Dear Diary,

       The process of booking a trip can seem so overwhelming at first. If you try to have everything organized ahead of time, it should be smooth sailing. I have listed all of the apps that every traveler should have to make your trip planning less nerve wrecking. Make sure to download all of these apps BEFORE you take your trip. Don’t be that friend that waits until you’re overseas to use the excuse you can’t download it because you don’t have service! Let’s get started!

Airbnb 

This is the first app you should download if you want to start traveling! Ditch your typical hotels and have a more authentic experience living like a local when you travel. Airbnb is a vacation rental spot. Basically you are renting out someone’s house or apartment instead of staying in a hotel. You can even rent out an affordable mansion if you dare. Most of the time, Airbnb rates are lower than hotel rates which is a win win in my book. This is also perfect for families and groups that travel but don’t want to split up in hotel rooms.  It’s certainly a cultural experience going to some places and seeing how homes are so different than what you are used to.

Now if your concerned about fresh towels and a made up bed everyday you’re on the wrong blog. That’s not what i’m here to teach you! I’m showing you that travel can be affordable and this is how I make multiple trips happen a year. Open your comfort zone and try something new!

For $40 off your first Airbnb rental of $75 or more, sign up HERE. Yasssss free money! That’s why you’re reading this!

Home away & Vrbo 

These are two other vacation rental apps essentially the same as Airbnb. Sometimes you can find the same house listed on here less expensive than Airbnb. After finding my house on Airbnb, I always come here to see if I can find it for a little less. Every dollar counts!

Uber

If you don’t have Uber by now you should! No more searching for a taxi stand, Uber comes directly to you. Uber is essentially the same thing as taking a taxi, except Uber drivers are locals who drive their own cars. Uber can save you tons of money on vacation because taxi drivers can (and will) scam you with their rates. With internet access on your phone, you simply type in where you are and your final destination, and Uber will give you the final price and who your driver is. My favorite part of the app is you know exactly where your driver is and how long it will take to get to you.

By now, you should know this blog is all about saving money. Make sure you sign up for Uber using my code: anisab344ue to get a $5 discount on your first four rides. So far, thats a free $40 off your rental AND $20 worth of free rides! This is getting good isn’t it?

Lyft

Lyft is also the same thing as Uber. But just like the home rentals above, Lyft and Uber are competition. With that being said, Lyft sometimes offer lower prices or better promotional rates than Uber. I always double check the prices of both before requesting my ride.

If you’re new to Lyft, sign up using my code: ANISA036764 for a surprise on your first ride.

Globe convert

Globe convert is the easiest app to help with converting money. Everything is calculated for you, all you have to do is type in how much you are exchanging to/from each country and boom! I personally like to know exactly how much I’m spending and this app surely comes in handy with every transaction I make.

Hopper

Hopper in a necessity when you are searching for flights. This app literally WATCHES your flight for you. All you have to do is type in dates and where you want to go and it predicts flight prices for you. It tells you “this is the best time to book” “wait to buy, prices may be lower later” etc. I mean it almost doesn’t get any better than that. Give it a try right now, just type in a place off your bucket list and just leave it in the app so you can see the notifications. It really is amazing.

Google Translate

If you’re traveling abroad, you will surely need this app to help with language barriers. You can use your camera for text translations (taking pictures of signs), get immediate translations as you type or talk, and you can draw words that you see. How cool is that? You can literally teach yourself a new language all for free. And my favorite part about this app is that it works offline so you don’t need internet to use it abroad. A popular alternative app would be DuoLingo. 

Google Maps 

I think this one is pretty self explanatory. If you’re horrible with directions (like me) this should be one of the first apps you download. You can download whatever area you’re staying in so that you can use it while your phone is not connected to the internet. 

Sky Scanner 

Skyscanner doesn’t just help you find flights, it also helps with car rentals and hotels! They pull deals from different companies and provide you with the best options. If your dates are flexible, they also guide you on how to get cheaper rates for different dates. You can also download Kayak as a substitute app.

Skiplagged 

Skiplagged is a little more advanced for the basic traveler but let me break it down for you. Lets say you are flying Delta from New York to Atlanta for $200. We all know Atlanta is Delta’s hub. However, Skiplagged will find you a $100 flight from New York to Miami with a layover in Atlanta. Skiplagged tells you to get off in Atlanta because that is your final destination and now you just saved 100 bucks. This is completely legal and the only catch is that you have to pack a carry on only, otherwise your luggage will end up at the original destination ‘Miami’.

Momondo

Momondo is another app to help you search for flights. The best part about this app is that it shows flights from the smaller airlines that other apps don’t post. If you have a flexible itinerary, it provides options to book less expensive flights on different dates. They send you flight alerts for when prices change. 

Trip Advisor 

The name says it all! Trip advisor is the ultimate source for reading reviews. Before you buy unknown products online, you read reviews right? Well after you read someone’s blog on “top 50 places you MUST see”, I highly suggest you check out some of the locations on trip advisor. People will tell you all the scams they’ve encountered, how much they paid etc. I know I should’ve checked this out before visiting some places! I hate when I leave a spot then look at reviews on here that says “don’t go, it’s a waste of time”. Keep in mind, most people will write a negative review before they ever write a good one so judge wisely. For more reviews and recommendations, you can also download Yelp. 

Hotwire 

What do you do when your trapped in a new city with a cancelled or delayed flight? Where do you turn when your Airbnb doesn’t come through or your hotel cancels on you? You panic and over spend, I already know lol….With Hotwire, you can quickly get last minute major savings on hotels and cars at the tip of your fingers. This is always my backup app when I am traveling. Only downfall: no free cancellation or refunds. Howeverrrrrr they will match and refund you cost if you find a better rate within 24 hours of booking #winning.

Hotel Tonight 

This is the go to app when you need last minute hotel arrangements. Crazy things can happen while you’re traveling so it’s always good to have plan B. Hotel Tonight is usually quick and easy to book. 

WhatsApp 

One of the easiest ways to stay connected with everyone. WhatsApp lets you text/call anyone when you are connected to wi-fi. Almost everyone you meet abroad will give you their Whatsapp number for contact info (tour guides, friends etc). I strictly became a part of team iPhone so I can text/face time via wi-fi when traveling. However, when I want to contact someone that doesn’t have an iPhone, I simply use Whatsapp. Make sure you download before you leave the country because they have to verify your phone number. 

Groupon

By now, i’m sure you know exactly what groupon is. Don’t sleep on groupon though. When it’s time to travel, you can find some pretty amazing deals on activities and places to eat. Groupon even has vacation packages already set up for you. Certainly check out groupon for things to do before you book any trip.

Instagram 

Instagram is a no brainer! This photo sharing app has thousands of photos posted daily and this usually helps me decide where I need to go. Before a trip, I’m usually stalking peoples pages looking at what’s going on and how they are dressed for the weather. All you have to do is type in where you’re going and the possibilities are endless. You can find the hottest clubs, where to eat, things to do etc.

Snapseed

There are tonssssss of photo editing apps available in the app store. I personally like to run my photos through Snapseed before I post them for a more professional look. This free app can really change your photos into something magical. Other apps a lot of travelers use are VSCO, PicLab, Photo Splash, Camera+, Light Room etc. Download them all and play around to see what fits your style the best.

Been 

I suggest this app because it’s a handy map that highlights all the places you’ve been. Okay so it doesn’t technically have a functional purpose lol. But every traveler loves to see the places they’ve been and potential places they want to go all in one place. Just give it a try. You’ll love it.

As you can see, there’s an app for everything! There are a million more apps available for you in the store, these are just the ones I found to be the most commonly used amongst my travel peers and I. I’m not sure how we would have ever survived without technology lol.

What are your favorite apps? Let me know in the comments below.