This $20 Travel Splurge Saved Me Hundreds Later
Written by
Cindy Lamothe
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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When you’re planning a trip, every dollar counts — so it’s tempting to skip anything that feels like an unnecessary extra. After all, why spend more when you’re already shelling out for flights, hotels and food? But sometimes, spending just a little bit more upfront can actually save you a ton down the line.
It might sound counterintuitive, but a small $20 travel splurge could be the thing that keeps you from unexpected costs, headaches or even full-on travel disasters.
GOBankingRates spoke with Jane Angelich, CEO and executive coach and chair at Vistage Florida, and Sienna Hart, PR director at Chatrandom, to discuss how that one small investment can end up saving you hundreds later.
Upgrading to a ChatGPT Subscription
“As an experienced traveler who takes six to 12 luxury trips each year, the best $20 I spend monthly is on my upgraded ChatGPT subscription,” said Angelich. “I just returned from four weeks in Europe, and that small investment saved me thousands of dollars.”
CNBC reported ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the way we book trips and travel.
Instead of spending hours researching online, Angelich said she used ChatGPT to plan every aspect of her trip. By doing so, it found boutique hotels that cost hundreds less per night than their well-known luxury counterparts, suggested rail routes that eliminated the need for expensive flights and recommended local restaurants where she ate incredible meals at a fraction of the cost of tourist spots.
“The AI helped me optimize every step, from transportation and packing to dining and sightseeing, saving us more than 20 times the cost of the subscription each month.”
Angelich noted it turned four weeks of travel into something far more efficient and affordable, without compromising on quality or comfort.
“For $20 a month, I travel with what feels like an on-demand concierge, researcher and cost-saving expert all in one.”
She added it’s been the single best investment she has made for travel planning, especially for frequent travelers who want high-quality, curated guidance.
Purchasing a Regional eSIM Data Plan
As a digital nomad constantly hopping between cities for both work and adventure, Hart said purchasing a regional eSIM data plan before landing is her go-to travel hack.
Since her entire job relies on real-time connectivity, managing global campaigns, hopping on urgent press calls or even just navigating a new city via rideshare apps — landing without instant, reliable data used to give her a lot of anxiety.
“How will I check Slack? How to get an Uber?” she said. “Not to mention, airport Wi-Fi is notoriously sketchy, local SIM card kiosks mean queuing and potential compatibility issues — and using my home carrier’s international roaming? That’s a fast track to a bill adding hundreds of unexpected charges.”
She noted that purchasing a pre-purchased eSIM for $10-$20 that covers multiple countries in a region (such as Europe or Southeast Asia) is the ultimate insurance policy that can save you hundreds.
“I vividly remember one trip where a delayed flight meant I landed in Prague just as a crucial partnership call was starting. Because I had my eSIM active the second we touched down, I was able to jump straight into the video call from the taxi queue using my phone as a hotspot for my laptop.”
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