How people in Japan are traveling on a budget this summer

I love traveling, but I've definitely been doing less of it recently just given the cost of everything going up! Money consciousness is on a lot of people's minds, though, with a new survey by Mixtend Inc. finding that about 80% of people planning trips between July and September are making conscious efforts to cut costs. If you're planning on getting away this summer, these were some of the strategies mentioned to save some yen.

Early bird deals and off-peak trips

The top strategy that survey participants mentioned was booking early to grab discounts, with nearly half of respondents taking advantage of early bird offers. It might be a bit late for this if you're planning getaways for this summer, though!

Others said they were avoiding peak times like Obon or weekends to keep costs down. If you've ever tried to travel during Obon, you know how prices and crowds can soar (much like Golden Week), so this is a smart move that any of us can take some inspiration from.

Using points to pay for bookings, or finding part-time work

The survey also uncovered some unique money-saving tactics. A handful of travelers said they chose destinations where they could pick up part-time work, so a bit of a workation if you will. Others used booking sites that allowed payment via loyalty points, to give their cash flow a breather.

Omiyage still makes the budget

I thought this was an interesting point! Even with higher costs, the tradition of buying souvenirs (omiyage) for coworkers is alive and well. About 70% of respondents said they planned to bring back gifts for their workplace, with roughly half budgeting under ¥2,000.

Are you getting away over the summer, whether domestically or internationally? If so, do you still factor in things like omiyage into your purchasing decisions, even with the price of everything going up pretty substantially?