20 ways to cut the cost of your next trip abroad

Two Kiwi gap-year students arrived at our home in the UK this week, having paid £9 (NZ$16) to get there from London.

They'd slept on airport floors, train station platforms and in a $40 tent.

They booked the next bargain Airbnb room while giving me lessons in the anatomy of a bed bug. Eyes were popping when they saw our daily flat-white spend exceeded their dinner budget.

They'd been to music festivals in Manchester and Croatia, saving money by washing with a packet of wet-wipes and resisting the pricey showers used by the glamping-set.

Airline tickets were purchased via Doha with inconvenient layovers at bargain prices.

These two young women were a refreshing wake-up call, despite the fact I'd have a hissy fit travelling that way.

The key to their success is technology plus research and it can be applied to all budgets:

1. Lastminute-dot- competition: Check out Roomer, Cancelon and Hotel Tonight.

2. Price drops: Set up an alert for the hotel you want on kayak.com and they'll let you know when the price is reduced.

3. Warm showers: An innovation in free accommodation. This one is for cyclists and their bikes travelling around the world (www.warmshowers.org). Other cyclists put you up and might take you on local rides if you get on well.

4. Secret hotels: Use lastminute.com for a "secret" hotel. With their name hidden they're prepared to slash prices. Then go to studentmoneysaver.co.uk where there's a not-so-secret guide to revealing which hotel it might be, so you can check the reviews first.

5. Posh swaps: Take a look at thirdhome.com. Your own holiday home earns "keys" based on its value and you only have to make it available for one week. Even if no one books you still get your keys to spend elsewhere in the world. All guests are owners themselves.

6. Hotel room auctions: Name your own price for an unnamed hotel at priceline.com. Choose an area on a map and a star rating. Bidding too low means waiting 24 hours to bid again, but at biddingtraveller.com people reveal the levels they've achieved. Other blogs have clever hacks.

7. Hotel re-booking tricks: If you have free cancellation, use it and rebook if the price drops. Beware of currency movements and the refund timing if you've prepaid.

8. Write reviews, share in the profits: The Yonderbound website pays you if bookings are made based on a review you've written.

9. Phone sim cards: Look for virtual providers such as UK company giffgaff.com who will deliver a sim to New Zealand. Their £10-a-month goodie-bag gives you 2GB of data, free texts and 500 minutes of calls. Under new laws, plans can be used in Europe with no roaming charges. Deactivate online when you wish.

10. Maps: Apps like Google Maps and Navmii let you download a city or country onto your phone then use it when data is turned off, saving money. The built-in GPS will locate your position on the map.

11. Early-bird flights for UK & Europe 2018: Airlines release the lowest prices early October 2017.

12. Ticket Splits: Use Skyscanner or Kayak websites to check if you can save by flying into one airport and out of another in the same city. Specialist websites check if a train journey is cheaper in parts.

13. Cheapest time, day and airport: Momondo will uncover the cheapest options on your route.

14. Airport lounges: Travel economy and buy access to a lounge through the Lounge Buddy website.

15. Credit card tip: If you are given a Kiwi dollar option, decline it. Pick the local currency and your New Zealand bank will convert it. It's mostly a better exchange rate.

16. Cheap coffee: Unless you see "specialty coffee" in the UK, you may as well pay £1 ($1.80) for filter coffee at Pret, McDonalds, Starbucks or Weatherspoons. French and Portuguese coffee is undrinkable at any price. Italian fluffy milk varieties are weak.

17. Airport food and water: Save by taking an empty bottle through security and fill it at the dispensers. Pack a lunchbox; there are no food or fruit police in Europe.

18. Compensation for flight delays: Claim if any airline departs more than three hours late from a UK or EU airport and it's the airline's fault. You don't need to be a EU citizen. Rates are roughly $200 to $1000 per person depending on distance (even if the flight cost less). Late flights landing in Europe must involve a EU airline. Use Flightstats.com to confirm the delay. You can claim on flights back to 2011.

19. ISIC: Get travel discounts with an International Student Identification card. What's less well known is there's a card for anyone under 30 years old and for teachers and professors.

20. Tax refunds: Research how to get sales tax back (such as VAT) at the airport.

Janine Starks is a financial commentator with expertise in banking, personal finance and funds management. Opinions in this column represent her personal views. They are general in nature and are not a recommendation, opinion or guidance to any individuals in relation to acquiring or disposing of a financial product. Readers should not rely on these opinions and should always seek specific independent financial advice appropriate to their own individual circumstances.