One of the essential things you need when travelling is a place to stay during your trip. And most times, a place to stay can cost so much of your travel budget, that you don’t get to do other things. Things like joining more tours, eating more cultural food, shopping and doing more fun activities.

But a great way to solve that problem is to stay in affordable accommodations. Some people who travel get kind of iffy when it comes to staying in affordable lodging simply because of quality and cleanliness.

But the thing is, there are now tons of affordable accommodations that are not only low in cost but also high in quality that will definitely give you your money’s worth. Like serviced apartments, condos for rent, middle-class hotels and more.

But to be honest, these are not so easy to find. They don’t simply pop out when you search for affordable accommodations so to help you out, below is a step-by-step guide on how to look for a great affordable accommodation!

Step 1: Search, search–SEARCH!

A great way to start is by doing your research and searching away! There are tons of hidden gems in accommodations, ones that are not so heavily advertised on the internet. So try searching through social media platforms and even accommodation websites.

Searching in advance is ideal especially if you’re planning to travel during peak seasons, holidays or even weekends. Plus booking ahead of time gives you the chance to get cheaper deals and access to better availability.

Also when searching, make sure to read feedback and reviews. This is a great way to know what the accommodation is like through the experience of actual guests.

Step 2: Set a budget!

To make sure you’re actually cutting down on expenses when it comes to lodging fees it’s best to set a budget. Setting a budget can help you narrow down your options after searching. What you can start with is setting your desired date, the number of nights and the number of people.

Because the date, number of nights and amount of people can change the price drastically. So it’s best to apply that when comparing prices.

Step 3: Try out accommodation aggregator websites

Accommodation aggregator websites are sites like Booking.com, Trivago, Agoda, Hotels.com and so on. These sites can help you look for accommodation quickly and easily plus prices are already set making it easier for you when looking.

These types of sites also offer discounts and other great deals when booking through them. They enable you to compare rates for various lodging options and filter results according to your preferences and spending limit.

Step 4: Try getting discounts and other offers

Make low-cost lodging even more affordable with the use of discounts and special offers! Before booking try to look for promotional discounts through discount sites or even on the main accommodation site.

For particular demographics like students, the elderly, or members of the armed forces, several lodgings provide discounted pricing. This is a great way to really get the best price during travels.

Step 5: Accommodations that get cheaper the longer you stay

If you’re planning on staying longer than one night, consider lodgings that get cheaper the longer you stay with them. An example of lodging that offers that kind of deal is serviced apartments, well not all but some.

The longer you stay with them the cheaper the rate gets which is a win especially if you’re planning to stay long!

What are the benefits of affordable accommodations?

There are tons of benefits when choosing to stay in affordable lodging apart from it being cost-efficient. But if you’re still not convinced, here are some benefits you can expect when staying in low-cost lodgings:

  • Allows you to save more money on other things when travelling like tours, food, activities and so on.
  • Allows you to stay longer and experience more things during your trip.
  • Allows you to take more vacations in a year due to having extra travel funds.
  • Low-cost accommodations are usually located near or in the city proper. 
  • Are more flexible in terms of booking, cancelling and rescheduling.
  • Family-friendly since cheaper lodging doesn’t cost per headcount.
  • Is ideal for long or short stays.