Save Money While Traveling
Monday, October 13th, 2008With the present day slow down in the economy and high cost of fuel, many American families will likely lower the number of leisure trips in an effort to save money. The good news is vacationers can still maintain the quality of past vacation trips and enjoy their favorite activities by considering the following suggestions for cutting costs and saving dollars:
Look into off-season destinations. Avoid crowds and save money by choosing a spot that is not in its peak season. Many hotels and attractions like amusement parks and museums offer lower priced packages and rates during slower times of the year. Also, consider vacationing between the time after spring break and before the summer tourism season for reduced rates. In addition, winter ski areas offer fun summer activities such as hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Hotels located near these areas offer room rates far below seasonal rates. These suggestions should help any family have a memorable time without breaking the bank!
Shorten your travel distance. Seek vacation spots within a few hours’ drive of your home. Sometimes great destinations are closer to home than you think! Opportunities for receiving free travel information in your mailbox are waiting for you. Websites like TravelGuidesFree.com allow you to find fun destinations in your area without spending any money.
Save on food cost. Meals are bound to be a large part of every family’s travel budget, especially if you eat out three meals a day for your entire stay. An answer to this problem is renting a vacation condo or a hotel room with a kitchen—even a small kitchen will do. For instance if you are staying near a ski resort, the family can stay in for breakfast, hit the slopes with pre-purchased energy bars in their pockets, meet back at the room for lunch, and share a meal in the evening. The room may cost a bit more than one without a kitchen, but with the savings on food costs, it would more than make up the difference.
Join an auto club. The standard AAA membership costs $60 per year, but can be recovered in just a few days on vacation. Like many auto clubs, membership entitles you to discounts on travel services, travel products, attractions and lodging, as well as emergency towing and emergency fuel services. Also enjoy the exclusive benefits and discounts from the world’s largest leisure travel agency. If you visit www.google.com and type in U.S. auto clubs, you will receive many options to choose from.
Sign up for travel alerts. Plenty of websites will send you emails alerts describing good deals as they arise—at no cost or obligation. Some sites let you customize your account so you are alerted according to the area where you live. If you sign up for Travelzoo’s “Top 20” newsletter, you’ll get weekly information about of the hottest deals in hotels, airfares, and vacation packages.
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