Travelling undoubtedly tops the list of things we would all rather be doing at this moment. Whether you are in the middle of planning your next trip to a far flung location or are opting for a summer staycation, a holiday offers us a chance to relax mentally and physically. 

Possibly the only negative side of travelling is the sheer cost of transport, accommodation and food that can total to so much more than we are willing or able to pay. 

One way to make travelling a little less painful on our bank balance is to take advantage of the following travel apps designed to help you make smarter choices and your life a little easier.

1. Kayak

 First up a comprehensive app that provides information on the cheapest airfares, hotels, cars and package holiday deals. The app also includes articles and handy ‘hacker tips’ to make the savviest travel choices.

Kayak has a friendly user interface which, among many other features, allows you to track your flight status and measure your bag using augmented reality! Especially interesting is it’s ‘Watchlist’ feature where you can save deals and track their prices.

2.  Rome2rio

Stuck on figuring out the best way to get to your destination? Rome2rio compares all modes of transport from point A to B of your travel whether that be a local or international trip. The app clearly presents options for the cheapest way to travel along with the easiest and most recommended. You can also book tickets directly through the app making the process of planning a holiday a whole lot easier.

3. Hotel Tonight

Despite the name, Hotel Tonight offers the best hotel deals whether you are planning on staying somewhere imminently or in the future. It is user friendly with both the price and hotel room photo visible on the list, ideal for quick booking.

The more money you spend through booking with the app the more discounts you can unlock. The app creators decided on a creative way to categorise the hotels too, instead of giving star ratings like other apps they use labels such as: ‘hip’, ‘luxe’, ‘charming’, ‘basic’ and ‘crashpad’, giving travellers a unique perspective when choosing the type of hotel they would like to book. 

4. The Fork

For the foodies out there, use this app to find great restaurant deals when travelling throughout Europe, with some restaurants featured on it offering up to 50% discount. The best part - the loyalty program where instead of boring points you collect ‘yums’ to spend at partnering restaurants. Tip: earn more yums when booking through the mobile app instead of through the website. 

5. Trail Wallet

Created by the avid travellers behind  Never Ending Voyage  this app will help keep you from overspending once you are on holiday. You can add trips and a daily spending budget, track your expenses throughout the day and see how much money you have left in your virtual wallet. It is so easy to lose track of how much we spend on holiday and this app will help minimise that sinking feeling when checking your post holiday bank balance.

 Written by Rosanna Christou

Instagram @rosannachristou