Finding ways to travel on a budget is especially challenging these days, with prices rising on virtually everything. Fortunately, there are a number of apps that can help make your next vacation less expensive.
Apps can help you travel on a budget by monitoring prices, showing you how to avoid unnecessary costs, and keeping you connected with your loved ones for less money.
Keep reading to learn about the apps that can help you travel on a budget.
1. Monitor the Prices of Flights, Hotels & Car Rentals With Hopper
Booking air travel, hotels, and rental cars can be expensive and stressful. With the free Hopper app, which is available for iOS and Android devices, you can easily get the information you need for the best possible deals on cheap flights, lodging, and car rentals.
The Hopper app:
- Has collected data on trillions of flight, hotel, and rental car prices
- Analyzes this data to predict when prices will be the most affordable
- Will notify you when prices are at their lowest, so you can book right away
The Hopper app is consistently 95% accurate in its predictions, so you can rest assured you’re getting good prices.
2. Find Cheap Lodging With Hostelworld
No list of budget travel tips would be complete without information about affordable accommodations. For instance, staying in a hostel can be a great way to travel on a budget. Hostels are lower-priced forms of lodging that usually offer shared accommodations.
The free Hostelworld app will let you book your hostel from the convenience of your smartphone.
The Hostelworld app also:
- Has information on 36,00 properties in 170 countries
- Features photos, prices, availability, and reviews
- Can be used to find last-minute lodging
3. Save On Gas With the Help Of the Waze App
Gas is expensive. To save when filling your rental car’s tank, download the free Waze app. The app, which many consider more accurate and up-to-date than other similar travel apps, will show you the cheapest gas stations along your route.
The Waze app will also:
- Alert you about traffic issues like traffic, construction, and crashes
- Give you instant route changes to get you to your destination faster
- Play your favorite music and podcast apps to keep you entertained on the road
4. Monitor Flights Delays With FlightAware
Flight delays and cancellations can turn your plans to travel on a budget upside down. You may spend more time at the airport, where you’ll pay more for parking and meals at best. At worst, it can lead to extra accommodation and rebooking costs.
The free FlightAware app for iOS and Android devices tracks airlines and will notify you of any delays.
Use the app to:
- Get free flight status alerts
- Check for flight delays on the inbound flight
- Check the weather radar
5. Find the Best Airport Amenities With the FLIO App
Another great way to travel on a budget is to find the least expensive restaurants, gift shops, and other amenities in your airport. Fortunately, the free FLIO app will help you do just that.
Use the FLIO app to learn:
- What food options are available at your specific airport
- The most affordable airport shops
- Transportation options from the airport
The FLIO app will also let you know about flight delays, gate changes, boarding times, and baggage claim belt information.
6. Avoid Jet Lag With Timeshifter
Jet Lag can be so tiring that you may arrive at your destination ready to nap instead of seeing the sights. Or, you may be tempted to miss a couple of days of work (and pay) when you return home.
Luckily, the Timeshfter travel sleep app can help you feel awake and ready for the day while you’re away and when you return home.
Timeshifter gives you a personalized jet lag plan, which is a schedule centered around light exposure. The theory is that exposing yourself to light or dark at the right times will help your internal clock adjust to where you are and minimize jet lag.
The Timeshifter app is free for the first use and then available for a small fee per trip or a slightly larger fee that gets you unlimited trips for a year.
In order to create a personalized jet lag plan, the app uses your:
- Itinerary
- Sleep patterns
- Circadian rhythm information
All you need is a sleep mask and sunglasses to get started.
7. Stay On Schedule With the TripIt App
Vacation schedules can be busy, especially if you’re trying to maximize your dollars as you travel on a budget. But the free TripIt activity app will help you avoid missing out on key parts of your itinerary and make sure you always make your flight.
You simply forward your confirmation emails for things like your flight and rental car to plans@tripit.com, then in a few seconds the app will:
- Create a complete itinerary for your trip
- Send you reminders and alerts so you don’t miss anything
- Remind you when it’s time to leave for the airport
8. Find a Local Hotel for an Extended Layover With the Dayuse App
Extended layovers can make travel on a budget difficult. Just a few meals at airport restaurants can result in a serious dent in your vacation funds.
But the free Dayuse app is perfect if you travel on a budget because it will help you get out of the airport and into a local hotel, where you can enjoy the amenities just like all guests.
You can use the Dayuse app to:
- Book a room for a few hours during the day or evening
- Save up to 75% off the overnight price
- Cancel your stay for free if the layover ends up being shorter
You can bring the whole family along and grab a nap in a hotel bed, take a dip in the hotel pool, and watch television instead of being stuck at the airport.
9. Make Phone Calls in a Foreign Country With Rebtel
Making phone calls can be very pricey when traveling internationally. Thanks to the free Rebtel telephone travel app, you can save money while staying in touch with friends and family back home.
The Rebtel app will:
- Automatically find the most budget-friendly phone line for your call
- Continually analyze phone traffic to find the best prices
- Allow you to use any type of phone
10. Avoid Buying Forgotten Items With the PackPoint App
Forgetting to pack certain items is not only inconvenient but buying them at a store at your destination will also add to the cost of your trip. The PackPoint travel app, which is available for a small fee on iOS and Android devices, will help prevent this costly situation from happening.
The PackPoint app will organize what you need to bring on your vacation based on:
- The length of your stay
- The weather during your vacation
- What activities you’ve planned
You can use this app whenever you wish to create an organized packing list, from the night before, to a week ahead of time.
11. Find a Public Restroom With Flush Toilet Finder
When nature calls, you need to find a public restroom. The free Flush Toilet Finder app will help you quickly find free restrooms worldwide, so you can avoid buying needless coffees just to use the facilities.
Open the app and it will:
- Show you the nearest toilets
- Find out which ones are free, require a fee, or a key
- Give you directions to the public restroom of your choice
Apps Make Travel On a Budget Possible
Vacations can be fun and relaxing, but they can also be expensive. From finding deals on flights and lodging to being sure you pack all of your essential items and more, these apps help you travel on a budget with confidence.
