Can you travel in the off season? This one is kinda hard, because well off-season doesn’t always mean we can travel during that time. BUT have you seen the differences in prices of hotels and things like that during the off season? For instance, hotels in a ski town during winter months are 4xs the amount they are during summer months, for all the obvious reasons. But if you’re looking for a getaway, it makes sense!
Do you have different dates in mind? Obviously, being flexible when you are planning anything is imperative, but have two or three sets of depart/return dates is a great idea. You can compare prices for the dates, and see which works best with your schedule and budget.
Have you checked prices on Fly.com? With things like their fare calendar and the ability to search many airlines at once, Fly.com makes it so much simpler to find flights that match your criteria. They will even find incoming/outgoing flights on two separate airlines if they think that is cheaper for you!
Can you leverage frequent flyer miles? Now, I know, FF miles are a pain in the butt to keep track of. They’re kinda confusing, and they take a while to accumulate, BUT they can really come in handy. Where you or your travel companion might not both have enough to get free flights, one of you could use their miles for a free flight, and then you split the cost of the other flight between the two of you. If you haven’t signed up for a FF program, but you’ve been on a airplane, I highly recommend signing up, you have nothing to lose!
Do you have Credit Card points? I get it, not everyone has credit cards. They aren’t for everyone, but if you do have one, and you have one with some form of rewards points, use them! One of my CCs uses the normal 1% back on all purchases, but my Discover CC has 5% back every quarter on various things, and even now, my debit card (you read that right) has cash back deals! Scan the deals on your debit and credit cards. If nothing else, use some of those rewards points you’ve built up to cut down on costs!
Do not try to plan everything at once! This is something I have been so guilty of in the past. But after many failed attempts, I’ve realized this is not a good idea. Lay everything out that you want to do, sure. But don’t try to purchase everything at once. Reserve the two biggest things- flight accommodations and stay. These are usually the things that fill up the quickest, and prices will go up quickest with these, especially flights. If you find a great priced flight, jump on it. But save the little things for later!
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