Budget Travel Tips And Finding Cheap Getaways
Travel Tricks for Finding Affordable Trip Options
Nov 12, 2009
Visit A Lesser-Known Resort Area
Instead of crowded Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, how about heading to Cabarete instead? Fly into the Puerto Plata airport and arrive in the beautiful beach town of Cabarete some 20 minutes later. Cabarete has amazing beaches, local bars and restaurants, water activities and extremely affordable guesthouses and B&Bs . It's how the Caribbean should be enjoyed. For each major resort town you are considering, do some online research and find its equally stunning, less crowded alternative. Visit in the off-season and get even lower rates.
Bid On Priceline and Get an Immediate Counteroffer
On Priceline.com, usually customers must await an email response on whether or not their bid was accepted or rejected. But now, Priceline offers an immediate response along the lines of "We don't have your current bid, but an airline is prepared to offer you the ticket for x amount." And the list will show the final price, usually less than the listed airline price on other engines. Not bad!
Consider Ferry Options in the Caribbean
Sometimes a cheaper way to get to your island destination is to buy a one-way ticket to a hub such as Saint Thomas, and from there catch a ferry for a mere $25 to the next island over. Of course, you must ensure there is ferry service as well as cross-check arrival schedules. But really, isn't it worth all the saved dollars?
It's no longer the case that you have to purchase a traditional roundtrip ticket. As long as you find a way there and back, any combination works when it saves money.
Try Out All the "Latest" Search Engines
New ones seem to be popping up every year, but they are getting better and better. Aside from Kayak and its Kayak Buzz feature for fare alerts, also try AIr Gorilla, LastMinute.com and Farespotter.
Tell Friends Of Your Travel Plans
This may sound odd, but there's no telling how friends can help to achieve your vacation. It could be that they have extra miles, unusable miles because of slashed routes, or knowledge about a certain guest house or travel deal that is not widely published.
Get Social On The Travel Forums
Forums such those on Trip Advisor or Travel Talk Online are an amazing resource for obtaining up-to-date information, whether on hotels, flights, best tours or anything relating to a particular destination. Recent visitors and travel destination experts love to share their knowledge with visitors.
