What are the signature techniques Mercedes Jackson uses to manage travel expenses?

Hi there! I’m Mercedes Jackson. I’ll walk you through how I manage travel expenses, based on what I actually do on my trips and as a travel content creator.

Here are some of my signature techniques:

• I offset hotel costs with collaborations, so I spend very little out of pocket on stays (I’ve done 25+ hotel/resort collabs and spent about $150 total on hotels across 7 countries and 9 cities).
• I “sponsor” my own trips with content: creating UGC and travel content to earn income that I then reinvest into travel.
• For excursions, I never buy super early. I research first using Klook, Viator, Google, and smaller local companies, then usually book once I land or the day before.
• I always get the company’s WhatsApp number to clarify details, avoid miscommunication, and sometimes negotiate better prices, especially with local operators.
• Even when I find an activity on Klook or Viator, I’ll still contact the provider directly to see if I can pay them the same price or get flexibility, while keeping the platforms as a backup for refunds if something goes wrong.

What part of travel costs are you struggling with most right now: flights, hotels, or activities?