Travel in Budget

Joseph Jordan asked:


It can be tough to travel on a budget if you aren’t used to it. But there is no reason why you should stay home just because you don’t have scads of money! So, grab that battered, second hand Lonely Planet Guide and get going with these useful budget travel tips!

- Stay close to home. Instead of a family vacation to Disney World, why not scout out a fun location closer to where you live? There are plenty of other theme parks to consider that won’t require airfare and staying in some of the country’s more expensive hotels.

- Do your research. Start looking online for travel deals at least three months ahead of time if possible. That’s how you find special deals. Also, booking ahead saves you money since airlines and hotels charge premium rates for last minute travelers. You can often find deals for entrance tickets to places like Disney World and other popular attractions online.

- Be flexible and book extra time off are two very good travel tips. If you don’t necessarily have to go to Acapulco, why not check out airfare to other parts of Mexico? Also, being flexible with travel dates is ideal since certain days tend to be cheaper to fly on (like Tuesdays).

- Eat in travel tips: Find a hotel that includes breakfast and you save at least $6-15 per person on food a day! If you are traveling near home, try packing your own food. Or ask for a kitchenette and hit the local supermarket once you arrive. Preparing meals in your hotel room can drastically cut costs.

- To save money, follow these travel tips. If you are driving across the country, why not check out that free opal museum in Arizona or the World’s Largest Ball of String? These sights are free, but they are still interesting and can provide topics of conversation on the long drive to the real destination!

- Look online for coupons for anything. There are coupons for just about everything if you really look. Print some out for shows in Las Vegas or to get 2 for 1 entry to a museum. You can also find travel tips online.

- Don’t rent a car. If you are going somewhere like New York, just ask your hotel desk clerk about the subways or buses. And if you happen to be in California, check that the hotel you are thinking of booking offers a free shuttle to Disneyland or anywhere else. Most hotels offer free or cheap shuttle service to and from the airport as well.

- Some good food travel tips: when eating out, eat a big meal for lunch and go small for dinner. Lunch menus tend to be just as filling as dinner, but far cheaper in most restaurants. Look for a menu of the day, as well. These can be special offers that include an entire meal, soup, entree, drink and dessert for a set price. For supper, split an entree between two people or just order appetizers as your meal. Asking for just water is a good way to knock about $5-6 off each person’s tab!

You can travel on the cheap, and it is worth a try, even if you do have a bit of cash to spend. Just follow the travel tips above!



LoanAlrt.com

Paul Hata asked:


The rental car can be a big vacation expense, and getting the best deal you can on the transportation you need is important to keeping your vacation fun while staying within budget.

One way to keep costs as low as possible, of course, is to choose the smallest, most economical car you and your family are comfortable with.

Choosing a compact, subcompact or economy car makes sense on a number of levels. For one thing, such cars are generally less expensive to rent in the first place.

The other important consideration, however, is gas mileage. You as the renter of the car will be responsible for keeping it gassed up, including topping off the tank before returning it.

Buying a car that gets great mileage will definitely help your travel budget stretch farther.

If you need a larger car or minivan, it is important to shop around for the best deal you can find. While it is important to shop around no matter what type of car you are considering, it is even more important when trying to rent vehicles for which there is a lot of demand, like convertibles, minivans or SUV’s.

Shopping around at a number of travel related web sites, as well as at the web sites of the rental companies themselves, is usually the best way to land the best deal.

The length of the rental can have a large impact on the cost as well. Weekly rentals are often far less costly than a comparable daily rate spread over a week. So if your vacation plans are for a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates.

Joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons and some very good deals.

In addition, most car rental companies partner with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car.

In addition, many airlines run bonus programs where you get extra miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these bonuses when making your reservation.

Another great way to save money and keep your rental car budget low is not to buy things you do not need. In most cases, this means waiving the optional collision insurance coverage offered by the rental car company.

Many rental car companies really push this insurance, but in most cases you are already covered and can safely decline it.

For instance, most automobile insurance policies already provide collision coverage for rental cars, so be sure to check with your car insurance company before starting to plan your vacation.

Even if your insurance company does not cover your rental car, chances are one of your credit card companies does. Many credit cards provide coverage for rental cars paid for with the card, so be sure to check with your credit card company to see if they provide this coverage.

Another method to keep rental car costs to a minimum, and one that many people are unaware of, is renting a used car. There are a number of large national companies, and a number of smaller local companies as well, that rent used cars at a much lower price than comparable new cars.

In most cases, these cars are only a few years old, and they provide the same protection, and the same transportation as more costly new cars.



Caffeinated Content

Paul Hata asked:


One of the biggest parts of a travel and vacation budget is often the cost of getting from one place to another. It is important to budget for this important expense, and to consider some unique options, in order to make your travel dollars stretch as far as possible.

When choosing a rental car, it is important to choose the most economical and fuel efficient car that meets your needs.

Obviously, the size of your family will impact the choice of rental car, but compact and even subcompact cars can be great for motoring around cities, particularly when it comes time to park in those tight spots.

In addition, a smaller car will get better gas mileage, which is no small consideration, especially if you plan to do a lot of daily driving. And if you plan to travel far and wide, it may be important to choose a rental deal that provides unlimited miles, since charges for mileage overages can be quite costly.

When it comes to the decision of whether to accept or decline the optional collision coverage on a rental car, always be sure to see if you are already covered elsewhere.

For instance, your auto insurance company may already provide insurance coverage for rental cars, as may your credit card company. If you are covered by these policies, there is no need to accept the costly collision insurance offered by the rental car company.

And of course you will always want to top off your rental car with gasoline before dropping it off, as refueling charges by rental car companies are generally quite high.

Of course, there is a far less alternative to rental cars that few people take advantage of, but in many cities public transportation can be a far less costly, and far more convenient, alternative to paying to drive, and to park, a rental car.

Of course public transportation does not make sense in every location.

Many small towns, and even some larger cities have public transportation systems that are infrequent, inefficient, inconvenient or even nonexistent.

In other locations, however, using public transportation makes a lot of sense. In New York City, for instance, visitors can buy a pass that it good on all subways, buses and trains. The cost of a weekly pass can be less than what a visitor would pay to rent a car for a single day.

And public transportation provides an additional benefit as well; it frees the tourist from the hassles, and expense, of parking the rental car.

Many locations in New York, for instance, charge $20, $30 or even more for parking, and other major cities are almost as costly.

Getting around using public transportation is not as difficult as many people imagine either. Many public transportation companies, particularly those located in major tourist destinations, publish guides which give the route numbers to popular destinations, and bus drivers a train conductors in these locations are often quite adept at getting tourists where they need to go.



Caffeinated Content for WordPress