Travelling Abroad for Less: My Real Tips from a Weekend in Amsterdam

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(Charlie’s Blog – My Side Gig)

Whenever I travel, I make it a challenge: how cheaply can I do it without feeling like I’m cutting corners? Amsterdam was no different — and honestly, the savings were ridiculous. Here are all the tricks I used (and now swear by) to travel abroad cheaper.

1. Use TicketSwap for Attractions

People cancel plans… all the time. And when they do, they usually sell their tickets cheaper just to get rid of them.

On TicketSwap, I picked up tickets for the Amsterdam Zoo and the Anne Frank Huis at huge discounts.

Amsterdam Zoo

• TicketSwap price: €12.88

• Official price: €29.50

• Savings: more than 50% — and the tickets scan perfectly.

Anne Frank Huis

This one had completely sold out on the days we were visiting.
The only way in was resale.

• TicketSwap price: €11.85

• Official price: €16

• Savings: small but crucial — because without resale, we literally couldn’t go.

How to use TicketSwap

1. Search the location (e.g., Zoo, Anne Frank, Van Gogh Museum etc.)

2. Filter by your dates

3. Filter by number of tickets

4. Most sellers discount because they simply can’t attend

5. Tickets transfer instantly and scan like normal

2. Get a Travel Pass

Big cities = expensive single journeys. Unless you know the trick.

We bought the GVB 96-hour pass for €27 each.
Considering individual rides cost ~€3 per journey, this was a no-brainer.

It covered:
✔ Trams
✔ Metro
✔ GVB boats
✔ Unlimited rides for the whole trip

Transport? Sorted.

3. Stay Just Outside the City Centre

Amsterdam accommodation is famously expensive and often pretty poor in the tight centre streets.

We stayed around the Docklands, only ~1.5 miles from the centre:

• Cheaper

• Nicer accommodation

• Quieter

• Easy tram access

This logic works in almost every major city. Look 1–2 miles out, near public transport, and you’ll usually get a better place for less money.

4. Pay with a Cashback Card

Why travel abroad and not earn cashback?

The Trading 212 card gives 1.5% cashback, even on foreign transactions.
So every restaurant, tram top-up, attraction, coffee — all earning money back.

If you’re spending abroad, that cashback adds up fast.

5. Always Check Public Transport From the Airport

So many people default to taxis.
Don’t.

Most major airports (including Schiphol) have a super quick, super cheap train straight into the city. Usually just a few euros and faster than any Uber.

6. Shop Where the Locals Shop

In Amsterdam, this is Dirk.

Example:

• Dirk water bottle: ~€0.50

• Spar water bottle: €2+

Same water.
Four times the price if you don’t know where to go.

7. Use Student Discounts (or… improvise responsibly)

Most attractions don’t check student cards properly — if they check at all.

At the Van Gogh Museum, official tickets are €24.
We paid €11 each with student discounts.

That’s more than 50% off for the same experience.

(If they check… use your imagination.)

Summary

Saving Tip	Official Cost	What We Paid	Total Saved
Amsterdam Zoo (TicketSwap)	€29.50	€12.88	€16.62 saved
Anne Frank Huis (TicketSwap)	€16.00	€11.85	€4.15 saved
Van Gogh Museum (Student Discount)	€24.00	€11.00	€13.00 saved
GVB 96-Hour Travel Pass	~€60 (typical usage)	€27	~€33 saved
Water (Dirk vs Spar)	€2.00	€0.50	€1.50 saved
Cashback on Spend (Trading 212 Card)	1.5% cashback normally missed	N/A	Earned money back on all spending

Final Thoughts

These little tricks might seem minor on their own — a few euros here, a few euros there — but across a whole weekend, they add up to massive savings without sacrificing the experience.

I hope this helps for your next trip.
If you want more personal money-saving tips like this, keep an eye on Charlie’s Blog on My Side Gig ✌️