Episode•February 6, 2020•13 min

2020 Travel Tips | Ep. 27

Tiffany has a lot of travel this year so she wanted to share how she gets it done on a budget. She goes over her favorite websites and tools to travel cheaply while continuing to tackle debt. Links Visit the website: https://www.moneytalkwitht.com Connect with Tiffany on Social Media Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant YouTube: Money Talk With Tiff Channel Pinterest: Money Talk With Tiff This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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Key Takeaways

1
Drive for trips under 500-600 miles to save money
Tiffany drives to destinations like Washington D.C., New York, Florida, and Atlanta from North Carolina
Her fuel-efficient car only needs one fill-up (~$30) for trips to Florida
2
Use Google Flights to find the cheapest flight dates
Google Flights shows calendar pricing to identify the lowest-cost travel days
Book around cheap fares even if it means extending your stay by a day
3
Book hotels via Priceline Express Deals for deep discounts
Hide hotel identity until checkout to get lower rates
Stick to 3-star+ properties for quality assurance
Saved significantly on stays in D.C., Miami, New York, and North Carolina
4
Use credit cards strategically for travel protections and rewards
Capital One provides travel accident insurance, 24-hour assistance, and collision coverage on rentals
Earn 1.5x rewards on every dollar spent
Always pay off immediately—only book trips with cash already saved
5
Subscribe to Scott's Cheap Flights for international deals
Daily email newsletter highlighting the cheapest international flights
Past deals include trips to Africa for $300-400
Free to join and opt-in to specific trips

Intro

Tiffany takes a break from interviews to share her personal strategies for traveling on a budget while paying off debt in 2020.
Tiffany Grant is the host of Money Talk with Tiff, documenting her journey to debt freedom while sharing practical money tips.

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– Why This Episode on Travel

Tiffany explains she has significant travel planned and wants to share how she manages trips affordably while tackling debt.

– Drive When It's Close

For trips under 500-600 miles, Tiffany drives. Examples include Washington D.C., New York, Florida, and Atlanta from North Carolina.

For me, it's more cost efficient. I have a car that's pretty good on mileage. I can like from here to Florida, I only have to fill up like once and to fill up is only like $30.

– Booking Flights with Google Flights

Tiffany uses Google Flights (google.com/flights) to compare prices and identify the cheapest travel days via the calendar view.

She notes Google Flights doesn't include Southwest Airlines, so she sometimes checks that site separately.

The earlier you can book, the better.

– Lodging: Airbnb, Priceline & Living Social

Tiffany plans to use an Airbnb gift card for an upcoming trip. For hotels, she prefers Priceline Express Deals where the hotel name is hidden until checkout.

As long as you get a hotel that's three stars and up, you can bet your bottom dollar that it's probably going to be nice.

She also checks Living Social and Groupon for off-season hotel deals, noting the two platforms now appear to offer identical promotions.

– Using Credit Cards for Protection & Rewards

Tiffany books travel on her Capital One card to access built-in travel accident insurance, 24-hour assistance, and rental car collision coverage.

I'm only booking flight or hotel or rental car if I have the money to spend. I'm not using the credit card as another means of income.

She earns 1.5x rewards on purchases and pays the balance immediately.

– Scott's Cheap Flights for International Travel

Tiffany subscribes to Scott's Cheap Flights daily email newsletter, which highlights one ultra-cheap international flight each day.

I've seen trips to Africa for like three, $300.

She emphasizes that flights are usually the biggest expense for international trips; lodging in places like Thailand or Africa tends to be inexpensive.

– Research & Planning Tips

Tiffany recommends researching local experiences and food rather than touristy activities. She acknowledges being a planner but advises balancing planning with enjoying the moment.

Resources

Topics

budget traveltravel hackingdebt payoffflight bookinghotel dealscredit card rewardstravel insuranceinternational travelroad tripspersonal finance