Travel Ideas for the Traveler on a Budget

The best way to take advantage of cheap travel is to be able to work your vacation time around your travel schedule. Who among us does not remember the frantic text message, “I found tickets to Ecuador from L.A. for $150! How many do you want?” However, most of us have to schedule travel around our time off, and we look for deals within the constraints of our predetermined vacation days. The list of paid holidays around which most businesses work creates a “peak” travel season which, if you are looking for a deal, you should try to avoid. 

Be Alert

A good way to keep apprised of deals is to sign up for e-mail alerts. If you have not already, become a frequent flyer on your favorite airline. The airline will send fabulous deals directly to your inbox. It is even better if the airlines you sign up with are budget airlines. You can easily find a list of budget airlines on wikipedia. Do not forget to sign up with your favorite hotels and car rental companies, too. The extra time you spend looking through e-mail deals is well worth the budget travel deals you can get. Encourage your family members and friends to sign up for cheap travel deals as well. You can keep one another up to date on the best fares and rates at any given time. 

Timing Your Trip

If you know where you want to go and when, the million dollar question becomes, “Should I book now or wait to see if the price goes down?” The best time to book airfares is right around one month before your anticipated travel dates. However, there are last minute travel sites that offer some fabulous deals as well. 

Be Flexible

When it comes to last minute travel and budget travel, flexibility is key. A lower fare will always result if you click on the “+/- days” option when searching for flights. For cheap travel, get used to the idea of taking a red-eye flight, a flight with multiple stops, or of possibly taking a shuttle to your rental car location, instead of taking advantage of the on-site rental counter at the airport. Get ready to trade in convenience for adventure! In many cases, the hotel you’ve just walked into isn’t really, “full.” Rather than let a room sit empty overnight for a profit of $0, some places will be willing to offer a discounted rate.

Have Fun

Last minute travel and budget travel are not necessarily for everyone. Instead, it is for those of us who understand that getting there is half the fun, and figuring out the logistics of the journey can be just as rewarding as that first bite of patatas bravas on Plaza Mayor. Bon voyage!