It’s that time of year again. I love this time of year when I can obsess over searching websites to find the best deal for my upcoming trip. Going on a great vacation is fun, but do you know what’s even better? Booking a fabulous vacation for a fraction of the cost.
Here are 4 travel hacks to help you take a dream vacation on the cheap:
Max out your credit cards
Take advantage of any and all credit card travel reward programs. Of course as a financial planner I’m not suggesting you max out your credit cards and leave an outstanding balance collecting interest. I’m merely suggesting you optimize your spending and pay it off to collect travel points and then redeem them for cash back, travel perks, flight discounts or free nights at a hotel.
If you need a new credit card consider applying for one with a travel program this way you’ll earn rewards points and possibly get extra insurance such as baggage loss coverage, flight delay insurance and medical coverage.
Buy travel insurance
Going anywhere without travel insurance is never a good idea. Whether you buy trip interruption insurance to provide hotel accommodations, baggage loss to cover the cost of your personal belongings or medical insurance to make sure you can always find (and afford) treatment in case of an emergency, you should always have some type of insurance when travelling abroad.
A few years ago while travelling in Europe I was stung by a huge foreign bug on top of the Rock of Gibraltar. To make a long story short my leg started to throb and I was treated by a group of British firemen. It ended up just being a sting, no allergic reaction. They ended up giving me a sticker and sending me on my way. Thankfully I didn’t need emergency medical treatment in a hospital, but I was glad I had that insurance card in my wallet…just in case.
Make the internet your best friend
I’m a planner. Any time I want to take a vacation (even if it’s last minute) I frantically search the web for good deals. I’m not cheap, I just hate overpaying for anything. Priceline.com is my best friend, I use it to book all kinds of travel from flights to hotels. I also find their car rental prices are great but only if you’re picking up the rental from an airport, otherwise the prices are comparable.
I always compare costs between discount travel websites as well as directly with the hotel or airline website. Priceline is usually the cheapest, but I always like to double check to make sure I’m getting a great deal. Back in March I booked a 4 star hotel in New York City for $84 a night – what a deal!
Travel on Sunday
Travelling on Sunday is cheap, it’s a lot cheaper than travelling on Friday or Saturday. If you run multiple search queries on travel websites you’ll probably find that leaving on Sunday is a lot cheaper than other days of the week. It’s a great way to save a few hundred dollars on your next vacation.
Tahnya Kristina is a personal finance blogger and Certified Financial Planner. She enjoys helping people land their dream job, achieve financial success and find personal happiness. Say hi anytime www.twitter.com/tahnyakristina
We are big fans of travelling on Sunday, or even mid-week. It’s cheaper and it’s a lot less chaotic to try and wrangle two small kids around in the airport too.
Hi Cat, I know what you mean. There’s nothing worse than travelling on a crowded Friday or Saturday. I would much rather hit the road on Sunday to avoid traffic and save some cash. Thanks for sharing!