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8 Useful Tips Singapore Travellers Can Use To Maximise Savings On Their Next Holiday

Travel in style without having to overspend? Luxury Escapes shares with us how that can be done.


This article was contributed to us by Rajah Chaudhry, Head Of Asia at Luxury Escapes. All contributed articles on DollarsAndSense are the independent opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of DollarsAndSense. 

For anyone who loves travel, Singapore is the place to call home. Whether you’re a beach bum, a shopaholic, or a nature-seeker, Singapore is always a short flight away from the world’s best travel hotspots.

What further helps is that South East Asia is also home to some of the most luxurious hotels and resorts that the hospitality industry has on offer. No wonder that weekends in Singapore are always busy, either being on a trip or in planning the next trip.

However, the financial reality of it all, whatever your paycheck, is sure to give a jolt even to the headiest of explorers. But fret not. If travelling in style is what makes life worth living, here are some great tips that tell you how to make your every travel dream come true without breaking the bank.

# 1 Know How Deals And Online Bookings Work

Saving time is saving money, especially when it comes to booking flights. Avoid taking the pain of searching one site after another and use metasearch engines to compare flight prices across websites to find the flight and price that work best for you. You could also sign up for price alerts on these sites to get notified when your flight price drops.

# 2 Plan Way Ahead

You’ve heard it before. Planning in advance gets a whole new meaning when you are in Asia, especially when it comes to peak period travel like Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year holidays. Leaves are applied for, and bookings are done, even before you’ve chosen your holiday destination. So, a smart cookie would already be planning her 2019 Christmas holiday while you’re reading this.

# 3 There Is A Best Time To Book And To Travel

No magic here, just plain numbers, patterns and analytics that recommend the best time to book for your holiday. There are some obvious ones of course, like avoid flying out on Friday nights, and choosing to return on Mondays over Sundays.  And going by how early long weekend bookings are made in Singapore and the region, you are best to avoid the rush altogether, choosing an ‘off-season’ weekend to head out on a holiday.

# 4 Be Adventurous

It is now the day and age of authentic travel experiences, rather than ticking the usual items off a standard bucket-list. Find your own little countryside taverns or explore Thailand during the rainy season. Yes! Go off-beat and off-season to have travel experiences that are more local and likely to be more memorable. And while you’re at it, enjoy the savings by avoiding peak season travel.

# 5 Use Your Credit Cards Wisely

Your wallet helps you with the money to go travelling. But it is time you look at it a lot more closely. Having the right credit cards go a long way in helping you travel in style. From free limousine services, to privileged access to lounges across airports. The right card can get you some rather exclusive deals.

# 6 Rake Up Miles And Loyalty Points

Being a smart traveller means being prudent enough to rake up miles and points, through loyalty to an airline or hotel chain. It is also prudent to choose a credit card that helps you bring in more miles home on all your purchases, including paying your utility bills, installments for your electronic gadgets or even repaying your loans. If you are smart about it, you can actually rake up enough miles to get free flights to anywhere in the world

# 7 Go Local

While travelling, go by this mantra — the locals know it best. After getting the best deal on flights, stay and what-have-you, once you are in the destination, it is best to seek out local advice about things to do, places to eat, etc. When it comes to gold-standard insider tips, the concierge at your hotel would hardly ever go wrong.

# 8 Keep A Look Out For Flash Deals

Not splurging on travel doesn’t mean you only travel like a back packer. Luxury holidays can be enjoyed at costs nearly half of what meets your eye on your regular travel websites. Check out the limited period flash deals on Luxury Escapes – Asia Pacific’s leading luxury travel site, that curates exclusive holidays by collaborating with leading hotels across the world, featuring packages with up to 70% discounts.

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