If you are looking for ways to save for your next vacation, you should check out these great tips. These tips will help you avoid a dent in your wallet and will make planning your trip that much easier!
1. Surf Kayak
You might have already used Expedia or Orbitz to buy flights for your next trip. Once or twice you may even admit to booking your ticket right from the airlines website. But have you tried Kayak yet? This online airfare aggregator scours various airline sites and combines all the results to provide you with the cheapest airline fares, free of a convenience charge.
Also try checking the booking website at midnight or other times when it is likely to less trafficked. Be flexible with your travel dates and times. The first flight of the day is often the cheapest. Many airlines raise their prices for weekend flights, so if you try a Wednesday flight you may be able to save some money. Other insiders advise booking your flight on Tuesdays at 3 PM or very early in the morning. Studies show that booking at these times are the least expensive.
2. Sign up for Airfare Watchdog
This is honestly my new favorite website to search in my free time besides Pinterest! Airfare Watchdog allows you to create an account in which you can enter your favorite destinations, your closest departure airports, and price limits. Founder George Hobia says, “We only send updates when we think we’ve found a good deal, whereas other sites might update you when a flight drops $2.” This is not a computer-operated process. Airfare Watchdog has actual people searching for you because they know you want a deal. You can receive notifications daily or even biweekly as they uncover some great rates.
3. Name your price on Priceline
Once your arrive at your destination, you will need some type of transportation to travel around your city. Perhaps taking the taxi six or seven times a day is more expensive in comparison to the costs of renting a car. If you decide you want to rent a car, try Priceline where they permit you to name your price. They will counter your price until you agree upon a suitable rate for your rental car. From personal experience, this website works great and can save you a lot of money!
4. Plan your trip with Fodor’s
Whether you use their online website or pick up a travel guide, you should definitely research your next trip. This series of travel books is perfect because its format is neatly organized into sights, restaurants, hotels, entertainment, shopping, and other sections. Furthermore, it gives details, reviews, directions, and Fodor’s ratings on many of the sights, which can help you plan accordingly. I genuinely recommend this guide even if you are just traveling nationally, as you can always learn something new about a familiar city or explore a new, different area. I was just in Chicago, a city I have been to countless times before, but this trip was by far the most memorable because I used Fodor’s to research some of the top destinations before travelling!
5. Check up on your Frequent Flyer Miles and Credit Card Rewards
What is holding you back from becoming a frequent flyer and accruing the rewards associated with the membership? Especially if your departure airport is hub for Delta or Southwest – or any other airline – you may find yourself accruing mileage quickly. As you attain more miles or a higher status, you will enjoy the perks of priority boarding, free upgrades, or even bonus miles. Additionally, review your credit card rewards as these are great ways to squeak out a little extra cash before your trip. Points from credit card spending eventually translate to “free money.” Using some credit cards can even help you get reservations with your favorite hotel or airline. They can also share vacation package perks with you.
Try some or all of these tips when booking your next trip, and you will be able to save a little money and have some extra funds for your souvenir shopping!