(ARA) - No matter where you're going, you can be a budget traveler. All it takes is a few simple steps and the desire to save some serious cash - and who doesn't have that instinct? Here are five suggestions for getting great value out of your next vacation. 1. Fly low
Airfare is often the biggest ticket item, especially for budget travelers. But there is good news for the diligent and flexible: If you plan in advance and diligently keep searching, you'll find cheap flights, especially during the off-season. If you're open to different destinations, you can also cut costs. Try taking a different approach to vacation planning, not just saying, "We are going here," but rather, "Where could we go?" Set your dates, then put together a list of five or more destinations that you'd like to go to, and start monitoring ticket prices. Once you've tracked them for a while, pick out the destination where you can find the best cheap flights. 2. Keep your hotel demands in check
Do you really need a marble-clad bathroom and 1,000 thread-count sheets? You might, and you might not. Budget travelers love a fancy hotel as much as anybody, but they also know the satisfaction that comes with finding a fantastic hotel deal, even if their room doesn't have all the bells, whistles, remotes and iPod chargers. When you're looking for hotels, comparison shopping is essential. Make sure you check to see if there are seasonal rate fluctuations, and read the reviews - though you can take them with a proverbial grain of salt. However, if you see nothing but negative reviews that are consistent in their descriptions, the money savings might not be worth it. Just keep in mind that, depending on your destination, it's quite likely that you'll be spending a lot of your time outside your hotel room. 3. Pack light
Not only will your back thank you, your wallet will, too. Do your best to get everything in one bag, now that so many carriers are charging to check any luggage. But be careful not to cram too much in. Charges for overweight souvenirs seems to be constantly increasing, so be sure you know what your suitcase weighs before you check in - there's nothing worse than the added stress of paying a last-minute, unexpected fee. Before you go to a location from which you think you might be bringing back lots of souvenirs, check with your airline to see what's cheaper - potentially going over the weight limit, or the cost of an extra bag. If it's a better price to check another bag, pack a lightweight, foldable duffel into your baggage before you leave. Another option is to consider skipping a carry-on on the way to your destination and using your second bag as your carry-on on the return flight. 4. Go local
If you're going to a country where the language is something other than English, try this rule of thumb for better dining deals: avoid restaurants with English menus. Catering to tourists seems to include an automatic price hike, so watch where locals are heading for meals, particularly lunch and dinner, since many hotels include breakfast in the room rates. Another sure way to save money is to take local public transportation. Bus passes and light rail or subway tickets are often sold in packages that offer great savings from buying single tickets, and the price difference from taking cabs can be enormous. If you're in a place that is conducive to doing so, start pounding the pavement. Walking is one of the very best ways to get a closer, more intimate look at your destination, and it can also provide you with some of the most unique, cherished memories of your trip. 5. Do your research
It's the golden rule for every budget traveler. It might seem like a headache, but the more time you devote to your pre-departure preparations, the more you'll enjoy your trip, and the more you'll save. Be diligent in searching out cheap flights - look at different times of day, when you're still in shopping mode, and note any fluctuations. Look for sites that don't have booking fees, like Travelocity.com. Get to know your destination inside and out. Search the Internet for information and reviews from other travelers; you might learn about some things that aren't in your guidebook. And about those guidebooks - always look at the print date. If you're dithering over two books, always go with the most recently printed book, or check on publishers' Web sites to see when the next editions are due. Courtesy ARAcontent |
