Budget-Friendly Travel Plans

Money being scarce as it is right now you’ve probably scratched those plans for a Disney family vacation, or that trip to the Turkish baths and dazzling bazaars in Istanbul. The irony is, stressful times mean you need a break more than ever. But take heart! You can still make fun and affordable travel plans.

Start at the internet. Go straight to kayak.com. Pass Travelocity, Expedia and all those other travel sites. At kayak one search will compare prices from all those sites, including airfare, hotels and cruises as well as package deals. Or, if you like gambling a little (I’m not talking about Vegas) try priceline, where you can “negotiate” the price you pay for airfare, car rentals and hotels.

Last minute deals. If you’re the daring type and you’re not set on a particular destination, you can find some great bargains if you book last minute and pick up surplus hotel rooms or cancelled cabins on cruises. See what you can find at SkyAuction or Moments-Notice or LastMinute. You might also find some real bargains at cheapcaribbean.com.

Book a package. By bundling air and hotel and even car rental you can really save, especially on last minute bookings. And consider meals, if they’re offered. Eating out is often one of the biggest expenses when travelling so including breakfast and dinner at your hotel can help the budget along in a big way.

Try Bed and Breakfast. The humble B&B was long ago elevated from a basic bedroom where you shared a bathroom with six other people to elegant lodging in historic dwellings with luxury suites and gourmet meals. Well, sometimes! In fact, bed and breakfast lodging can run the gamut of quality, location and price. Still, many times they afford a cheaper alternative to standard hotels and can be found where no hotel chain would dare to go. So take a look at the options on bedandbreakfast.com.

Live dangerously. Go hostel! OK, dangerous is a little exaggeration. Hostels have come a long way since my youthful days but they’re still the environ of the young and not necessarily for the faint of heart. Hostels.com gives you a world of choices, which can indeed be very cheap. Normal lodging is dormer-style, though some properties now offer private rooms for families. Bathrooms may still be communal, however, as will kitchens and laundries.

Buy a tent. Seriously. For just $100 you can get a three room tent. On ReserveAmerica and camping.com you can find campgrounds for as little as $20 a night and all the information you need to enjoy being in the great outdoors. I must admit, my idea of roughing it is a hotel without room service, so camping is definitely not for me. But many of my friends love the life, particularly the camaraderie of fellow happy campers.

Impose on family. OK, if it is an imposition, don’t do this but, hey, if family will welcome you then why not visit?  It’s one of the cheapest ways to vacation and you get to enjoy being with people you love.

Stay close to home. With tough schedules and a limited budget, my husband and I are big on day trips, overnights and long weekends. Searching online I’ve found everything to do from riding the Chattanooga choo choo, mining for diamonds, white water rafting, wine tasting at local vineyards to musuems, flea markets, hot air ballooning and even an alpine village. We watch for local festivals, go antiquing (not that we buy much!) and, sometimes, just take a picnic into the mountains.

Get a vacation rental. This can really be a bargain for a large family or small group vacation. HomeAway and ResortQuest have the largest selection of privately owned homes, with detailed descriptions, maps and photographs to help you choose.

Vacation Rental

I found this new Mediterranean-style 3-bedroom home in Sarasota, FL with a community pool, lots of nearby amenities, even a 42″ plasma TV in the living room for just $99 – $119 a night. Split that between three couples and you have a cheap vacation. You can choose to eat-in and save on restaurant bills and, if you drive to your destination together you’ll dramatically cut travelling costs.

Ask for a better deal. You can’t afford to be shy and the worst that can happen is you get a “No”. A hotel with empty rooms may be glad to give you an extra night free rather than lose you to its competitor down the street.

House Swap. That’s right. While you stay in someone’s home in, say London, they stay in your home in the US. With hotel prices in London an easy $300, $400 or more, staying in the city for free sounds really tempting. Home Exchange and ExchangeHomes both provide lots of swapping opportunities and helpful information for a modest annual fee.

Use frequent traveler points. You should already be using a rewards credit card. My recent trip to England cost me only the taxes and some minimal fees on my plane fare and rental car. As I pay my credit card in full each month it really was like traveling for free. WebFlyer is a comprehensive site that offers information on many hotel and airline rewards programs.

Go off-season. Assuming you can choose when you travel, plan your vacation at off-peak times. Not only will you find lower prices all around, avoiding the crowds can be an added benefit.