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It’s more than possible to take your dream trip without breaking the bank – as long as you plan ahead and stick to a few basic guidelines.
To help you stretch your money on your next trip, take heed of these cost-saving strategies to keep it cheap on the road, including booking a vacation home rental without service fees or processing fees on HomeEscape.
The earlier you book your flights, the less you’ll pay. So, if you know for a fact you’ll be traveling at a certain time, start booking soon.
Airlines will often charge a ticket change fee, usually north of $100, so make sure you absolutely plan to travel during those dates.
Traveling during peak travel season and holidays will always cost you more. Accommodation can be up to 50 percent lower during the low seasons, so the savings can add up quickly.
You need to be flexible on dates to get the best prices. Before booking flights, check out sites like Skyscanner or Momondo, which both give you an idea of the cheapest days and months to fly. The sites will also send you email alerts and keep you updated on the price of flights.
When booking flights, start by checking all of the possible routes. If the flight has more than one leg, search the separate legs yourself. By breaking a direct flight into two or more smaller flights, you can gain significant savings over the standard fare.
You’ll also want to consider all of your airport options. When booking flights, sometimes it is cheaper to fly into airports other than your final destination – this is especially true if you are traveling during holidays or peak season.
Locals don’t eat out every night and neither should you. Visit the local supermarket to see what the local palate is like and cook yourself a nice dinner. If you don’t have a kitchen where you are staying, check out the supermarkets, grab sandwich supplies, and make yourself a picnic. Staying in a vacation home rental during your vacation gives you the assurance of having a kitchen to use during your trip.
Smart travelers usually prefer vacation rentals over hotels due to added comfort, more space, and more savings. While most vacation rental websites charge service fees, there are free vacation rental platforms like HomeEscape. HomeEscape has a unique collection of vacation rentals worldwide without booking fees or processing fees. Saving money on lodging will allow you to use more of your travel budget for activities and experiences.
You can’t act like a local at all times. Part of the reason to travel is to check out the attractions that are world-famous for a reason.
Before you do so, consider buying a tourism card, which most major cities offer. Local tourism offices issues cards for all their attractions, tours, and some restaurants – this card gives you free entry or substantial discounts on all the attractions and tours in a city, free local public transportation (a huge plus), and discounts at a few restaurants.
Hotels and vacation rentals can become very expensive, very quickly. You can eliminate that expense altogether by visiting a city where you know someone.
You’ll want to give your host plenty of notice to make sure that you can stay, as well as reciprocating the gesture if they choose to visit your area. It is also nice to bring a welcome gift, like a bottle of wine or a dinner out.
Find affordable vacation rentals worldwide with HomeEscape. Check out some of our most popular destinations below:
1. Panama City Beach Vacation Rentals & Condos
2. Kissimmee Vacation Rentals near Disney World
3. Destin, FL Beach Houses & Condos
5. Miami Beach Vacation Rentals
Are you a vacation home owner? List your vacation rentals on HomeEscape for just $199 annually.
