Great Tips to Save Money on Your Vacation

Every day you hear that the dollar is getting weak, traveling is getting more expensive and fuel prices are going up. As inflation rises, it has become a big question mark for people whether they can afford to travel or not.

Take a look at some of these smart travel tips that can save you money.

1)       Vacation at Local Destination: Most people often think that if they do not go several thousand miles away from home, it is no vacation. But these days the dollar is getting weak, so a lot of people are looking for great places to visit which are close to home. Hence the best vacation you can have a t an affordable price is to look for places close to home; you might be surprised how many fun and historical places you can find near your city.

2)      Boutique Hotels: A lot of hotels are going the way of ‘boutiques’ and provide a lot of discount hotel room amenities that travelers love. At major hotel chains like the Hampton Inns or Hilton Homewood Suites, suites have small sitting rooms, kitchenettes, separate bedrooms and huge bathrooms. A lot of hotels also offer value adding service like free Wi-Fi, breakfasts, tea or dinner. The biggest comfort is the bed which have high quality sheets and soft, cuddly sheets.

3)      Avoid Extra Charges: A lot of travelers complain about incurring charges for services that they never used. Some of the notorious charges are tourism tax, city tax, internet service charges and newspaper charges. If a traveler books a room worth $300, these charges can make it jump to $385. You can avoid all these extra fees by asking to disclose the fee structure at check in. Decline the newspaper, make sure what are the fees associated with mini-bar, Wi-Fi and gym. Do not incur charges by using hotel phones; simply bring your own cell phone to make any calls.

4)      Rent a Car: Many tourists do not need car for the whole day but just for a few hours when on vacation. You can call a cheap car rental service that will only cost you a few dollars for each hour. If you want to further cut the cost, decline the second driver and opt to drive yourself.

5)      Take a Cruise to Europe: Just because Europe is half way around the world, doesn’t mean you cannot afford it. Simply opt for a sea cruise rather than an airplane, this will cost you a lot less and you will not have to pay for hotels on the way. With a US based cruise liner, you need to pay a single upfront rice which will cover your lodgings, meals and transfer cost.

These few tips can help you shave a lot of your travel cost if done smartly.