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Budget Travel Tips to
Save Your Family Vacation this Year
Giving up your $3 cup of designer coffee in favor of making your morning
joe at home may seem like a small sacrifice in light of the uncertain
economy. But if you’re not yet ready to give up your vacation plans,
you’re not alone. Several surveys indicate many Americans still intend
to take vacations in 2009 -- they’ll just be smarter about planning the
trip and how they spend their money.
Online travel planning, in particular, is growing rapidly, largely due
to the fast -- and often exclusive -- access to discounts and deals that
hotels, airlines, rental car companies, travel agencies and other
tourism groups offer through their Web sites. Travel planning expert
Elaina Schlesinger, founder of Awesome Adventures Travel & Tours (aatta.com),
offers a few simple tips on how families can make the most of their
travel budget this year.
Look online for savings if your interested in individual components -
airfare, hotel rates and rental car costs.
Airfare
To find the best possible airfare online, don’t limit yourself to just
one travel Web site. Compare fares on several sites, including the home
pages of major carriers. Traveling during slower seasons and being
flexible about your departure and return dates can help trim costs.
Direct flights will likely continue to be more expensive during 2009, so
consider flights with one or more stops, which are often cheaper than
flying direct.
Dodge those extra fees that the airlines are adding on. Try to avoid
checking a bag, especially if you’re taking a short trip of five days or
less. Most airlines are now charging a fee for the first checked bag.
Likewise, don’t waste your money buying food onboard. Buy your snacks or
meal after you pass through security and take it on board. While airport
food is rarely cheap, it’s still less costly -- and often better tasting
-- than what you get on board the plane.
Rental Cars
The Internet is a great resource for comparison shopping for rental car
rates. It can also be a tool to ease the rental process. Look for rental
companies that offer services to help you avoid long wait times at
rental counters, like the newly expanded Simply Wheelz program from
Hertz.
The easy-to-use Web site www.simplywheelz.com allows you to choose among
six types of cars and reserve one online for as little as $99 a week.
When you arrive at the airport, you bypass the rental counter and go
directly to a self-service kiosk. The kiosk scans a bar code from a
printed online reservation or your driver’s license, allows you to add
options like a GPS or child car seat, assigns you a vehicle and prints
the rental agreement. You retrieve your agreement, go directly to your
car and drive off the lot. SimplyWheelz is available at major
destinations across the country.
Hotels
Online resources are a great way to compare hotel deals and find out
about availability. But once you find a good rate, go the extra step and
call the hotel directly to find out if they can do better. Often, they
can. But more often your travel agent can get you a better deal through
their tour operator contracted rate.
Hotels across the country, from budget inns to five star properties, are
offering discounted rates and other incentives to woo travelers. Be open
to the idea of a budget hotel, since many are now offering perks like
complimentary full breakfasts -- a deal which can save a family a lot of
money. An extended-stay hotel might also be a good deal for your family
vacation if your room or suite comes with a kitchenette where you can
prepare meals and save your budget for attractions, rather than dining
out. But when traveling to the Caribbean or Mexico your best bet may be
to go for an all-inclusive property. An all-inclusive property is the
hassle-free way to help manage your vacation budget. You pay one
up-front price and won't have to worry about the cost of meals,
beverages, daily activities, nightly entertainment, or tipping! It's all
included.Vacation Packages
If your looking to book a vacation package (air and hotel, or hotel
only) and don't have the time or inclination to do your own online
shopping, call your travel agent. She or he can usually beat the prices
you'll find on the major online travel sites (expedia, orbitz,
travelocity). Plus you get the benefit of expert advise and personal
attention from a REAL Travel Agent. If booking far enough in advance you
will also have the option to secure you vacation package with a nominal
deposit and have up to 45 day prior to departure to pay off you balance,
which can help you to budget your vacation planning dollars.
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