At the age when everything is done online and in the minimum time required, somewhere on the way home, between work and some relaxing time with the family, we have learned to do everything on the go. From ordering the groceries to be delivered to our door, to shopping online for books and audio self-improvement guides, learning languages and jotting down important thoughts and creating comprehensive ‘To-Do’ lists, we can now do it all from our smartphone. When it comes to travelling, there are also numerous apps that you get download or purchase for your phone that will not only help you plan your trip such as flight times, but also make it a budget-friendly one.

One of the most convenient apps that you can get for your tablet, iPad or smatphone is that where you can browse through available accommodation at your destination. These vary, depending on the kind of budget you have, yet, in order to find the best option at the most attractive price, you must spend some time figuring out what is out there. First option would be that for renting apartments or rooms with the locals. For this you have the option of Airbnb, Travelmob and Couchsurfing apps, which are very easy to navigate and they are free to install. You will be requested to make an account in order to access all the information, but this process does not take a lot of time.

The 2^nd option would be to stay at a budget hotel or even hostel, and for that there are also a couple of apps that you can use, including Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.com. These, again are very clear in that you will need to insert your destination, the approximate dates of your travels, as well as the number of people that you are travelling with, should you share your room with them. The beauty of these apps is that they are a convenient way of accessing all the information, regardless of your location, as long as you have Internet connection or a data plan on your device.

Next, to plan a budget-friendly vacation you will need to book your flight. Apps such as Kayak, Hipmunk and Skyscanner give you the option of comparing the fares of various airlines with the possibility of setting up an alert when there is a better deal available for your preferred dates and itinerary. While these simply compare the ticket prices, you will be directed to the website on which this specific rate is available at that moment in time.

A great way of planning out your travels in order to ensure that you are not overpaying for anything and can find cheap yet great places to eat at, is installing various review apps such as Tripadvisor and Yelp. Here you can access information regarding the places you can visit, stay at or eat at, from the reviews of other travellers. There are real photos that are uploaded and you have the chance to ask direct messages about a certain place or activity of the person who posted that review. This will aid you greatly in figuring out where you can save money and the approximate rates of goods and services.

It is quite common that travellers spend a substantial amount of their budget on transportation, therefore a good way of saving money is to have subway maps and offline maps on your devices so that you can access information as to the best way to reach the place where you are headed. Interactive maps will make your life easier and can make a difference on your overall expenditures.

Whether you are travelling for a 2-week vacation or are planning a long-term trip, one of the main concerns that you are faced with is planning your budget. While research requires a lot of time and dedication, modern people rarely have so much available time. It is therefore of great use to have certain travel applications on your mobile phones or other devices where you can access information on ticket tariffs or hotel rates on the go from anywhere and at any time.