Travel Tips and Tricks: Saving Money and More
Here are tips to follow when trying to travel without breaking the bank.
BE FLEXIBLE ON DAYS
You may have to cut your stay one day short but in the long run you will save money. For example, if you are going to Martha’s Vineyard for a week in the summer, check out the pricing on hotels, transportation, and activities for Sunday through Friday. Since most people want to rent starting Saturday, or stay just on the weekends, you can save some extra cash going weekdays. We used to travel to the Cape frequently like this and I must say that it was always nice to be home on Saturday and have a couple of days to do the laundry and rest up for work on Monday.
OFF SEASON
This is a great time to travel if you can do it. With kids, it may be difficult since families must go when school is out of session. But if you don’t have kids, you have a lot more options. We traveled to Europe in December. It was beautiful, and we were able to see everything without the crowds!
My husband and I have visited Newport, Rhode Island a few times during the month of May. It‘s always beautiful, everything is open and things are more reasonably priced. Once the summer hits, Newport becomes a crowded and pricey vacation. In the off season, however, we have been able to see the sites, walk along the gorgeous cliff walk, and stay in really nice accommodations while keeping within our budget.
Visiting New England in the Fall is another way to skip the crowds. If you go to Cape Cod or Maine in September, the water is still warm and the beaches are more private.
LONG WEEKENDS
With or without kids, long weekends may be just what you need to re-energize. The Fall is a perfect time to take advantage of this. The leaves are changing colors and the beaches are beautiful in New England. You can take hayrides, pick apples, and go for walks on the beach. Whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend or just some family time, the Fall may be a perfect time to travel.
CRUISES
The cheapest times to take a Caribbean cruise are between September and early January as well as mid April thru the end of May. I have a friend who loves to cruise each year around Thanksgiving and has never hit a storm yet.
AIRLINES
When traveling long distances always check airline sites for the best deals. My favorite is Skyscanner.com. If you are able to be flexible on dates you may find some good deals. I recently traveled from JFK to Lisbon, Portugal for $400 round trip for a direct flight each way thanks to Skyscanner.com.
TRAVEL ON HOLIDAYS
Because we were flexible with dates, we left 12 days before Christmas and returned the day of Christmas Eve. We arrived at JFK at 3 in the afternoon and made it home for a Christmas Eve party that night. The flight was less crowded and the highways were also emptier. I have a friend whose family used to fly to Colorado to ski every Christmas Day. If you are willing to travel at off times, you can definitely save some money.
PLAN AHEAD
Try booking your flights well ahead of your travel date, but not too far in advance either depending on where your destination is. You should check travel websites frequently for when flights are announced, but when you see one, jump on it. You may not get to book your seat immediately but that’s okay. You’ll be able to lock into a price that works for you.
BE FLEXIBLE…Stuff Happens so relax, stop complaining, and go with the flow
Remember that when traveling you must be flexible and expect the unexpected to occur. We traveled to Italy a few years ago and missed our flight out of Rome. Our kids were in elementary school and we weren’t sure what to do. It was our first time in a foreign country and we were pretty clueless. We ended up taking the EuroRail to Bologna and it was a great adventure for us all! We got to see a lot of Italy that we missed as well as spend some time in Bologna. It ended up being a highlight of our trip.
More recently, we were in Europe when the US had a horrible snow storm. The flights were delayed everywhere. We planned to travel a few days after the airport was reopened so we thought we were in the clear. Since there was so much trouble getting rescheduled flights in and out of JFK, our flight went from an 8 hour flight to an 11 hour flight over Canada. The airplane was cramped and there was only one working bathroom. Guess what…we survived! The flight sucked but the trip was wonderful.
What ever you do…travel! It’s always a great way to see life differently. It’s always a way to experience an adventure. It’s always worthwhile.
