This Malaysian Traveller Shares 4 Money Saving Travel Hacks To His Frequent Overseas Trip

We all have that one friend who constantly travels overseas that we’re starting to wonder how exactly do they afford those frequent trips. Surely, they’ve got a few tricks up their sleeves, right?

Well, we got in touch with one such Malaysian by the name of Rozaini Zain and asked him to share the secrets to his travelling exploits. Read on below to find out his unconventional travel hacks that practically anyone can do, and don’t worry, there’s no “begpacking” involved!

1. Use Airbnb and get up to RM211 off of your accommodations

Source: Rozaini.zain

“I always use Airbnb for my accommodations as the service is not only available practically everywhere, but also because its price range are cheaper than most hotels. Plus, staying with a friendly host gives you valuable insights into the destination, and sometimes even free food and transport!

Airbnb has an awesome referral programme where every new user that registers via an App referral can:

• Get RM120 off of their first booking.
• The referer will then get up to RM91 credit for their account.

So every time I’m planning a trip, I’ll ask my travel group to register using my referral code, and we’ll be getting RM120 off for the stay! After the stay is finished, up to RM91 would then be credited into my Airbnb account which I can either choose to use on the same trip if it’s a long one or keep it for future travel plans.

Source: Rozaini.zain

Source: Rozaini.zain

That’s up to RM211 of free accommodation weh! A good internet connection is a must though as all communications are done within the app hence that’s why you should be using an excellent roaming service such as the one from Celcom.

Source: Rozaini.zain

2. Don’t buy a travel sim card, use roaming instead

Source: Rozaini.zain

“Never underestimate the importance of having good reception when overseas. I’ve met a fellow traveller relying solely on wifi when I was in Vietnam and he actually missed out on a family emergency back home because they couldn’t reach him!

Plus, to save money when travelling, you need to use Apps or website services which require a strong internet connection. 

How about travel sim cards then? Well, it’s actually more worth it to use roaming services! First of all, almost all of them are Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) meaning they only rent unused network signal from established Telcos instead of having their own signal towers. Hence, the coverage is very limited.

Compare this to a roaming service from Malaysian Telcos such as Celcom’s which partners with top Telcos overseas giving you a stable and fast connection! In fact, did you know that Celcom has 4G LTE coverage in 100 destinations worldwide?

With a total of 146 international Telco partners, they have by far the widest 4G LTE coverage overseas!

Source: Rozaini.zain

Secondly, the data packages of these travel sim cards could be quite expensive especially if you’re travelling to Europe. You’d even have to pay more to call back home weh! Celcom Passport ™, the Telco’s roaming service, on the other hand, have specific plan option for international calls back to Malaysia with no additional costs.

There’s also a Network Lock feature that connects and registers you with Celcom’s Preferred Roaming Partners when arriving at your destination. Super convenient lah I tell you!

Just take a look at their awesome roaming plan options here:

I’ve been using Celcom roaming service for years and it has never once disappointed me. From my trips to China all the way to Germany, I’ve always been able to stay connected to the point that my travel buddies always want to pinjam my data 😛 ”

Source: Rozaini.zain

3. Earn extra cash by simply shopping overseas for other Malaysians 

Source: Rozaini.zain

“There is a Malaysian-based online service called Jetspree that gives you tips for simply shopping for your fellow countrymen when overseas! All you have to do is:

1. Register via their website.
2. Key in when and where you’re travelling to.
3. Browse the list of matching shopping requests.
4. Claim the request that is easiest for you and buy them.
5. Bring the items back home and a representative will collect them straight from your house if you live within Klang Valley! For those living outside of Klang Valley, Jetspree will cover the cost of shipping the items to them!

Source: Jetspree

Source: Jetspree

Simple as that! The more requests you claim, the more money you make, and the items are generally very small – such as Starbucks tumblers – that they won’t affect your luggage weight at all. I actually got back almost half of my travel expenses from my last trip to Korea by using Jetspree.

Do make sure to claim requests when you actually find the items first though, as you don’t want to be searching for something out of stock! Furthermore, always refresh the requests page when you’re there and new items may also appear.

That’s why you need to always stay connected overseas with Celcom’s high-speed roaming connection!”

Source: Rozaini.zain

4. Become a Google Local Guide and use the Google Translate App. 

Source: Rozaini.zain

“Google Local Guide is a free worldwide programme by the tech giant where you review places, share photos and edit information on Google Maps. As a traveller, I find that it’s only proper to share accurate information for others to use!

Well, being a Google Local Guide has a lot of perks too, including worldwide discounts for hotels, transportation and even access to exclusive Google beta tests such as the augmented reality maps, which are not just helpful when travelling but super cool!

Source: thisiswhyimbroke

Source: WORLD OF BUZZ

Google’s Translate App is also really helpful especially in countries that use non-romanized alphabets. The App can translate street signs in real time and even translate a conversation directly to the local language, which helps when you try to haggle for a cheaper price at the market.

Just make sure to download the languages locally on your phone before you leave, or just use Celcom’s excellent roaming services okay!”

Source: Rozaini.zain

There you have it, travel hacks that you probably never heard of before which have been fuelling seasoned travellers’ overseas trips. Of course, these hacks require you to stay connected to the internet overseas, which makes having reliable roaming coverage all the more important.

That’s why Rozaini and a majority of Malaysians use Celcom Passport ™ when travelling as it has the widest 4G coverage overseas!

Travelling overseas is now worry-free with Celcom which offers 4G LTE coverage to over 100 destinations worldwide! Pair it up with all the mentioned travel hacks above, you’re gonna have a fantastic time on your next overseas trip.

For more information on Celcom Passport ™ and other amazing offerings from Malaysia’s favourite Telco, click here.