When you work hard, you need a break. Although you may get a few days off each week, you often start to fill your downtime with even more work. Whether that’s errands, or house chores, we always seem to be ‘on’. So, it can make the times you do get to take out, like when you’re on vacation, all the more worthwhile. But sometimes, you can’t always feel like the cost of that (well-deserved) vacation is justified.
Even if you’re trying to be a bit more frugal with your money, you can still travel. Although you might be used to spending big money on your trips, you can get a similar experience for a fraction of the price – it’s all in the way you approach your travel plans. When you have a lot on, and a lot to save up for, you need all the help you can get in the saving money department; these pointers should get you started.
Pick Your Moment
If you’re used to booking a vacation when you want, in a location you want, this first step might take a little getting used to. But, it’s worth being persistent, as it could save you a lot of cash. Believe it or not, there are actually cheap times to fly throughout the year. If you want to bag yourself a flight for next to nothing, you’re going to want to pick your dates carefully – and, as always, shop around.
Go Out Of Season
And just like there are good times to fly price wise, there are also good times to visit different countries too, location wise. Every country or city will have their peak season – often in summer. But, you can get a great deal if you’re prepared to travel outside of that peak season. So, either peak a quiet season for the location you’d like to visit, or chose a country that’s quieter at the time of year you’d like to go.
Look Out For A Coupon
If you’re a savvy shopper, you’ll know that there’s a coupon for just about every store or product imaginable. And yes, that goes for the travel industry too. Sites like www.dontpayfull.com often have a wealth of money saving coupons available to save you money on everything from flights to hotels. So before you book, see if there’s a discount available and save yourself a little something.
Be Flexible With Durations
When you’re booking a vacation, you might automatically look at prices based on one week, or even two. But, you might find that you can save yourself money by booking for a random duration. Or, if you want to do as close to that one or two week window as possible, but you want to get the booking for a better price, reduce the duration by one night and see what difference that can make.
Fill Your Time Wisely
Getting a cheap vacation doesn’t just end with the flights and accommodation because you can often spend just as much when you’re actually on vacation. If you’re not staying at an all-inclusive resort, then try your best at being thrifty when you’re out and enjoying your vacation location. You can deepen your travel experience, and save money, by talking to the locals and looking out for great tips.
Book Direct
As tempting as it can be to book with a tour operator or travel agency, you can sometimes pay for the privilege. So, if you want to save as much money as you can on your trip, you’re going to want to book everything directly. Because hotels and flight operators want your business, you might also find that you get a better offer when you go direct.
Book In Advance
It’s not always that easy to tell whether you will save more money on your vacation by booking way in advance, or booking last minute. But, it’s often best to do it in advance. Prices will fluctuate all of the time, and you can’t always guarantee a better price when booking closer to the time. But when you book in advance, you often only have a deposit to pay and can give yourself a long time to save.
Get Everything Covered
When you’re trying to save money, you can often find yourself cutting corners – even if it’s by accident. But, that’s never a good idea. When you travel, you need to make sure that you have all of your bases covered, including insurance. So make sure that you’re not going to cost yourself more in the long run, just by trying to be cheap up front.
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