A $900 luxury vacation to Singapore does sound like it costs a lot of money. The costs cover flights, hotel stays, and food, which seems reasonable for one person. The kicker is that was the cost of business class flights on Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines, plus king suites for a family of three. The simple question is does luxury travel have to cost a fortune?
The Frugal Way of Travel
Flying from point A to point B is an expensive endeavor, but adding more family members to those travels can significantly increase the costs. Extra seats on a plane, bigger rooms at a hotel, and the cost of food could make your budget skyrocket.
The key is to find deals while traveling. As a frugal traveler, I am not the best at spending loads of money on luxury when I save that for investing. There are a few things that are worth the money. That would be good airlines that havequality service. Budget airlines, for the most part, are simple, can add up in costs, and the quality may not be what you expect. The service is okay, and they seem to nickel-and-dime you.
So, what is the best way to travel frugally? Use a good travel credit card that gets cash back or points. A good travel credit card can also help you get lounge access, opportunities at hotels, and even some special deals. Always make sure the math works for these cards. Make sure to pay them off on time and not get into debt.
Three Business Class Seats for $100 Each
My family flew from Melbourne, Australia, to Singapore. Through the use of points being transferred to Air Canada and Singapore Airlines, I was able to book three business-class seats for my family of three. Since my daughter is two, she has to sit in her own seat. My wife would say it is a waste, but spending an extra 40,000 points for us to have business class seemed like a good deal to me.
The cost of the one-way trip was 45,000 points each for my wife and daughter and $150 Canadian dollars or about $100 USD. I paid 68,500 Singapore Airlines Krisflyer miles and no fee.
On the way back, we flew Turkish Airlines for 45,000 points for all three of us and $150 CAD for all three. Who would have thought that flying business could be so cheap?
If you want to do the math. The cost of the flights was $3,200 AUD or $2,073 USD each. So my points were getting me about 4.6 cents per point to fly business class. It’s not bad, considering the better seats, great food, and some excellent service for a nine-hour flight.
King Junior Suites in Singapore
The truth is that hotels in Singapore are costly. That means you pay for a good stay. On this vacation, we didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg to stay in Singapore, so I did what any frugal traveler would do: I used our free Anniversary nights.
In my arsenal of credit cards, I hold the IHG Premier Credit Card. It earns me platinum status and one free anniversary night, worth approximately 40,000 points. Any hotel over that 40,000 points will cost an additional amount of points.
We landed in Singapore at about midnight, giving my family a proper rest. The first stop was the Crown Plaza at Changi Airport. We could not use points for this, so the dollar amount was $300 SGD or $233 USD. With that amount, we got breakfast for all three of us, and due to my Platinum status and also having my daughter with us, we were upgraded to a King Junior Suite. This room came with a lounge area, a desk, two TVs, and excellent amenities. It was a fantastic experience for my family of three.
It was a fantastic stay for this luxury treat of a vacation. The cost for this treat at the airport was just $233 USD. That includes breakfast, too, plus a nice swim at the pool.
Our next stay was at the Holiday Inn off Orchard, which was complimentary to us since I used an anniversary night for this reservation. We were once again upgraded to the King Junior Suite. It meant a larger room, a couch, and just more space. With the IHG Premier Credit Card, we got a welcome drink on top. The people were pretty nice, offering both my wife and daughter a drink.
So, is it cool to hold a hotel credit card? It is especially true when the annual fee costs less than using that anniversary night.
How to Think About Frugal Travel
Travel is not cheap. In the most sense, people may think of it as a luxury. If you have some time, do the math, grab a good travel credit card, and use the points to make it worthwhile to travel affordably.
Since 2016, I have been leveraging credit cards to earn points and book amazing travel experiences. I flew on top of an A380 with Singapore Airlines to get married, using just points. I put a wedding on my travel credit card and used those points for free flights for my wife and me to vacation in Indonesia.
If you want to use your money to save on things you enjoy, you have to look at how to use your resources wisely.Points and miles can be earned by spending wisely on specific credit cards. Using tools like travel credits makes it easier to get from Point A to Point B without spending a ton.
So, in what ways are you using your dollars to get ahead? I have the Capital One Savor card, which earns me 3% back on groceries. I can then transfer that cash back to my Capital One Venture X card and use it for travel. My family needs food, so why not get 3% back on it? Then, use it to save on travel.
Final Thoughts:
Living life with goals is essential, and having specific financial goals can be a part of this. I need XYZ amount to retire. The world is turning, and I want to see if I am too old to move. These are examples of goals we may have in life. Utilizing the tools available in our pockets or on our phones can make these goals a reality.
I have always wanted to travel in business class, but I have never had the opportunity to do so before. Using our points to travel in business class was an excellent value for the money. It saved us from spending on the economy and allowed us to have a great experience for less.
Money is a tool. If you learn how to use it, you can do anything with it.
Steve Cummings is a journalist, personal finance creator that has specialized in saving and investing into ETFs. Steve founded Budgets Make Cents, and has been known for his personal finance advice and his passion for sports.
