Traveling is seen as a luxury that can be afforded only by a few and demands saving across many months in order to get the vacation that you desire.

With a bit of careful thought and a good deal of planning, it actually is achievable to travel on a budget.

Interestingly, paying a lot doesn’t inevitably assure you a nicer holiday.

Planning is the key to success when it comes to getting a budget holiday.

There are many things that you can influence such as when you book, how you travel, whether you go package or build your own agenda.

All of these things can have a significant impact on the price you pay.

Above all, each of these things are within your control!

Deciding on when to book is a bit of a gamble.

Whilst many tour operators will offer cheaper prices and early booking discounts, you may find that last minute deals are also available which will prove better financially.

Last minute deals are, of course, something that you cannot rely upon and if you are set on going to a certain destination at a certain date then last minute is far too risky.

For example, you need to consider your airfare, hotels and transport.

Whilst you may get an excellent last minute flight, you may not be so lucky when it comes to the hotel or car hire.

In fact, you may find that paying a premium for other parts of your holiday will end up out-weighing any last minute savings you have made.

As a general rule, if you are looking to go on a specific holiday, a cruise, for example, with a specific company or a destination that is only offered by a few operators, you may find that last minute bargains are simply not available.

A cruise line will offer holidays for a certain price, whilst they may offer their holidays through different agents who may individually offer discounts, the actual price of the cruise is likely to remain very similar no matter who you go to for your price.

Some destinations will be extremely cheap at one time of year yet finding a bargain four months later may be impossible.

Traveling to a popular destination at a peak time will never be cheap.

For example staying at a luxury hotel in a party city on New Year’s Eve is not likely to be a budget holiday; however, traveling to a traditional summer resort over New Year’s may be a very different story.

Shoulder season is the perfect time to be trying to travel for those who want to find a happy medium between low and peak seasons.

Identifying where is in shoulder season when you want to travel or when your favorite destination is in shoulder season can save you literally hundreds of dollars.

With almost every resort there is a period where the prices become low, not because the location is now poor but because all of the hotels and flights are still servicing the area but the demand is simply not there.

Examples of shoulder seasons are Europe in the fall and the Caribbean during late spring.

Mexican beaches and the Caribbean islands start to see their prices drop from mid April as the weather becomes hotter.

However, during the spring months, the water and air temperatures are still pleasant and the resorts less crowded.

If you are feeling particularly bold it is even worth telling the hotel what you are prepared to pay and asking them if they have any rooms available.

This is a particularly effective way of going about getting a really good deal if you are traveling to a city that has several hotels, it is out of peak season and you are flexible in terms of facilities.

For example, if a specific hotel requires at least 3 days notice to not charge for a cancellation, then this is the point where they are most likely to receive the most cancellations.

Negotiations over extra free nights or discounts will generally only work with smaller regional hotels, as the larger chains have a central system and they will not normally negotiate directly with a guest.

Buying a last minute flight is actually quite tricky.

Many charter airlines will deal primarily with packages and as such the flight-only option can actually end up costing more than a simple package.

Optional extras are big business for package tour operators and they will often make most of their profit from these extras such as insurance, excursions and transport at your destination.

Whilst these will often be available elsewhere cheaper, you may find that purchasing these from your package holiday operator will allow you to negotiate a discount on your holiday.

You may even be able to get a ‘free’ extra if you agree to book on the spot.

Another thing to bear in mind is that accommodation is not the expensive part of the package and you will sometimes find that a package holiday to a particular destination will end up as a cheaper alternative to trying to book flights on their own.

Last minute package deals are often so cheap that you can take the point of view that even if you hate the accommodation you can always phone around for your chosen hotel.

On a similar note, the best bargains are often those that are classified as ‘allocation on arrival’.

This simply means that you will be allocated accommodation when you arrive.

Some operators offer a halfway option where you will be told the resort, the type of hotel or the grade but the final selection will be done when you arrive.

Adventure travel has always been regarded as the expensive option.

This need not be the case, although adventure tour operators invariably are expensive as they pay developed world prices to their sales, marketing and organizational staff.

If you consider a typical adventure holiday, you will find that only a minimal portion of the overall cost will end up going on the actual adventure part of the holiday.

By organizing your own trip directly, you could save literally thousands of dollars.

Booking an adventure holiday for yourself can be quite tricky so follow these guidelines to make sure you get it right!

·Word of mouth is invaluable when you are considering going off the beaten track.

Generally booking a tour once you arrive at your destination will mean that you get a better deal.

Very few people ever pay the full brochure price for a cruise.

Last minute bargains are few and far between on cruises, so do not rely on this in the same way that you would for a flight or hotel.

If you are interested in a specific line or destination make this known to them.

There are also plenty of websites such as CruiseMates that have a bargain finder, where you can say what you are looking forward and agents will then contact you with the best deal.

Some cruise lines offer the option of booking a cabin grade but not a specific cabin.

Traditionally, travelers would only really be able to use local agents to deal with their query.

These days however we have a wealth of options available to us including online consolidators, auction sites and direct web sites to peruse.

One of the most popular auction sites that is used at the moment is eBay; however, bidders should be aware that they are often buying from an individual and the motto ‘buyer beware’ could not be any more appropriate.

If you do not wish to purchase through eBay, this still gives you a good idea of the types of prices that agents are prepared to let the holidays go for.

True you are likely to pay a little extra for this level of expertise, but it is not worth saving a few dollars at the expense of your enjoyment.

One of the great benefits of these sites is that they cover the whole spectrum of options and often offer discounts on hotels and flights booked together.

As well as the usual ways to get a bargain flight or holiday, it is also important to consider other money saving tips for when you are actually traveling.

Similarly there are specialist deals for seniors find out which of the airlines you are considering offer discounts for AARP members.

If you are getting a senior rate you may find that your companion can also benefit from the same rate.

Be sure to ask about these rates and any coupons or vouchers that are offered to senior travelers.

Being a member of an airline or hotel awards program is a superb way of finding out about the bargains and also for making ongoing savings every time you travel.

As a general rule there is no limit to the number of award programs that you can join, but normally you will have to decide which of the award programs you wish to assign any points you earn during a vacation.

Large airline companies now offer frequent flier incentives as a matter of course.

Take some time to locate the best deal based on your own individual circumstances.

As well as gaining points every time you fly you can also become part of a mailing list that ensures you are notified of the hot deals of the day!

The largest frequent flyer programs in America are United’s Mileage Plus, Delta’s SkyMiles and American’s Aadvantage.

Hotel chains are keen to ensure that they have loyal customers and as such the larger chains will almost always offer some incentive for repeat bookings.

Always ask what incentives are available, particularly if you can’t choose between two different hotels.

Some of the more popular offerings include a free upgrade if you stay for 10 days over the course of a year, free nights, free wine in your room.

Holiday Inn was the first hotel chain to begin to offer incentives and in the early days it was an impressive offer!

When traveling independently you will almost always do better in terms of price and quality if you veer away from the traditional places to eat and shops that the guide books mention.

Follow the locals; if you head for a tourist orientated restaurant or shop you will find that the prices are substantially higher and often the food is not of the same quality.

Sometimes you will be offered good deals as part of your hotel stay or airfare, consider these as combination deals will also be a lot cheaper than you could get on your own.

Booking car rental when you have reached your destination is normally cheaper than reserving in advance if you have not got a good combination deal.

There are good ways to save money, but insurance is not an area that you should scrimp on.

Always select the smallest car that is suitable for your needs, this will be cheaper and will cost less in gas.

If you are booking car hire from a distance, look at the costs of car hire from the airport as well as from the city that you are staying in.

Car rental companies will charge well over the odds for any extra gas that they need to replace on your behalf so take the time to tank up before you get back if you do not want a large bill at the end.

Some companies offer children’s prices right up to 16 years old, others start to charge full price at age 3.

Some hotels will offer adjoining rooms, others will have family rooms that sleep children as well as adults.

Traveling with children can be expensive when you add up the costs of activities, food and children’s clubs if they are available.

If you are working to a budget then it may well be worth considering an all-inclusive holiday resort.

It may even be worth traveling with another family with children of a similar age, as the adults can then take it in turns to child mind, meaning that everyone gets a break and the children have friends to play with!

Also the bigger the group the bigger the discounts, normally, so even if you do not want to spend the whole time with another family, you can still benefit from booking together.

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