During difficult economic times, most of us look for ways to trim our budgets. One spending area where we would all love to save money, even when the economy is doing well, is our travel budget.
- travel moneyEarl – What I Saw 2.0
The good news is you can save money when traveling. All you need is to know to save money on travel are the following 11 easy to implement travel saving tips:
1. Be Flexible with Travel Days: The cost of a flight is based on supply and demand. Therefore, you will save money when you fly on days and at times when demand is low. For instance, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly, and when you fly early in the morning and late at night, your airline tickets will be cheaper.
2. Book a Vacation Package Bundle: The cost of your trip will be cheaper if you book a vacation package that includes airline tickets and accommodations. Basically, the more business you can give them, the more of a discount you will get.
3. Off-Season Travel: If you travel to a destination during its tourist off-season, you will save money on such things as hotels, restaurants, and airline tickets. During the off-season, prices are reduced to attract travelers. It is less expensive and less crowded.
4. Book Cheap Airline Tickets: Take advantage of seat sales and last minute deals. Check out discount travel websites to find latest bargain travel deals. Also, booking a connecting flight will lower the cost of the airline tickets as well as flying in and out of smaller secondary airports.
5. Travel Light: Airlines are now adding extra fees for such things as baggage. If you pack just one bag, you will not have to pay more for extra baggage fees.
6. Book Round Trip Tickets: Often one way tickets tend to be more expensive that round trip tickets. Booking a round trip ticket will lower the cost of the airline tickets.
7. Save on Meals: You can save money on meals if you have a big breakfast and eat light lunches and dinners. Also plan where you will eat. For instance, look for economical restaurants. You could even book a hotel that has a kitchenette so that you can make some of your own meals to save money on your food budget.
8. Avoid Taxis: Take advantage of public transportation because taxis can be quite expensive. You can use buses, subway, and the train. If you are traveling across Europe, look for unlimited travel passes. If you are planning on traveling to a lot of places, consider a car rental.
9. Save on Accommodations: If you are traveling with a group or family, consider a two bedroom suite rather than booking two separate rooms. It will result in real savings and you still get privacy.
10. Comparison Shopping: Always look for deals and don’t take the first travel offer you find. It is easy to shop and compare travel deals online. Check out travel discount sites that offer a search and compare tool. Also, sign up for travel e-alerts to get the latest travel deals.
11. Cash and Currency: Consider the exchange rate when you travel. There are money exchange centers that offer bad exchange rates so be careful about the exchange center you choose. Use the internet to locate good places to get cash in the local currency. For instance, you will often find an excellent exchange rate at airports and at banks.
We could all use a vacation, even when our budgets are tight. Traveling does not have to be expensive when you know how to save money when traveling. When you take the time to do your research and implement the many methods to saving money when traveling, you will end up having a fabulous vacation without breaking your budget.
[box]Author Bio: Sandeep Bali is Marketing Manager at Flightnetwork. Flightnetwork offers highly discounted prices for domestic and international airfares as well as hotels, cruises, vacation packages, and car rentals.[/box]
