Los Angeles has a great deal to offer the visitor looking for a diverse culture and entertainment prospects. From sports teams to world class dining, there are many ways you can spend your time exploring this great city. However, there are many ways you can stretch your dollar allowing you to absorb more of the experience while spending less. With all of that's available in LA, you can quickly exhaust your savings if you're not paying attention.

Doing Too Much

There is nothing that says you have to visit every site in the city in a single vacation. Make a plan or itinerary of what you want to see in the time you have. Not only will this help you save money from visiting many places over the span of the vacation, but it will also help you appreciate each experience more. You shouldn't feel rushed if you're looking to spend quality time in LA rather than covering all venues within the city.



Travel Arrangements

Don't underestimate the value of public transportation. Depending on the areas you want to visit, public transportation could save you a great deal of money while you're visiting. Car rentals, gasoline and other expenses could cut into your spending cash reducing what you can afford to experience. Even the occasional taxi could be more ideal as it could reduce your stress levels while letting someone else drive for you.


Free Entertainment
Many venues in Los Angeles are open to the public that won't cost you money. Exploring parks, recreational areas, museums and the beaches often don't cost a single dime to enjoy outside of traveling to those areas. Not everyone can say they walked along the shore of the Pacific Ocean last weekend. There are many things you can do in the city without swiping your credit card or visiting an ATM. Street performers can be invigorating to experience in Los Angeles.


Avoiding Tourist Traps

A lot of areas around LA are priced to accommodate tourism. This often means that prices are increased in order to make more money. By avoiding these areas or purchasing what you need beforehand, you can avoid spending two or even three times more than what you would spend on various objects. In some areas, the price of a simple bottle of water can be increased by nearly five times.


Weekday Visits
Often times weekends can be hectic as well as more expensive for certain aspects of the city. By visiting LA during the weekdays, you can avoid population congestion as well as price increases for visiting guests. Booking your flights on Tuesdays, for example, could save you quite a bit of money instead of flying on Friday or Saturday. Looking for flights very early in the mornings could reduce your expenses even further as less people like to travel early in the morning.

For more information about saving money and visiting, check out the FAQ on staying in LA. The more prepared you are before you travel, the easier it becomes to save money and reduce your stress levels. Try not to make the experience about what you can afford, but more of what you want to take away from the location. After all, memories of a great time may be better than souvenirs that broke the bank.

This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, a complete travel platform that allows you to do everything from comparing charter flights and train rides, to finding the best resort hotels and Airbnb rentals.