The biggest barrier to travel for many people is cost, the chief culprits being travel and accommodation. Before you even arrive at your destination, booking a flight and a hotel can eat pretty deep into your vacation budget, leaving you with less money to spend on the actual fun stuff. Fortunately, frugal travelers have plenty of tricks up their sleeves when it comes to finding the best deals. Here are three of the biggest.
The early bird gets the worm
One of the simplest ways of scoring good deals while on vacation is to know where you’re going and when far in advance. If you’ve settled on your ideal destination a year ahead of time, don’t wait until the date gets closer to book your flight or hotel room. Do it now and you may find some fairly hefty early-bird discounts.
The reason is simple: being able to secure future business allows companies to focus on the here and now, comfortable in the knowledge they can count on at least a certain level of incoming profit. They know that, this far in advance, you could take your business anywhere so they’re happy to drop their prices if it means luring you away from the competition.
The closer it gets to the date of your trip, meanwhile, the higher prices will climb, as businesses know that their customer’s options and your timeframe are shrinking. Even if you’re not 100% confident you’ll be able to keep your plans, it’s worth it to make reservations now. As long as you cancel at least a week or so beforehand, most airlines and hotels will refund your booking costs.
Compare and contrast prices
One of the biggest advantages of living in the internet age is being able to quickly and easily compare prices from dozens of businesses and then pick whichever one that best meets your needs.
You don’t even have to do all the digital legwork yourself. Websites like Kayak and Expedia specialize in compiling offers from airlines and hotels so customers can see whose rates are the lowest, browse the amenities that each business provides, and even read reviews from fellow travelers about their own experiences with each company.
Simply punch in the dates and locations you’re looking for and these websites will do all the work for you. Many of them additionally have partnerships with certain businesses, giving you access to exclusive deals you can’t get anywhere else.
Vacation during the off season
Anyone whose trip to Ohio has happened to coincide with the annual Rock & Roll of Fame induction ceremonies knows it can be easier finding cheap Cleveland houses for sale than affordable hotel rooms. Likewise, trying to catch a flight to Florida in the middle of summer is a good way of going broke and going nuts.
During any travel destination’s busiest season, airlines and hotels jack up their prices knowing that vacationers will scramble over one another to pay an arm and a leg to get any seat or room they can before there aren’t any left.
Alternatively, during a location’s off season, rates for both tend to plummet. Grateful for any business they can get, businesses will often not only offer steep discounts, but may also provide special package deals combining transportation, room and board, dining, and various other activities. Best of all, most of the same attractions that draw big crowds during the busy season will still be open, but with shorter lines and a lot less stress.
