Great Travel on a Tight Budget – Where to Shop Flights, Lodging and Entertainment to Maximize Your Money
It’s Time to Go – and Save!
I absolutely love to travel. I mean…love it. There’s nothing like stepping onto a city street or off a train at a station, looking around, and realizing that you’ve never been there before in your life. That is a real moment – a moment of vulnerability, being a beginner, and being open to a world of possibilities, sights and experiences.
There are a few things about traveling, however, that I’d don’t love! Canceled flights. Getting stuck in the middle seat (when I really want the window–always!). Getting screwed on my flights and rates. Wasting time. Wasting money. And as a parent, it’s super important to me that travel be as smooth as can be, especially for the young traveler sitting next to me!
Maximizing Dollars
As an avid traveler with an adventurous spirit, I’ve had my share of journeys! Hundreds of flights. Thousands of nights in hotels and resorts. Countless stays in vacation rentals. Many trips that were beautiful, awe-inspiring, relaxing, rejuvenating; others, not so exciting and definitely not worth the cost!
What I love most of all is when I go on an amazing adventure and it doesn’t break my bank for months. I love to save money traveling and to stretch those dollars as far as possible! The more I save on the travel, the more I get to spend on attractions and dining out (which is one of my other favorite reasons to travel!).
I suspect you’re reading this because you’re like me – looking to save money on travel and to stretch those dollars as far as you can! Check out these can’t-fail sites to help you stretch your dollars, find excursions and adventures that you’ve dreamt about, and save money on your way!
One-Stop-Shop Travel Sites
These websites have it all! Flights, lodging, transportation, excursions.
Last Minute Travel – My favorite goes first because this is where I always start! As an educator, I’m notorious for forgetting to plan my travels and then POOF! I have a three-day weekend and no plans for anything special. I LOVE this site because it is perfect for the procrastinators out there (like me) who are looking for a great last-minute deal. Hotels – flights – cruises – cars -vacation packages – vacation rental homes – activities! Everything I like to do. Do yourself a favor – start here! This site has inspired me to travel to new places because it’s a great deal and hey! Why not? Check out Last Minute Travel!
Travelation – This is a sweet little site that offers deep discounts on all things travel – including Group Rates. Their discount codes are easy to find online, adding to the savings. Do a quick internet search for coupon codes and you’ll see one related to the upcoming holiday, whatever it may be. They also highlight last-minute deals for serious savings in a pinch. Definitely check out Travelation for yourself.
Cheap Best Fares – This is another all-in-one stop for finding super cheap flights, hotels and car rentals. They update their fares DAILY on their website so you can see, real time, the best rates they have available. Word on the street is that they have pretty great rates online but their best rates are available when you call in and talk to a live rep. It’s totally worth a quick phone call to see if you can, indeed, save on that same flight you are about to purchase anyway. Check out Cheap Best Fares!
Airfare
Smart Fares – Another coupon code-generous ticket seller, Smart Fares has a the best capabilities for filtering your searches to meet your preferences. I always love when a travel search engine lets me pick +/- 3 days from my selected day; often I’m flexible and am just looking to fly on the cheapest day. Once you do a search, you’ll see that you can easily compare their fares to those of the “big websites” like Expedia and Priceline to ensure you’re getting the cheapest price. As all good flight sellers should, they allow you to filter based on number of stops, duration of travel, preferred departure/arrival times and more. It’s very customizable and really delivers on savings. Check out Smart Fares here.
Cheap Flights Now – Another coupon-code using website for airfare is Cheap Flights Now. They have a super sweet feature on their website called “Airline Contacts.” It has the toll free phone numbers to every airline you can possibly imagine–and the thousands of others you didn’t know existed! It’s a great page to bookmark either way. Great price, great selection of flights! Check out Cheap Flights Now.
GottaPark – This isn’t exactly airfare, but that other money-grabber! Airport PARKING. Ugh. Whether you’re parking short-term or long-term, parking costs add up quickly when you travel. GottaPark is available at all the major airports in the US and has the cheapest rates on long- and short-term parking. Even better–you can cancel for free if your travel plans change and you don’t need it! Check out all the airports they serve in the US; it could be worth a bunch just to see if they service your local airport. Check out GottaPark here!
Excursions and Activities
Once you’ve chosen your destinations, check out these super simple ways to save big on all the popular attractions and fun adventures!
The Trip Guru – If you crave unique and incredible adventures that are off the beaten path, then The Trip Guru is for you! I get bored reading through the options for travel on the major websites. But when I read about The Trip Guru’s White Water Rappelling down a waterfall in Chiang-Mai, Thailand or road tripping the Great Ocean Road of Australia–well that’s my kind of adventure! There’s nothing quite like this sweet little website. The co-founders have inspiring stories and huge bucket lists! It inspires me to want to travel more and take the road less traveled more often! You definitely shouldn’t miss The Trip Guru. Check them out here.
CityPass – This sweet little Pass is your ticket to huge savings on all the major attractions in the US/Canada cities you know and love. If you’ve decided that yep! You’re definitely headed to New York or Denver or Toronto, then you *must* check out the CityPass before you go! Save huge on great excursions you’ll likely do anyway, but at a fraction of the cost. Their website is excellent and you need to check out CityPass today! It may inspire your next trip!
I Venture Card – This is AWESOME. If you’re planning to visit a major city anywhere in the world, be sure to see if I Venture Card serves that city. It is the best way to save on package excursions for all the top attractions! Destinations like London, Barcelona, Madrid and San Francisco all offer package deals on the activities you’re likely going to do anyway! This is a must if you plan to visit a large city. Check out the I Venture Card.
Expert Flyer – If you are someone who flies A LOT, like for work or pleasure, than it’s totally worth checking out Expert Flyer. You get to setup alerts for your flights so that you know when those coveted aisle seats, or business class and first class seats suddenly open, so you can upgrade and get cozy. Expert Flyer has their own app available for free download. It couldn’t be any simpler to get that perfect seat – especially if you are flying internationally and don’t want to get stuck in the middle seat. If you’re not a frequent flyer but just a casual one, this is good, too! You can setup alerts for free and get notified when your favorite type of seat opens up. Interesting concept – definitely check out Expert Flyer, especially if you’re an expert!
Luggage and Comforts
Never underestimate the importance of quality luggage and comforts when you travel! Disagree? Have you ever had a wobbly wheelie suitcase!? Check out these top-notch brands with great philosophies.
Nomatic Luggage and Travel Gear – This is one of the top names in functional travel gear for every lifestyle. Hundreds of thousands of their products have been sold in their short career, and that speaks to the quality of the products! After spending years buying pre-Christmas sale luggage at local chain stores, I can see why companies like Nomatic have such loyal followers. Their lifetime guarantee on their products give confidence that if anything stops working as it should, they’ll take care of the repairs, no questions asked. I love their Everyday Backpack which is sleek, versatile and perfect for those who travel for work. Definitely check Nomatic out! You won’t be alone!
Audiobooks by Audible – Hands down, the top provider of audiobooks is Audible. Try them free for the first 30 days and see for yourself, no risk! They have a massive selection of books and incredible prices. They are affiliated with the mega-company Amazon, so their technology and ease of delivery can’t be beat. Even if you’re not the most tech-savvy person, Audible has got you! They make it super easy to stream books, play excerpts, scan for new titles and listen from any device. If you devour books, then this will definitely stretch your dollars! They have amazing membership rates (if you decide to stick around after your 30-day free trial. Check out Audible here!
Pakt – Their motto is “minimalist travel gear for environmentally conscious travelers.” What’s not to love about them!? Their Pakt One travel back is so well designed that you’ll wonder how you ever traveled without it before. Their other point of pride is their pour-over coffee travel kit, which is currently in crowd-funding status. They’ve received well over enough pledges to make it happen and it shouldn’t be long before this sweet little (essential) invention makes its way to the website for sale. Check out Pakt today!
Roam Right Travel Insurance – Protecting your group, your belongings and your health while traveling abroad is essential! Roam Right is one of the most reputable travel insurance companies out there. I’ve heard of several groups (missions) who use Roam Right in order to ensure that all the travelers have the same level of care and support they need while traveling abroad. As with any insurance company, they require good notes and records in order to pay out, so in the unfortunate event you have to use it, be sure to keep great documentation for Roam Right in order to get a speedy payout. Check it out here!
Whether you’re a solo jetsetter or a family on the move, you can’t go wrong with saving money and saving hassle. Best of luck on your adventures! Take care!
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