5 Tips to Save on Traveling
Posted by missmelon on August 19, 2011 in Money Saving Tips
If you’re a savvy saver, you’re sure to already know how much money you can conserve with the help of coupons. Sure, couponing can be a little time intensive if you’re looking for a lot of deals all the time, but there’s no denying that they can slash the cost of everything from your daily shopping bill to occasional treats. But have you ever thought about taking your coupon skills and applying them to your holidays? With a little time and imagination you can travel for less, all thanks to a few little coupons.
As with all couponing, the first thing to bear in mind when you’re looking for holiday deals is flexibility. If you want to be able to enjoy the biggest savings, you’ll want to keep an open mind about everything from your transport to the kind of places you might like to stay. That’s not to say it’s impossible to choose a particular destination and stick to it, but you might have to wait longer for good deals to roll around.
There are some simple ways to save on your future travels. Get started now to maximize your savings.
- Find out if you already have access to money saving coupons through organizations you’re with. For example, if you’re signed up to AAA for roadside assistance or are a frequent flier, you could have deals open to you already.
- Join daily deal mailing lists for activities and restaurants of your travel destination. Most of these deals are valid for a year, so if you’re headed to New York City in November, now would be a great time to start buying daily deal offers. To avoid post-vacation spam, we suggest creating a new email address.
- Before you book, check out Dealio to see if we have any great coupons or deals perfects for your holidays plans – the top deals change every day, so if you’re dedicated to finding the perfect holiday, setting aside some time to hunt down the best deals is sure to have you sitting pretty on some great travel plans in no time.
- Travel involves more than just the flight, car, and hotel. You can save a lot of money by mentally packing ahead. For instance, if you’re headed somewhere tropical in 2012, why not look for swimsuit, flip flop, and even sunblock deals now? Just remember that the more you save before you go, the more you’ll be able to afford when you get there.
- Try to be as flexible as possible. For example, if you’re planning to fly to Australia try to book your trip around when’s cheapest to fly, not necessarily just when you want to go. Flight comparison engines like Skyscanner offer both month and year view, so you can really see when’s cheapest to fly.
One last to remember is that while couponing and “extreme couponing” is big in the US, some countries still aren’t as used to dealing with them. You’re sure to be able to find plenty of coupons, online and in local papers and magazines, but be prepared for waitresses or staff who are slow to accept and process them. Don’t worry about it though, it’s their job to do it and the savings are sure to be well worth any wait.
Remember that saving money on your holiday means more than getting money off your accommodation or fancy meals while you’re there, it means cutting your costs across the board. Look for deals that will make the whole thing cheaper for you – such as money off essentials like toothpaste or sun screen – and you won’t have any nasty surprises when you come to adding up your travel bill.