I love to travel, and I love to save money when I do. It takes some time and effort, but if you are willing to roll up your sleeves a little bit, there are always ways to get where you want to go for a lot less money than you think. Here are some tips to help you find ways to travel for less.
For starters, it’s a good idea to have a second email address. I keep a primary email for personal communications, and a secondary email to sign up for newsletters, websites, and applications that will be sending me info regularly. It’s a lot less stressful for me when I don’t have to worry that an important personal email will be lost in the clutter. It’s also a lot easier to sort and search for specific information.
You are probably aware that many hotel chains, car rentals, and airlines offer rewards programs. If you haven’t joined them yet, then that would be a great place to start. The travel industry rewards you for the repeated use of their services.
As a member, when you stay at a hotel, they will reward you based on the category of the hotel you booked. Generally, the more expensive the hotel, the more points you will receive for that stay. You accumulate points and save them up to redeem for free nights in the future. I like using Marriott brands. They have several classes of hotels, and if I’m not looking for an Airbnb, I will generally stay at one of their places that offer a free continental breakfast. This is perfect because I don’t eat a large breakfast, and it’s nice that I don’t have to commit to spending $10 or more someplace for breakfast when I could just grab a couple of hard-boiled eggs, a yogurt and a cup of coffee. Marriott also offers discount rates to AAA members, corporate discounts and military discounts.
Airline reward programs work similarly by offering you points for every mile that you travel with them. It can get a little bit more complicated but at this stage, the most important thing is that you sign up and use a reward program every time you travel. Whenever possible, I use the same airlines as often as I can. For example, the closest airport to me is a major hub for United Airlines so I primarily use United when I fly. The prices are good because it is a hub, and I have a lot of good options for flight times.
Rental Car programs are good too, and over time you earn free upgrades, free days, discounted pricing and avoid lines at the counter. I recently discovered that sometimes, renting a car at an airport is more expensive than if you may have rented it from one of their franchise locations that could be just a few miles away! If you are staying at a hotel that is close to the airport, it may benefit you to see if they offer a free shuttle. If your hotel is closer to another rental car location, then it would be wise to compare prices and save by taking advantage of the free hotel shuttle service. It may be worth it to take a few moments when planning your trip to compare the surcharges and see if it makes sense to avoid renting at the airport. In some cases, it may simply be more practical and easier to get it from the airport and in some cases, you may save significantly by going to another location.
I do keep rewards programs with as many of the competitors as possible in each category. If I stay there once, or if I flew on their airplane, or rented a car from them, then I am a member. It only cost me my email address.
Another excellent way to get points for one of your favorite travel partners is to sign up for a credit card sponsored by them. They generally offer large signup bonuses, that once you meet their minimum requirements will offer you enough points for a free flight or a couple nights free. There are several websites out there that can give you the latest advice on cards to apply for and use. If you are smart with them, you can build up a lot of points very quickly. BUT please, exercise good judgment, read the fine print ad do your homework. Do not create additional debt for yourself. Use credit cards wisely. At the end of this article, I’ll include links for you to check out.
I also recommend a few apps that I use to keep an eye on flight prices as well as to look for current bargains. A quick and easy one is google flights. You can use their calendar to see if adjusting the dates of your trip will impact the cost. Hopper is a good app that allows you to watch a flight and offers advice on the best time to purchase your tickets at the best price. You can also watch flights on Google, but it doesn’t hurt to have multiple sources.
For packages and breaking deals, Jetto and Travel Pirates are excellent apps, but you will need some flexibility in your plans. I have seen and heard of some fantastic deals from both apps, but the timing just hasn’t been right for me yet. I get notifications and I am sure one of these days I will snag a great deal from one of them.
Travel Newsletters are also a great source. Some are free and some are nominal subscription-based. The subscription-based ones may have inside info on great deals or offer additional tips for savings. I would recommend trialing any newsletter before paying a monthly subscription. I’m sure it will pay off if you do enough traveling, but you must be sure your travel goals match with their specialties.
Lastly, my favorite sources for travel info and tips is through podcasts and their accompanying blogs. There are many to choose from. I have my favorites and will include them below, but I would suggest that depending on your style of travel and what you are looking for that you visit their blogs and see if it could be a fit for you.
These are just a few tips for travel, and I hope they help you on your adventures. If you have any of your own, I invite you to share them with us…leave a comment!
Life With Willie 
What a great tips. I feel like l have already saved money!! Keep em coming!!!
LikeLike