Travel on a Shoestring

Sign up for promotional e-mails from your credit card company to stay current on special discount offers. Many credit card companies offer special discount promotions when you purchase airline tickets for specific airlines using their credit card partners or a retailer.

When traveling on a tight budget, don't overlook the hospitality offered by monasteries or convents. Many ask for a donation of $40 to $80 dollars a night, while others only ask for a free-will offering. In addition to simple accommodations, they often offer their guests simple meals as well. You can find information on the Internet, or by getting a guidebook such as "Europe's Monastery and Convent Guesthouses: A Pilgrim's Travel Guide" or "Sanctuaries: The Complete United States: A Guide to Lodgings in Monasteries, Abbeys, and Retreats."

There's a good reason for you to consult your local travel agent before you book your vacation online. Although the Internet definitely has some good deals, travel agents often know about discounts and unadvertised, last-minute specials that can save you even more. And unlike websites, travel agents can help you save money by finding discount deals that combine air travel and lodging.

When coordinating your travel plans remember that hotels in cities are usually cheaper on the weekends when business travelers aren't staying there. That means you can get great rates and be in a wonderful location, too, from Friday night to Sunday. The opposite is true at hotels in resort areas or other places that are popular with leisure travelers. Resort rates are often cheaper during the week.

When purchasing airline tickets, be sure to include a Saturday night stay in order to save significantly. Airlines make their biggest profits from business travelers who travel Monday through Friday, and often book tickets at the last minute. You can save up to 66% on your fare by booking early and making sure you include a Saturday night stay.

If you are uncomfortable negotiating, or are not very good at it, hire a hotel broker or travel agent to help you. These professionals buy large blocks of rooms at reduced rates for different hotels and resorts and then offer them at discounts of up to 50% off regular rates. Get started by checking out these brokerage websites: hotels.com, travelocity.com, expedia.com, and quikbook.com.

Hotels at many destinations have two sets of prices: low season and high season. For example, the Caribbean Islands are popular in the winter, but much more affordable in the summer, and Disneyworld is most expensive during school vacation time and most reasonable right around Labor Day Weekends can also be more expensive at many destinations, so schedule your trip during the week if possible.

Many membership associations and service organizations offer travel discount opportunities to their members. Some rental car companies offer association members up to 5% off the cost of the rental and certain hotels offer discounts as well. You should review the literature of any organizations you belong to and speak to other members to get the inside scoop on benefits you might be able to use.

If you enjoy going to new places, but like saving money even more, consider timeshare properties. Select a location you like, and then for a small fee, you can "trade" with other property owners in other locations.

When it comes to rental cars, bigger is definitely NOT better. Small cars cost less to rent and cost less to operate, too, because they get better gas mileage. There's another advantage to reserving a small car. In locations with very few cars, small cars sell out quickly. If the compact car you reserved is not available, you will often, as a result, be given a full-size car for the price of a compact. And if they do have a compact, and you decide at the last minute that you want a bigger car, you can always ask for an upgrade on the spot.

If you are traveling and need more than one hotel room, check to see if a suite is available. It is almost always cheaper than two separate rooms. An efficiency suite will save you even more by allowing you to cook some of your own meals instead of eating out every night.

If you are flexible on when you can take a summer vacation, opt for later in the summer. Since July is one of the busiest travel months, bargains are usually scarce. Don't forget that summer includes 21 days in September and with kids back in school there are plenty of deals to be found.

Before reserving a rental car, check with your auto insurance provider and your credit card company to find out if either of them offer coverage for rental cars. The policies offered through rental car companies are usually expensive, with a high deductible and a lot of exclusions. If either your auto insurance provider or credit card company offer coverage, you can save a lot of money that you didn't even need to spend!

When purchasing travel insurance, carefully read all the fine print of your travel insurance policy to ensure you know exactly what you're getting. All travel insurance is not the same, and not all policies protect you in all situations. Be sure to select a policy that includes trip cancellation and emergency evacuation assistance, as well as refunds any non-refundable deposit money you have paid prior to departure.

Simple things like shampoo, antacid, film, and sunscreen are very affordable when purchased at your local drugstore. When they're sold at tourist spots, however, the price skyrockets since there's no competition. Shop before you leave for your vacation and you'll save 10% or more on the cost of little things...like aspirin, tissues, lip balm, etc. Make sure you buy the right sizes to make getting through the security line a breeze.

Sites like expedia.com, priceline.com and orbitz.com make it easy to compare rates and find the best deals for rental cars. As well as checking the discount sites, be sure to visit the "official" websites of rental agencies like Hertz, Avis, Budget, etc. to see if they have any specials of their own.

It's better to wait to change your money into local currency AFTER you arrive at your destination. You'll almost always get a better exchange rate. If your arrival is scheduled for a time when money-changing services will not be available, then you should bring only a minimum amount of foreign currency to take care of tips, transportation to your hotel, etc. Then, in the morning, you can exchange more money at the best local rate.

When planning a trip, the more flexible you are with your travel plans the more money you can save. Airlines and travel sites often offer special deals and incentives for last-minute travelers or for travelers with flexible travel dates. Visit site59.com or cheapfares.com to check out the best rates available on several airlines, or sign up for e-mail alerts from your favorite airlines or travel sites.

Staying at a hostel, a no frills boarding house for travelers, can be an excellent and inexpensive way to travel through much of the world. One of the best sites for finding hostels worldwide -- they list over 6000 -- is hostels.com.

When purchasing airline tickets, be sure that the fare quoted by the agent or website is all inclusive, and includes any taxes or fees added onto the base fare. This will give you a much more accurate idea of how much you will be spending, so that you can compare with other airlines and sites. Sometimes the low, low fare that a website offers is too good to be true.

If you and your family vacation to the same destinations every year, consider staying at the same hotel. Some lodging chains offer significant discounts and benefits if you join their reward programs which are free. Inquire about upgrades, free night's stay, free continental breakfast or access to the concierge lounge for "frequent lodgers."

Before cashing in your frequent-flyer miles to pay for a cheap airline ticket, check the offers of partner businesses. You can sometimes save more money by using your miles to pay for an expensive hotel stay, extra days on a car rental, or other high-end services instead of an airline ticket.

When booking an airline flight, rental car, or hotel, spend some time comparison shopping online to find the best price. First try sites like orbitz.com, priceline.com, and cheapfares.com. Once you've identified the best price, go directly to that company's website to see if they are offering a cheaper rate. Once you've shopped around, you'll be able to grab the best price, wherever it is offered.

Take your vacation at a winery and you'll never have to leave the grounds. Enjoy wine-making and cooking demonstrations by day, tasty meals by night, and prices that are surprisingly affordable considering the all-in-one nature of the experience.

The Elder Hostel is a non profit travel organization that has been in existence for over 25 years that is dedicated to offering extraordinary learning adventures to people 55 and over. They sponsor over 10,000 programs every year and strive to offer exceptional value. Information on their discounted travel programs can be found at elderhostel.org

If you are flexible on your travel time, but tight on your travel budget, consider looking for double-connect deals. Instead of booking a round-trip ticket from Hartford, CT to Orlando, Florida, consider buying two round-trip tickets: one from Hartford to Pittsburgh, and one from Pittsburgh to Orlando. This combo idea may save $150 per person over the direct flight depending on what deals the airline may be offering.

When booking airline tickets for two, check to see if the airline is offering a special "companion fare". Airlines often use these companion fares to entice you to purchase your tickets with them. The fares are usually based on a higher priced ticket for the first traveler, but offer significantly reduced rates for the second passenger, which is often cheaper than buying two tickets separately.

Several cities across the United States offer special passes that allow you to pay a reduced fee for entrance to tourist attractions. For example, in New York, the adult CityPass costs $53 and includes admission to the Empire State Building observatory, the Guggenheim Museum, the Circle Line sightseeing tours, and three other attractions. Other U.S. cities with such passes include Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Hollywood. You can find more information, and purchase the passes at citypass.com.

To get the best air fare deal possible, be sure to check the prices on flights from two or more airports in your area. The savings may surprise you and be well worth the extra driving time to travel further. For the price of a couple of gallons of gas, you can save hundreds of dollars on your airfare by driving to a less popular airport for your departure.

Next time you are reserving a hotel room, call and speak directly with the hotel staff to see if they can offer you the "inside" reservation rates. If the hotel isn't booked, you're more likely to receive a discounted rate this way than by calling a toll-free reservation line and speaking with an operator.

When planning a vacation, always create a travel budget and discipline yourself to stick to it. Sites like skyauction.com and priceline.com let you bid on hotel, rental car, and airline tickets, so that you only offer exactly what you can afford. And keep in mind that the more flexible you are with travel dates and times, the better the offer will be.

It's easy to watch what you eat and control your food budget at home. But if you're not careful when you're traveling, your food budget will eat up every penny of your vacation money. Eating at even the most inexpensive diner or fast-food restaurant will really add up after a day or two. To save on the cost of food while vacationing consider booking an all-inclusive resort for savings. One price includes your accommodations, meals, snacks and entertainment.

Airport rent-a-car companies certainly offer convenience, but they generally offer high prices, too. You'll find more competitive rates elsewhere, plus you'll avoid extra airport surcharges that onsite agencies must charge rental companies. Less convenient rental companies frequently offer free shuttle service to and from the airport, so you won't even have to pay for a taxi to get to them and the great rates they offer.

When you're traveling, it's easy to make "little" spontaneous purchases that end up taking a big bite out of your budget. Instead of getting into financial trouble and putting impulse purchases on your credit card, plan a budget for each day's adventure and stick to it. Since you can't be 100% sure what your day will bring, always include a few extra dollars for a "miscellaneous" purchase. That way you can take advantage of one-of-a-kind opportunities without putting a stress on your finances.