How to get a Finnish IP address
The easiest way to improve your digital privacy is to switch your IP address using a VPN. We’ll …
Picture the scene: The warm sun beating down on your face; impossibly blue water sloshing between your toes. From behind your sunglasses, you gaze out over the ocean. Is there a more perfect way to spend a cheap vacation?
Maybe palm trees aren’t your thing. In which case, switch out the scene with one that includes a warm fire, snow-covered peaks, and an obnoxiously large mug of hot cocoa.
Either way, this simple money-saving hack may allow you to snag the last minute vacation of your dreams—without breaking the bank.
How to score a cheap vacation with Hotspot Shield VPN
Here’s what you need to know about airlines, hotel companies, and rental car agencies: They often have different price points for different locations.
If you lived in the United Kingdom, for instance, you will likely pay a different price for a hotel room in Hawaii than you would if you reside in the U.S. Same applies for airlines and rental cars.
But perhaps you don’t live in the UK. How can you get the lower prices without moving across the world?
Simple. Use Hotspot Shield VPN to ‘spoof’ your location and score a cheap vacation.
Hotspot Shield VPN is an app that can switch out your device’s IP address to make it appear as if you’re located in a different country. There are many reasons this is important:
- It keeps you secure from hackers when connected to public WiFi—like at a coffee shop, hotel, or airport
- It ensures your privacy by making you anonymous online
- It lets you access sites and apps that are restricted on various WiFi networks or in certain geographical locations
To access the cheap vacation rates, you need the booking site you’re using to think you’re located in that specific country. That’s what Hotspot Shield VPN does.
The way it works is simple.
- Open up the Hotspot Shield VPN app
- Click “connect”
- Change your virtual server location to the country you want the site to think you’re in
- Clear your cache and visit your preferred booking site. You’ll notice that you are now no longer on the U.S. version of the site, for example. Instead, you’ll see the foreign rates.
If, after you’ve checked the exchange rate, it is indeed cheaper, you can book your travel as normal, have your e-tickets sent to your email, and rejoice in the fact that you just saved a boatload of cash on a cheap vacation.
How much money can you save?
As it turns out, a LOT…
Let’s look at a test I just did using Hotspot Shield VPN to spoof my location.
I fancied a trip to Hawaii for New Year (who doesn’t, right?). Firstly, I went to Expedia from my computer here in the U.S. and looked at flights and hotel packages from San Francisco to Honolulu. I selected the hotel and flight times and got a total price of $3,349.06.
I then opened up a new browser window, cleared my cache, and turned on Hotspot Shield VPN. I clicked “connect” and switched my virtual server location from the “United States” to the “United Kingdom.”
Now, when I typed Expedia into my browser, it took me to expedia.co.uk vs. expedia.com. I then went through exactly the same process—selecting the exact same hotel on the exact same dates and the exact same flights. The trip was precisely the same in every way.
Except the price.
For the same trip, when booking from the UK, my total price was quoted as £2,313.80. I then did a quick currency conversion.
The total price in U.S. dollars was $2,925.16.
That’s a whopping $423.90 in savings.
Imagine how many cocktails with oversized umbrellas I could buy with that…
How much does Hotspot Shield VPN cost?
Hotspot Shield VPN is available as a free product, but it also has a premium version with more features. The free version will protect your identity online and keep you safe from hackers, as well as unblock some games, apps, and websites on restricted WiFi networks. But to access all 29 virtual server locations, and switch between them to find cheap vacations, you’ll need to upgrade to Premium.
Fortunately, this isn’t expensive. Our plans start as low as $2.99 per month. We also offer a free 7-day trial so you can try it out for yourself, as well as a 45-day money back
In short, you can download the app now, start your free trial, and see how much cash you can save on a cheap vacation.
Additionally, with Premium, you get unlimited bandwidth, connection for up to 5 devices, advanced malware protection, 24/7 customer support, and much more. You’ll be able to stream Netflix at super fast speeds when abroad, or access movies that are only available in your country.
Can I really book a cheap vacation with a VPN?
One question you might be thinking: Does it matter that you’re booking via a different country?
The answer is no, it doesn’t. It’s perfectly legal to do so, you don’t need an address in that country, and all your information arrives via email. So it makes no difference to your experience once you’ve booked and paid for your cheap vacation—other than the fact that your wallet will feel a whole lot heavier.
So give it a go. Use the app to snag that dream vacation for cheap. Whether it’s a sandy beach or a winter wonderland, chances are you’ll find a great deal with Hotspot Shield VPN.
