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My Travel Kit — The tools that make every trip possible
Great travel doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It just takes knowing where to look. This is the collection of tools I personally rely on to plan smarter, book better, and spend less — so more of my budget goes toward the experiences that matter.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I genuinely use — it’s one of the ways I keep this blog free and full of honest advice.
Thank you for your support! 🫶
On this page:
✈️ Flights
Finding a cheap flight is part skill, part timing — but having the right search tool makes all the difference. I always compare prices across a few platforms before committing.
⭐ Kayak (My Go-to) → First stop whenever I start planning a trip. Kayak scans across hundreds of airlines and booking sites at once, and its price alert feature is genuinely useful for tracking routes over time. → Search on Kayak
Kiwi.com specialises in searching for unconventional flight routes, including combining multiple airlines that don’t normally work together. It’s great for flexible, budget-friendly itineraries and finding hidden deals. → Search on Kiwi.com
🤑 Budget tip: Be flexible with dates if you can. Flying mid-week or avoiding school holidays can cut your flight cost significantly — sometimes by half.
🛏️ Accommodation
Finding the right place to stay is about value, not just price. Whether it’s a cosy guesthouse, a local B&B, or a well-priced hotel that punches above its weight, what I love most about Booking.com is the flexibility. Filtering by free cancellation means I can lock in a great rate early, without being tied down if my plans change.
⭐ Booking.com (My Go-to) → Huge range of options, from boutique hotels to budget guesthouses, all in one place. I always filter by free cancellation — it gives you peace of mind to book early without being locked in. → Browse on Booking.com
Hotels.com → A great alternative worth comparing, particularly for hotels. Prices can differ across platforms for the same property, so it’s always worth a quick check before you commit. → Browse on Hotels.com
🚐 Airport Transfers & City Rides
Landing somewhere new after a long-haul flight is exciting — but it’s not the moment to figure out transport on the spot. Pre-booking saves stress and often money too.
⭐ Welcome Pickups (My Go-to) → A driver waiting for you at arrivals, with a name sign and a smile — it sounds simple, but after a long journey, it makes all the difference. Fixed prices mean no metered surprises, and the drivers are consistently friendly and helpful. → Book with Welcome Pickups
🚗 Car Rentals
Renting a car opens up destinations that public transport simply can’t reach. The trick is comparing across platforms — prices can vary wildly for the same vehicle on the same dates.
⭐ Discover Cars (My Go-to) → My preferred starting point. Good selection, clear coverage options, and transparent pricing — what you see is what you pay. → Compare on Discover Cars
Auto Europe → worth checking alongside Discover Cars — sometimes offers better rates for longer rentals or in specific regions, especially in Europe. → Compare on Auto Europe
Kayak → Another solid comparison tool. Useful when you want to cast the widest net and see rates from multiple suppliers at once. → Compare on Kayak
👉 Before you book: Read my Complete Guide to Car Rentals, which covers everything you need to know about renting a car, from insurance add-ons to avoiding hidden fees at the counter.
🚆 Buses & Trains
For budget travellers, trains and buses are often the real backbone of a trip. Slower than flying, yes — but you get to actually see the country passing by.
⭐ Omio (My Go-to) → Omio brings together trains, buses, and even some flights in one search — incredibly handy when you’re hopping between cities and want to compare journey times and prices side by side. A must-have for multi-stop European trips. → Search routes on Omio
📷 Tours & Activities
The best moments of any trip often come from experiences, not things. Whether it’s a street food tour, a guided hike, or skip-the-line access to a world-famous site — these platforms make it easy to book.
GetYourGuide → Brilliant for Europe and popular destinations worldwide. Strong selection of free cancellation options too, which matters when your plans are still taking shape. → Explore on GetYourGuide
Viator → Sometimes has tours that GetYourGuide doesn’t, especially in Asia, the Americas, and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Always worth checking both before you book. → Explore on Viator
🤑 Budget tip: Free walking tours are one of the best ways to get your bearings and hear local stories without spending a thing. Most are tip-based and led by passionate local guides who really know their city. Check Freetour.com — a dedicated platform for free and low-cost tours available in hundreds of cities worldwide.
🛡️ Travel Insurance
If there’s one place in your travel budget you should never cut corners, it’s this. A single medical emergency abroad can cost more than a whole year of travel. Good insurance is not an expense — it’s what makes worry-free travel possible.
UK-based travellers → Just Travel Cover. Comprehensive coverage, including pre-existing conditions — often overlooked by other providers. Genuinely one of the most traveller-friendly policies I’ve come across. Get a quote → Just Travel Cover
🌏 Outside the UK → Visitors Coverage. An easy-to-navigate platform for international travellers. Clear pricing, reliable coverage, and a straightforward claims process. Get a quote → VisitorsCoverage
👉 Not sure what to look for? My post How to Choose Your Travel Insurance walks you through the key things to check before you buy.
🌐 Stay Connected: eSIMs
Staying connected abroad used to mean hunting for a local SIM card or paying painful roaming fees. Now there’s a much smarter way.
⭐ Airalo (My Go-to) → Instant mobile data in over 200 countries — activated directly on your phone, no physical SIM needed. Rates are genuinely affordable, and for budget travellers, it’s far cheaper than roaming with your home network. I never travel without it. → Get your eSIM on Airalo
🔐 Online Privacy & Security
Public Wi-Fi in airports, cafés, and hotels is convenient — but it’s also where your personal data is most at risk. A VPN is a simple, affordable layer of protection I’d recommend to every traveller.
⭐ NordVPN (My Go-to) → Fast, reliable, and easy to use. I keep it running whenever I connect to public Wi-Fi — it takes just 2 seconds and gives you real peace of mind, especially if you’re regularly checking banking apps or email on the road. → Get NordVPN
🧭 FREE Trip Planner: Plan Smarter, Travel Better
If you’re just starting to plan your trip, I also have a free Travel Planner that can help you organise everything in one place before you book anything.
It’s a simple tool I designed to help you map out your itinerary, keep track of your budget, and stay organised from the very beginning — so you can use the tools above more effectively and make better booking decisions.
💬 Final Tip: Bookmark this page before your next trip!
I keep this kit up to date as I discover new tools and test new platforms. Subscribe to my newsletter, and you’ll be the first to know when something new is added.
👉 Got a tool you swear by that I haven’t listed? Drop me a message — I’m always testing new ones! 😊