates can be tens of thousands of rubles. Also, do not forget to order a transfer from the airport to the hotel in advance; a taxi will actually cost many times more,” Matveeva said.
According to the expert, you can also save money on your holiday by reducing your housing expenses.
“You can buy non-perishable food items in large quantities at once; many retailers offer discounts for this approach. Another option is to use cashback. For example, some banks offer a flat cashback on all purchases or the ability to select ‘products’ as an increased cashback category. There are also services that allow you to accumulate points and spend them at the same retail network,” the financial advisor said.
Also, visiting non-touristy places will help you save money.
“It’s no secret that prices in touristic places are often overpriced. It’s designed for travelers who find themselves in a new city or country for the first time and are unfamiliar with the area and its prices. Try to include places “for locals” in your route; this way you can save on food and get to know the culture better,” the expert advises.
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