Regardless of your budget, destination or travel style, it’s worth saving money where you can. Personally, I have always been fascinated in using points to pay for travel. There are a number of companies, such as Avios, that allow you to collect points and redeem them for flights, car hire or activities in many cities around the world. 

If it’s not obvious why this rocks: You save money on travel. There’s nothing I like more than cutting my travel costs so I can travel more. 

If you plan ahead, you can actually make sure that you build up enough points by spending as you usually do, so that your trips can be free. Although not through the Avios program, I have collected enough points on a similar program that I flew internationally for free. 

How I Would Spend My Avios Points

If you’re needing a little inspiration or motivation to start collecting Avois points, this is how I would spend mine:

1) Flights

Flights make up a large portion of your trip – the ratio depends on how long you are traveling and how far you’re going, but generally flights will be one of your biggest expenses. Return flights to certain destinations around the world can run into the £1,500 mark. Imagine getting those flights for free? It would open up how far you can travel if budget is an issue for you. Personally, I would really like to explore more of Africa, which is generally quite expensive to fly to. If I had an Avios point surplus I would indulge in a trip to Africa, with a safari and all. 

2) Accommodation

Generally I stay in backpackers when I travel and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I would really like to mix it up with some nice accommodation. You can use Avios points to book accommodation in numerous cities. I like to indulge towards the end of my trip so I would use my points to book a few nights in a flash hotel towards the end of my holiday to unwind, relax and detox.

3) Car Rental Hire

To be honest, I rarely rent a car when I travel as it is not very cost effective when you’re traveling solo and on a budget. As such, it is a real treat when I splash out and allow myself the opportunity to slow down and explore at my own pace.