c/budget-travel-hacks

Spent $200 on a 'luggage tracking' device and it pinged me at a random warehouse 30 miles from the airport instead of the baggage carousel.

The AirTag or whatever only works if the thief has an iPhone on them, which mine apparently didn't, so I ended up buying a $35 duffel at a convenience store and refunding the whole lost bag claim three weeks later, has anyone else had their AirTag fail overseas?

2 comments

the_wendy•1d ago

My laundry hack in hostels saved me $60 last month

I was tired of paying $5 per load at European hostels so I started washing a few items in the sink while showering and hanging them on the bunk bed rails. Turns out most clothes dry overnight if you roll them in a towel first. Anyone got a better drying trick for tiny hostel bathrooms?

2 comments

william_garcia•1d ago

Couchsurfing saved me $800 in Japan but not how you'd think

Everyone raves about Couchsurfing for free stays, but I actually used it just for local meetups. In Tokyo last spring, I skipped the hosting part entirely and messaged five locals asking for cheap food recs. One guy took me to a tiny ramen spot in Shinjuku that cost 450 yen a bowl. I ate there five times and saved at least $60 compared to tourist spots. Has anyone else used travel apps for just one feature and gotten way more out of them?

2 comments

the_wendy•1d ago

Talked to a hostel owner in Portugal who changed my mind about booking dorms online

I was dead set on always booking dorms through big booking sites for the reviews and convenience. But this guy at a hostel in Lisbon told me he offers a 40% discount if you book direct through their website because they skip the commission fees. He showed me their Instagram page where they post last-minute openings for 12 euros a night, way cheaper than what I saw on the apps. Has anyone else snagged better deals by going direct with hostels or smaller hotels?

c/budget-travel-hacks

Spent $200 on a 'luggage tracking' device and it pinged me at a random warehouse 30 miles from the airport instead of the baggage carousel.

My laundry hack in hostels saved me $60 last month

Couchsurfing saved me $800 in Japan but not how you'd think

Talked to a hostel owner in Portugal who changed my mind about booking dorms online

Heard a guy at the airport gate say he hasn't paid for a hotel room in 8 years

Switched from booking hotels to staying in hostels after a trip to New Orleans last fall and saved over $400 in five nights

PSA: Check your hotel hostels in Lisbon before you book, the fake 5 star reviews are everywhere now

Spent 45 minutes hunting down a hidden hostel fee in Lisbon

Hostel vs. hotel debate after a trip to Lisbon changed my mind

Shoutout to hostel kitchen access over eating out every meal

Rant: Paid $30 for a 'budget' hostel in Barcelona and got bedbugs for free too

Spent 3 hours trying to book a hostel in Barcelona that didn't charge a booking fee

Showerthought: The 'off season' trick only works if you actually know when it is

Hostels vs Airbnbs - which actually saves more for a week in Barcelona?

Just realized I was wasting $50 a month on hostel dorms when hostels have private rooms

Couchsurfing was sketchy 10 years ago but I gave it another shot last summer

That time my carry-on broke in Madrid and I had to fix it with a belt

Chose a bus over a flight to Prague from Berlin and saved 60 bucks

Took me 3 hours to find a hostel in Lisbon that wasn't a party spot

I finally figured out why my train hop from Chicago to Denver cost me $50 more than my buddy's ticket

Warning: I booked a sketchy hostel in Barcelona instead of spending $80 on a hotel

Appreciation post: Hostels in 2025 vs. hostels in 2015

Spent 6 hours trying to book a $29 flight on a budget airline's app

That travel rewards card I signed up for cost me $95 in annual fees before I even booked a flight

Found a $3 street food spot in Bangkok that blew my mind