Helpful Hints for Discount Travel
If you’re one of the many people who put off travel because of tight funds, you aren’t alone. A recent survey by Bankrate found that half of the responders who weren’t planning a summer vacation said it was because they couldn’t afford it. But you don’t have to sit at home, envying the jetsetters – by taking advantage of these helpful hints for discount travel you may be able to squeeze that unforgettable getaway into your budget.
Time it Right
If summer is the only time you can vacation, consider a destination where it’s the offseason, like the Caribbean. Not only will your airfare be cheaper, but accommodation rates tend to be much lower and there will be fewer tourists too. You’ll get that same idyllic 80-degree weather, albeit with some possible rain showers in the afternoon, but that just provides the perfect way to cool off. For other destinations, such as Europe, considering going during one of the shoulder seasons just before or after summer.
By booking well in advance, particularly for international travel, you’ll usually find the best bargains. The cheapest days to fly tend to be Tuesdays, Wednesday and Saturdays. While it’s not always true, traveling from a Wednesday to a Wednesday will be cheaper than a Friday to Friday. Google Flights is one of the best places to start as you’ll be able to see the fares for each day, pinpointing the least expensive days to travel according to your departure city and destination. You can also sign up to track flights and receive an alert via email when the fares go up or down.
Search for Airfare Incognito
If you check on airfare for a certain destination more than a few times, you may notice that the price starts going up. That’s because due to browser cookies, when you search a particular route multiple times, the site is able to detect that it may be able to entice you into booking before fares go up even more. To avoid that, each time you search, enable incognito mode by pressing “control,” “shift” and “P” in Firefox or Internet Explorer, and “control,” “shift” and “N” in Google Chrome.
Take Advantage of Coupons
Coupons aren’t just for groceries. You can use them for everything from dining out during your vacation to resorts, hotels and entertainment. Search Groupon Getaways to find deals on accommodation, and GrouponLive for reduced-priced entertainment tickets. Restaurant.com offers pay-in-advance discount deals, while Groupon and Living Social lists all sorts of deals you may be able to take advantage of.
Consider Alternatives to Hotels
There are lots of ways to save on accommodation with numerous alternatives to hotels these days. Not only should you compare hotel rates, but options on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. Oftentimes you’ll not only get a better price, but you’ll have more room to stretch out with your own place, and typically a kitchen that allows you to cook at least some of your meals in, providing big savings on dining out.
