Vacation for Under $1000!

Getting away without spending a lot can be difficult. We did a bit of research for you to find ways to spend less than $1,000 on your next vacation. You don’t need to couch surf or beg a relative to let you sleep in their guest bedroom. Get away from having to see your friends or relatives in their pajamas!

Start by exchanging your home using Home Exchange. Then use one or all of these tips to ensure you get the most out of your vacation budget.

Save on Getting There or Getting Around

HomeExchanger Tip: Before you book a rental car or purchase a rail pass, check with your exchange partner. Perhaps they will include their car for your use while you’re in town. If you’re willing to exchange your car, update your profile. It might make your home that much more enticing to someone!

When you’re booking your flights, check for round the world ticket (RTW) options. If you’re planning a multi-destination trip, you can save thousands of dollars by booking through airline groups such as Star Alliance or One World. Other alternatives for cheap flights are available as well if you put in a little effort. Check out this article from Thrifty Nomads.

Also, before you leave, see if you can get a discount on train or bus services. For instance, if you’re traveling in Europe, check out the Eurail Global Pass. For one price, you’ll get unlimited travel on the railways of 33 countries for however many days you choose. These passes are only good for non-European residents!

If you’re visiting major cities, such as NY City, San Francisco, Barcelona, or Paris, be sure to check for tourist transportation passes. They can save you a lot of money!

Save on Food

Insider Tip: If you love to cook, find out from your exchange partner the best places to buy groceries. While you’re visiting, you can prepare some of your meals in your home away from home using the local delicacies. You can also ask your exchange partner for inexpensive but interesting places to eat out.

If you’re traveling in the United States, find a local grocery store and sign up for their club card. In many cases, like Krogers and Safeway, signing up for discounts is free by giving them a bit of information. Then when you’re in the store, look for the savings to add up!

Save on Money

When you need to get cash, you might want to steer clear of exchange centers. Oddly enough, we’ve found that some exchange centers have bad exchange rates, go figure. Do a quick search to find out where you will get the best exchange rate for your dollar. You can often find bank ATMs with good exchange rates. Do remember to use credit/debit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Save on Shopping

One word: duty-free. Some airports have duty-free shops where you can save quite a bit. Also, in the United States, check out sales around holidays. If you’re traveling in the Euro Zone (and some other countries), be sure to save your receipts so you can get your VAT refund at the airport. It’s worth the wait if you made enough purchases.

Save Off-Season

There’s nothing like Christmas in New York or seeing the Autumn leaves in Maine. However, you and everyone else will be there. Check out your travel destination in the off season.

Here’s another insider tip: Ask your home exchange partner when it is off-season in their area. He or she can point you in the direction of savings this way.

Save With Reward Points

Many credit card companies and airlines offer reward points or frequent flyer miles, and they often allow you to convert them. Did you know some will offer special promotions on transfer ratios? Here’s some great advice on taking advantage of reward points and miles.

Start your search for your next HomeExchange and save a ton on your next vacation!

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