Life Hacks for comfortable traveling in the USA

Life Hacks for comfortable traveling in the USA

Many people dream to visit the USA at least once in their life. The country beckons with its sights, culture, and lifestyle, which is so familiar to us from American movies. In the States you have to find a common language with any person, because even electronic gadgets sometimes fail, and locals always know the right way.

How to buy tickets?

Tips for saving money on airfare.

1. Plan Ahead: purchase tickets 6-12 months in advance to save money.

2. Opt for Connecting Flights: look for flights with connections, as they are often cheaper.

3. Avoid Peak Seasons: try not to fly to the U.S. between April and September, as ticket prices tend to be higher due to an influx of work and travel students.

4. Look for Discounts: keep an eye out for discounts from airlines such as KLM, Lufthansa, AirFrance, and Iberia. Sign up for their newsletters to stay updated on promotions.

5. Timing Matters: purchase tickets during the "right" time, typically from 21:00 to 00:00, when prices may be lower.

6. Choose the Right Days: the best days to buy tickets are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, as weekends are considered peak departure days.

By following these tips, you can maximize your chances of finding affordable airfare for your travels.

Housing choice.

  1. Look for accommodation on aggregators such as Hotellok and Trivago. 

These sites offer a great way to search for accommodation, as they collect information from many other rental services, including Booking, hotels.com and Ostrovok. To make the most of these services, it is recommended that you book your accommodation a couple of months in advance, especially if you are planning to travel during a period of high tourist traffic. Good options sell out quickly, so the earlier you book your accommodation, the better chance you have of finding the perfect one.

  1. Renting an apartment through AirBNB is a great option for budget travelers. 

In the US, hotels are usually more expensive than renting apartments and hostels directly from hosts. Therefore, if you want to save money on accommodation while traveling to the USA, check out AirBNB offers. Also, don't forget about the possibility of communicating with the hosts, which can add uniqueness and comfort to your stay.

Free accommodation options.

1. Couchsurfing: a great way to get to know the local culture and get free accommodation. It's not just a website, but a whole community of 9 million people around the world willing to share their homes with travelers.

2. Wwoofing: provides the opportunity to get free accommodation and meals in exchange for work on eco-farms and in rural areas of the USA. Volunteers typically work no more than 3-5 hours a day, making this option very attractive for budget travelers.

3. Love Home Swap: the program offers home exchanges with foreigners. Membership in the service is paid, but the cost of the registration fee (from $20 to $35 per month) is insignificant compared to full rental accommodation.

These options provide unique opportunities for budget travelers who would like to not only get free accommodation but also immerse themselves in the local culture.

Moving around the states.

  1. You should not take a car for traveling between cities in the US.

 Instead, it is better to rent a car in each new place, which will save a considerable amount of money. Here are a few trusted sites for car rental in the USA: Almato, Dollar, National.

  1. Don't forget to install the GasBuddy app, which will help you find the lowest gasoline prices on the map.
  2. Another interesting option is the Transfercar service, where you can rent a car absolutely free.  

Many rented cars in the US need to be returned to specific locations for the company. However, the companies themselves can not always organize the delivery of cars from different locations. In this case, tourists can help by returning the car to the right place. In the end, everyone wins.