Hawaii Cost Breakdown (Staying with someone)

View from Koko Head

Travel for 2 to Hawaii

For us, Hawaii was a must. The timing could not have been better, Becky was off from teaching for the winter, Trevor had just quit his job, we had built up enough points to get a free trip on points. To top it off, Trevor's cousin was living in O'ahu as a dive instructor. That meant, we had a place to stay! Staying with a friend or relative for a trip certainly has its perks. But like every good thing, there are bad things that come along with it.

Low accommodation costs and no flight cost!

For us, 6 days in Hawaii was cheap. As you can see, we basically spent about $100/day each. We were provided a place to crash and also had a means of transportation. On a island such as Hawaii, those two can quickly add up!

What can be done to make sure you will be a good guest?

If you are fortunate enough to have someone to stay with, these tips can help you make sure you will be invited back!

1) Be understanding. Yes, YOU may be visiting on vacation, but your host is most likely not. They may be able to afford a couple days to hang out with you, but odds are they have to go to work for some of those days. You may want to go 100 miles an hour, but your host still has their normal life to live.

Cousinly love!

2) This goes with the above statement, but understand your host's schedule. They will not be able to party with you every night (unless your host is Trevor's cousin). If they need to head to work at 8 am, try to find something that allows you also to be out of the house by then so your host isn't preoccupied with trying to make sure you are happy.

Our chauffeur! 

3) Limit the complaining. This is an excellent way to get a bad reputation. Complaining about the bed, the temperature, or having no food is a quick way to get an early exit. No one wants to hear it, especially the person saving you a couple hundred a day.

View from the back porch!

4) Compensate your host. Whenever we got a ride from Trevor's cousin, we made sure to give her gas money or fill her tank. Occasionally we would buy her meal, a drink, or a ticket to an attraction. These small gestures can have significant impact on if you get invited back again.

5) Only people traveling alone may have a pass on this, but make an effort to give your host a break. We did spend a night in a hotel one of the nights. This relieves your host of any obligations and also allows you to have some freedom to do what you want without approval of your host. Chances are, your host is tired of doing the touristy thing that they have done with the previous 5 visitors! 

A great plus is seeing your destination through a local's eyes. We got to check out some lesser know beaches and go exploring off the beaten path!

Heading to a waterfall!

How We Managed 9 Days in Alaska for Under $150 per Day

We just took a trip of a lifetime to Alaska. We flew from Houston to Anchorage on a direct flight. We spent 3 nights in Anchorage, 3 nights in Seward, and 2 nights in Denali National Park. Below is the cost break down that we incurred and then split to show a per person cost on a daily basis:

Category	Total	Per Person	PP per Day
Flight	$708	$354.00	$39.33
Transportation	$880	$440.00	$48.89
Activities	$114	$57.00	$6.33
Food	$409	$204.50	$22.72
Sleep	$386	$193.00	$21.44
Gifts	$110	$55.00	$6.11
Total	$2,607	$1,304	$145

Sharing is Caring

We shared this journey with another couple helping lower the cost (shared food, hotels, and activities). For example, we covered the rental car for the duration of the trip ($700) while the other couple purchased the 2-day kayaking tour in Seward. They used Groupon to find this great deal. This discount site allows easy searches by category, location, or keywords. They found a 2 for 1 deal on a 2 person kayaking trip for 2 days/1 night, saving us greatly. 

Glamping is Just as Good as Hotels

Showers, laundry and restrooms!

(Glamour Camping = Glamping) We also minimized cost on hotels by simply minimizing our hotel stay. The Groupon kayak trip included one night and we stayed at the campground owned by the dock (Miller's Landing) the night before for a discounted price. In Denali National Park, we popped up a tent at one of their many campgrounds. Many of these campgrounds provide all the same amenities as your standard hotel. Alaska has great summer temperatures that make it feel like you are in an air conditioned room. 

Cheapest Way to Stay Full

Restaurants and fast food can add up and wastes a lot of money (not to mention the healthy factor). We are an active couple and the couple we shared this trip with is like us. We knew we would be doing some hiking and kayaking and needed food to snack on. A local grocery store is a great way to cut food costs. We spent $100 between 4 people to supplement snacks and even meals (long car ride from Seward to Denali). Our Groupon kayak trip also had meals included to help save!

Enjoying our 4th of July hotdogs and s'mores

Mileage Programs

I am currently enrolled with a credit card company that gives me points for spending. I convert these points to airline miles since we love to travel. Everything outside of my mortgage and loans is paid with my credit card giving me optimal points. This can help cut down on flight prices.

Still making excuses? Well, you can reason that you will not be at home, so you will not be running your AC or taking long hot showers. Either way, you have to eat, whether you are away on vacation or at home... Maybe add in a night out at the bar$. So take the plunge and go travel! If you have any questions, leave a comment or e-mail us 10centtravels@gmail.com

Not worried about the spending while traveling, but more concerned how to save in order to travel? We can try to help with that too. Check out our tips to help save for a trip!