How To Save Money On Vacation Travel
How To Save Money On Vacation Travel
The privilege of travel offers great opportunity to explore the world. However, traveling can become expensive. Read more to discover how you can save money on vacation travel and the protection that saving money can offer you.
Trip Flexibility
Being flexible on your travel dates can help you find cheaper flights and accommodations. Traveling during the holidays will almost always be more expensive since travel during that time is in demand. Companies will surely take advantage of this, it’s just business. Being flexible with your vacation dates and traveling midweek and during off-peak seasons can get you the best deal.
Incognito Mode
Using incognito mode on travel sites can be beneficial. Typically if you open a normal window your cookies are saved so the next time you visit that website the prices may appear higher since the search is in demand. You can fool the search engine by browsing travel sites in an incognito window to prevent your cookies from being saved and to reflect a non-inflated price.
Google Flights
Google Flights is a great tool to find cheap flights. It does offer more than just flights, though. It also offers hotel accommodations but oftentimes you can find cheaper accommodations elsewhere. One thing that I personally like about Google Flights is that it displays carbon (CO2) emissions. It will show whether a flight has average emissions, higher emissions, or lower emissions. This is good data to know for those who are concerned about reducing their carbon footprint as much as one reasonably can flying. This number can increase for flights that are not nonstop. Overall Google Flights is a great tool that lists various airlines and various prices.
Lodging Accommodations
Use the cheaper accommodations at your disposal such as a hostel, an Airbnb, or even housing with friends who may be local to that area. One of the many benefits of making friends while traveling is that you not only have a new friend but a new friend who can introduce you to the local scene, help you explore, and even host your visit.
It is important to read what is included in your hostel or Airbnb package. Some include amenities such as Wi-Fi, breakfast, shuttle service, and laundry facilities. The laundry facilities can come in handy if you intend to backpack so you do not need to take as many clothes.
Granted, sleeping in a hostel may not be for everyone. It can be a great experience, especially internationally as you can meet people from around the world and get cheaper lodging but this may not be a good option if you have children.
Credit Card Discounts & Fees
Another way to save money on vacation travel is by using credit cards. Many credit cards offer great discounts on flight purchases. It is important to read all of the benefits your card issuer provides. These benefits often include purchase protection, rental insurance, and trip cancelation protection. This can be useful because despite our plans, life still happens.
Make sure to read the fine print. Many credit cards do have a foreign transaction fee and if you want to use your card while traveling there are cards that do not charge a foreign transaction fee. Why pay a fee if you don’t have to, even if the cash back balances it out?
In conclusion, travel is good for the soul. It is good to discover the world and broaden our perspective on life. The world is quite literally at your disposal. Take advantage of the many perks available to you and have safe travels!