Money saving tips for hotels, nightlife, local attractions and more

Most of us see the fantastic deals on the internet and wonder if we they are really as good as they sound. The only way we can be sure how good they are is by comparing these deals at several websites and asking for recommendations from friends and family who have been to such places.

Let say your family of four needs to go on vacation for two weeks. If you have not decided on the dates, it gives you more options at getting the good deals.  However, if you have the exact dates in mind, then you can certainly narrow down your opportunities very easily.

Step one – Look at consolidators sites

There are hundreds of sites for travelers looking for packages deals on the internet. If we are looking for bundled vacation sites, these are the various sites to look at:  http://www.expedia.com  http://www.travelocity.com http://www.orbitz.com etc. 

Let us go to one such site. http://www.travelocity.com. Today, you can find at that site “Rock-bottom-Delta deals” which are offers for flights to different destinations on Delta Airlines, last minute deals offering an additional 15% off the usual prices that are already discounted from 50% to 70% off the regular ticket prices online.

Now surf to http://www.expedia.com . When clicking on “Vacation Deals” we get several options. One of them mentions a Disney package where we get one night free stay at the Disney hotel. Check out the “Last minute deals” and you will get a long list of amazing bargains for the taking. If you have dates in mind, check out those that specifically will be available for those days.

Similarly go to a few other travel websites. Just Google “Travel bargains” and you will get many good links. Now choose one or two of them depending on the destination, the dates and the approximate amounts that they are selling for.

Step 2 – Check out the bargains

Go to http://www.kayak.com  and check out the lowest rates to these destinations on the dates that you are planning to travel. Go to http://www.hotels.com or any other hotel site and find out the average hotel prices at that destination on those days.

If the package includes auto rental, check some of the car rental agencies such as http://www.hertz.com  or http://www.avis.com or http://www.budget.com and determine the average rates for the duration of you vacation package for an auto that is promised to come with you package deal.

Now you have an approximate idea of how much this package will cost you if you book each of the items, airfare, hotels and auto rental yourself.

While you are checking out the airfare, hotel or auto sites, keep an eye out for coupons and discounts that may bring down the individual prices. Also, find out if these travel services offer AAA or AARP senior discounts.

It is also a good idea to Google the main companies in your package deal and check if they (as individual companies) offer coupons or promotional codes if you purchase them individually as a web customer.  For example, if the package deal includes flights by American Airlines, hotel accommodations by Marriott and auto rental from Enterprise rent-a-car, go to http://www.google.com   and type “coupon American Airlines” and look through the first few coupons offered. Then search for “coupon Marriott” followed by “Coupon Enterprise Auto Rental”. You will be surprised at the number of coupons available on the internet. These coupons usually have some restrictions such as being valid only at their websites or only on certain dates.

After applying the discounts (mentally, of course) add up the total amounts on your individual travel package. Find out if there are hidden taxes for the airline (insurance, penalty fees, etc), hotel (extra taxes, surcharges, etc) and auto rental (insurance, taxes, etc) to get the actual total of the package deal if you are to purchase it yourself.

Consult a professional

The next step is to see a travel agent. Describe in detail your itinerary, list the companies one by one and find out how much your trip will cost if they arrange it for you. You may be surprised at some of the helpful suggestions that the travel agent will give you. After years of experience doing the same thing all over again, they may be able to spot the weak links sooner than the average Joe.

Ask them how much it would cost to set up a similar package using their own resources. If they can give you a better deal, then take it! There is nothing compared to personal service provided by a good Travel Agency. Not only can you depend on them for your vacations every year, you can call them from the other end of the world and they will be there for you. Excellent customer service is usually what kept them in the business for years.

Take the Exam

Ok, just kidding! Now that you have learned a lot about travel and airfare, discounts and rates and peak season and off season and coupons and promotional codes, you can decide for yourself what needs to be done. You can go ahead and book through the website or if the travel agent has a better deal, then choose the agency. If you have found deals that can compete with the above two groups, then good for you!

Just make sure that all angles are covered and that you are completely aware or the extra charges that may be added to the final bills. You can also learn how to avoid late check in fees, late check out fees, telephone surcharges, internet charges etc.

To find discounts on local attractions, check out the visitor’s information booth in the airports or in the center of the town. They usually have local maps, with coupons all over it for visiting local attractions such as museums, art galleries, IMAX movie theaters,  malls, stores or national parks. Using any senior or children’s discounts, you can further reduce your bills. If you have a credit card that rewards you with frequent flyer miles, then paying with the credit card will give you the triple discount that you deserve!

Keeping tipping to a minimum also helps when we travel on vacation. Instead of giving tips in foreign currency, take some local crafts or useful items from your town to give away. Homemade crafts or cookies are good too.

Create a budget for your everyday expenses plus an allowance for shopping and extra activities. If you have children, set up tours or excursions that will keep the whole family enjoying the vacation together. Some of the best times we have had with our children were when we went on Safaris or jungle hikes. Even teenagers who are normally distant and speak in monosyllable language most of the time suddenly become very attentive and interested in foreign “stuff”.