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Gay travel tips to travel more
Walk into a room filled with a gaggle of gays and the conversation will turn to travel within 5 minutes. How do we travel more? With these tech-savvy traveler gay travel tips. Oh, and your fabulously free copy of the 5 Building Blocks of a Happy Gay Life here.
Gay travel tips, Like peanut butter and jelly
Whether it’s the middle of summer or winter, we have a penchant for escaping. It doesn’t matter if you’re stuck in the sweltering traffic or scraping ice off your car windows, aren’t you wishing you could click your heels and ride the rainbow to a sunny beach and refreshing drink or a mountain hideaway? Forget Calgon. Technology, take us away!
When bath salts just won’t do the trick, tech can help. Below are seven tips; websites and apps (16 in all) that can lower your travel costs. The best way to amp up you gay travel is money consciously, so you can do more of it. Who doesn’t like doing it more?
1. Use tech-savvy travel alerts
Just like Grindr, Scruff, and Facebook, travel sites have gotten in the game with alerts. Alerts that help you get what you are hoping for in the form of deals and savings. Sites like CheapFlightsFreak.com and Jet Setter keep you posted on hot deals on places and airfare you’re lusting after.
Work it and don’t hop on the first offer you get. Do a little digging and make sure you fill out the options to get as close to what you want. Let them find you rather than you scouring the internet.
2. Get discount codes
The word “coupon” scares most of you as much as Coach saying, “hit the showers!” In this case, though, couponing can be done in the privacy of your own bedroom.
When booking hotel rooms, airline tickets or rental cars, there’s usually a field on the site to add a discount code near where you provide your credit card information. Instead of wondering how anyone gets a code, get one yourself.
Sites such as Retail Me Not provide discount codes for all sorts of things. For your pending vacation, find one for your hotel stay, airline ticket and car rental. Discounts range from a few dollars to 40% off. Retail Me Not also offers vouchers for free meals at hotels and bonus reward points and miles for hotels and airlines. If the stars are aligned, you may be able to use your existing hotel and airline rewards with the discount code.
3. Swap or stay for cheap or free
This is where being part of the global gay community can pay off. Although this gay travel tip may sound a bit crazy, it’s paying off for many. House swapping is all the rage in travel. We all have friends and family spread across the country and even the world. Of course, you love to visit with them, but what if you both want to getaway? Swap your homes with each other on the same dates and enjoy being a tourist without the tourist expenses.
If that sounds too weird or if you don’t have friends (j/k), register with Home Around the World, which is exclusively LGBT, Home Exchange orLGHEI, also exclusively LGBT. These sites make home swapping or staying with strangers easier. They expand your destination options and provide the benefits of a free place to stay. Plus, with Home Around the World and LGHEI, you get the security of staying with or in a home where you feel safer.
Home Around the World has a 1-year fee of approximately $60 and a 2-year fee for $75. The site is British and you will be charged in Pound Sterling. Home Exchange charges a fee of $150 per year, which is considerably cheaper than staying in a hotel or vacation rental. LGHEI has an annual fee of $35. LGHEI is designed as a way for travelers to stay a short period, one to three days, with a host at minimal or no cost.
For a really gay travel tip, there’s Misterbandb. This isn’t a home exchange site, but it doesn’t easily fit into our other categories. Misterbandb is like Airbnb but with a rainbow twist and possibly great touristy advice from a landlord. Misterbandb is not related to Airbnb.
All of these options are especially beneficial if you’re traveling with other families or in a large group. Pull out your apron and chef’s hat and use the kitchen to whip up brunch, lunch or dinner to cut costs a bit and relax at “home.”
4. Pay in advance
We know you have a “must-see/do” section on your vacation list. Many locations now sell tickets online or on your phone. After you save in advance, pay in advance and you’ll have a better idea of how much your vacation will really cost.
Another slick money-conscious move is to use Swagbucks local. All you need to do is change your location and you can start locating nearby deals from restaurants to retail, you will find all sorts of ways to save. With Swagbucks, you get cashback in the form of gift cards, which is a great way to bank money for travel all year round.
5. Use coupons
There’s that pesky word again, but the fact is, it’s the real deal in travel tips.
With the proper planning, you can download coupons for groceries and restaurants and more. Sites such as Coupons.com and Entertainment.com offer more coupons than one needs. Some coupons are text to your phone. That is more convenient than lugging an envelope of coupons.
Download the Entertainment.com App and have access to coupons, discount codes and more on the spot.
As a side note, a very very scientific study done in a Facebook group of 45,000+ gays, over 60% said they didn’t mind when a first date uses a coupon. If they don’t why should you?
6. Get gift card discounts
Tech-savvy gay travelers are looking for any travel tip that will help them save a few bucks and this one is super easy. No one says you can only gift cards.
Log onto Giftcards.com and head over to the discounted section. You will find cards that are discounted anywhere from 1% to 17% off on everything from Starbucks, American Airlines to retailers you may want to hit before you head out on vacation for your sassy new look.
7. Get it all on your phone
Use the powerful mini-computer in your pocket. There are zillions of travel apps. Apps such as Travel Zoo offer hotel and airline discounts, entertainment, and local attractions. Travel Zoo offers discounts in other countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Canada and more.
As a not-so-obvious gay travel tip; you probably already have apps like Grindr, Scruff, and Hornet. Use them to connect with locals who can offer advice on off-the-beaten-path restaurants, entertainment and local websites that can take you away from the tourist traps that are often costly.
Finally, most major cities and destinations have apps that share discounts to local events, attractions, and popular hot spots with travelers. Download your destination’s app and benefit from the discounts.
If a vacation is inevitable, become a tech-savvy gay traveler and use these tips to start saving money. They’re easy and convenient. Most importantly, they help you get away more without spending more.
More gay travel tips for the LGBTQ traveler:
- 7 Tips for the Tech-Savvy Traveler
- How to Start Being a Happy Gay Man
- 2021 Gay Camping Guide + 53 Gay Campgrounds
Yes! It’s all good. My top two takeaways are to plan ahead and to scan mobile sites for discounts for activities you plan to do anyway. If you don’t have a plan then you can’t possibly have a budget and that’s going to cost extra. Those travel apps can save a lot of money. Why pay full price when its priced 1/2 off with a coupon. I wish bacon was 1/2 off!
I like what you said about not being able to have a budget without a financial plan. It’s so true. When we don’t have a budget and pay attention to it at every step, we suffer from budget creep and that thwarts our long-term financial goals. Thanks for reading and commenting.