Traveling for Less

Many of us who like to travel either save our pennies for a very long time in order to travel, or stick it on our credit card, racking up lots of interest. If you plan ahead you can have a vacation that’s fun and that fits in your budget.

Plan in Advance

Planning in advance is one of the best ways to save on travel. Many top travel sites have cheaper tickets available in advance. The prices gradually go up and then right before the date of the trip they may drop again depending on how booked the flight or hotel is.

Advanced planning also gives you time to research your options. Find out everything there is to know about your destination. What is the weather like, what activities are available, what is the population, etc. You may be able to find a small resort or hotel that’s relatively cheap and might give you more of a “local” feel than a “tourist” feel. Check different travel sites as well as the site of the hotel or resort. You can find significant price differences here. You also may be able to save several hundred dollars if you book your flight and hotel together.

The Time of Year Makes a Difference

The time of year you travel affects the price of your vacation. Many resorts slash their prices in half during the “off season”. Research the climate in the region. The peak tourist seasons are normally when the area has their most seasonable weather. If a little hotter or cooler weather doesn’t bother you consider going during the “off season” .

Dates of Travel Matter

Traveling on certain days is also cheaper. Many people travel on the weekends. Cheaper flights are available on Thursdays and Sundays. Try to plan your vacation leaving and returning on one of these days.

Travel Agencies

Travel agencies are good to use if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of booking flights and insurance, but they’re not always the cheapest. Included in your price of vacation is the fee to the travel agency normally called a booking fee. These fees can range from $50 to $100 and up. If you start early and check travel sites often, you can find good deals. One great website is www.kayak.com. Kayak checks all the top travel websites and gives you the cheapest rate. It saves you the time of checking each site individually.

Before you Book

Before you book make sure that you are aware of any restrictions such as, non-refundable tickets, hurricane policies, or changes to the ticket. Some sites can slap you with a hefty penalty or worse, will not refund you at all. It’s also wise to purchase insurance for your trip. Although its non-refundable your trip will be if something goes wrong.

Don’t be afraid to take your time when planning your next vacation. The Internet is a great resource for finding information and saving you money on your next trip!