Staycations are so last year, so make this year “haute” with a getaway designed just for you.
If you’re dreaming of jetting off to a sandy beach or an exotic location for your summer vacation, don’t let the challenging economy keep you home.
Here are 12 money saving travel tips from the creator of the Haute Travels Blog that will get you out of the house and on the road to a memorable vacation with more cash in your wallet.
12 Haute Summer Travel Tips:
1. Be flexible with travel and consider leaving midweek to get the best fares … remember the best days to fly for less are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
2. Check airline fares after midnight to capture discounted tickets because those deals will often go away before anybody knows about them.
3. Compare rates for airfare, hotels, resorts and cruise lines on their sites before you go to sites like Travelzoo (compare multiple travel sites at once), Travelocity, Cheap Caribbean.com or Hotwire so that you’ll know what the cheaper tickets look like ahead of time.
4. Ask the properties for discounts and compare competitor’s rates — become a bargain shopper.
5. Travel to places where the dollar is strong.
6. When traveling to Europe in the summer, consider renting an apartment to save money.
7. Travel with friends and share the costs or try house swaps — exchange homes with other travelers.
8. Cut out airfare and drive to a coastal or mountain area near your home.
9. When booking high-end properties like the Four Seasons, Park Hyatt or Ritz Carlton compare the value-added extras — spa and meal credits, airport transfers and arrival gifts.
10. Look for properties offering free nights with paid nights to stretch your travel dollar and your length of stay.
11. Carry your luggage on board the plane to avoid fees for checked baggage.
12. Head to haute spots like Las Vegas where rooms are going for as little as $20 a night!
Remember it’s a buyer’s market and deals are plentiful whether you’re looking for a 10-day cruise or weekend getaway. Plan ahead, but not too far ahead because most deals worth taking advantage of occur within one month of departure. Just be patient, do your homework and you’ll save money and your sanity. –marian anderson
To learn more, visit Haute Travels Blog hautetravels.blogspot.com/
Marian Anderson is a lifestyle and travel writer and creator of Haute Travels Blog hautetravels.blogspot.com/
