The 5 travel money traps to avoid, according to someone who has visited nearly 100 countries in the last decade

I’ve spent the last decade traveling full time, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned — besides that, if it’s not a good time, it’s a good story — it’s that the costliest travel expenses aren’t always the obvious ones.

More often than not, travelers lose money through convenience fees, poor planning (or, adversely, too much planning) or the same blissful ignorance that has somehow floated me around more than half the world with just a single wrongfully boarded plane mishap, one pirate ship kidnapping and very few robberies. Despite the tales I’ve collected, that unawareness has cost me more than I care to admit at times (including, at the worst of times, everything on me).

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I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are five of the biggest travel money traps I’ve encountered over the years — and what I now do instead.

1. Buying airfare without comparing prices

One of the fastest ways to overspend is booking the first flight you find. I always compare fares across Google Flights and Skyscanner, set price alerts when I have flexibility, check nearby airports and always browse in incognito mode. Spending an extra few minutes searching can easily save hundreds of dollars and is the reason I’m writing from Italy after spending $220 on a flight with friends who spent over $2,000.

While many travelers choose to book directly with airlines they prefer (and rightfully so, in order to use or gain loyalty points and have better customer service), third-party online travel agencies (OTAs) and aggregators tend to compete by offering lower prices.

For uncomplicated, direct journeys, I find that it’s generally worth the risk and sometimes the points loss. For multi-leg journeys, however, booking directly with the airline may make more sense in the event of delays and missed flights, since the airline’s customer support can usually get you on another flight without a lot of long phone calls or change fees.

I am always sure to search both one-way flights and roundtrip flights to compare pricing, in case a roundtrip ticket is more expensive than, say, booking two one-way tickets for flying from one airport and back into another. In New York, for example, it’s easy to mix and match between Newark, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia.

Sites like Skiplagged are also helpful for travelers who want to maximize their savings on airfare. Skiplagged is an airfare search engine that showcases hidden-city ticketing trips — a ticketing method that involves booking a flight with a layover in your final destination and leaving the airport instead of carrying on to the ticketed end point. This hack works because connecting flights tend to be cheaper than direct flights to the exact same layover city — so much so that Skiplagged suggests travelers can save up to 80% on airfare.

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2. Paying airline baggage fees

Checked bags can add anywhere from $10 to $200 or more each way, especially on budget airlines, which also often charge for carry-on bags. I often refer to Airfare Watchdog to easily compare checked baggage fees when I do need to check a bag because, sometimes, the actual airfare may look cheaper on one airline than another, but if the checked bag costs $100, it could end up being more than the pricier plane ticket with a $35 checked bag policy.

I almost always travel with only a carry-on, wear my bulkiest clothes on the plane and even use one of Target’s travel neck pillows that unzips so you can stuff it with smaller clothing items (it’s where I pack all of my bikinis — just don’t leave it behind on a TSA security belt like I have, or all your savings will be reinvested into shopping). Airlines are required to let passengers bring a pillow, so it’s an easy way to squeeze in a few extra items without paying for another bag.

3. Buying a SIM card at the airport

Airport SIM kiosks are almost always among the most expensive places to get connected. Instead, I install an eSIM using Airalo, which I often find cheaper than buying a local SIM card after I arrive. Many newer smartphones are now eSIM-only anyway, making it one of the easiest travel upgrades you can make.

Airalo offers local, regional and global coverage for over 200 locations around the world with flexible packages, including unlimited data options. Holafly is another great option that offers both monthly and yearly plans to get you connected anywhere in the world for as long as you need.

Whichever eSIM you choose, just be sure that your phone model has a built-in eSIM chip, that it is not restricted by a regional block and that your specific phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you’ll waste money on downloading an eSIM that you can’t actually install.

If an eSIM doesn’t work for you, it’s best to compare prices between international plans from your home provider and local prepaid options — and purchasing the SIM anywhere but the airport. Verizon and T-Mobile are two top-rated carriers for international travel.

4. Exchanging and converting money wrong

Airport exchange counters typically offer some of the worst exchange rates, and even exchanging cash at your bank before your trip isn’t always the best deal. I usually withdraw local currency from a bank ATM (using a debit card with no ATM fees) after I arrive or simply pay with a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees whenever possible.

A 3% foreign transaction fee may not sound like much, but it adds up quickly over the course of an international trip. I love the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, but there are plenty of other great travel credit cards with various perks to consider.

It’s also worth noting that, when a payment terminal asks whether you’d like to pay in U.S. dollars or the local currency, always choose the local currency. Paying in dollars lets the merchant set the exchange rate, which is often much worse than the rate your credit card issuer would provide.

5. Not forgoing travel insurance

When you’re booking a flight or rental car, you’ll almost always be prompted to add travel insurance before you check out. While it can be tempting to click “yes” for peace of mind, those add-on policies aren’t always the best value — and in some cases, they duplicate coverage you already have through your credit card.

Before paying extra, check the travel benefits on the card you used to book your trip. Many travel rewards cards already include protections such as trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, lost or delayed baggage protection, rental car collision damage coverage and emergency assistance.

For travelers taking longer trips or traveling frequently, it often makes more sense to purchase a standalone travel insurance policy rather than buying coverage piecemeal for every flight. Companies such as SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance, World Nomads, Allianz Travel Insurance and more offer plans designed for different types of travelers, from digital nomads and backpackers to families and adventure travelers.

Coverage varies, so it’s important to compare policies based on what’s most important for your trip, including medical emergencies, evacuation, trip cancellation, baggage protection and coverage for adventure sports. In my personal experience as an adventure traveler, SafetyWing has always had my back, and I find the company’s claims-submission process to be the simplest.

Ultimately, the biggest money mistake you can make when it comes to travel insurance is not buying any at all. After all, most U.S. health insurances won’t cover you abroad, and medical bills, while often cheaper overseas, can still quickly add up to hundreds or, worse, hundreds of thousands.

The bottom line

There are infinite ways to save money while traveling — from taking public transit over local taxis to doing your grocery shopping in local neighborhoods instead of tourist hotspots.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned after 10 years on the road is that most travel expenses aren’t unavoidable; they’re convenience purchases. Spending a little bit of extra time comparing flights and doing some research on the right credit card and insurance policy for you can easily save hundreds to thousands of dollars on a single trip without sacrificing on the experience.

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This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: The 5 travel money traps to avoid, according to someone who has visited nearly 100 countries in the last decade

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.