Today is all about saving money when traveling without forgoing favorite perks.
But before we jump into that, I want to give a shout-out to the blogger from The Concrete Cottage. Jeannine is a nurse, mom, and creative, resourceful lady. When she found this discarded suitcase it was all beaten up and covered in duck tape. She cleaned and painted it, and gave the castoff a stylish renovation. Since today is Travel Thursday and this week we’re discussing secrets to saving money, I couldn’t resist featuring her.
Okay travelers, here are three bottom line-benefitting tips.
Check It Out. Before booking a flight, I always surf the web to see who has the best offers…including sites like Expedia and Orbitz. Then I book my flight directly through the airline. That way if they make a change after I’ve arrived at the airport, I can get a new flight directly with the airline instead of being required to go through a booking company.
Roll and Save. If you take along a rolling bag that can fit in the overhead compartment, many airlines will let you check it at the gate for free. Then you will bypass paying the baggage bill and won’t have to deal with it on the plane.
Direct to the Manager on Duty. When booking a hotel room, bypass the 800 toll-free number… It takes you to a clearinghouse that lets you reserve a room from a backlog for a nonnegotiable price. Instead, call the hotel directly and speak with the manager on duty. That person will know the up-to-the-minute status on rooms and may be able to barter on price. If, for example, there is a convention that just cancelled and the hotel is eager to fill vacancies, you could be in for a great room at a greatly-reduced cost. Don’t be shy when asking about discounts.
Safe travels!