Looking to travel this year, but do not want to break the bank? Do you like endless deals and savings? Is the word ‘FREE’ one of your favorite words of all time? If you found yourself saying, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” you have come to the right place!
I believe it was John Steinbeck that once said, “People don’t take trips… Trips take people.” But what Mr. Steinbeck forgot to mention was trips also take money; and depending on where you go, and what you do when you get there, it could be quite a big chunk of change out of your pocket when it’s all said and done. But with so many great travel destinations out there for people 50 and up, we want everyone to be able to travel without having their wallet run dry doing so. That is why we have done the research, and are happy to share the five best travel apps to help you save money the next time you are looking to travel around the world.
1. Getting There: Hipmunk
Hipmunk is one of the hottest, up-and-coming travel app out today. With great reviews from the likes of Time, Forbes, and CNN, Hipmunk will find you the best flights, and the best hotel deals, by comparing the prices on hundreds of top travel sites across the web. Hipmunk’s main goal is to help take out the agony when booking your next trip, by making the process faster and more efficient. When booking a flight, Hipmunk does not just look at price, but lists their results by “Agony” (primarily a combination of price, flight duration, and layovers). Like their flight results, Hipmunk lists their hotel results by “Ecstasy” (primarily a combination of price, amenities, and reviews). Additionally, who doesn’t love great deals? For flights, Hipmunk offers free fare alerts that will notify you when flight prices change. And for hotels, you can save up to 60% off hotels with exclusive last-minute deals (https://www.hipmunk.com).
2. Accommodations: HotelTonight
If you’re the spontaneous type, or just like to wait until the last minute to make decisions, HotelTonight is for you! HotelTonight, a Stitch team favorite, has partnered with numerous top hotels across the globe that want to sell their unsold rooms, and HotelTonight shows you all the discounted values. Inside the app on your smartphone, you can look up your preferred destination, and then book a hotel room for that night, the next night, or up to 7 nights out. You additionally can book a stay for just the night, or for up to 5 nights. The whole booking process takes less than 10 seconds! Finally, HotelTonight likes to offer special bonuses with certain hotels, where they could throw in a free bottle of wine with your room, dining credits, a Valentine’s Day package, etc (https://www.hoteltonight.com).
3. Accommodations II: Airbnb
There is nothing like the comfort of home. But how can you achieve that same feeling when you are traveling the globe, and pay less than you would at a hotel? The answer is Airbnb! Airbnb allows you to search through over 600,000 private residences or single rooms real people are renting out across 34,000 different cities worldwide. Stay a week, or stay just a weekend; you are able to see when/how long certain residences/rooms are available in your preferred travel destination. Airbnb also likes to offer very unique places to stay during your travels, such as in a tree-house or a boat, to make your adventures even more adventurous. And when you are exploring the world, you can even earn some extra money by renting out your own, unused living space. How cool is that? Additionally, Airbnb is extremely safe, and verifies all hosts and renters. Stitch actually uses the same Photo ID verification as Airbnb, which you can read about here (https://www.airbnb.com).
Interested in learning more about Airbnb? Check out these Airbnb tutorials.
4. Transportation: Uber
If you are looking to get around your destination quick and efficiently, without having to pay a fortune for car rentals or taxis, Uber is the app for you. Uber is like having a private driver at the palm of your hand. When you want to go somewhere, all you have to do is pick the type of Uber (Black Car, SUV, UberX, UberPool), your location/destination, and then click “Request” (Yes, it is really that simple). You will then be able to see who your driver is, what the car and license plate number is, how long it will take to arrive, and exactly where the Uber is on a map. Uber also lets you call the driver if needed, split the cost with others riding with you, and calculate the fare before even riding. To help save money, Uber is always looking to offer very affordable rides at the tap of a button. Uber’s UberX line of cars can cost you 40% less than taxis, and Uber’s carpooling service, UberPool, can cost you 50% less than taxis. Saving money and not worrying which side of the road you need to drive on – you cannot beat that (https://www.uber.com).
5. Tours & Activities: Viator
Want to experience all best sites and sounds during your trip, but do not know where to start? Viator has you covered! With the Viator app, you can discover over 20,000 of the world’s top-rates tours and activities in over 1,500 destinations worldwide. Viator’s offers range from VIP experiences at iconic locations, like the Sistine Chapel, to “Skip the Line” passes at popular attractions, like the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. And the best part? Viator guarantees the lowest prices with the most exclusive tours and activities in town (http://www.viator.com).
Have a favorite money saving travel app that I forgot to mention? Have benefited by using one of the apps above during your travels? Please comment and share below! We would love to hear about it.
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