Flights
The biggest expense for some trips can be the airfare, especially if you are travelling to a different country or continent (or you live in Canada).
There are many applications out there like Hopper which you can select travel locations and dates to get some feedback on the cheapest travel options, and whether the price is expected to climb or drop.
Most airlines will have low fare days, so patience is key when looking to save money on flights.
Accommodations
If you do not like room sharing and want privacy at a reasonable price, always look into using Airbnb before booking rooms at chain hotels or resorts. Sometimes the prices may be similar, but having an entire suite with a kitchen and a full-size bed and bathroom is a much nicer option than a standard hotel room. Be sure to check the reviews of the rooms before booking, to make sure you are not in for an unpleasant surprise. Personally, I have not had a single bad experience using Airbnb yet.
Local Transportation
Renting a car is often the most convenient method of travel, but usually increases travel costs pretty substantially. Utilizing rideshare programs such as Uber or Lyft is also very convenient, if your destinations aren’t too spread out.
Some cities will have very cheap bike rentals or public transportation passes, allowing for local travel at a very low cost.
Excursions
This is one of the areas that often cost people a lot of cash, as they want to experience as much as possible in the time they are in the location so they pay less attention to the price of certain activities. But keep in mind, there are many things that cost no money at all, or very little. Enjoying a hike, exploring the city on foot, visiting museums or historical sights are all examples of budget friendly activities while travelling.
Food
Eating out is very sneaky at increasing the money spent while travelling. Experiencing local cuisine is one of the things that I look forward to the most while visiting new places, but this does not always need to be expensive.
Take advantage of local grocers and shopping centres and utilize that Airbnb kitchen!
Pack along sandwiches and snacks while doing activities so you are not forced to spend money on food when it isn’t necessary.
Shopping
Many purchases while travelling are impulse purchases, because the timeline to buy is much shorter, so less thought is put into it. If you want mementos or keepsakes, try to find one special thing to remember your trip.
Another reason for shopping is improper packing. Forgetting your toiletries, not packing for the weather, or not bringing proper walking shoes can be another cause for unnecessary purchases.
Take lots of photos, and create a scrapbook or a DIY souvenir to remember the trip. Putting effort into something makes is much more special than simply buying something.