Tag: Trip

Unlocking the Secrets to Getting the Best Deals From Online Travel Companies

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By bundling flights and hotels, online travel websites can help you save money. However, being flexible with your dates and destinations would be best. Some sites let you filter for direct flights only, carry-on or checked bags, hotel chains, and review scores. It also has a Pricebreaker option that enables you to score low hotel prices but will only tell you which one after booking.

Look for Packages

When booking travel, it’s best to look for packages that bundle flights, hotels, and rental cars or tours. These deals are often cheaper than booking the items individually. The travel agency has a negotiating advantage with airlines and hotels by buying large blocks of rooms or airline seats or offering an extensive inventory of small-group tour options.

There is an excellent app for more spontaneous travelers that monitors price trends and notifies you of any low-priced fares. Its employees search for flight discounts by hand, unlike other fare-tracking services.

If you’re looking for a hotel, another good option lets you filter by star rating, location, and amenities. It also displays a map with available rooms, which can help plan where to stay.

Signing up for email newsletters from your favorite travel sites will inform you of sales and other discounts. Many offer Black Friday and Travel Tuesday promotions and a free loyalty program where you can earn rewards like extra points on your next booking or a free night’s stay.

Look for Last-Minute Deals

Flexibility can pay off in the form of last-minute travel deals. Sign up for alerts from travel companies and online booking sites; check this website RetailMeNot to determine when they offer discounts on flights, hotels, or vacation packages.

Some online booking sites offer discounted hotel rates through their Express Deals service. This way, you will know what hotel you’ll stay at once you make the booking, but you can save up to 60 percent on a hotel stay.

Other travel sites allow you to filter for various factors, such as direct flights, carry-on or checked luggage, and even airline alliances, to help you narrow your search results. You can also use apps to get a sense of when the best time to book is for your specific trip based on predictions about pricing trends.

Beware of OTAs that hide fees until you are ready to purchase your ticket or check-in, known as bait-and-switch pricing. These rogue websites often appear as the cheapest option in a search and lure you in with low prices before adding hidden fees, which can be pretty steep.

Look for Discounts

Traveling can be expensive, but you don’t have to break the bank for your dream vacation. Many online travel sites offer discounts and deals to save you money. These include bundled packages, flash sales, and loyalty programs. You can save big on your next trip by signing up for these offers.

When booking hotels online, look for discounts on the hotel’s website. Also, try to book your stay during the off-season. Many hotels will lower their prices during the off-season to attract tourists. Another way to find discounts is by researching local deals in your destination city. This can be done through daily deal sites or more established travel agencies.

Pro tip: Always browse for travel deals in an Incognito browser window. Some travel companies will track your search history and increase prices to lure you in, but you can avoid this by using Incognito mode. This is especially helpful for last-minute travel as price hikes prevent you from being gouged. You can also sign up for free email alerts from various travel companies for early access to discounts and coupons.

Look for Travel Aggregators

Travel aggregators (metasearch engines) scour dozens of other sites to display all available options in one place. They are distinct from online travel agents, which complete the booking and take responsibility for the products they sell.

The best aggregators are known for finding cheap flights, particularly those offered by no-frills budget airlines. They also search hotels, car rental companies, and cruises. They may even offer cash back on certain purchases.

However, some things could be improved in these services. First, OTAs (online travel agents) compete for business on these aggregator sites and often present their best prices. Second, aggregators are notorious for showing different prices to different people based on browsing history and other mysterious factors.

Finally, some aggregators only include some fees in their displayed price, so travelers can pay more than they planned once they click through to book. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to read the fine print on any deal before you book. This is true for any purchase you make on the Internet.

Look for Alternatives

Many OTAs offer bundles of airfare, hotel, and car rental or vacation packages that can be great deals. Travel providers can often sell their inventory at a lower price in a package because they don’t have to worry about the seat, room, or car going unoccupied. These types of deals are essential for last-minute bookings.

Many other online travel sites are worth checking out to save money when booking your next trip. Some sites offer discounts for certain travelers, such as those with elite status or rewards members, while others specialize in specific areas such as hotels, flights, or cruises.

Another unique site to consider allows users to name their prices and then negotiate with hotels, airlines, and car rentals to get that price. Other aggregators, such as Trivago, compare prices across multiple booking websites to find the best deal for each user. Regardless of which online travel site you choose, remember that the Internet is your friend, and it’s always worth doing a quick search before booking anything to ensure you get the best possible price for your trip!

The Benefits of Renting a Camper Van for Your Next Road Trip

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With all the hype about #vanlife and RVing, you might try it out on your next road trip. But before you take the plunge, you must do your homework first. Peer-to-peer campervan rental companies have vans fully stocked with everything you need for regional camping, including cookware, bedding, towels, and even outdoor hot showers.

You’ll Save Money

With the popularity of #vanlife and RV life increasing, more and more people are considering renting camper vans for road trips. This is an excellent option for those who aren’t ready to commit to living the van lifestyle full-time but still want to enjoy all the benefits of a road trip in comfort and style. You can find camper van rentals for all types of budgets. Peer-to-peer rental sites have everything from beautiful Sprinter vans with HGTV-worthy interiors to tiny teardrop trailers you can tow behind your Subaru.

For a more traditional RV experience, companies offer locations all across the destination you want. Their rentals are compact and fully equipped with bedding, cooking equipment, and other essentials. They also include unlimited miles in their daily rates. This makes it perfect for a one-way road trip, especially to popular destinations.

You’ll Have More Space

In addition to renting the vehicle, you’ll also have to pay for lodging and food. The good news is that camper vans are cheaper than RV rentals because they are smaller. Plus, they’re usually less expensive on fuel, parts, ferry charges, tolls, and taxes.

Another benefit of renting a camper van in Iceland is having more space. This can be especially important if you’re traveling with a partner. If you have to play camper van Tetris with each other to sleep and move around, it can start to get a little cramped after a while.

You can find options on various peer-to-peer rental websites if you want to rent a camper van for your road trip. They offer camper vans ranging from old-school VW Vanagons to newer Mercedes Sprinters and Storyteller Overland MODE4x4 adventure vans. You can also find listings on sites that offer custom luxury boutique camper vans with heated mattresses and top-notch speaker systems. Read the reviews and check out the owner’s profile before booking a van.

You’ll Have More Comfort

With a camper van, you’ll feel like you’re taking your home on the road. It’s nice not having to pack and unpack your things every time you move from one destination to the next.

You’ll also be able to stay in places you wouldn’t be able to with a tent or a hotel. For instance, you can stealth camp or boondock on BLM land. Some van lifers like to stay at traditional campgrounds, while others prefer to rough it in the wild.

Plus, you can cook in your van instead of always eating out, saving you money. And don’t worry if you have kids; they’ll love it too. They’ll probably be asking for a camper van when they grow up. So if you’re considering trying the camper van lifestyle, check out our list of camper van rentals near you. You’ll be glad you did. Then you’ll have an experience that you’ll never forget.

You’ll Have More Privacy

If you’re a fan of van life (or the combination of road-tripping, camping, and embracing a carefree lifestyle), renting a camper van can provide you more privacy than hotel hopping. You’ll bring your sleeping area with you on your trip, meaning the home is wherever you park it, rather than having to change rooms or live out of suitcases each day like traveling by air or with a car-based RV. Some companies offer a variety of campervans, which sleep two to five people. All vehicles have a kitchen, fridge, stove, cookware, bedding, and a pop-up tent for additional sleeping space. Their rental rates are based on the length of your trip and include unlimited miles, primary insurance, and bedding.

They also offer a minivan option to sleep up to four people. The beds are designed to be stationary, eliminating the need to transform your sitting area into a bed each night, which can be tedious on long trips. 

You’ll Have More Freedom

If you’re planning a trip to one of the country’s national parks and don’t want to deal with booking hotels or setting up a tent every night, renting a camper van can be a great option. With a van, you’ll have more freedom to follow where the road takes you and to stay wherever it feels like home for a few days. If a full-blown #vanlife is on your bucket list, but you’re not sure you want to build your conversion just yet, renting one can be a great way to get a taste before you take the plunge. Plus, you’re not limited to a specific rental location like fleet-owned vehicles so you can find a van for rent almost anywhere in the country on websites. If you’re ready, check out the many aesthetically pleasing camper vans. Each of their vehicles comes equipped with a full kitchen (fridge, stove, oven, and sink), butcher block countertops, passenger swivel seat, full-size Temperpedic mattress, and cargo storage for surfboards, skis, or camping gear.

Saving for Vacation: 8 Great Tips to Fund Your Big Family Trips

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Families make lasting memories on vacations that become stories they tell for years to come. They’re the perfect opportunity to break out of day to day life and experience new things with those you love the most.

The importance of regular family trips can’t be understated, but they aren’t always easy to fund, and saving for vacation can be intimidating. If you have a large family, finding ways to afford fun trips every year can get especially tricky.

But don’t lose hope. There are some easy ways you can save money for your next trip so your whole family can have the time of their life. There are also plenty of great vacation hacks you can use to make things more affordable.

8 Great Tips To Fund Your Big Family Trips

Dreaming up your next family vacation is the fun part of the planning process, and there are plenty of great options to choose from. You could do a week at a theme park, go skiing, go to the beach, road trip across the country, go on a cruise, and more.

The difficult part is figuring out how to budget for a big trip and saving enough money for fun activities that your whole family will love. Let’s look at ways you can make your family vacation budget more manageable.

1. Start Saving Early

If you know that you want to take a yearly big family vacation, start saving a year in advance. Basically, as soon as you get home from your last vacation, you should set up your savings plan for the next one and get started right away.

The longer you give yourself to save, the more you can splurge on your trip later. Set a weekly savings goal that you can set aside without thinking about it, which leads us to our next trip.

2. Automate Your Savings

Most banks have systems in place so that you can automatically move money from your checking to savings account on a weekly basis. If your money moves on its own, you don’t have to think about it, and you never miss it.

With this method, your savings will start to accumulate in the background of your life without you having to adjust your budget too much.

3. Set a Budget

Once you decide where you’re going for your next family vacation, research the average costs per person for your destination. Factor in food, accommodations, plane or car travel, and the cost of any activities you plan to do.

With an idea of what the per-person cost will be for the trip, you can set a clearer savings goal. However, vacations usually end up being more expensive than expected, so make sure you pad your budget to allow for any shopping, changed plans, emergencies, or other extra expenses that could come up.

4. Book Early

You can get the best deals on flights and accommodations if you book well in advance. As soon as you know where and when your next family vacation will be, start booking it.

Booking early also lets you get some of the major costs out of the way so you can focus the rest of your savings goals on the fun added adventures.

5. Hunt Down Deals

If you have a big family, you can usually find deals on ticket prices for activities and excursions. Search sites like Groupon, Expedia, and Priceline for travel deals that will skim some money off of your budget.

You can also join travel clubs that offer exclusive savings. For instance, save on a trip to a Disney theme park or resort with a Disney Vacation Club package. You can find great savings on the Disney Vacation Club cost by purchasing them resale.

6. Go at off-Peak Times

For better deals on flights and accommodations, go on your trip during off-season. If your schedule is flexible, you’ll be able to save money and enjoy having fewer crowds to deal with.

For instance, try going to the beach in April instead of June. If you can’t make an off-season trip work with your work schedule or your kids’ school calendars, book your trip during the week, when flights and hotels are usually cheaper, instead of on a weekend.

7. Tighten Your Regular Budget

Look for ways you can save money at home during the year so you can add more to your family vacation budget. Pack your work lunches and your kid’s school lunches, cut down on shopping, and cook dinners at home instead of getting takeout.

You can get the kids involved and make saving money fun instead of a sacrifice. Once you know where you’re going, you can talk about each specific thing you’re saving for the vacation, like a snorkeling excursion, yo get them excited about saving for so instead of being disappointed about not ordering in pizza.

8. Reserve Accommodations With a Kitchen To Save on Food

To cut costs on your trip, book a place to stay that has a kitchen so you can make meals at your temporary home instead of eating out for every meal. As soon as you arrive, hit up the grocery store so your place is stocked. Include snacks to carry with you during the day so you don’t have to stop to buy any overpriced junk food while you’re out.

Plan a couple of fun meals out during your trip that you can all look forward to so that eating at home the rest of the time isn’t a big deal. To find places with kitchens, look on Airbnb.

Saving for Vacation: Start Now

The most important factor in saving for vacation is to start planning now. You’ll avoid stress and unexpected expenses that come up with family travel and hopefully find some deals in the planning process.

Getting your whole family excited about your next trip will help them all get on board with saving, and having a goal to accomplish together will bring you closer throughout the year.

For more travel tips, plus articles about food and real estate, check out the rest of our blog.